Most women are taught little about the functions of the female organs beyond iinformation about menstruation and pregnancy. The uterus and ovaries are the female hormone-responsive reproductive sex organs. The female organs are internal and their functions are not visible. Most women and men know more about the functions of male reproductive sex organs than female female reproductive sex organs because the organs are external and visible.
One of the common myths perpetuated by doctors that has become folklore is that the female organs are only needed by women who want to have children and that after they complete their family they no longer need these organs. Nothing could be further from the truth. The uterus is a hormone responsive reproductive sex organ that supports the bladder and the bowel. It functions all of a woman’s life. Many women are sexually active and experience uterine orgasm into their 80’s.
The ovaries are the female gonads. They produce hormones all of a woman’s life. The pre-menopausal ovary produce more estrogens than androgens, and the post-menpausal ovary produces more androgens and less estrogens. Removal of the ovaries is castration.
The uterus provides support to the bladder and the bowel. When a hysterectomy is performed the support to the bladder is compromised, and the bowel drifts down to take up the space where the uterus had been. The vagina is shortened, made into a closed pocket. Because the uterus separates the bladder from the bowel, when the uterus is removed the bowel drifts down and takes up the space where the uterus had been. When there is stool in the bowel it presses against the bladder and down into the top of the vagina. This would not have been possible with the uterus intact.
In a HERS Foundation survey 99.7% of women reported that the doctor who performed the surgery did not inform them of the consequences or they were lied to when they asked if they would experience any changes. Most often doctors tell women “You’ll be better than ever” and “Sex will be the same or better”.
Because doctors are not informing women of the adverse effects of hysterectomy the HERS Foundation has launched a campaign to compel every doctor to provide HERS short new educational video “Female Anatomy: the Functions of the Female Organs” to every woman before she is asked to sign a Hysterectomy Consent Form.
SIGN THE PETITON at www.ipetitions.com/petition/saynotilyouknow or by visit www.hersfoundation.org and click on “Petition”. It’s every woman’s right to know.
It’s been several years since any comments were posted here, and with technology advancements and all I was wondering if having a hysterectomy is still as bad? Or are the outcomes any more positive now? I have a grade II endometriod adenocarcinoma, and have no choice but to have this surgery, and ya’ll got me freaked out. So if anybody has an update as to how they are doing these days, or anything that helped them relieve any negative after effects of having a total hystectomy it would be appreciated as this surgery is the only option us cancer folks have, and everything on this site is pretty scary to read.
Please forgive me, thiswas written after a visit to obgyn.net and then the article it was closed to comments.I was in response to a woman interviewing a Dr Michael Moore.What are you a doctor of – speculation and study stats or a real doctor? Would you still function as you did if your penis was removed? Are any of these so-called women with large uterine fibroids larger than a 9lb 1 0 oz baby in utero? I had a fibroid along with my baby that size before I delivered her vaginally and was still able to have sex without pain and I have had uterine orgasms everytime I had sex , never had to fake one like most women do – I would bet that all those saying sex is better after hysterectomy have no idea what an orgasm is or feels like because without your sex organs how are you to have enjoyable sex? Now I am menopausal with a thickened endometrium and a few cervical polyps one of which was removed for testing- benign prior to menopause, but started post-meno bleeding I had a biopsy done on the lining of my uterus and malignant cells have been found so the solution To add insult o injury, I had a stroke in five years ago and can hardly walk now so I already hve nerve damage and shudder at the thought of more but the scare tactic now is cancer so it is necessary radical larascopic hysterectomy – this will end my sex life as I knew it because I know my orgasms were uterine and my G-spot and cervix also helped to heighten my pleasure with my hubby after I found a man that took the time to learn my body's responses, this being hubby #2, first one was pathetic, did not know anything and not willing to learn he could have used playboy to ejaculate rather than get a wife, he was always finished before me – that's when I too used to fake orgasms for his benefit, not mine, I was too sensitive and sensible he was a physical abuser too, to let him know how terrible he was in bed LOL and he was well endowed – useless – it's like giving a powersaw to a carpenter but not show him how to use it after all he has used was manual saws. Having said all this, I have not been told by this surgeon the extent of the malignancy, seen no pathology report nothing was discussed just what she would be doing, no explanations I got all the information about the nature of the surgery from the Cancer Society's website thank God for Dr. Google, I guess surgeons are paid to do surgery nothing else and this may be how they are trained because she's teaching others to be just like her in this teaching hospital but being college educated with a major interest in Biology I know quite a bit about my own anatomy had to give my younger sister a lesson recently when she told me I do not need my uterus anymore that's what male doctors have told women for years once they pass child-bearing years but a man needs his sex organs for life so he gets Viagra, It's a man's world – no I am not a man hater even after my hubby of 30-years left me as soon as I had the stroke, good thing he left before this recent diagnosis he would hardly want a pocket-vagina have not seen any changes in my sex life post-menopause At 55 I am as sexual as I was in my thirties I just have to find a guy with a penis the length and girth of a fig, the banana relative for those of West |Indian background and that likes cunnilingus
Sexually Aware,
Sex is too good to live without it!
Barb,
That sounds horrible! I'm so sorry you are going through all of this. I hope that you keep fighting and find a doctor/surgeon willing to do more for you. It took me a few years and countless doctors to find one willing to open me up for the third time and clean out scar tissue and leftover endometriosis after I had everything out (including ovaries). At least that made the pelvic pain far more bearable. wish I could say the same for the hormone stuff. Best wishes to you and know that someone cares!
Hi there,had a hysterectomy due to endometriosis some years ago, complications at the time,5 years ago a marshmallow type lump in groin, had a hernia op complications due to scar tissue struggled to put me back together. Now 18 months ago problem with bladder urinating 35 times a day up 7 times during the night, drinking 500ml of fluid daily due to constant pressure, had a camera in bladder ? Been on various tablets with crap side affects stopped taking them. Could I have scar tissue attached to my bladder causing all this ? I did mention this to surgeon and was dismissed.
My sex life stopped about 5years ago, vagina well its closed up I supposed !!
The pain was extreme like having sex with a razor blade,so my husband is the enemy.
The GP can't do an internal, constant infections !! NO HRT for lots of reasons.
Yazzmyne, yes, please do post the article on your forum. Thank you for your support.
Thanks for sharing this article. When signing the petition, you can't sign it if you live outside the US though, because it keeps asking for a valid ZIP code and the state has to be filled in to.
Can I post this article on my forum to spread more awareness about gynecology abuse?
http://womenagainststirrups.proboards.com/index.cgi
John & Erica,
Thank you for posting. I'm so sorry that you both have been affected by the horror of hysterectomy.
I don't know if you check back here but if you see this, would you both please copy and paste your "story" to the current HERS blog? Thanks.
As the husband of a woman who had a hysterectomy, I would like to THROTTLE the idiot surgeon who said "Here are five choice. Pick one." You went to med school, stupid. NOT me!
Our sex life has been destroyed by this. My wife has no libido and I am so sexually frustrated and resentful toward her I could scream! We had GREAT sex before the surgery. Now she is an absolute block of ice, and I am so unhappy. No, the surgeon still seems clueless about the possible outcomes after the surgery. How is it that she did NOT know this? My marriage has been ruined by this sex-ectomy! I would like to round up every surgeon doing this procedure and summarily EXECUTE all of them simultaneously. You guys are LIARS and you SUCK!!!
I wish someone had told me all the stuff I now know about hysterectomy BEFORE I'd had it. I wouldn't have had it. I am one of those women who used to have "toe curling" cervical orgasms. Even occasional multiple orgasms. True Nirvana. Clitoral orgasms were like an appetizer. Great, but when is the main course?
After hysterectomy, I didn't even want to know if I could still have one because I knew it would never be the same.
