After surgery to remove the uterus, also called total hysterectomy, a woman’s body undergoes some changes that can influence her physical and mental health, from changes in libido to sudden changes in the menstrual cycle, for example.
Generally, recovery after surgery takes about 6 to 8 weeks, but some changes can last longer, it is important that the woman is regularly monitored by the doctor and receives emotional support to learn to deal with all changes, avoiding emotions negative factors that can lead to depression, for example.
Learn more about how surgery is performed and recovery.
1. How is menstruation?
After the uterus is removed, the woman stops bleeding during menstruation, as there is no tissue from the uterus to be eliminated, although the menstrual cycle continues to occur.
However, if the ovaries are also removed, a woman may experience sudden symptoms of menopause, even if she is not of age, as the ovaries no longer produce the necessary hormones. So, to alleviate symptoms such as hot flashes and excessive sweating, your gynecologist may recommend hormone replacement. Understand how hormone replacement therapy is performed.
2. What changes in intimate life?
Most women who undergo surgery to remove the uterus do not have any type of change in their intimate life, and some women may experience an increase in sexual pleasure due to the absence of pain during intimate contact.
However, women who are not yet in menopause, when having the surgery, may feel less desire to have sex due to the decrease in vaginal lubrication that can cause severe pain. However, this problem can be alleviated with the use of water-based lubricants, for example. Here’s what to do to increase vaginal lubrication.
Furthermore, it is possible that the absence of the uterus has emotional consequences, which can cause the woman to have an altered sexual desire due to the absence of the sexual organ. So, 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 hysterectomy surgery, a woman may have different feelings. It is common to feel relieved by the fact that you have treated the change that led to the surgery, while at the same time you may have negative feelings related to the fact that you no longer have the uterus.
Thus, after hysterectomy, many doctors recommend that women undergo psychotherapy sessions to learn to identify their emotions and prevent them from controlling their life, preventing the development of serious problems, such as depression, for example. Know how to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression.
4. Is it easier to get fat?
Some women may report easier weight gain after surgery, especially during the recovery period, however, there is still no specific cause for the onset of weight.
Despite this, it is possible that weight gain is related to hormonal changes, so that there is a higher concentration of male hormones than female hormones circulating in the body, which can favor the accumulation of fat, especially in the abdominal region.
In addition, as the recovery period can also be quite long, some women may not be as active as they were before surgery, which ends up contributing to the increase in body weight.
