Most women naturally go into menopause when they hit the age that childbearing is no longer an option. Estrogen levels decline, causing the telltale signs of menopause like night sweats, mood swings, and hot flashes.
But what if you need a hysterectomy before menopause hits? Questions about menopause after a hysterectomy are typical, which is why Dr. John Paul Roberts discusses every aspect of surgery at his office in Plano, Texas.
Dr. Roberts is an experienced OB/GYN who offers treatments for natural and surgical menopause, as well as hysterectomies when necessary.
Hysterectomy is an invasive surgical procedure to remove a woman's uterus. After surgery, you won't be able to get pregnant or have a menstrual cycle anymore.
In most cases, a hysterectomy involves the removal of the uterus and cervix. Depending on the reason for surgery, we may also need to remove other tissues and organs, including the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
There are different types of hysterectomies based on what other organs or tissues we remove. Because it's an invasive procedure, a hysterectomy is often the last resort treatment for issues like:
Whether to have a hysterectomy is a big decision because it may cause significant bodily changes. But it's often necessary to relieve chronic issues within the female reproductive tract that don't resolve with conservative treatments.
Many women are concerned about going into menopause immediately after a hysterectomy, but that's only somewhat true. A hysterectomy that only involves the uterus, cervix, and fallopian tubes doesn't cause menopausal symptoms after surgery.
As long as the ovaries remain in place, you won't go into menopause from surgery. Even with the uterus gone, menopause happens naturally with the ovaries intact and still producing estrogen.
But if you require a total hysterectomy with oophorectomy (ovary removal), you will experience menopause right after surgery. It's what's known as surgical menopause due to the removal of bilateral ovaries.
Surgical menopause happens when you experience menopause symptoms right after a hysterectomy with oophorectomy. The signs and symptoms are almost immediate because the body no longer produces enough estrogen without the ovaries.
Natural menopause often takes years as hormone levels naturally decline with age. Surgical menopause, on the other hand, happens suddenly when the ovaries are no longer there to produce estrogen and other sex hormones.
The symptoms of surgical menopause are often more intense and immediate than natural menopause. They can begin within hours of surgery and include:
The good news is that we treat surgical menopause like natural menopause. It often involves lifestyle changes, medications, or hormone replacement therapy to alleviate bothersome symptoms.
Call our office in Plano, Texas, today to schedule a menopause treatment appointment. You can also request a consultation using our convenient online booking tool.