Now, years later, after some experimentation, I discovered that I can still have a clitoral orgasm, very light and only once or twice, if I'm lucky- and it takes much longer to achieve.
I was on antidepressants for 10 years because no one told me what to expect. I have had weight gain, bladder problems, hair loss, dry skin, achy joints (now osteoarthritis),and the feeling of being "less than".
If you have any possible alternative, DON'T HAVE A HYSTERECTOMY!!!
It will ruin your sexual life.
For the record, as someone who works in the medical field, doctors use the term castration all the time when refering to removal of ovaries. It is what it is. My own doctor used this term to discuss it with me.
It's been almost seven years since my hysterectomy and loss of ovaries and while I can still orgasm, they are shallow and dry. This is not something I am making up. It's a reality I am not going to shove in the closet because it might offend someone.
Laura
Good on you Bobbie, but some of us, a lot of us have no sex life anymore because of this awful surgical procedure.
I'm approaching 4 years and have had sex only 6 times, and each time was horrible and sad.
And it is castration, worse than that, its de-sexing.Sad to say Chaz Bono is more woman than I am.
So I now have a sexless marriage and a horrible life.
And to me, a life like this is not worth having.
I think referring to this as castration is degrading first of all. I also call BS on the no orgasm part. That is a fallacy and one that kept me from getting my hysterectomy years ago.
I recently had no choice because of cancer and pain, and orgasms are just as good with as without. I wish people would quit spreading this myth as gospel No doubt it may affect some, but there are also some it doesn't affect!!
Yes, Sherrie, they really get out of their way to mutilate us and they benefit from it. First, they make a lucrative income and get paid twice as much if they also unnecessarily remove the cervix rather than just the uterus. Then, they make sure there is an ample supply of female reproductive organs for experimental and teaching purposes to serve their research interests, their academic reputations and their publication lists. (The use of our organs does not require informed consent because patients ‘do not own their tissues removed during surgical procedures’. That way they don’t have to share the money in case their research leads to the development and patenting of a new drug.)
I have experienced that the general medical community closes ranks when one is left with numerous health problems after an avoidable hysterectomy. I've also been told several times I should get onto antidepressants. Is this to deal with the damage or to put the responsibility back onto the patient? Or is the assumption that the physical problems are caused by depression? I feel that for consumer/patient information, the Hippocratic oath should be rewritten: First, do not do harm to your fellow medical practitioner, especially, if more qualified than yourself. Second, protect your fellow medical practitioner at all times. Third, when treading a patient, ensure principles one and two are adhered to at all times.
It is disgusting when Dr's say those kind of things Conny, and scary. Your not the first person to bring that saying up, and there is a growing number of women who are saying it, and other things about Dr's 'stockpiling' organs.
My personal opinion is that the medical profession continuously goes out of its way to main/mutilate and destroy women. In an age where sexism should not exist it is rampant in the medical profession and it has taken a tremendous toll on women.
What I'm curious to find out is; How many of us, after being mutilated, have gone to their Dr. with a health problem directly caused by our mutilation only to be told 'Your depressed.' and offered antidepressants? Or had our complaints laughed at and were told 'Thousands of women are happy(thrilled,use whatever awesome word here)with their hysterectomy! Why aren't you?'
When I questioned the necessity of my total hysterectomy I was told that being in my 50's it was time for me to donate my reproductive organs to science. We're living organ donors!
I have a hunch the biogentic and the scientific research communitiy is stockpiling female reproductive organs.
I too suffer. I no longer have any sex drive and holding by urine is a joke. I can't even hold by stool without loosing control. I have to make sure I have gone in the morning before leaving the house. A few times just bending over to pick up something causes me to go in my pants. Even exercise that involves jumping leaves me all wet between my legs. It is embarassing and demeaning. I don't even share this with any of my family members or friends. Is there any help for any of us? As far as uterine orgasm, I really miss that feeling. Nothing like it
Is there any hope for any of us?
November 17, 2009
I'm reading all this and feeling it all because now I've joined the ranks of deformed, mutilated women.
I was destroyed November 12 2008. In August of 2008 I was diagnosed with a large ovarian tumor. Though my CA125 came back normal and only a small amount of free fluid was found in my pelvis (possibly from a rupture of the tumor) I was sent to the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center in West Virginia.
I was told this was possibly cancer and given a nurse who would over see my chemo treatments. I was told again its probably cancer. They wanted to yank it all,plus my lymph nodes and my omenteum (the fat layer over your intestines). My husband and I clearly stated that we wanted the tumor & ovary it had wrapped itself around removed. They had permission that if it was cancer then they could remove everything.
Guess what? They removed a 16 pound 12 inch, by 8 inch by 4 1/2 inch non cancerous tumor, my right ovary & tubes, my uterus, my cervix, all the pelvic lymph nodes, my para aortic lymph nodes, my omenteum, left me with a 3 inch vagina that is twisted to one side, a 13 inch long crooked scar and are now lying to me about it.
You know who I was before November 12 2008? I was the funniest person, always laughing & cracking jokes. My life was a running gag, I loved it!
I was an artist going places, and everyone knew me for my art.
I was a happy wife with a happy husband and our sex life was so good that we often joked about it being so awful to have so much fun!
I was a Mom with 4 kids at home & we were always having fun. Hiking, swimming, playing, whooping it up.
I was politically active, going after thieving,lying cheating politicians and the folks covering their dirty tracks.
I was planning on becoming pregnant again, hopefully with a daughter to pass a family name on to.
I saw my period as 'my week off' and for years called it 'the blessing' because that was my week to feel like a woman, to lazy off and create only the kind of art that comes from being in tune with your body.
I had a great body, strong legs and arms. My hair turned white at an early age so it was a great contrast to me.
I knew who I was, what I was and knew that where I was going was going to be the best place.
Since November 12 2008? My life sucks.
My legs and arms are numb & weak. I am in physical therapy now (twice a week) because my left hip bulges 3 inches more than my right.
I can still use the bathroom (thank God!) but taking a leak is actually that now. The muscles you use to urinate are so destroyed that I can sit for 5 minutes and go in spurts. I have done a lot of toilet reading since November 2008.
I have dreamless nights. On the rare instance that I dream it is usually a nightmare of someone killing my children. The last nightmare I had was February, and no dreams at all.
My sex life is nonexistent. Believe me, we have tried and it was a failure. I can feel nothing, and he is horrified at what used to be my vagina. But we still love each other, and though I told him over and over again to leave me, divorce me, find a real woman who can have sex, he won't. He says he loves me and that me being alive is all hat matters to him.
My children ask me when am I going to laugh and smile again. They ask me not to leave them and not to die. They know how bad it is for me. It breaks my heart when they all join me in doing my PT exercises at home. When they hold me up while we walk to the bus because its hard to walk.
My art has suffered. Ideas come, bang around my head, but its hard to make it come out. My fans, my promoters all ask me when are you coming back? I can't answer them, because I'm not even sure when 'I'll' come back.
I trudge through the motions of life. I have become obsessed with a clean house, scrubbing and washing everything, over and over again.Thats not me.
I am a shell. I am disconnected. I am no longer female. I am a neuter.
My gums have receded from several thousand dollars worth of dental implants to replace teeth destroyed by phenobarbitol when I was younger. Whats going to happen when the dental work falls out & all I have are screws and posts?
I look around me, seeing it all, but I no longer exist here. I am no longer biologically convenient or needed.
My Dr wants to shove me full of anti depressants when I am not depressed. Depression is anger turned inwards, mine is fully visible. Lets give me hormones that cause cancer. No thanks. I take no chemical compounds and intend not to.
I feel sorry for those women who think that hysterectomy has somehow improved their lives. I feel sorry that for them the reality of being female was an inconvenient to them. I would gladly take a long painful period, a prolonged period, cramps, whatever over the death I have now.
