hysterectomy and weight loss

Options
NotSoPerfectPam
NotSoPerfectPam Posts: 114 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,
Dr. has recommended partial hysterectomy for fibroids in next few months. I am ready because of pressure of fibroids on my bladders and intestines, and general discomfort.

I am wondering how a partial hysterectomy has effected my fellow "hystersisters" weight loss. Please share your stories, most of what I've found on this board is women who have gained after a hysterectomy (yikes!)

I'm down 35 and exercise 6 times a week, with an average cal intake of 1500-1700 (with exercise)
«1

Replies

  • choconuts
    choconuts Posts: 208 Member
    Options
    I'm almost exactly one year out from mine. I logged here religiously after surgery, and actually lost 20 pounds relatively easy. I then got very lazy and gained it back after an injury in August...

    Anyway, I don't think it affected my weight loss, and I don't blame it for my gaining it back. I kept my ovaries.
  • NotSoPerfectPam
    NotSoPerfectPam Posts: 114 Member
    Options
    Thanks Choconuts - how long were you on your back and inactive after surgery?
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,365 Member
    Options
    I had a hysterectomy around 18 years ago for fibroids and excessive bleeding (retained ovaries) Discharged from hospital 24 hours following surgery and was told to take things easy for 6 weeks I.e. lift nothing heavier than 2 lbs. Didn't affect my weight at all, which was a little surprising since I was relying a lot more on processed type "convenience meals" during that time and not walking the dogs (or walking much at all).
  • choconuts
    choconuts Posts: 208 Member
    Options
    NotSoPerfectPam wrote: »
    Thanks Choconuts - how long were you on your back and inactive after surgery?

    My surgery was on March 28, and I was really sore for about a week. I remember my daughters birthday, April 4, struggling a bit.

    My two week appointment, I felt great. Went for my check up, out to lunch after!

    All in all, I would have needed two weeks off work, preferably 3. I got tired easier for about a month. I was cleared to resume exercise around 6 weeks.

    I had severe endometriosis, and mild adenomyosis, my hysterectomy was the best thing I've EVER done.
  • lesaw01
    lesaw01 Posts: 207 Member
    Options
    I had a hysterectomy approx. 7 years ago and in the last 2 years I have lost around 70 pounds so it hasn't stopped me from losing. When I had the surgery I wasn't dieting or exercising but I think the doctor told me not to do much for about 6 weeks. But I had a full lower abdomen cut because of prior c-section scar tissue so the type of surgery will affect how long your are unable to exercise.
  • dolliesdaughter
    dolliesdaughter Posts: 544 Member
    edited March 2015
    Options
    I had my partial September 2013. I kept my food in check and lost 7 pounds while recovering (6 weeks). I was strict with my food as I knew I couldn't do anything other than walk. Life was back to normal after the 6 weeks. I used weights for my upper body, but didn't go back to weighted lower body work until 12 weeks out. Dr. didn't give me any restrictions, I just did it on my own. I was in decent shape before surgery though. I had lost 100 lbs the 2 years before hand.
  • NotSoPerfectPam
    NotSoPerfectPam Posts: 114 Member
    Options
    Thanks all. It's kind of weird, my dr. said not to worry about losing weight till after the hysterectomy. I thought that was misguided advice. Certainly if i'm out of shape, it's going to be harder to recover
  • NotSoPerfectPam
    NotSoPerfectPam Posts: 114 Member
    Options
    Any other reports?
  • keninf
    keninf Posts: 215 Member
    Options
    Two years post surgery. Robotic case, so actually was cleared to continue to exercise 5 days post procedure- which was truly amazing! At first I wasn't too sure of myself, so I took it easy as things feel "loose" in that region, but, gradually I built back up to my normal training. Everyone is different, but, I have maintained a stable weight this entire time and have not had any problems when I overdo it like during the holidays. Good luck to you- follow your docs instructions fully and you should do great!
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,196 Member
    Options
    I had that done about three years ago, for the same reason.

