Hysterectomy aftermath......please HELP !!!

[Ducati]

Concerned husband here.

My wife had a full hysterectomy back in June 2010. To avoid going into the long details...she has tried every hormone replacement available and some natural stuff , nothing has helped, even made things worst. As a result of her "castrating" she has serious anxiety issues now. Cry's most the day , sometimes everyday. She has been on cymbolta for 3 years for nerve pain due to some orthopedic injuries but even that doesn't help. This has been going on now 6 months , the mind and body can only take so much, I don't think I have to say what state of mind she is in right now...I'm very worried.

Your prayers, advise, and any experienced support would be appreciated.

[mattfivefour]

I know my first wife had a hysterectomy ion her early 40's, following which the doctor put her on one of the most popular Hormone Replacement Therapy drugs called Premarin, which is made from Pregnant Mares' Urine (hence the name). Her symptoms then were a lot like your wife's. I did some research on the web and discovered that Premarin and similar animal based HRT's are problematic for many women. We took the info to the doctor and my wife wound up being transferred to an HRT that is made from plants ... not animals. From that day till the day she died 20 years later, thanks to this plant-based HRT, she received all of the benefits of estrogen replacement without a single side effect! In the US, these plant-based HRTs include products like Estrace and Estratab. BUT PLEASE DO NOT TAKE ANYTHING I HAVE WRITTEN AS MEDICAL ADVICE!!! I am in no way making any medical recommendations to anybody. I know nothing about medicine. And I have no idea what your wife is on. I am merely telling you what worked for MY wife. But the situations could very likely be completely different. All I am doing is suggesting that, if she is not on a plant-based HRT, you might do some research on the web and then the pair of you talk to her doctor and get his/her reaction and recommendation. It can't hurt.

[Hannah]

Sorry to hear about your wife.

My mother had a full hysterectomy and no problems at all. Only her thyroid was affected.

So I am wondering if it has affected her thyroid? Strong emotional mood swings and there are other symptoms that could be hormonial that could be actually thyroid associated.

I am about to have both my thyroid and my hormones done due to going through my change of life and I have been told about the Thyroid can be greatly affected by hormonal imbalances.

Praying for your wife and for her diagnosis so that she can get the right medication to sort out her symptoms, Amen.

BTW the basic blood test done by a Family doctor can come back in the range of normal but your thyroid can be affected. I have a friend who recently had to insist on having more comprehensive thyroid tests despite the basic blood work by her family doctor coming back as OK. Turns out she has tumours on her thyroid and the more comprehensive blood work picked up a thyroid imbalance.

So ask to go to an Endocronoligist. Speak to your doctor about it but do ask for a more thourough examination of your wife's thyroid.

[Carl]

I get so disgusted with the medical profession. Why do we have to do the research to cover for them?

Lord God You are the same yesterday today and forever. Lord Please help this woman/wife.

[mattfivefour]

I get so disgusted with the medical profession. Why do we have to do the research to cover for them?

Lord God You are the same yesterday today and forever. Lord Please help this woman/wife.

Amen.

[SonSeeker]

I get so disgusted with the medical profession. Why do we have to do the research to cover for them?

Lord God You are the same yesterday today and forever. Lord Please help this woman/wife.

And amen.

[discdog98]

I am so sorry to hear someone else is going through the hysterectomy aftermath. Everyone's experience is so different. My advice is to draw closer to The Lord. I can't emphasis it enough. There is a reason you are in this situation. Remember, God is in control. He works great and mighty things!

