I stumbled across this podcast just before a subtotal, lapro assisted abdominal hysterectomy last week. It was almost the nail in the coffin for me not going ahead. It made everything sound frightening and the "other side" a total unknown with more pitfalls than it might be worth. My issues were fibroids and heavy bleeding after prior myomectomy, attempted but failed ablation, and uterine fibroid embolization, none of which solved the problems.

Fast forward, and I'm 5 days post op, and feeling great, physically and mentally now too - now that all the GA is out of my system and my bladder and bowel function are fully back on track. The biggest challenge will be trying to keep on resting for the next few weeks.

I had a 5cm incision and 2 tiny lapro incisons. I had GA plus epidural in order to avoid all the groggy super strong painkillers. I came home the next day and  I'm pain free at home with ibuprofen.

So I wanted to come back here and say to anyone who has listened to this and is feeling scared and put off by it,  please just block out the noise online, be positive about your own experience, and listen to whichever doctors are advising YOU personally. Prepare well - eat, sleep, exercise, and ask lots of questions and get the best possible methods and outcome for YOU.

Good luck, stay postive x

I had zero support after my hysterectomy and went into a surgical menopause, it’s been a horrific time - I had to do lots on my own - cook, empty dishwasher, laundry etc. It has delayed my healing. Thank you for speaking about these issues. I am however so grateful to have had a female surgeon who is / was compassionate .

I'm 9 weeks post hysterectomy for uterine cancer. I live in Canada. I had 1 appointment around 3 weeks post op. The cancer was only in my uterus so no more treatment needed. My recovery was and is still difficult. The oncologist (who did my surgery) discharged me from her care at that ONE appointment post op. My family doctor isn't comfortable taking over my care so I'm waiting for an obgyn to take over my care. I was already post menopause and had to stop HRT  when I got diagnosed. My mood is awful and hot flashes and night sweats made an appearance post surgery. My cancer is estrogen and progesterone positive. I worry about my current health and future health. I'm struggling so much.

I wish i found this before my hysterectomy.  Thank you for being so frank.
I had to beg for a hysterectomy i had 2 years of such heavy bleeding at age 50. I was told i should be going into menopause but i couldnt live with the heavy bleeding from fibroids, unsuccessful treatment with decapeptyl and a fibroid resection. It has been the best decision ever, i couldnt leave the house for about 6 months. I felt this was a last resort and it was hard post op, but i have my life back. I'm 4 months post op and feeling so much better. It needs way more discussion and how it impacts women lives. I overall have fou d this a positive experience.

Thank you, dr. Newson. For sharing your own struggle post surgery. Experience is everything when it comes to anything, actually. I am educating myself on a possible future hysterectomy and find many many doctors post "positive" reasons without personal experience and I honestly do not trust those. This is the most serious decision in woman's life. I need to know everything to be prepared and make my own decisions as much as possible.

i have been diagnosed with womb cancer and will need a hysterectomy ... I live by myself and wont have the support availabe.   Im a little concerned., but thank ful for the information.

This was so very helpful indeed. At last some real information about hysterectomies and how to get the help you need to fully consent or not and to recover.
Talking about the complications is realistic and the psychological support needed is deeply important.
Thank you so much
🙏🏻💙🕊️

This is a very helpful discussion, I had TAH and ovaries removed almost 3 months ago…….it is a big recovery physically and I would consider myself fit and slim before hand and I’m 42…..Also emotionally it’s a big thing to go through. The positive side is that I have my life back after anaemia and a huge fibroid. Surgical menopause is hard and obvs so much worse for a woman who cannot have HRT. One annoying thing is everyone assumes I am fully recovered now ! But it is a big change and I get fatigue very easily.

I am perimenopausal had a hysterectomy (kept my ovaries) 6 months ago, due to severe adenomyosis. I was very nervous and called my doctor a couple days beforehand to discuss my doubts. I still decided to go through with it and I am so glad I did! My expectations were that I would no longer have a period. What I did not expect was that within 24 hours, I would feel like like my old self again and the majority of my numerous and severe peri symptoms would vanish almost instantaneously. My black cloud of depression was gone, and within days I knew I needed to come off my depression meds because I started feeling like I was on speed. Within a month, all my peri-anxiety and the regular adrenaline rushes I had been having for a couple of years, were gone.  My energy level went through the roof and despite just having had a hysterectomy, I could not sit still. By the end of the first week post-op I had to keep reminding myself that I just had surgery. My mood has been stable for six months, no issues whatsoever. My energy started to wane and my brain fog started again around month 3, at which point I started on estrogel. I am up to 4 pumps a day, but not sure it is enough or I am absorbing it well enough. My energy level has bottomed out again, I am tired and having regular naps. I am also having vaginal irritation and low libido. Luckily, those are the worst of my symptoms, and life hasn't been miserable like it was for me pre-hysterectomy.

