Natural Menopause Remedies
and Solutions

 

What are the facts about hysterectomy and menopause? When a woman has a hysterectomy, which is when the uterus is removed (and sometimes one or both of the ovaries and fallopian tubes) it can spell the immediate beginning of menopause. However if either of the ovaries remain intact, hormones will still be able to be produced and she can avoid these symptoms at least for now.

 

What if the ovaries are removed as well?

 

When a woman is required to have both ovaries removed it will mean a very sudden start of menopause, rather than the gradual entry to menopause that most women face. This can be very devastating indeed, with symptoms being much more intense due to the sudden loss of hormone production in the body. In most cases, your doctor will recommend some kind of HRT, at least on a temporary basis, in order to relieve some of the worst symptoms.

 

There is a name for the procedure when a woman’s uterus as well as the ovaries are removed, it’s called “surgical menopause”. In the past when a woman had this done, it was almost guaranteed that she would be given HRT almost immediately. However since the discovery that prolonged hormone replacement therapy can lead to dangerous side effects such as breast cancer, heart problems, and strokes this is not the case anymore. The choices are not so obvious, although some doctors still recommend HRT at least on a temporary basis. Find out your choices, and make an informed decision.

 

What to expect

Estrogen plays a key role throughout a woman’s body. It affects the brain, the bones, skin, heart, and the blood vessels. While estrogen levels will decrease gradually during natural menopause, they will stop altogether with a surgical menopause. That sudden drop in estrogen can lead to menopausal symptoms that can be quite severe and traumatizing to a woman.

 

Hormone therapy after surgery, either with estrogen and progestin or with just estrogen alone - is a way to counteract the supply of estrogen that is lost. Women who have both the uterus and ovaries removed normally just get estrogen replacement therapy (called ERT). But women who have only had only the ovaries removed need both estrogen and progestin. That's because estrogen alone can increase the risk of cancer in the uterus. Adding progestin alleviates this risk. So find out all you can about your choices if you need to have a hysterectomy, and discuss further treatment with your doctor.

 

Yes, this can be a very trying time for women especially if you have had or need to have a hysterectomy done. The best way to prepare is to find out all you can, talk to your doctor about your options, and discover some of the natural herbal remedies that can also help you find relief.