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Symptoms After Postmenopausal Hysterectomy
After having a postmenopausal hysterectomy, most women experience some symptoms [1](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/4852-hysterectomy 'inline-reference::Hysterectomy. (2018).
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
')[2](http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/diagnosis-and-treatment/tests-and-procedures/hysterectomy/?region=on 'inline-reference::Hysterectomy.
(n.d.). ')[5](https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-treatments/h/hysterectomy.html 'inline-reference::What is hysterectomy?
(n.d.). ').
A hysterectomy is the surgical removal of a woman’s uterus 125. A physician may perform a hysterectomy due to disease, chronic pain or uterine prolapse, which is the protrusion of the uterus through the vagina 125. In the United States, about 33 percent of women undergo a hysterectomy by age 60, according to 2010 information from the National Institutes of Health 125. Menopause is a natural occurrence in a woman’s life, during which the ovaries stop producing sexual hormones and menstruation ends.
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become brittle and more prone to breakage.
Nearly 25 million postmenopausal women have osteoporosis, according to "The Woman's Guide to Hysterectomy" published in 2002 125. The significant drop in estrogen that accompanies a postmenopausal hysterectomy can cause osteoporosis; a broken wrist is often the first sign of the disease 125. During their postmenopausal years, about 40 percent of women will experience at least one broken bone related to osteoporosis, notes "The Woman's Guide to Hysterectomy."
Emotional Symptoms
The Side Effects of a Full Hysterectomy
Learn More
Some women experience a strong emotional response to a postmenopausal hysterectomy 1[2](http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/diagnosis-and-treatment/tests-and-procedures/hysterectomy/?region=on 'inline-reference::Hysterectomy. (n.d.).
')5. This is not uncommon. It may be due to a hormonal imbalance or, depending on a patient’s age, feelings of loss related to the end of childbearing years. Although some women feel better weeks after the surgery, other women become depressed and may require psychological counseling or hormone replacement therapy. Other women may experience feelings of relief thanks to the cessation of pain or other symptoms.
- Some women experience a strong emotional response to a postmenopausal hysterectomy 1. ')
- Other women may experience feelings of relief thanks to the cessation of pain or other symptoms.
Low Sex Drive
After a postmenopausal hysterectomy, a woman may experience a decrease in her sex drive 1[2](http://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/diagnosis-and-treatment/tests-and-procedures/hysterectomy/?region=on 'inline-reference::Hysterectomy. (n.d.).
')5. In the March 2010 issue of “Sexuality and Disability,” Dr. Güliz Onat Bayram reports that this may be due to dyspareunia, or painful sexual intercourse, vaginal dryness and low libido. Every woman reacts differently. In fact, some women may enjoy having sex more following the surgery, thanks to the alleviation of pain or bleeding. Hormone replacement therapy and the use of vaginal lubricants can help increase sexual enjoyment.
- After a postmenopausal hysterectomy, a woman may experience a decrease in her sex drive 1. ')
- In fact, some women may enjoy having sex more following the surgery, thanks to the alleviation of pain or bleeding.
Related Articles
References
- Hysterectomy. (2018).
- Hysterectomy. (n.d.).
- Menopause and your health. (2018).
- Moorman PG, et al. (2009). A prospective study of weight gain after premenopausal hysterectomy. DOI:
- What is hysterectomy? (n.d.).
- Zhang Y et al. Emergency obstetric hysterectomy for life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage: A 12-year review. Medicine (Baltimore). 2017 Nov; 96(45): e8443. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000008443
- Stanford Health Care. Techniques: Our Approach to Hysterectomy.
- American Cancer Society. (March 2019). Surgery for Endometrial Cancer.
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2020). Frequently Asked Questions: Hysterectomy.
- Committee on Gynecologic Practice. Committee Opinion No 701: Choosing the Route of Hysterectomy for Benign Disease. Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Jun;129(6):e155-e159. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000002112
- Schindlbeck C, Klauser K, Dian D, Janni W, Friese K. Comparison of total laparoscopic, vaginal and abdominal hysterectomy. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2008 Apr;277(4):331-7.
- Einarsson JI, Suzuki Y. Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: 10 Steps Toward a Successful Procedure. Rev Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Winter; 2(1): 57–64.
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2020). Frequently Asked Questions: Hysterectomy.
- Papadopoulos MS, Tolikas AC, Miliaras DE. Hysterectomy-current methods and alternatives for benign indications. Obstet Gynecol Int. 2010;2010. doi:10.1155/2010/356740
- Cooper R, Mishra G, Hardy R, Kuh D. Hysterectomy and subsequent psychological health: findings from a British birth cohort study. J Affect Disord. 2009;115(1-2):122-30. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2008.08.017
- Harnod T, Chen W, Wang J-H, Lin S-Z, Ding D-C. Hysterectomies Are Associated with an Increased Risk of Depression: A Population-Based Cohort Study. J Clin Med. 2018 Oct; 7(10): 366. doi:10.3390/jcm7100366
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. Laparoscopic Hysterectomy.
- American Cancer Society. (Revised March 2019). Surgery for Endometrial Cancer
- American Cancer Society. (Revised December 2018). The American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Prevention and Early Detection of Cervical Cancer
- Clarke-Pearson DL, Geller EJ. Complications of hysterectomy. Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Mar;121(3):654-73. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3182841594
- Forsgren C, Altman D. Risk of Pelvic Organ Fistula in Patients Undergoing Hysterectomy. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Oct;22(5):404-7. doi:10.1097/GCO.0b013e32833e49b0
- Committee on Gynecologic Practice. Committee Opinion No 701: Choosing the Route of Hysterectomy for Benign Disease. Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Jun;129(6):e155-e159. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000002112
- Doucette RC, Sharp HT, Alder SC. Challenging generally accepted contraindications to vaginal hysterectomy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2001 Jun;184(7):1386-9; discussion 1390-1.
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2020). Frequently Asked Questions: Hysterectomy.
Writer Bio
Sydney Hornby specializes in metabolic disease and reproductive endocrinology. He is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College and Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, where he earned his M.D., and has worked for several years in academic medical research. Writing for publication since 1995, Hornby has had articles featured in "Medical Care," "Preventive Medicine" and "Medical Decision Making."