After surgery for removal of the uterus, also called hysterectomy, the woman's body undergoes some changes that may influence her physical and mental health, from changes in the libido to abrupt changes in the menstrual cycle, for example.
Recovery after surgery usually lasts about 6 to 8 weeks, but some changes may last longer, and one of the most important recommendations is for the woman to receive emotional support to learn how to deal with all changes, avoiding emotions negative effects that may lead to the onset of depression.
Learn more about how surgery is done and how recovery is.
1. How is menstruation?
After removal of the uterus the woman stops bleeding during menstruation because there is no uterine tissue to be eliminated, although the menstrual cycle continues to occur.
However, if the ovaries are removed as well, as in a total hysterectomy, a woman may experience sudden menopause symptoms, even if she is not of age, since the ovaries no longer produce the necessary hormones. Thus, to relieve symptoms such as hot flashes and excessive sweating, your gynecologist may recommend doing hormone replacement.
Check for signs that may indicate that you are entering an early menopause.
2. What changes in the intimate life?
Most women who have surgery to remove the uterus do not have any type of alteration in the intimate life, since the surgery is usually done in severe cases of cancer and, therefore, many women can feel even increase in the sexual pleasure due to the absence pain during intimate contact.
However, women who are not yet at menopause when they undergo surgery may feel less willing to have sex because of decreased vaginal lubrication that can cause severe pain. However, this problem can be mitigated by the use of water-based lubricants, for example. See also other natural ways to combat vaginal dryness.
In addition, due to some emotional changes, a woman may also feel less of a woman because of a lack of the uterus, which may unconsciously alter a woman's sexual desire. In these cases, the ideal is to talk to a psychologist or therapist, to try to overcome this emotional barrier.
3. How does the woman feel?
After the surgery, the woman goes through a period of mixing of emotions in which she begins to feel relief for having treated the cancer, or the problem that was the origin of the surgery, and no longer has symptoms. However, this well-being can easily be replaced by the feeling that you are less woman due to the absence of the uterus and therefore cause negative feelings.
Thus, after hysterectomy, many doctors recommend that women do psychotherapy sessions to learn to identify their emotions and prevent them from controlling their lives, avoiding the development of serious problems, such as depression.
Here's how to identify if you are developing depression: 7 signs of depression.
4. Is it easier to get fat?
Some women may report an easier weight gain after surgery, especially during the recovery period, however, there is still no specific cause for weight to appear.
However, some theories that have been pointed out include the imbalance of the sex hormones, happening to exist more masculine hormones in the organism. When this happens, many women tend to accumulate more fat in the abdominal region, which also happens in men.
Also, as the recovery period can also be quite long, some women may not be as active as they were before surgery, which ultimately contributes to the increase in body weight.
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