I am just beginning my battle to have justice done. No amount of money will ever replace what I lost. But I hope that when its through my story will prevent other women from the living death that hysterectomy leaves in its wake.
I get to see my butchers for the first time since November 12 on June 5th. I've caught them in one lie already, and all my years as being a bad guy buster has paid off in the fact that I have people who have gotten my records by deceit before these butchers have a chance to destroy them all.
To Shelly
Nope!! Not a darn thing will bring it all back. Won’t even bring a flicker back. Welcome to club zero!
( Be sure to write and thank the butcher who made this all possible for you )
Hi My name is Shelley and I am 43 years old this year. For years I seeked help from my family doctors and OB’s asking and looking for something to help me. I even sought counseling cause I thought something was wrong with me, in why I didn’t want to have sex with my 2nd husband. I didn’t understand….I was 28 or 29 when I got that procedure done. except they took everything out. uterus and falopian tubes. I got married again to my 2nd husband at 30. within 1year we started having marital problems, sex was the big one. I thought maybe he didn’t turn me on…cause by then I was having sex cause he needed it. I got nothing from it. after 9years we divorced. Nobody could help me. My doctors would recommend estrogen/progesterone and then black cohosh. Now I have been taking effexor since a year after my hystorectomy cause i was emotionally unstable. i thought my marriage was the problem. I can’t explain how long I have been searching for answers….and now I am with a wonderful man, who loves me….and I don’t get sexual or get feel the need for sex. when we have it, it is nice cause I love him…i want to please him, but to be completely honest I don’t feel the need for sex and that distroughts me. cause now that I am reading this…I don’t know what to say. I have been castrated at 28/29 and now I am 43, and NOW i know why i feel the way i do…and all these years of no dam doctor knowing why i am feeling the way I am is downright malicious and I am completely heart torn. I have been raped of my woman hood. cause some doctor said I had endometrius or what ever that is, and me so out of it in pain, my dad gave the dr permission to do that surgery on me. I can’t remember the doctors name but i think i can find out the hospital…corpus christi tx is not that big.
What can I do? is there any kind of surgery to change this? any kind of implant? or is there meds that can help my sexual desire at all??
Shelley
I’m 45. I’ve checked my fibroids for 10 yrs. one of them is 12 cm now and all the docs say I need a hysterectomy… but in case of surgery I’m an ASA III due to my thrombophilia (already had 3 trombosis and 1 heart attack).
I’ve always had painful periods and great loss of blood BUT as I said, ALWAYS. nothing new. even if i’m on coumadin now nothing’s chanced. my only “chance” to avoid surgery is to be near menopause. I should have a blood work after my next period (which doesnt arrive!!!! 38 days without it, really strange for me)… I sometimes look pregnant, sometimes no…I’m stressed out thinking about surgery and really dont know what to do…I’d prefere to avoid it. I want to call an homeopath to help me to get to the menopause and avoid surgery… what do you think????
sorry for my English, not my mother language
Lory
May-Grant Associates Lancaster PA.
May-Grant Associates Lancaster PA, gave me a hysterectomy and I did not need one.
Why are the doctors removing your cervix? why are they removing your ovaries? this is scare tactic medicine. Cancer scare tactic is not a disease. Your uterus could be saved by seeing a doctor who knows how to heal you not cut you.
I have a hysterectomy scheduled and am very reluctant. I am 43 and have had endometriosis for years, and it has gotten worse. I have only one ovary due to ovarian cancer running in my family, and a cyst that was suspicious. I have been told by 3 Drs. (all in different practices) that it is highly recommended. I have another ovarian cyst, a very large fibroid cyst, and an enlarged uterus. My uterus is so large is indents my bladder causing blood in my urine and pain. The Endometrosis and Adenomyosis has been surgically treated several times and it only comes back worse. If I have this hysterectomy it will be a total one, ovaries anad uterus will be removed. Currently, pain is so bad, I’ve had to give up running, and sex with my husband. I can’t imagine the hysterectomy being worse than this. Not all hysterectomies are unnecessary, although I do worry about the side effects and the hormone therapy. I’ve talked to several women that have had hysterectomies and have had little side effects, all of these women went through extensive counseling before and after the procedure. It is scary, but my life now is painful and horrible without it.
Okay I sit here wondering how to say what i feel crying my eyes out after reading all this storys that are so close to home. I had a hysterectomy when i was 28. I too am unable to carry on a life that i once had. I have no feelings what so ever for anything but my kids… Seems there are the only ones who have not turned on me because of my medicial problems that i have had since my surgery. No one seems to understand the truth to the way i feel inside. I dont even feel like a woman no more like an empty shell of who I once was fighting to get it back. I dont feel like I can be a wife because it seems that no matter how hard I try its never good enough for him makes me feel like im inaddequite for him. He always is gonna leave me to find someone who can love him right make him happy. Being acussed of sleeping with someone else because not sleeping with him. Dont they understand its not them its a problem with me i dont want a sexual realatioship at all with no man. Leaves me feeling that im not a woman enought to please him. Which also effects my kids because there dad is always gonna leave because there mom cant please him or make him happy enough to stay here. So not only am i miserable seems my kids are also being affected by the outcome of my surgery. Once again i was told that the sex life would improve after the surgery the pain would go away he didnt tell me my sexual desires and interests would also go away.. It was a great concern that having the surgery would change my marriage and sexual life i was assured not only by the doctor but also by my husand everything would be okay…boy was everyone wrong!!! My husband has left me numberous times mainly over sex issues if i cant make him happy he will just go find someone who can. Well let me tell ya you can only be told this so many times until nothing at all matters anymore. I truley no the only reason im still sane is my two kids i love with all my heart or im not sure where id be right now!! I suffer day after day and there dont seem to be a end in sight if there is any help out there for me please please let me no my email address is slb111974@yahoo.com… Thanks for listening to my story Sherrie
Thank you Nora Coffee and the HERS FOundation for opening my eyes, 35 years after my own Gyn/Surgeon deceived me into signing a consent form, without the necessary ‘informed consent’ required by law for these sex organ surgeries.
This is cruelty of the worst kind.
My life has never been the same since my surgery and no physician I have ever consulted has even begun to deal with the real issues created by my sex organ surgery. I had both ovaries removed and a total hysterectomy done at age 24, and done because of deception and lack of full disclosure by my Gyn/Surgeon.
Apart from telling me that everything else would remain the same after the 2 sex-organ surgeries I had, and that I would need to take Hormone Replacement Therapy for the rest of my life and that I would no longer have my monthly periods, I was told none of the above techincal surgical details. None!
Even after my 2 surgeries (3 weeks apart) I did not fully understand the details of what was done to me.
My surgeon 35 years ago used a pencil and pointed to a 12-inch plastic figurine on his desk to point to the sex organs and body parts he would remove during my surgery, never mentioning the many blood vessels, muscles, nerves etc. that would all be removed and the displacement of my other body parts due to the removal of these major organs from my body.
I was lied to at that time, and 35 years later, this practice of lying and omitting necessary information from patients before and even after surgery apparently continues.
We all need to sign the HERS Petition to have ‘informed consent’ become law in this country and worldwide.
John in mich.
To Vila, I’m not a freq. visitor here just happen to log on this AM and seen your post. I assume you are still married or have a good partner in your life. Make sure he is involved in your MAJOR decision, he WILL be affected over time. Watch out for your surgeon as h/she will slip a consent form into the mix of paperwork that will end up permanently altering your life. Get a second, third or fourth opinion if necessary. Ask questions a lot of them and weed out the deception. GYN/OB’s make a lot of money off of this. “do you have insurance”? This site has a lot of good information that has helped me understand what transformed my wife. We are still married but it is not easy. God bless you.
