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Fibromyalgia and female hormones - has hysterectomy made a difference?

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Posted 8/30/2012 5:27 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone,

I've been perimenopausal since I was 35 (41 now) and I feel like I have symptoms at least 3 wks of the month and they seem to be getting worse shakehead So, after not having a period for 3mths, (but spotting all that time), I decided to have u'sound and was then referred to a ob/gyn.  I had seen him 3yrs prior and an IUD had helped with some of the symptoms (mainly the heavy bleeding).  So anyways, told him in last few years I'd been really unwell with CFS and FM and he goes on to tell me that they are only labels Dr's put on things when they can't figure out what's wrong with a person mad I'm sorry to say that I didn't disagree with him or argue his thoughts because I was at the stage where I would burst in to tears if I tried to advocate and set him right.  I'm hoping next time I see him I'm much stronger and can 'advise' him on how his thoughts about CFS and FM are wrong!!!!!

so anyways, I thought he would suggest a hysterectomy however he won't as he believes with hormone therapy and diet (weight loss - am not obese though just a bit over) and exercise then things will improve.  I've had a history of evil hormones and i'm beginning to thing that if I do have a hysterectomy then some parts of my life will improve.

So I ask the question:  Has anyone had a hysterectomy post Fibro/CFS diagnosis and how has it affected you?  Has it improved your health or made things worse??

Thanks everyone for reading this....

Cheers  Lou :-)

Posted 8/30/2012 6:04 AM (GMT 0)
We had this conversation a few times in the fibro support group I used to go to. Most of the women didn't feel it was worth it, the surgery didn't even help the problem they had the surgery for. They traded one set of problems for another.

The ones that couldn't take hormones felt it made their fibro worse because the hot flashes kept them up at night making them feel worse. The only ones that were happy were the ones that had it due to excessive bleeding, they thought they felt better because they were no longer anemic.
Posted 8/30/2012 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
I had the hysterectomy and ovary removal pre-FMS dx. I think it didn't help, in fact it may have stressed out the adrenals even more which led to other issues. Trying to balance hormones is a royal pain in the behind. And if you end up not able to tolerate them, it's even worse.

I would never recommend a hysterectomy unless a dr recommended it and even then I'd get second opinions... If you get ovaries removed, you will have no hormones (and stress adrenals) compared to natural menopause where you still make up to 40% of the hormones you made pre-menopause. You open up a whole new can of worms when trying to balance hormones.

That being said, if you're low in hormones, why not supplement if it helps unless your dr is against it.

Heavy bleeding could also be related to low thyroid. And you could always have a uterine ablation done where your uterus is saved but bleeding is pretty much done. Something to consider. Also maybe get your thyroid checked (not just TSH but also free T3, free T4, thyroid antibodies, etc).
Posted 8/30/2012 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
I'm new here but I saw this and thought I was add. I'm 35. I had my LAVH in 05. I believe if anything it has made me worst. I didn't really start my pain so bad until 07. Maybe I was just in so much pain with period or lack thereof that I didn't notice any other pain. I regret everyday, mostly, that I decided to have it done so quickly. It is what it is I guess though.
Posted 8/31/2012 12:48 AM (GMT 0)
Hi lou, a thread was started a week or so ago, there are some opinions there you might find useful, (so as i dont repeat my self).....But one thing i will say a good gyno is worth his or her weight in gold, so i dont know how much valuable time u might want to wast on that one....I think i will be getting a hysterectomy because i only have 1 overy and i have been on patches that i found, as i have said in the other post realy help me and i think my fibro as well....

I hope this thread might get some more bites, for the other one i hoped would produce more coments did not......

I hope we find the answers together, since this forum is a nearly all women.... rolleyes

heres to a happy menopause tongue

Azumi

I think the other thread from memory, ha , is menopause and fibro pain...... but my memory an't what it used to be cry

Posted 8/31/2012 1:24 AM (GMT 0)
I had a hysterectomy nearly 2 years ago, and I believe that it has helped at least slightly with the fibromyalgia pain.  However, only my uterus was removed.  I was 51 years old at the time, and had put up with years of heavy bleeding from my periods, along with many bouts with iron deficiency anemia.  I do not suffer from headaches near as much since having it done, and I do not get UTI's as frequently.  I also had the almost constant spotting prior to having it, and my periods seemed to be moving closer together.  They kept putting me on the pill to try to regulate all of this, but it did not help.  For me, I think that the hysterectomy was long overdue.
Posted 8/31/2012 4:27 AM (GMT 0)
I can comment that I have less pain with higher levels of estrogen (hormones replaced) but I also take progesterone and testosterone. I initially only had uterus removed, it was after ovary removal years later, that the pain started... major pain. I think our adrenals struggle to try to replace the hormones our ovaries made pre-removal... never knew how hard those ovaries worked before they were gone....
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