Ladies: Complete Hysterectomy and Weight Gain

I'm hoping to get experiences from women who have had complete hysterectomies (removal of uterus, cervix, tubes and ovaries). I'm scheduled for surgery March 19th and scared of the possible weight gain. I'm 4'11" and 136 lbs. I was once almost 170 lbs. and miserable. I can't stand the thought of being heavier than what I am right now. The majority of everything I read online is about experiences of weight gain even though supposedly eating right and exercising. I'm supposed to be on a HRT patch afterwards. Can just the hormones themselves cause this many problems even though you're doing everything else right? Thanks to all who reply!

Replies

LucyQdini67

Hope you get some replies....I want to know too! I had a full hysterectomy, and bladder surgery, a little over 2 weeks ago. A little background: I just turned 47, have always been relatively thin, but after my last child was born, was up to 157 lbs, the most ever, at least 5 years. It all goes to my middle....about 4 years ago, and after being asked TWICE in the SAME summer if I was pregnant, I cut way back on my eating....mostly bread and cheeses, my weaknesses, and got down to 120-ish, and have been around there, ever since. I just started exercising about 8 weeks before my surgery, and would do elliptical or walking at least 30 mins a day, sometimes up to 45 mins. I got a FitBit about a week before my surgery, not BECAUSE of the surgery but just because since I've been exercising I wanted to keep track of how active I really am, and then joined myfitnesspal mostly to keep track of what I eat/calories eaten, before joining MFP I just kept track on a Pages document. I don't need to lose weight, but maintain where I am.

The whole hysterectomy/menopause/weight gain subject has me quite freaked out....I have had body image issues/disordered eating/weight obsessions for most of my life, except for the time when my kids were younger.....and gaining weight now just. cannot. happen....I am happy with my weight and how I look, at 47, than at any other time in my life. Truthfully, I cannot eat any better, or at least not much better, than I already do...my husband and I pretty much cook all of our food at home, using fresh produce whenever possible...rarely anything canned or frozen or prepackaged, nothing processed. (though I stick to that better than my husband, lol) I snack on fruits/veggies, no red meat, try to limit breads/cheeses, I don't drink soda...while I do have tea and coffee twice a day, the rest of the time I drink water....all in all, a good "diet".

And since my hysterectomy, especially since I'm still in the healing stage, I've been meticulous to keep my daily calorie intake close to what my fitbit says I burned...and have been starting to add in more walking the past couple days, along with about 3 mins. of elliptical starting today...want to up that soon but have to be careful.

As far as HRT...I don't go back to my doctor for 2 more weeks. I'm not sure what to do about HRT...he told me to wait until this followup visit to see how I was doing without HRT, and well, I"m doing great, so far. I have read SO much, probably the same things you're read, lol....for and against HRT.and heard both that it will help with weight gain, and CAUSE weight gain...and women saying they gained weight no matter what. But then, I think about older women that I have met that are NOT overweight, even though past menopause.

I probably didn't help answer much....but just wanted you to know that I"m in the same boat. Will shut up now

Wanting2BSkinny

Thank you for replying

I'm really hoping that someone with experience with this will reply. Sounds like we both need reassurance. lol

I would love to lose more than I have but I seem to be stuck right where I am but to be honest, looking at and worrying about everything now, I will be more than happy to stay right at the weight I am right now, thank you very much!!!

And yeah, I'm totally freaking myself out by reading some of the experiences online. Some are good, but some are bad and of course, that's what I've been focusing on. Pretty much what I've gathered it that maybe hormones themselves being out of balance can cause the weight gain. As far as me on my end, I'll be dedicated enough and committed enough to exercise to control what I can. Hopefully my hormones will be in agreement with that also

Sending you a f/r

lajohnson1959

Hi
I had a complete hysterectomy in 1990. I am 54 years old - almost 55.

I have to tell you, I was put on premarin and wasn't told that I shouldn't be on it for a long period of time. I have been on all of these years until 2012 when my doctor wouldn't prescribe it because my Mom had breast cancer. Well, the hot flashes were incredible, so I had to seek out someone to put me back on and I did. However, I started to wean myself by going M - W - F and then was going to cut back even farther.

I have had weight problems since my surgery - don't know if be cause of my surgery or because I am hypothyroid and have been on synthroid for almost as many years.

Anyway, from my weigh in during my November drill until January of this year I put on more than 20 pounds! Since I am in the military I have to weigh a certain amount of weight. My husband and I decided I needed to try HRT - even though the cost is more than we can really afford. I went in for blood work February 7th and then went back on the 12th for my appointment with the doctor at the HRT clinic.
My labs showed that my estrogen and testosterone were below any marks on there scale - I was totally depleted.
They inserted some of the medicine and this week is the first time I lost 2.5 pounds. I also was put on a natural thyroid medicine.