Today is Jan. 6, 2008. I am scheduled for a subtotal hysterectomy on Jan. 8, 2008. I found this site on Jan. 5. THANK GOD! I can’t believe I almost had a hysterectomy! I am just in SHOCK at what I am finding out on this site. I thought I had done my research but everything I’ve read (before this site) encourages this barbaric procedure! I can’t believe my doc did not even discuss anything like this to me. And she’s a female doc!
I am a healthy 35 year-old mom of 2 kids. I have 6cm fibroids that’s causing prolong and heavy periods and is causing me to be anemic as well. And some pain during intercourse.
I don’t know what to do now. Should I opt for a myomectomy instead?
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This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Every single lie and scare tactic the butcher who legally tricked me into surgery told me was a complete legal medical lie.
1.The tumor would grow back if it was removed and I would need to have my abdomen opened up again, and you’ll be back!
2.The tumor was too large to remove.
3.They don’t keep the cervix anymore because it causes more problems.
4.One ovary will do the job of two ovaries and causes less problems.
5.Sex will be as good or better than it ever was, and I will feel better than I ever did.
6.The drugs they use to shrink fibroids cause cancer and he doesn’t use them.
7.Because the Tumor is growing fast it could indicate cancer.
8.All of the swelling in my abdomen will go away.
9.The incision will be four inches long. It was 13″ including the tissue inside the skin (I was cut in half)
10. I would be completely healed in 6 to 8 weeks.
11. If you are not planning to have more children you do not need your uterus.
12. The orgasm is produced in the vaginal walls (he kept pointing to his head saying its all up here)
13. Everything will remain the same in my vaginal area.
14. In all his years in pratice only one women had said that sex was not as good after hysterectomy. (Only one women in over twenty years said sex was not as good after her sex organ was removed)
15. The doctor did not refer to my uterus as my sex organ.
16. All I will need is a lubricant with sex and possibly estrogen.
This predator doctor should be in prison and castrated.
Doctor’s scare women into getting their ovaries removed because of the threat of cancer, yet they don’t tell women that they can get primary peritoneal carcinoma, a close relative of ovarian cancer, which can develop when there are no ovaries. It has the same symptoms, spreads in a similar pattern, and is treated the same way as ovarian cancer. Many women have been scared and manipulated into surgery with the fear they might get cancer. Doctors don’t tell these women that they can get the same kind of cancer after. Doctors who lie to do unnecessary pelvic surgery should be in prison, yet they are considered pillars of our society.
To male in mich,
Thank you for sharing your story. It helps me, and I am sure many others, to hear from someone whose life has been so severely impacted by the sex organ surgery. It gives us some much needed vision.
Has anyone ever looked and the rapidly rising divorce rate in the USA and wondered about the impact castrated and/or hysterectomized women might be having on these statistics?
Without question, the lives of all my relatives, friends, co-workers, neighbors etc. have been affected by the changes that have overtaken my life, since my own sex-organ surgeries. All my relationships, excluding no one, have been severely impacted, negatively, including those new relationships yet to be made. This surgery does not just impact marriages and male/female unions. It impacts every aspect of a woman’s life and those around her, after these sex-organ surgeries.
My greatest concern is the impact these surgeries are having on the social fabric of the USA (the most powerful country in the world) and the rest of the world. Can these OB/GYN surgeons in the USA and worldwide not see the severe, devastating impact their cavalier attitude to these sex organ surgeries is having on individual family life, village life, and the corporate and political fabric of any nation?
Both men and women, are the foundation and building blocks of any great nation.
As women after these surgeries gradually become more and more dependent on relatives, friends and the society as a whole for every kind of support imaginable, the cost to any nation, as the numbers of these female victims increases, is incalculable. In terms of dollars as well as loss of work-force and family structure.
Children are often dependant upon these castrated females, as many of us are Mothers, Babysitters, Caregivers etc. Older relatives also look to many of us for needed support of every kind. Our neighborhoods depend upon us to be useful and active citizens in our Parent Teacher’s Associations etc. Some of us have active political careers, and others have personal career goals. All down the toilet. How can any society continue to turn a blind eye to all of this?
Can all men not see that they are all victims too, not just those married to a castrated woman?
male in mich.,
Thank you for your courage to share your struggles as the partner of a hysterectomized woman. When I read your post, I almost thought my own partner was writing about us. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own struggles that we fail to see how those around us are effected by the aftermath of our hysterectomies. I haven’t wanted to face what my boyfriend (of nine years) is feeling and dealing with. Just getting through everyday with my own limitations is a huge effort. I don’t know if I have the strength to really ask how all of this is impacting him. Deep down I already know, and my heart breaks for him. I know that he really loves me and has been wonderfully patient despite my uncontrollable mood swings and inability to do the things we used to love (camping, canoeing, hiking). But I also know that he is only human. The sacrifices he has had to make are so unfair. I have been unable to give him as much as he needs, both physically and emotionally. I am terrified that he will leave me someday but I also wouldn’t blame him if it came to that. I am not the same person I was before my surgery several years ago. I am not the person he fell in love with and committed his life to.
I wish you and your wife the best in finding someone who is willing to help the two of you. Thanks again for sharing your perspective.
John in Mich.”
Thank you for posting, it is obvious that you have been harmed by the tragic, inevitable consequences of your wife’s sex organ removal-hysterectomy, my best to you both.
This is very familiar to me as I watch my husband struggling with his life now that I have been rendered sexless and physically weak and damaged. I am at the point now where I just want to die, I love my husband so much. I want to give him his life back and feel like it is a waste for me to suffer out the rest of my life in pain while watching my vibrant husband, suffer too.
It is the responsibility of a surgeon to give the patient informed consent, the basic facts about the surgery they are performing, not legal lies.
In the case of sex organ removal-hysterectomy and castration what does that mean, at the least?
HERS “female anatomy” video, which they know already, but trick women anyway for profit and sick power.
If the doctor was honest at all the endocrine system would be discussed, too. The basics of the endocrine system and their connection to the ovaries (especially when the women is sitting there pointing to her thyroid with a 2 1/2″ nodule in it saying “I have been tested for several years now for my thyroid levels but have not had any symptoms yet.”
As I have said before the harmful OB/GYN’S are terrified that the truth about (sex organ removal) surgeries are coming to light now, BUT THEY ARE.
The harmful gynecologists can live with the harm they are causing millions of women and men but it does not change the “Medical Facts”, HERS, provides.
The malice by which harmful doctors are legally able to destroy a womens health and sexuality is archaic and harms the partner of the women too, as written above by “male in mich.”
Sara said: “My husband says he finds me more attractive than ever since the surgery.” LMAO!!! That is so insane that it’s funny! Does your husband really like you better without your sex organs? LOL! Is your husband a gynecologist or just gay? Maybe your husband should get his sex organs removed and then you could be as attracted to him as he is to you!
Felicia,
All comments are posted. The only time a comment is deleted is when there person posting it asks to have it deleted because they realize they wanted to change or add something.
I believe you when you say that you feel that you are better off without your female organs and that you are happy that you are a castrated woman who cannot experience uterine orgasm. I believe that you feel you are better off with a surgically shortened vagina that’s been made into a closed pocket. I believe that you feel you are better off with the nerves severed that provided sensation to your clitoris, vagina and nipples and with the severed blood supply that provided blood flow to the vagina, labia and clitoris. You have not said that you experience uterine orgasm or that you have sensation in your labia, vagina or clitoris since the nerves were severed.
If only your uterus had been removed your risk of heart disease would be 3 times greater than intact women, but since you were castrated at the time your uterus was removed you have a 7 times greater risk of heart disease. This medical fact make also make you happy about being a hysterectomized castrated woman, though you it is not something you mentioned in your last post.
