Hysterectomy can have a significant impact on your physical and emotional health, as well as your quality of life. While every woman’s recovery is different, there are some common changes and challenges that you may face in the months after undergoing a hysterectomy. In this article, we’ll discuss what to expect around 4 months after hysterectomy, including:
- Symptoms and complications you may have
- The possibility of choosing bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) as a treatment
- Advice on how to cope with physical and emotional changes
Possible Symptoms 4 Months After Hysterectomy
Undergoing a hysterectomy is major surgery that involves the removal of your uterus and sometimes your ovaries, fallopian tubes, and cervix as well. Four months after hysterectomy you should be well on your way to recovery. However, you may still experience symptoms that are related to the surgery or the hormonal changes that occur after the removal of ovaries.
Spotting Months After Hysterectomy
Some women may notice a small amount of blood or discharge from the vagina, especially after sexual activity or pelvic exams. This is usually normal and harmless, as it is caused by the healing of the vaginal cuff, which is the scar tissue that forms at the top of the vagina where the cervix was removed. However, if you’re spotting months after hysterectomy and it’s heavy, foul-smelling, or accompanied by pain, fever, or swelling, you should contact your doctor, as it may indicate an infection or a complication.
Extreme Fatigue Months After Hysterectomy
Post-operative fatigue is a common complaint after any major surgery, as your body needs time and energy to heal and recover. Some women may experience extreme fatigue months after hysterectomy, especially if they also had their ovaries removed. This is because the ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone, the hormones that regulate energy levels, mood, sleep, and metabolism.
Bloating After Hysterectomy
Bloating months after hysterectomy is another common symptom, usually caused by gas, constipation, fluid retention, or weight gain. It can be a result of the surgery itself (the anesthesia, the pain medications, the reduced physical activity), or it can also be caused by hormonal changes affecting your digestion, appetite, and water balance.
Brown Discharge After Hysterectomy
Brown discharge after hysterectomy is normal in the first few weeks, as your body sheds the remaining blood and tissue from your uterus. But if you still have brown discharge 4 months after hysterectomy, it may be a sign of a problem, such as an infection.
Onset of Menopausal Symptoms After Hysterectomy
If your ovaries were removed, you may begin to experience menopausal symptoms as your body adjusts to the lower levels of estrogen and progesterone, hormones that your ovaries previously regulated. This transitional phase can manifest through symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness, and sleep disturbances.
Which leads to a possible solution that many women tell us is helpful…
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy After Hysterectomy
In the case of a total hysterectomy, where ovaries are also removed, we recommend you find the best bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to help alleviate some of the symptoms and complications caused by hormonal changes. By 4 months after hysterectomy, you’ll likely be in a place to consider this option carefully.
What’s great about BHRT is that we can customized it to your individual needs and preferences. This personalized approach ensures that the therapy closely mimics the hormones your body naturally produces and used to have available before your total hysterectomy.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy and Weight Loss After Hysterectomy
A common concern after hysterectomy is weight gain, often due to reduced physical activity, increased appetite, decreased metabolism, fluid retention, or hormonal changes. That’s quite a lot of changes, but BHRT is a good option to balance your hormones. This, in turn, helps you lose weight after hysterectomy, improve energy levels, and reduce any cravings.
While BHRT isn’t a magic pill that can melt away the pounds, it can help you lose weight after a hysterectomy if you integrate it with physical activity and a balanced diet. Our Functional Nutritionists are willing to work with you on a balanced diet plan to help you regain your target weight.
Coping After Hysterectomy
As we said, hysterectomy is life-changing surgery that can affect your physical, emotional, and sexual health, as well as your relationships, self-image, and identity. Even 4 months after hysterectomy, it’s still normal to have mixed feelings and reactions to the surgery. These might include relief, sadness, anger, fear, or grief. After all, your life has changed.
However, although you’ve reached that milestone of 4 months after hysterectomy when people often expect you to have completely recovered, you may not feel you have! So, here are some tips to help you start coping even better once the immediate after-effects of surgery have passed.
1 Communicate with your partner
Hysterectomy can have an impact on your sexual health and intimacy, as it may cause changes in your libido, arousal, orgasm, and sensation. It may also affect your sense of femininity, attractiveness, and desirability. Communicate with your partner about your feelings, needs, and concerns, and listen to theirs. (You should wait at least six weeks after hysterectomy before resuming sexual intercourse and use lubrication to avoid discomfort or pain.)
2 Connect with others
Hysterectomy can make you feel isolated, lonely, or misunderstood, especially if you don’t have anyone to share your experience with. It’s helpful to connect with others who have gone through the same thing and who can offer support, advice, and encouragement.
3 Take care of yourself
Hysterectomy can take a toll on your physical and mental health, so it’s important to take care of yourself and practice self-care. This means eating well, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, managing your stress, and avoiding smoking, alcohol, or drugs. It also means doing things that make you happy, such as hobbies or interests, and treating yourself with kindness, compassion, and respect.
4 Seek professional help
Hysterectomy can trigger or worsen some mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you feel overwhelmed, hopeless, or unable to cope, seek professional help as soon as possible.
Nava Can Help You Continue to Thrive 4 Months After Hysterectomy
Our team at Nava Center understands what you’re going through from an integrative medicine perspective and is there to support your full recovery post-hysterectomy. We offer telehealth appointments and in-person ones. Why not schedule a time to talk to us about any concerns you have at this stage?
A Medical Director, and one of the first physicians to join the Nava Health & Vitality Center, Dr. Douglas Lord has made significant contributions to our Center and its founding principles. Dr. Lord has helped develop and implement the Nava Method™—Nava’s proprietary approach to total body wellness. He has also been instrumental in liaising with other expert practitioners to successfully implement Nava’s range of therapies, treatments, and products.