This is what God has done for me. I had a full hysterectomy when I was 42. Five months later, I blew out 4 disks in my low back. I opted for no pain meds or hormone replacement therapy, and no surgery. Those were just my preferences as I did not like the idea of having to take a pill everyday. The first couple of years were horrible. Hot flashes, night sweats, severe nerve pain, bladder issues, mood swings, learning to walk again. I am so thankful to God that all these things happened to me. Because even though I have been a believer since I was about 20 years old, I was spiritually immature. I had never read my Bible. So since my life was at a literal standstill, not able to work or even clean the house, mood swings like crazy!....I found myself utterly bored and depressed. I suddenly had all the time in the world so I picked up my Bible with intent on reading it and understanding it. That was 7 years ago. The hot flashes have subsided greatly, no night sweats, still deal with nerve pain daily but physically able to walk by the Grace of Jesus, mood swings are gone, and I have now read the Bible in it's entirety 3 times. I can't wait to start over again. Each and every time I learn so many new things. I am so thankful for the daily sanctification. It has truly taken my mind off of my physical distress. My physical pain and suffering has become a friend to me because it keeps my focus on spiritual things and God's Word. The Lord Blessed me greatly by taking away my ability to physically participate in the world and replaced it with the spiritual ability to participate in His World. Thank you Lord!! I am also blessed to have a believing, loving husband too. I pray my situation can give you and your wife some insight and hope.


2Cor 12:5-10
"5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6 Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. "

[Ducati]

Thank you all.

She's done the animal pee and the plant HRT. She's also done the homeopathic snake venom along with some other homeo stuff and all just had crazy side effects.

We did go see an endocrinologist, he took 12 vials of blood and did a mammogram or her thyroid. The thyroid didn't show any concern nor did all the blood work , just a little low on the estrogen, which is to be expected. Her estrogen was 31 ,normal (the Doc said) is around 40 , so 31 isn't really THAT low. He gave her some progesterone pills and those did only worst things.....like everything else has.

The only thing every Doctor seems to suggest is seeing a shrink or a psychologist...THAT just infuriates me. The next Doctor that suggests that I'm gonna punch out. How is talking to a shrink gonna fix a medical problem ? She had a hysterectomy not a lobotomy. The thought of these Doctors even suggesting this only brings on more stress and anxiety for her.

The crazy thing about all this is...SHE'S AN RN. She's been nursing for 19 years. Been a fitness instructor / nutritionist in the gym for over 20 years. She's far from being ignorant when it comes to the medical field and its diagnosis'.

The good thing is , it IS forcing her closer to the Lord and His Word.

[mattfivefour]

The good thing is , it IS forcing her closer to the Lord and His Word.

Which might possibly be the whole purpose.

[Hannah]

Many times I have been very sick and my symptoms have been debilitating and I couldn't get any diagnosis.

I prayed for the Lord to show me so I could nudge the doctors in the right direction. I have once been woken up in the early morning and given exact search words to find information on what my symptoms added up to. Yep God gave me the answer at around 4am I dreamt what I had to put in as a web search. I went to the computer & typed it in, looked at the symptoms and said that's it. Went to my family doctor the next day and asked him if I could have what I looked up on the internet (I had printed off the information for him). Got the tests done to confirm it and I was after 3 long years finally on the road to getting treated. BTW I had been praying for a diagnosis for quite a while by the time I finally got this answer to prayer.

Praying God will divinely lead you to what you need to know. Praying God will bring to your attention whatever you wife may require to get diagnosed, Amen.

Who knows she may have something rare but very real and treatable?

[Meg]

I am so sorry to hear someone else is going through the hysterectomy aftermath. Everyone's experience is so different. My advice is to draw closer to The Lord. I can't emphasis it enough. There is a reason you are in this situation. Remember, God is in control. He works great and mighty things!