What you are left with after having your female organs sounds like it is enough for you, and that you are satisfied that your husband finds you more attractive as a castrated woman than a woman with her sex organs intact. But it isn’t enough for most women. Most women want their sex organs intact those who enjoy uterine orgasm and the vitality of being sexual, sensual, and sexually fulfilled.
It’s interesting that you said you don’t view yourself as castrated even though medically that is fact what has been done to you. The female gonads are the ovaries, and removal of the ovaries is castration. It’s not a feeling, it’s an anatomical fact. There may be amputees with both legs amputated who do not view themselves as amputees, but it would not change the anatomical fact that they are an amputee who do not have the functions of their legs.
You said “maybe it would help to stop blaming the surgery for everything and focus on a better future”. But removal of the female organs has ruined the bodies, the health, and the lives of millions of women. I agree that focusing on a better future is a good thing. We need to focus on legislation that will compel doctors to provide HERS video “Female Anatomy: the Functions of the Female Organs” to every woman before she is told to sign a Hysterectomy Consent form.
I’m glad that you feel free to post your comments on this blog, all comments are welcome. You probably realize that anyone encouraging women to be hysterectomized and castrated without being accurately informed of the consequences of the surgery will be be followed by a presentation of the anatomical facts all women need to make a decision about this barbaric, abusive, life-altering surgery.
“Maybe it would help to stop blaming the surgery for everything and focus on a better future”.
I take offense to this statement. Why? Because I have been doing everything possible to improve my life/health since it has been drastically and negatively altered by hysterectomy/castration. Many of the problems I have now I did not have before my hysterectomy (urge incontinence, yeast infections, no libido, chronic nausea, adhesions, severe joint/muscle pain, insomnia to name a few). Those problems that I did have before, such as hypothyroidism, depression, and pelvic pain have been made worse by the disruption in hormones/chemicals and removal/manipulation of pelvic organs. I do not sit around and wallow in self pity all day. I don’t smoke, don’t drink alcohol, don’t consume caffeine, I exercise routinely (when I am not too sick) despite the pain I am in, I eat very healthy, I take vitamins and supplements and have worked extensively with specialists to find a combination of hormones that will help alleviate some of the worst of my surgically menopausal symptoms. I have tried more combinations and types of hormones than I care to go over here, and have given each a fair amount of time. I have gone to physical therapy, pain management, mental health counseling, rheumatologists, endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, naturopathic doctors, and the list goes on in the quest to deal with my problems, improve my health and find some semblance of a normal life. I have had to make adjustments in my professional career to accommodate the disabling problems I face as a result of my hysterectomy and castration.
I am grateful there are places like this to come to for support and understanding in how hysterectomy and castration have so deeply and negatively impacted my life. I also am grateful that this place exists to give me a voice to speak out about what has happened to me so that other women contemplating hysterectomy will hear both sides of the story. There are plenty of pro hysterectomy sites floating around on the internet and unfortunately some have tried to silence me by editing or deleting or moving my posts. I can’t tell you the number of times I have posted about my experience or posted questions/concerns about problems I face as a result of hysterectomy/surgical menopause (as I put it on other sites to be “politically correct”) only to have the following words shoved down my throat:
“This is the best thing that ever happened to me”, “get over it and move on”, “you just need to find the right hrt” “have you sought counseling or tried an antidepressant?” “there are others worse off than you”, “you should be grateful that you didn’t have cancer”…I find these statements insulting and insensitive. You don’t “get over” the loss of sexuality, grief and depression, loss of vital hormones and organs, accelerated aging, being hit with fibromyalgia or osteoporosis or bladder problems or vaginal distortion or heart disease or any of the other stuff that can and does go along with hysterectomy/castration. There are chemical and physical changes that take place that no positive attitude is going to overcome. If a woman needs to write about her anger/frustrations or warn other women of what they may or will be facing, she has that right. So when women hear someone say “stop blaming everything on hysterectomy and focus on a better future” of course they are going to react angrily.
And yes, I should have done more research ahead of time. I should have read this site, The HERS Foundation, and some of the many books and articles out there written by scientists and medical doctors discouraging hysterectomy and castration unless medically necessary as a very last resort for life threatening problems like cancer or severe blood loss resulting in hemorrhaging. I should have fought my insurance company harder than I did to cover seeing a doctor outside my network of providers (in which every doctor I went to pushed hysterectomy on me after only one year of diagnosis for my problem). I should not have gone to some of the pro hysterectomy sites telling me how much better I would feel. I should not have read many of the pro hysterectomy books (more typical than not) making this surgery out to be common and no big deal. I should have listened to my own inner voice. I can’t change that, but I can help other women not make the same mistakes….
I am a bit confused as to why someone who is so happy with their castration and amputation of their sex organs would find this blog, yet post on it? If you feel so great, why are you hunting hysterectomy blogs on the internet? Don’t you have better things to do with your great health? You sound more like a gynecologist trying to confuse anyone who reads this blog. Perpetuate the confusion and keep the butchers in business.
First of all, I would like to say to all who are having problems that I am sorry. I am a bit confused though, and would like to take exception with some things that others have said regarding the “truth”. It was said that anyone who says that a hysterectomy didn’t ruin everything is lying. I have a problem with that because I am much better off and I am not lying to anyone or to myself. I have not experienced drastic personality changes. I am not depressed. My health is not down the toilet; as a matter of fact, I have more energy and feel better than I have felt in years. Why would I lie about that? I have always been an honest person and that’s just not the case. My marriage is strong. My husband says he finds me more attractive than ever since the surgery. I have not suffered any detrimental sexual side effects – it’s just as good. I had my ovaries removed also. I am not on HRT, either. I used to have chronic migraines but since the hysterectomy they are much better. I guess I just don’t understand why everyone is so anti a hysterectomy success story.
I got all the information ahead of time. You know, anyone having surgery does have some responsibility to investigate what is being done to them. I’m not saying that all doctors tell you everything they should, but I went into it with my eyes wide open and hopeful. I don’t view myself as castrated or less than a woman. I am happy! I don’t view it as castration because for men castration = impotence and I am still able to enjoy sex and orgasm.
I guess what I am trying to say is that I believe that people have problems because of this surgery. But you also need to believe that a lot of us don’t. I am friends with others and they are happier and I don’t believe that they are lying. What would that serve? These people aren’t that egotistical that they wouldn’t admit a mistake.
Other than the fact that I no longer have to worry with periods and all the problems that go with that, I wouldn’t know I had the surgery. I had organs that were causing me problems removed. In my mind it was no different than having my appendix out. I know the appendix doesn’t make hormones but the adrenals do and mine have picked up where the ovaries left off. What concerns me about all these posts is that someone like me, who has tried everything else, will read them and get scared off when it could help them. Some say that the doctors should be in jail but I think mine deserves a medal for setting me free.
I hope all of you find some kind of peace with your situations. Maybe it would help to stop blaming the surgery for everything and focus on a better future. I doubt this is going to be posted because it is a success story. I won’t be checking back because I’m sure I will incur the wrath of all the ones who feel they have been maimed. But I haven’t. Hopefully this will help encourage someone who choses a hysterectomy to realize that it’s not always a bad thing!
male in mich.