    Other than the long recovery period (no exercise except walking :'( ) I continued to lose weight without issue. Plus the uterus itself weights about 5 pounds. Bonus!
  • dolliesdaughter
    dolliesdaughter Posts: 544 Member
    Options
    azulvioleta6 wrote: »
    I had that done about three years ago, for the same reason.

    Other than the long recovery period (no exercise except walking :'( ) I continued to lose weight without issue. Plus the uterus itself weights about 5 pounds. Bonus!
    Mine was that plus, 1 grapefruit, 1 orange, 1 lemon and many marble sized fibroids.

  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,196 Member
    Options
    dolliesdaughter wrote: »
    azulvioleta6 wrote: »
    I had that done about three years ago, for the same reason.

    Other than the long recovery period (no exercise except walking :'( ) I continued to lose weight without issue. Plus the uterus itself weights about 5 pounds. Bonus!
    Mine was that plus, 1 grapefruit, 1 orange, 1 lemon and many marble sized fibroids.

    My fibroid was the size of a cantaloupe. Not sure how much it weighed though!
  • Ravenredhed
    Ravenredhed Posts: 11
    Options
    i am 50 and had a full hysterectomy in 2004...i'm 5'11 and weighed 155 then. (my happy place) i'm 166 as of this morning and have never been able to lose those extra 10 lbs..i don't eat any fast food, i live on about 1500 calories a day and stay busy (working at our property and have a career)...to me, the age and the hysterectomy have made a difference because there is no reason i shouldn't be able to lose 10 lbs...it's nuts really to me. i regret having a hysterectomy but it was necessary. i don't take any HRTs and i have literally zero sex drive anymore....no mood swings, only hot flashes..that's about it. I've read women like us gain an average one pound per year after this operation..and i'm proof that it has been the case for me personally...but again, my age must be a part of that equation. Hang in there!
  • douthenico
    douthenico Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    azulvioleta6 wrote: »
    dolliesdaughter wrote: »
    azulvioleta6 wrote: »
    I had that done about three years ago, for the same reason.

    Other than the long recovery period (no exercise except walking :'( ) I continued to lose weight without issue. Plus the uterus itself weights about 5 pounds. Bonus!
    Mine was that plus, 1 grapefruit, 1 orange, 1 lemon and many marble sized fibroids.

    My fibroid was the size of a cantaloupe. Not sure how much it weighed though!

    Did you have a full abdominal cut or was it done laprascopically? Thanks!!

  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,196 Member
    Options
    douthenico wrote: »
    azulvioleta6 wrote: »
    dolliesdaughter wrote: »
    azulvioleta6 wrote: »
    I had that done about three years ago, for the same reason.

    Other than the long recovery period (no exercise except walking :'( ) I continued to lose weight without issue. Plus the uterus itself weights about 5 pounds. Bonus!
    Mine was that plus, 1 grapefruit, 1 orange, 1 lemon and many marble sized fibroids.

    My fibroid was the size of a cantaloupe. Not sure how much it weighed though!

    Did you have a full abdominal cut or was it done laprascopically? Thanks!!

    I had a lapro with robotic assist. I've forgotten the terminology, but they pulled the uterus and tumors out vaginally. I have five scars from that surgery and five more from a cholecystectomy less than a year later.

    Neither my weight loss nor my sex drive slowed at all, but I was able to keep my ovaries, which may be part of why different people have such different results.
  • Laurend224
    Laurend224 Posts: 1,748 Member
    Options
    I had a total laproscopic hysterectomy with robot assist back in 2013. Ovaries intact. I wasn't attempting to lose weight then, but I can say it's a heck of a lot easier now, as back then I had my period pretty much continuously, with really heavy bleeding, and was one miserable chick. I had (as usual with me) some bleeding complications after my surgery which sidelined me for a while, but it's been going great since then.

    I actually mourned the end of my child bearing years for a while, as I was only 34, but we were done with having babies anyway. It was just so final!

