It’s been
over ten years since I had a
hysterectomy. Back in 1991, my family
physician told me I had endometriosis,
though no diagnostic measures were taken
to determine if I really had this
disease. I didn’t. The post surgery
report revealed that all my organs were
perfectly healthy, so as in the case of
many other women, I didn’t need to have
the hysterectomy. At the time, I didn’t
think it was right to question a
doctor’s advice or seek another medical
opinion. These days, however, my
personal health care is a responsibility
that I take very seriously, and so
should all women
No one prepared me for the many side
effects I began to experience just days
after my surgery, and no one told me how
hysterectomy would change my life. If
you are contemplating having your uterus
and your ovaries (oophorectomy) removed,
you owe to yourself, and to the people
who love you, to do the research.
As confirmed by many gynecologists I
have consulted over the past four years,
surgeries like hysterectomy and
oophorectomy should be considered only
as a last resort, and only if cancer has
been detected. But according to the
latest statistics, 90% of hysterectomies
are performed for reasons other than
cancer! How can this be?
A new report addressing this issue was
published in Canada last year. It
confirmed that Canada’s situation is
similar to that of the United States.
Dr. Donna Stewart, professor at the
University of Toronto and chair of
Women’s Health at the University Health
Network, led the expert panel on
hysterectomy practices in Ontario.
According to Dr. Stewart, there are many
factors contributing to the high rate of
hysterectomy. For instance, many doctors
are unwilling to explore other
treatments with their patients. This is
an unfortunate situation in itself,
because if a woman is not offered less
drastic options, she is not given the
opportunity to make an informed choice.
Education and social class are two other
important factors, and Dr. Stewart’s
report shows that the hysterectomy rate
is highest in poor, rural regions where
the level of education is low. Similarly
in the U.S., the hysterectomy rate is
highest in the southern states. And
surprisingly, some women view
hysterectomy as a permanent solution for
birth control, while others feel it’s
the “thing to do” because it’s what
their mothers and sisters did before
them. In any case, none of the above
explanations justify the current
situation of unnecessary surgeries
performed on female patients, but all
confirm the need for greater education
efforts to help women and their doctors
discuss other alternatives.
Aftereffects of Hysterectomy
In addition to the risks involved with
the surgical procedure, the potential
side effects of hysterectomy, and/or
oophorectomy, can be very debilitating.
Many of the books I read list the
following aftereffects: depression,
anxiety, osteoporosis, increased
allergies, arthritis, loss of orgasm,
loss of sexual desire, loss of sexual
function, hot flashes, night sweats,
migraines, weight gain, thyroid
dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, memory
loss, generalized fatigue, loss of
bladder control, stress and urge
incontinence.
If your ovaries are removed at the time
of the removal of your uterus, you will
experience surgical menopause, the side
effects of which are greater than those
experienced by a woman undergoing
natural menopause. This is not a new
phenomenon. In fact, gynecology
textbooks dating back to 1950 confirm
that this is so.
Many gynecologists believe that
hysterectomy linked side effects can be
controlled with estrogen replacement
therapy. Not so. Some women may be
hypersensitive to estrogen or other
traditional forms of hormonal
replacement therapy. If you happen to be
one of those unlucky women, you may
experience some or many of these side
effects: rapid weight gain, water
retention, loss of bone mass, breast
tenderness, abdominal cramps,
nervousness, irritability, and recurring
vaginal yeast infections.
Problems like these can seriously impact
the quality of a woman’s life. Imagine
the stress of having to cope with any
one of these difficulties while
maintaining a full-time job. Is it any
wonder that many women become reclusive
after hysterectomy?
Of greater concern, is the fact that we
now have strong evidence that long term
use of hormone replacement therapy is
not safe. It can lead to an increased
risk of breast cancer, heart disease,
stroke and blood clots.
Long term use of hormone replacement
therapy is not an option for women whose
ovaries are surgically removed, unless
they don’t mind living out the rest of
their lives as boiling kettles. And of
course now that our suspicions about HRT
have been confirmed, the decision to
retain or remove non-cancerous ovaries
should be weighed very carefully.