I am trying to help my wife through her problems. She has no thyroid(scared into surgery)she had a hysterectomy(partial or so we were told)(scared or recommended, against my wishes)all this within the last 4 or 5 years. I had read some about after effects of hysterectomies(unprepared for my experiences) she would always become furious with me if i tryed to talk about it prior to the butchery. She had low sex drive before, now she has none and let me emphasize NONE. No interest at all (well a half a dozen times this past year after begging)and sex if it happens is now with no feeling. I cannot feel any sensation during intercourse and a lubricant is a must. It takes an hour of oral clitoral stimulation for her to even feel anything close to orgasm. Many times she cannot achieve orgasm at all. I am afraid to explain the lack of sensation as it would devastate her. I wish I would have read these facts before. She says I don’t love her, being in a sexless marriage is very difficult, I love her very much. She accuses me of being insensitive, when I try to initiate a passionate kiss I am rejected as she has no feelings for lovemaking. Male or female castration should be outlawed unless used to save a life. Hysterectomy for women at younger ages make young women OLD real fast. And from what I read here in most cases shouldn’t happen even in middle age or older women. I am an unfortunate partner witnessing this very thing. She has night sweats, flashes, NO libido, mood swings(severe)no stamina, backaches, muscle aches,completely drained energy levels, a lot of weight gain. When I have suggested we walk a little she can’t muster enough energy to do this very simple excercise. She has asked her OBGYN and NP about HRT and they dismiss her feelings a part of the aging process. I was red faced furious but kept my cool, MONEY is why we are victims of the present circumstances. Unless I drop dead first I am afraid of witnessing her increasing slide toward very poor health. We will celebrate 35 years of marriage next summer. As a mid fifties male I can’t hardly imagine how a couple younger than us could survive marriage at a much younger age with the results of hysterectomy in their lives. I appreciate all you ladies who have shared your stories, it has helped me to understand what is going on with my wife. I pray I have the courage and willpower to stay the course.
Ok I’m not even talking about Fibroids this time I’m talking about removal of the womb in connection for cancer this is often also another ‘over treatment’ see below my experience today 20th November 2007 UK:-
I had 1B1 cervical cancer and a successful cone biopsy meaning all the cancer was gone.
Then met with the (male) oncologist who suggested that I now had a hysterectomy and my ovaries removed it was not explained that cancer of the ovary has nothing to do with cancer of the cervix or the level of danger that I was in and to cut a long story short the rush with which a hospital bed was booked led me to think I may be in some grave danger. ( He was probably gong by the text book I will add)But thank god for my gut feeling I didn’t like the blasé way the doctor was explaining my own treatment to me without telling me my level of risk and leaving me to make a decision about my own body.
Lukily I didn’t go ahead a few months later I met a lady doctor at the same Oncology clinic. I really lost my temper with the here an even said the ‘F’ word and finally got the important information that I needed to make a decision which was …’what level of extra risk am I at if I don’t have a hysterectomy after an early stage of cancer? a straight answer is all I wanted from someone qualified to
give me information so I finally got it after saying the ‘F’ word three times… I am at about an extra 5% risk for cancer if I don’t have
a hysterectomy , the woman even admitted that they are worried if people will sue them if the cancer comes back and that is why they are so cautious.
Jesus imagine waking up after a major operation and finding out there was a 95% chance you didn’t need it and no one told you!
What a relief decision made I would definitely not want hysterectomy for this level of risk…..I am rather attached to my womb am 48 and lukily outgoing I so worry for those that take doctors orders without question.
I have wasted nearly a year worrying and the simple risk level information would have saved me sleepless nights and as for the medical professions worry about being sued why not give me a paper to sign saying I’m aware of the risks.
Good luck
I tried to stop taking the hormones I was taking for several months last week. I was feeling swollen and my breasts hurt, taking the pills did not regain or imrove my sexuality or former mental state. I just want to feel like myself again, I was one of the happiest women I have ever met, but that women was assaulted and does not exist now.
As, Patricia One, said, my body literally started to “shut down”. I could barely get out of bed. I think about the things I used to do, but am unable to gather the mental and physical strength to do them. So I lay there in my bed looking out my window remembering what my life was like before I was attacked. I drift in and out of my conscience thoughts in a state of confusion trying to become someone else, someone I don’t know. It is a torture and is painful, I have burning pain and a grossly atrophied labia and crevace, pretty sexy huh.
Yesterday when I checked this blog I read what, Patricia One, said and realized this is what was happening, my body was in “shut down”. So I took one of the pills that make me feel swollen and went back to bed.
The remorse of loosing your former self physically and mentally is a horrible way to live and I wish I would have died during my sex organ removal. My endocrine system, yes thats right, myself.
How long have gynecologists known that it detrimental to women’s health to remove ovaries? How long have gynecologists been removing ovarian cysts? Here is an excerpt regarding the removal of ovarian cysts from “The Textbook of Gynecology” by Charles Alfred Lee Reed, published in 1901, Page 4: “The subsequent condition of the patient will be much more nearly normal if sufficient ovarian tissue is preserved to keep up the menstrual molimen, and thus to prevent a premature occurrence of the change of life, with all that it implies.” That’s right, it was published in 1901. They seemed to be much more concerned about women’s health over a hundred years ago. In reading this book, it’s hard to believe it was written in 1901 because most of it seems current. All gynecologists have learned in the last 100 years is how to lie and deceive women so they can butcher them for profit. Read on.
Here is the link:
http://books.google.com/books?id=6xQoEV6fwgMC&printsec=titlepage&dq=1899+gynecology&ie=ISO-8859-1#PPA130,M1
Hello HERS and all the other concerend women!
I am writing from Austria, English is not my mother language and so I want to precise again my comment about the side effects of hormones to avoid misunderstandings.
It is a fact that hormones like estrogen, progesteron and testosteron given like pills, patches or others CANNOT replace the ovaries! That’s logical.
And so hysterectomized and castrated women experience the same consequences of the loss of the organs – they only try desesperated to get some relieve.
Hormones, which are not produced by your own body also make side effects, short term or long term effects:
the kinds of the side effects differ from woman to woman. In my group women are reporting: strong headache, depression, feeling completely strange, they don’t feel to be in their body anymore, weight gain, nausea, sinusitis, skin irritations, breast growth, change of colour of nipples and so on.
And the dangers of the hormones given for a long time are already well documented – and women taken the hormones are dependant on them.
And the hormnes are expensive -for the hormones produced by the ovaries you don’t need money.
I think this is also a very important fact to mention!
But women are so sick after castration that they don’t have any choice – or to explain it better:
they have the choice between pest or cholera.
Hello Gina,
of Nov 15, 2007 6:37am who asks if hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has restored sexual dysfunction in any of us after sex organ surgery.
In my case, no, HRT has restored nothing after my surgery.
In my personal experience estrogen HRT appears to be a necessity for a number of reasons, after surgical removal of both my ovaries, uterus, etc. 35years ago, at age 24.
The estrogen HRT itself, appears to have created as many new difficulties for me as it has helped. I use the word ‘helped’ because estrogen HRT has ‘restored’ nothing in my case. Not the sexual dysfunction, not the physical dysfunction, not the emotional dysfunction nor the mental trauma to mind and body.
There are a large number of ‘hormones’ used within the body. Some medical literature suggests there are hundreds of different types.
It is my opinion, that every cell in my body has been affected by my sex organ surgery. The new cells constantly being created within my body must also be affected on an ongoing basis.
I say this because the endocrine system is so delicately balanced, and the sudden loss of naturally produced estrogen from within the body, has an immediate short term and long term tragic effect.
One Reference is found:
In the May 2000 Life Extension Magazine online article, titled, ‘Enhancing Cognitive Function’ by Ivy Greenwell. It mentions that menopausal women who experience a sudden drop in acetylcholine levels due to estrogen withdrawal, often complain about suddenly becoming ‘light sleepers’. It is also suggested that concentration, problem solving, and irritability difficulties may have a similar cause.
The author recommends a particular type of Choline supplement. I highly recommend this article found at the webpage:
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2000/may00-cover.html
(be sure not to miss the link at the bottom of that webpage for the continuing second half of the article)
What could possibly trigger a more sudden loss of estrogen to the body than the surgical removal of the two ovaries and uterus?