    Good luck with your surgery, it's the best thing I ever did.

  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,196 Member
    Options
    Laurend224 wrote: »
    I had a total laproscopic hysterectomy with robot assist back in 2013. Ovaries intact. I wasn't attempting to lose weight then, but I can say it's a heck of a lot easier now, as back then I had my period pretty much continuously, with really heavy bleeding, and was one miserable chick. I had (as usual with me) some bleeding complications after my surgery which sidelined me for a while, but it's been going great since then.

    I actually mourned the end of my child bearing years for a while, as I was only 34, but we were done with having babies anyway. It was just so final!

    Good luck with your surgery, it's the best thing I ever did.

    Yes...except that in my case, I never got to have any children.

    The experience wasn't too bad physically--my tumor had gotten really big and was growing THROUGH my uterus, which was excruciating, so getting it out was an improvement. Emotionally, it was pretty terrible.
  • MelissaH0910
    MelissaH0910 Posts: 67 Member
    Options
    I had a partial laproscopic hysterectomy with robotic assist in 2011. I had almost 20 years of very heavy, never-ending periods, so in 2008, I had an endometrial ablation and one ovary removed due to a large mass. Later I developed some very large fibroids in my uterus & had the hyst because my doc was concerned they'd separate from the uterine wall and cause me to hemorrhage.

    Those were the two best decisions I ever made, and recoving from the hysterectomy was much easier than the earlier procedure. I was back at work full-time in two weeks, and fully recovered at six weeks--with the ablation & oophorectomy, I was laid up for almost three weeks and it took over three months for me to feel 100% again. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat because I feel SO much better now.
  • dolliesdaughter
    dolliesdaughter Posts: 544 Member
    edited May 2015
    Options
    douthenico wrote: »
    azulvioleta6 wrote: »
    dolliesdaughter wrote: »
    azulvioleta6 wrote: »
    I had that done about three years ago, for the same reason.

    Other than the long recovery period (no exercise except walking :'( ) I continued to lose weight without issue. Plus the uterus itself weights about 5 pounds. Bonus!
    Mine was that plus, 1 grapefruit, 1 orange, 1 lemon and many marble sized fibroids.

    My fibroid was the size of a cantaloupe. Not sure how much it weighed though!

    Did you have a full abdominal cut or was it done laprascopically? Thanks!!
    Planned laprascopic, but was told there is a possibility that it may turn into an abdominal cut, which it did. I have a smiley face from the two holes on each side of my abdomen with the bikini cut. The third hole was right below my belly button. No stitches were needed, I was basically glued together and bandages were put over the holes. My laprascopic healing time was given as about 7 days and he told me abdomen 4-6 weeks. I was back to work in 4 weeks and my doctor told me losing the 100+ lbs helped, no doubt.

    The bikini cut is about 6-8 inches and has faded, you can still see it, but it doesn't bother me. I am alive and healthy. Plus I still have my ovaries and cervix, no tubes and uterus.

  • busywaterbending
    busywaterbending Posts: 844 Member
    Options
    notsoperfect,

    hope you are doing good, and I'm wondering if you've had your surgery? I'm 1.5 wks out from my bikini cut H and can't wait to get back into exercising. Dr. said I have to wait 2 weeks before walking, then 6 wks before attempting to slowly and very softly get back into exercise with resistance.

    The typical healthy uterus (not including the cervix) is 6cm. Mine was removed at 60cm, due to fibroids. That's 10x bigger than normal. I immediately lost 2 lbs. of body weight. So far I'm not gaining any weight and I don't plan on it.

    Just logging my meals, and counting calories. Macronutrient ratios are important to keep you out of fat gaining mode. My hormones are completely normal and healthy, ovaries still here.

    So far I'm back to having a flat stomach, even with the post op swelling, so that is one of my immediete perks.

    Also, stay off that stupid hyster sister website. It's nothing more than an info. gathering data base of cry baby women with absolutely no information of value. And they want you to pay for a membership. Don't.

Categories