Thank you for this interview and honesty. I’m 7 months post total abdominal hysterectomy at age 59. It has been, and still is the hardest thing I’ve gone through. I’m still struggling with pain, tiredness and depression. My husband was incredibly supportive and helpful during recovery but it’s a lonely journey as each woman will experience it differently. I’ve got an appointment with a pelvic floor therapist soon in the hopes I can will find a way to finally be pain free.

Great podcast.

Thank you for this podcast. I’m a month post total hysterectomy and definitely feel that I’ve been left to it. My Surgeon also said the ‘Let’s see how you get on.’ sentence. I’m not getting on at all! I’m concerned that they won’t listen to my concerns, and just dismiss me as yet another hysterical woman.

My story is the reverse of what many people here are commenting. I was put in for a hysterectomy at 55 despite being completely asymptomatic with two fibroids and two simple cysts. I went through a whole range of tests - all of which were terrifying and invasive. I felt like I was thrown on the menopause "oh she doesn't need her reproductive organs anymore" scrapheap. I went to two private doctors for 2nd and 3rd opinions and neither of them thought hysterectomy was necessary so I self monitored for several years by going for scans privately, and all of the above had shrunk (because I came off HRT which had been fuelling the growth of cysts and fibroids). Finally went to another NHS doctor three years later, had more tests - just to see and he basically said to me something along the lines of "you don't need a hysterectomy, many doctors are too quick to suggest it but what they don't consider is bladder prolapses and incontinence issues 10 years down the line." He then said "Go away and have a nice life, you don't need to worry about this anymore". I could have kissed him.

I knew a hysterectomy wasn't right as the original consultant said "unfortunately the NHS is simply not up to giving you an MRI scan once a year to monitor you, so you'll have a hysterectomy". It was like I had no choice. I was put through unnecessary anxiety and misery let alone having a womb lining biopsy (because it was more than four mms thick even though I was on HRT at the time), an MRI, cancer blood tests including a missed call from the oncology department on Christmas eve (just to ask me to come in for a test) and 10 internals in two years. I am now sick to death of having probes/speculums etc pushed up me. It's barbaric and degrading when I had, and still have, no symptoms. Men don't get endless probing up their delicate regions! I still feel extremely angry about it - that I was going to be put through major abdominal surgery whilst being totally healthy with a low risk of cancer - why do that? I felt like a piece of meat to be carved up. Sorry for the rant.

Im gonna have my total hysterectomy is 2 weeks so I definitely need some emotional support for the ones who had it done before.

I've recently found your very informative podcasts and am addicted to learning so much from you a  very honest doctor, thank you so much really appreciate what you are doing... i wish i had known of you in my younger days. I searched for this topic..  as I'm in agony since my hysterectomy at 38 years of age and now I'm still in worse agony..as i wasn't given much care and advice and didn't consent to a mesh whilst been given sacrocolpopexy TAH. For a prolapse.. since then I've had adeshesions removed and later partial erosion mesh removed.  And had so many other complex issues which are never resolved.  I'm on forever waiting  lists. I don't think i will ever get the help from nhs sadly.  I wanted to ask ..should i ask for hormone therapy and will it help. ..in the past i was given the patches..but they just made me gain so much weight and so much inflammation and excruciating pain in my legs and ankles to the point i couldn't walk . So came off them for years .. is it worth trying again... i was told in 2019 i have heds . Mcas..pots.. Will the hormone therapy be safe ? ..thank you ❤️

I am getting a hysterectomy soon, I am 38, have 3 huge fibroids that have come back in spite of previous myocetamy and I bleed through 17 maternity pads a day during menstruation, I have been asked this question before had no children, don't intend to have them this is just my regular peorid.

Thank you for this information. It is so useful and valuable. It has answered a lot of questions.

Thanks for this video, it’s very helpful. I had been considering a hysterectomy because of my extreme progesterone intolerance. I wish to continue to with oestradiol transdermally for many reasons. But you have both made me think again! Most websites I’ve read describing recovery from a vaginal hysterectomy make it sound like a piece of cake! Clearly it is not for many women!

Worst mistake I ever made. Wasn't looked after properly by medical profession. 12 years post op still in pain. MRI revealed foreign body right side pelvis (probably left in from patients hysterectomy) still waiting to get it removed on NHS. For years been in pain. They don't care. Even my own GP wouldn't write to the consultant to say here's evidance.

I had 2 Caesareans and then a hysterectomy,at 40. Very painful and difficult. Imagine nursing the babies and trying to recover at the same time. And no HRT discussed or offered. I am hoping to start HRT now, at 72.