Our brains are involved in every bodily transaction, whether it be first hand or through a process within the body itself.
I can not imagine anything more traumatic for a female body, than to suddenly wake up from sex organ surgery without your ovaries and uterus, creating the immediate loss of the major producers of natural estrogen to the body.
No amount of synthetic, or so called ‘natural’ estrogen ingested into the body, can replace the naturally produced estrogen. Nothing can now replace the removed organs which normally regulate how much and when to produce these and other hormones within a delicately balanced endocrine system.
Finding the right estrogen dose as one ages, is important. I have not found that one estrogen dose fits all, for all the years that follow surgery.
In recent years, when I have tried on a few occasions to gradually eliminate the estrogen, (very, very slowly over a period of 6 or more months) it then not only becomes a matter of worsening symptoms, my body just begins to shut down. As if beginning the dying process. Thinking, breathing and every bodily function becomes extremely difficult for me. I then get to the point where I wish for immediate death … … or … … estrogen.
I think I would be dead already if I had not insisted my doctors work with me on this necessary estrogen HRT fluctuating dosage, over the past 35 years. My doctors kept telling me, for many years after surgery, not to adjust my high dosage. Many refused to give me a prescription for a lower dose. I felt as if I was dying and did not link it to my estrogen dose at first. My doctors and I kept investigation everything else, to no avail.
It was about 4 years after my surgery that I started cutting my prescribed tablets in half, and the improvement was so obvious, even to my doctor, he finally agreed to give me an estrogen prescription for a lower dose.
Each time that I needed to change doctors after that, because I had relocated, or for insurance reasons etc. , I went through the same difficulties with the estrogen prescription dosages. Doctors did not want to ‘change’ my dose from whatever it was when I first consulted with them.
The hormone cocktail mix (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA etc. etc.) is obviously going to be different for each individual. No one or all HRT combinations ‘restores’ anything, in my opinion and experience over the past 35 years.
Finding a mix that helps you get through each day, and on to the next, should be considered a success story, after these surgeries.
You will never be the same again in personality, physical functions and abilities, mental, emotional or any other of your human capacities. Your relationships with everyone, no one excluded, will become more and more difficult as the months and years go by. It is important that you recognize this is not your ‘fault’. It is caused by the surgery and these are all the well known after effects. It is just that these post-surgery symptoms are not being disclosed to most patients, before or even after the surgery, by the ‘medical’ industry.
This continuing denial by the medical industry will not make these symptoms go away.
The sooner that patient and doctor together, face the realities, the sooner we can stop having so many women deceived by the widespread misinformation, and lack of information being provided, just to make some people in the ‘medical’ and drug industry wealthy.
Let us grow up. Let us stop labeling those of us who are exposing the truth, as troublemakers.
Let us begin to recognize that it takes great effort, sacrifice and a whole lot of Love, Kindness and Caring for our fellow human beings, to talk about such personal matters either privately or publicly.
Let us face the facts. This affects every man, woman and child. Our friends, relatives, neighbors, co-workers etc. etc. are all affected when these surgeries are performed on us women, whatever the reason for the surgery.
I am a true believer in prevention rather than cure.
No one ‘cures’ anything by removing sex organ body parts.
Again, Can a man have their prostate gland and one or both testicles removed, take HRT, and feel “better than yey ever have before”, “do great with it” and have wonderful intimacy with their partner? Ha Ha – Stop it your going to make me laugh.
This is an evil, money making cover up, a lie, a legal outlet for serial mutilators to butcher and maim women and make money doing it. The midical and legal communities don’t know how to end it because it would be admitting to decades of heinous lying and become the legacy of so many “respected doctors.”
All this banter about replacing hormones these bottom of their medical class OB/GYN flunkies don’t even know about medically is pure absurdity.
Plain and simple hysterecomy is the amputation of your sex organ and your body will need to heal and settle in its mutilated form. You will need to moisturize the vaginal crevace you are left with and you will never have a uterine orgasm again.
Hysterectomy-sex organ removal must be viewed publically, medically and legally, as it truly is an experimentation gone horribly wrong. Hysterectomy-sex organ removal destroys so many needed functions of the female anatomy. It is the twenty first century and we will not stand for this kind of trickery and deceit in our country, not at the expense of women’s and men’s lives.
femica,
Yes, the effects of hysterectomy and castration are universal. They are the same for women who live in the USA, Asia, Europe or Africa. Female anatomy, and the consequences of removing the female organs, is universal, it has no home land.
I would like to clarify something. You said “Those women who don’t take hormones because of strong compliance problems suffer from enormous consequences of castration: fatigue, headache, joint pains, depression, total loss of libido, bone ache, vertigo, and so on and so on…
Those who are taking HRT also very often have side effects as migraines, skin problems, sinusitis, weight gain and so on and so on…
And they don’t know about the possible long term effects of HRT …”
First, there is no such thing as HRT because the hormones produced by the ovaries cannot be replaced. Exogenous hormones, those not produced by the ovaries, can be substituted but they do not replace the many estrogens, progestins, androgens and other substances produced by the ovaries at the time they are needed in the quantity they are needed, and then released direcctly into the blood stream in a pulsatile fashion.
Second, the symptoms you enumerated in women with “strong compliance probelems” such as fatigue, headache, joint pains, depression, total loss of libido, bone ache, vertigo are the same experience “compliant” women who take hormones experience. Taking hormones does not relieve those symptoms in most women and many women report taking hormones made their symptoms worse.
Since we agree that hormones cannot be replaced I don’t think you mean that most women who take hormones don’t experience the same problems as women who choose not to take hormones. I think this is a simple language translation difficult. But please let me know if I’m wrong in assuming that you meant to say all of the same symptoms are commonly experienced by hysterectomized and castrated women whether or not they take hormones.
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To Katie,
Have you had a hysterectomy, removal of your uterus, or do you still have an intact uterus in your body?
All the women in the Austrian support group of femica have the same problems after their hysterectomies and castration:
most of them are on HRT, the side effects are different from woman to woman – and the function of the ovaries CANNOT be replaced as doctors want to make you believe.
Those women who don’t take hormones because of strong compliance problems suffer from enormous consequences of castration: fatigue, headache, joint pains, depression, total loss of libido, bone ache, vertigo, and so on and so on…
Those who are taking HRT also very often have side effects as migraines, skin problems, sinusitis, weight gain and so on and so on…
And they don’t know about the possible long term effects of HRT …
There is no artificial replacement of any organs and also not of the ovaries.
The most awful thing is, that all this pain and harm is so often ignored by doctors and nobody helps these women ….
Every woman, and every man must know this before surgery and every woman experiencing the awful consequences of her own castration must be empowered to speak out to protect other women and the women of the next generation
Dear Gina,
I too have been castrated at the age of 41 because of simple ovarian cysts. I am now on HRT – there is no other possibility to survive without.
I have to take estrogen, progesteron and testosteron. Testosteron gives me a little bit of my libido back I had before my castration and also a little bit of my ability to enjoy my sex life. But if I compare my sex life before my castration and my sex life after castration: before castration I had 100% – now with testosterone it is 40%. And without testosteron there is 0%! That’s the truth! And in my home country in Europe doctors even don’t give testosteron to castrated women – they don’t know a lot about it and they are not interested in! A castrated woman is very often left alone!
But as also the other concerned ladies here said, HRT is NO replacement for the ovaries. HRT may help to stand the most awful consequences of castration – but you never will feel the same as you have felt before surgery.Not in your physical, psychological and sexual way!
And the most difficult thing is, that every woman is different concerning her own “hormon cocktail” produced by her body – and so every woman even reacts in a different way to the hormones the doctors are offering.
And nobody of these doctors really knows exactly about the function of all the hormones produced in the female body and they also don’t have an idea about the long term consequences of the artificiel hormones to the female body!