This is what God has done for me. I had a full hysterectomy when I was 42. Five months later, I blew out 4 disks in my low back. I opted for no pain meds or hormone replacement therapy, and no surgery. Those were just my preferences as I did not like the idea of having to take a pill everyday. The first couple of years were horrible. Hot flashes, night sweats, severe nerve pain, bladder issues, mood swings, learning to walk again. I am so thankful to God that all these things happened to me. Because even though I have been a believer since I was about 20 years old, I was spiritually immature. I had never read my Bible. So since my life was at a literal standstill, not able to work or even clean the house, mood swings like crazy!....I found myself utterly bored and depressed. I suddenly had all the time in the world so I picked up my Bible with intent on reading it and understanding it. That was 7 years ago. The hot flashes have subsided greatly, no night sweats, still deal with nerve pain daily but physically able to walk by the Grace of Jesus, mood swings are gone, and I have now read the Bible in it's entirety 3 times. I can't wait to start over again. Each and every time I learn so many new things. I am so thankful for the daily sanctification. It has truly taken my mind off of my physical distress. My physical pain and suffering has become a friend to me because it keeps my focus on spiritual things and God's Word. The Lord Blessed me greatly by taking away my ability to physically participate in the world and replaced it with the spiritual ability to participate in His World. Thank you Lord!! I am also blessed to have a believing, loving husband too. I pray my situation can give you and your wife some insight and hope.


2Cor 12:5-10
"5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. 6 Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. "

WW!! Given your testimony, Discdog, I think Mattfivefour is quite correct. Ducati, your wife doesn't need a "shrink", she needs the Lord. If her main complaint is emotional, prayer and devotion to God is going to be the ONLY answer. Period.

[Ducati]

WW!! Given your testimony, Discdog, I think Mattfivefour is quite correct. Ducati, your wife doesn't need a "shrink", she needs the Lord. If her main complaint is emotional, prayer and devotion to God is going to be the ONLY answer. Period.

She is a Christian and Loves the Lord. Prior to the hysterectomy (correction 2011) she was a vibrant , healthy gym rat with a prosperous nursing career. Now she shakes and crys all day.

Why Doctors continue to do these types of procedures I don't know ?

We see her primary Doctor tomarrow. Pray we come out with SOMETHING.

[mattfivefour]

Be assured that we're praying, bro. (And I think Meg's point was not that your wife is not a Christian but that God is working in her life through this situation, bringing her closer in prayer and the Word. God is the one who will deliver her from this situation. Not man. He may use man, but her focus—as all of ours—has to be on Him.)

[Ducati]

Be assured that we're praying, bro. (And I think Meg's point was not that your wife is not a Christian but that God is working in her life through this situation

Thats cool, I get that.

Thanks, I let ya know what happens.

[Obie]

My prayers go up, too. I know what y'all are going through and it is not easy. I had my surgery in 1981 and it took so long to recovery completely. But, be encouraged, God is still working hard and is always loving and looking after you. God bless.

[Meg]

Be assured that we're praying, bro. (And I think Meg's point was not that your wife is not a Christian but that God is working in her life through this situation, bringing her closer in prayer and the Word. God is the one who will deliver her from this situation. Not man. He may use man, but her focus—as all of ours—has to be on Him.)

Yes, that's exactly my point. This sort of thing should be approached with prayer first and foremost.

[Obie]

Any updates? I've been praying for you both. Hope you've had some encouraging news.

[Ducati]

Well.....not really much more then what we already know. The Doctor was kind and understanding but seemed as dumbfounded as the rest. All three of the Doctors we have seen have all said they have never seen a case of anxiety like this post hysterectomy. He did suggest that she take a small dose of ativan every 4 to 6 hours to build up a resistance to the anxiety instead of waiting till its full blow...and continue with her cymbalta.

One day at a time.

[mattfivefour]

ing for you both, bro.

[Meg]

I am praying for your wife, and again I urge you to ask her to pray deeply about what is causing this anxiety. I have heard of women getting very upset about having a hysterectomy, because they think their female identity has been removed, and that simply isn't true. But it seems that some women believe that for some reason. The Lord can and will help her, but she must seek Him in prayer, rather than trying and failing to handle this thing in her own strength. I know she loves the Lord, but loving Him and seeking Him are two different things, and there is no substitute for prayer. There isn't some "special formula" for prayer, simply pour out your (her) fears in your (her) own words, in private and in deep honesty. I ask you, please share this advice with your dear wife and encourage her gently. And you pray for her too. The prayers of a loving spouse avail much.