Doctors would not recommend the removal
of a male patient’s testicles once his
family was complete, so why subject
women to unnecessary castration?
Great Sex? Maybe not . . .
Some women claim that sex has never been
better, however, great sex following a
hysterectomy is NOT a guarantee. Why?
Because hysterectomy is not a simple
operation. It happens to be a very
complicated procedure requiring great
surgical skill to avoid damage to the
bowel, bladder and vaginal walls. If
perforations are made during this
surgical procedure, these can result in
further scarring that may interfere with
a woman’s sexual response.
When considering a hysterectomy, women
should know that the surgical removal of
the cervix means that the surgeon will
shorten the vagina, a procedure that
often results in discomfort with
intercourse. And if the nerves going
from the cervix to the clitoral area are
damaged, it may diminish your orgasmic
response. These outcomes of hysterectomy
can be avoided if a woman insists on
keeping her cervix, especially if it is
non-cancerous.
In its 1999 pamphlet on Understanding
Hysterectomy, the American College of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
states clearly that if the hysterectomy
procedure required vaginal shortening,
deep thrusting with intercourse may
become painful. It makes the following
two recommendations: 1) Being on top
during sex or 2) bringing your legs
closer together may help. Any woman will
tell you that intercourse wouldn’t be
pleasurable, if at all possible, if she
had to keep her legs closer together,
and women living with the condition of a
shortened vagina will tell you that
attempting the “on top” position would
be excruciatingly painful. That’s why it
is so important to get all the facts on
post-hysterectomy sexuality before you
get to the operating room.
Ask away!
If I
had to do it all over again, here are a
few of the questions I would ask my
gynecologist. I would ask these
questions again and again until I had a
clear understanding of all the
consequences that can arise from this
surgery.
1. Why do I need a hysterectomy?
2. If I don’t have cancer, why should I
agree to have my reproductive/sexual
organs removed?
3. Have all the proper diagnostic tests
been taken?
4. Are there any other less invasive
treatment options for me to consider,
and if so, what are they, and what are
the risks involved with these options?
5. What are the risks involved with the
surgical procedure of hysterectomy
itself?
6. If my ovaries are removed, will I be
able to maintain a healthy libido?
7. If my cervix is removed, will my
vagina be shortened?
8. If my vagina is shortened, will sex
be the same?
9. If my uterus is removed, will it have
an impact on orgasm?
10. Will I be going into menopause?
11. What’s the difference between
natural and surgical menopause?
12. Can hormone replacement therapy
provide adequate relief from all the
side effects I may experience following
a hysterectomy?
Hysterectomy is an
irreversible operation with potentially
devastating consequences. It is your
health right to ask questions, and
insist on answers. If you do, you can
make a truly informed choice, one that
is right for you.
Lise Cloutier-Steele is a communications
specialist and a professional writer and
editor who has survived a traumatic
experience with hysterectomy. She is the
author of Living and Learning with a
Child who Stutters, and she is the
recipient of a Canada 125 Award in
recognition of a significant
contribution to the community and to
Canada for her volunteer efforts to help
the parents of children who stutter. She
has appeared on Canada AM, the Women’s
Television Network, The Phil Donahue
Show, The Body and Health Show, CTV
News, and several other media to talk
about the important topic of unnecessary
hysterectomy in North America.
We stand behind everything you
purchase through our website with our 100% satisfaction guarantee.
If you are not delighted with anything you purchase from us, let us
know, and we'll arrange to refund your purchase price.
PLEASE NOTE: The Compounder ships only to addresses in the United States.
Disclaimer:
Any health related information is for educational purposes only.
None of the information provided here is to be construed as medical
advice. Before applying any therapy or use of herbs, you may want to
seek advice from your health care professional. The information on
our website should not be a substitute for physician evaluation or
treatment by a health care professional and is not intended to
provide or confirm a diagnosis.
