Surgery ( Hysterectomy ) and weight Questions

First of all, congrats on your 25 pound weight loss!! Have not had surgery in over ten years, and it was vastly different. But I can speak to the menopause and hormonal issues. I hit menopause in 2009, at 42. I was super young and fortunately did not have to have a hysterectomy. But because of a family history of cancer (ovarian) did not take HRT. I joined MFP years ago and lost about 5 pounds. then "life got in the way" and I stopped tracking. Amazingly enough, despite being menopausal, I did not gain a pound. Literally weighed the same three years in a row at the annual check up.

Now I am back. I would love to lose eight pounds, but my focus is really on building up my strength and ensuring my bones remain strong. Something as women we need to worry about as we age and lose hormones. Because I am starting back at square one in terms of exercise, I am focusing on two days of body weight training per week, two days of pilate type stretching and two days of carido. Tried to jump back in StongLifts - ouch!! In my experience, this is what your future looks like:

• Forget the horror stories that you will gain weight at menopause and never be able to lose it (this did not happen to any of the females in my family.) Know your TDEE and eat to that, in a nutritionally positive way if you can.
• This will become your new normal, so make sure what you are doing now/changes you make can become a lifestyle change for you, not a diet (for example, I drink, within my calorie limits)
• Your body may "shift" and you may be squishier in places you have not before. Me - back fat at the bra line. Yuck. but again, hoping cardio and strength will help alleviate that.
• Keep moving, once you have your doctor's ok, as much as you can. The women I have seen struggle the most during menopause are those that are the most sedentary.
• You have lost 25 pounds, which means that there must be some great things you have done to achieve this. Stick to those, with any new TDEE, and you will be good.
• Again, just my personal experience, but menopause has not been nearly as scary as I always led to believe.

Good luck and make sure you let us know how you are doing.

@Lorilynn_37 did you get a second opinion about the need for the hysterectomy and especially having your ovaries removed?

I recommend reading the "An Empowered Approach to Surgery" section in Dr. Christiane Northrup's "The Wisdom of Menopause."

Second the advice to eat at/near maintenance for a while after surgery. I didn't, ignorantly, after laparoscopic gallbladder surgery . . . and later regretted that.

I still have uterus/ovaries but went into "hit the wall" style menopause at age 45 due to chemotherapy coupled with anti-estrogen drugs. While the experience was sub-recreational, it didn't seem to have any effect on my weight (not the weight was my primary concern at the time!)

The enema was the worst part! My surgery was on first thing on a Monday morning, so my liquid diet started on Saturday. My nurse told me as long as I didn't have to chew it, it was a liquid. For lunch that day I had a venti niocha chip frappacino at Starbucks! Jello, jello, and more jello for supper and breakfast the next day.

the enema and laxatives that I was prescribed moved everything out. I mean EVERYTHING. Your GI tract will be sparkly clean!

Good luck!

Thank you all for sharing this information. I'm having a hysterectomy in June but they are leaving one ovary. Its been really helpful to read everyone stories.
Oh and for those also with endometriosis there is a site called
https://www.myendometriosisteam.com
its like a mini facebook but for women with endo- we share stories- talk about meds etc. It has been very helpful since I was diagnosed.

I had both ovaries removed in 2013. Uterus left intact. I was 37 years old when I had my surgery. I have the BRCA2 gene mutation for breast cancer, which also includes a much higher risk of ovarian, stomach, gi, and skin cancers. The removal of my ovaries reduced my risks of breast cancer by approximately 50%(which is very high due to the gene from my father's side and a hereditary cancer risk on my mother's side). It also reduced my increased risk of ovarian cancer which is more concerning as there is less reliable screening available for ovarian cancer. I am on low dose HRT as recommended by my NP and physician at the high risk screening clinic. And will remain on it until I reach the age of "natural menopause".

1. Liquid diet - I would also check to confirm what liquids are allowed. Often it is clear fluids only after a certain point. Especially if doing a colon cleanse.
2. Why liquid diet for 2-3 days? Usually you transition back to regular diet right away? I agree with the other posters about eating at maintenance until healed. And discuss with your surgeon as to when they think that will be.
3. I was overweight when I had my surgery. I gained weight from 2013-2016. Not because of the surgery or hormones but because I ate too much (and I love good food) and moved less due to a back injury.
4. I have lost 64 lbs since June 1, 2016. I am on HRT still. I started logging my food on here and following the recommended calorie intake. You just need to eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight still.
5. Yes surgical menopause is a thing. I went onto HRT immediately following surgery. I am on estrogen and progesterone. The progesterone is because I still have my uterus and it protects it from the estrogen effects. My recommendation is to request estrogel ( this is what I am on now) or estradiol pills for your estrogen replacement as it is a bio-identical estrogen and I found I had less hot flashes etc than with others. It took about 6 months for me to figure out an appropriate dose to prevent the hot flashes but not cause achy breasts etc. The oral form really caused nausea for me and that is why I went on the gel you apply to skin. I use a super low dose, 1 pump per day. I also use it at bedtime as I had most hot flashes at night.
6. I haven't had any problems with my weight loss without my ovaries and with HRT. You may find it easier as you will be in less pain from endometriosis and no periods/time of the month anymore!