All I can say is that your body needs the estrogen and more importantly the testosterone in order to lose weight. Up until doing the HRT I was getting so frustrated with how much I had been working out and eating healthy and not losing - but actually gaining weight.

I hope this helps somewhat. I will keep you posted of my results. I hope this wasn't just a mirage and I actually can begin to loose weight.:bigsmile:

LucyQdini67

I keep reminding myself that a lot of online postings regarding hysterectomy may be negative, usually people with bad experiences are the first to speak out. The past few days I've stopped googling hysterectomy weight gain and menopause weight gain...it seems to be better for my mindset

I had read about going on HRT right after surgery, but when I asked my doctor about doing that, he said he didn't usually recommend it, to just wait until my 4 week checkup to assess, unless I was having really bad symptoms before that.

tealgrove

Don't believe everything you read especially on the internet.

I had a total hysterectomy 4 years ago. I did not take, nor do I take hormone replacement now, due to my family history of cancer so I can't speak to the effect that HRT may have on weight gain post hysterectomy.

I read all kinds of terrible stories on the internet and my experience has been nothing but positive right from the initial surgery to post op to everything else after.

I did not gain weight. In fact, I lost weight.

I felt soooo miserable and sick before the surgery that I had no energy, ate poorly, didn't exercise etc. etc. 6 weeks after surgery I felt like a million bucks and was jumping to get back into the gym. I actually had a new lease on life.

I am a firm believer in positive thoughts and getting your head in the "right place" for these types of life events.

If you go into with a positive mindset you will come out with a positive mindset.

The other thing I did was prepared my body before surgery to be strong and in a position to heal quickly after. You may want to google some naturopathic supplements for surgery healing. I can't remember what I took but I healed quickly, had little pain and was good to go in no time.

I hope this helps.

LucyQdini67

@tealgrove....THANK YOU...just hearing one other positive outcome from hysterectomy makes me feel good. Ok, it's ONLY been 2 1/2 weeks since my surgery....but had an easy time in the hospital, feel great, have not had any hormonal issues (well, except for acne, though I've had that issue for a couple years, whole 'nother story, and it seems to be getting better since the surgery...I'm waiting to see what happens over the next few weeks on that.) No hot flashes yet, and I did lose a couple pounds but I think that's due to being off birth control pills for the first time in years. I have no desire to take HRT if not necessary, and my grandmother did have breast cancer so it might not be a good idea. Reading all the bad experiences on the internet makes me feel like I'm just waiting for the sky to fall. Though like I said, I've been keeping away from all the negative info and just enjoying feeling healthy.

Wanting2BSkinny

You're right Lucy. It does feel like you're sitting around waiting for the sky to fall

I wish more of the positive stories would come forward. Guess those people are off enjoying life and don't have time to sit around talking about how they feel

My husband told me I need to stop getting on the internet and looking stuff up because all it's doing is making me upset. Good advice, but ssssooooo hard to do!!!

lajohnson1959.....Congrats on your loss

I bet that made you feel wonderful to see the scale drop! Hopefully you've gotten on the path you need to lose it. That's also what I'm afraid of is having to getting everything balanced out. I am so going to drive myself crazy with this. UGH!!!! And I swear, if I start gaining weight for no apparent reason then I'm going to drive that Dr. just as crazy! LOL

tealgrove.....This is EXACTLY the kinds of stories we need to hear. I am praying so hard that I can have your story. I'm really hoping that I feel so much better than I'm anticipating. I wouldn't mind trying to go without the HRT, I don't think anyway. Of course, I don't really know what I'm getting myself into so we'll see. I may break and become desperate.

Thanks Ladies....really appreciate the replies

lajohnson1959

I will let you know Wednesday after I weigh in if it was just a fluke or the real deal. I haven't seen any inches loss, but I have to wait a couple of weeks before I give in to measuring.

I think mostly it depends on the person. I didn't realize how poorly I felt until I got older and found that I couldn't keep my weight down. After I first had it, I didn't feel any different - I read a lot from women who said after they had the hysterectomy they didn't feel like a woman anymore, but I didn't have that at all.

I will keep you posted. I had to have my hysterectomy because I had endometriosis so bad. I did have the option of keeping my ovaries, but was warned that it would probably attach to those organs as well so I went and had the complete one.

Take care.

evileen99

One suggestion-- DO NOT weigh yourself for at least two weeks after surgery as they're going to pump you full of fluids and it's going to take a while for you to lose that water weight.

When I had my hysterectomy, I had a 6 pound fibroid removed. I got on the scale 3 days later and was heavier than I was preop. Talk about a downer! Two weeks later my weight was more normal.

BlueBombers

I still have all my piping but a good friend of mine had one done a year ago and she actually lost weight after her surgery. I guess everyone is different.