It is indeed a lie that HRT will be able to replace the function of the organs. This is hard to believe and to realize – it is incredible that no law is protecting women of this abuse – and it is still incredible that so many women don’t know about all this – I believed the doctors too – before my surgery – I never will trust them any more! That’s all I can say to this sad subject!
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Gina,
I don’t know of any specific studies on younger women on or off hrt after hysterectomy and oopherectomy. Speaking from my own experience of being castrated at 33 years of age, I have been on a number of different combinations of hrt, including compounded bioidentical testosterone, progesterone, and estradiol in various forms as well as synthetic hrt. None have made much of a difference, no matter the amount or the time spent on one particular hrt formula, in any of my symptoms except to keep the hotflashes down(which in my opinion are only one of many symptoms a woman faces after castration but the only one that seems to be talked about by most doctors). I have never really experienced a pleasurable intercourse in my life. Before my hysterectomy the pain of endometriosis made intercourse difficult, and before that I had a bad partner who was an alcoholic a while back. I have a much more loving partner now but I have no libido at all and am still in pain so have not been able to try intercourse. However, I have tried orgasms and they are much less satisfying now and far less intense than before my hysterectomy, regardless of whether they were uterine or vaginal in nature. They also come much less frequently if at all. It is extremely frustrating.
There also seems to be a myth that just taking an hrt pill or the right kind of hrt mix, including testosterone, will restore your body to what it was before. Nothing can replicate what our ovaries and uterus did for us. It is not normal to maintain the same level of hormones day in and day out for example. When we were under stress and needed more of a hormone before our hysterectomies, or felt sexual desire, they automatically adjusted our levels of hormones as needed. without ovaries this is impossible to achieve. The ovaries, uterus, and cervix work closely with the rest of our endocrine system to provide a complicated feedback system and when one or all of these organs are removed, this system is permanently disrupted. The same goes for the physical structures of the reproductive organs and the nerves and blood supply that intertwine through them.
INFORMED CONSENT IS THE BEST HRT REMEDY FOR HYSTERECOTOMY$$$$$$(SEX ORGAN REMOVAL) A DOCTOR TOLD ME “YOU ARE DISABLED AND WILL NEED TO REALIZE WHAT YOUR LIMITATIONS ARE”:(
There are a lot of women who have been hysterectomized at a young age because the criminal gynecologists are running out of older women to butcher and de-sex for profit.
Dear Gina, How can you have a sexual life after these so-called caring doctors remove our sex organs? Lets see-if you are blind, will you see better; if you have your legs removed, will you walk better and if they remove men’s testicles, would their sex life be better than before? Yes, I was on three different kinds of hormones and no, it doesn’t make any difference in your sexual feelings or you over-all well-being. I truly believe it is deceit on the doctor’s part when they say you can replace ovarian and uterine hormones. Another lie the doctors are so good at, but if they were to tell us what really happens when they castrate us, would we have the surgery? Gynecologist, hospitals and drug companies make more than 7 billion dollars yearly from hysterectomies and castrations. If women would choose not to be hysterectomized or castrated, there would be no more Gynecologists. PLEASE, do not go to them for your check ups. They are trained to do surgeries.
Hi Gina,
Your question is probably one of the most common questions people ask about the loss of sexual function after hysterectomy. Age is not relevant. HERS counsels women in their 80’s who were vibrant, full of vitality, and with very good sex lives, and others who never had an enjoyable sexual experience before their female organs were removed. We also counsel women in their late teens, twenties and thirties who highly sexual, and others who never had an enjoyable sexual experience before their female organs were removed.
Most hysterectomized women are given hormones, most commonly estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Now, in addition to recommeneding counselling, have a sexy candle light dinner, buy a pretty night gown, stimulate yourself with a vibrator, some doctors and sex therapists have added to the chemical mix occasionally they are given Viagra, Levitra and similar drugs.
It is stunning that they even consider that a woman who has had her female organs removed will, with drugs, therapy, or candle ligt experience uterine orgasm without a uterus. It has nothing to do with age. It has nothing to do with drugs. Hysterectomy and castration are the surgical removal of the female organs. Women are not super human. They cannot experience uterine orgasm without a uterus.
There seems to have been a lot of women who had total hysterectomies at an early age. Is there any data showing what percentage of these women were placed on hormones to treat their symptoms after surgery? If any of you were on HR, did you still suffer the same sexual dysfunctions?
It sounds like your surgery was one of the 2% of hysterectomies that may have been life saving. The remaining 98% of hysterectomies are unwarranted. And 99.7% of hysterectomies are performed on women who were not informed by the gynecologist of the far reaching adverse effects of the surgery.
I wish well, and hope you have a speedy recuperation. If you experience symptoms or changes that you would like to discuss please feel free to contact the HERS Foundation at 610.667.7757 to arrange a telephone appointment to speak with a counselor.
hello, Though some hysterectomies are probably performed without need, my doc performed my hysterectomy almost 2 weeks ago for uterine cancer. I have no desire for surgery or the pain, but to get rid of cancer is reason enough for me.
In my situation, I did have concerns about having a hysterectomy, but I really looked at the surgery more for cancer removal.
I was diagnosed with cancer prior to surgery. I had a prolapsed uterus, but my surgery was for cancer.
The de-sexing and mutilation called “hysterectomy” of 1/3 of women in the U.S., is at the top of the list for cruel and inhumane corporate corruption.
I’ve attended the HERS conference for several years now. And I would say the reason to do so is that’s its the only event in which one can hear and speak the truth surrounding hysterectomy and conditions leading to hysterectomy. It is a place where women are informed and disseminate technical information and personal experiences. It empowers women who have not had surgery with the vital consequences not spoken by their doctors, it provides validation for women who now have newly found issues post-surgery, and provides insight into a very cruel and inhumane practice that denies women thier right to know.
Before I share my story, I wanted to offer some advice for the above poster. Stacey, in reading your post, I see many red flags for hysterectomy. The first is endometriosis itself. A hysterectomy and removal of both ovaries is NOT a cure for endometriosis. It really frustrates me that endometriosis is the only disease I know of that something other than the disease itself is removed (ie reproductive organs). You need to see an endometriosis specialist who will remove the disease and leave your vital organs intact. No true endometriosis specialist is going to feel the need to perform a radical hysterectomy in order to relieve you of the pain of endometriosis. You will have to fight with your insurance and come up with the money, but it is worth the fight to see one of the handful of endometriosis specialists in the United States who really know what they are doing and can excise all manifestations of endometriosis while preserving your organs.
Two other red flags are hypothyroidism and depression. I too have a history of those and believe me having a hysterectomy and being castrated has had a profound effect on these two problems. My depression is far less manageable and far worse now than before, and I have a history of major depression dating back to 1989. Your thyroid gland is part of your endocrine system and so are your ovaries and sex hormones. Removal of your ovaries profoundly affects your hypothyroidism and makes it much harder to manage. It is like a domino effect. The endocrine system is so intricate and any disruption affects the entire system. My thyroid is constantly out of whack and I have to have it monitored all the time and constantly adjust my thyroid meds. This in turn forces me to adjust my hormone replacement therapy because as I said one affects the other. My hormones are in a constant state of chaos and I rarely feel stable. I had no idea before my castration how much this would further damage my thyroid gland.
Finally, the fact that you only had one laparoscopy in addition to hormonal therapy means that you have not explored all other options first. There are more conservative approaches left for you to try, such as a laparoscopy to excise the endometriosis. Even simple diet changes and the addition of natural progesterone to help with hormonal imbalance could provide long term relief and make the endometriosis more manageable. I can’t believe any doctor would give you a hysterectomy when you have not had these options first.
This happened to me though, so I guess I can believe it. I had my hysterectomy and castration for endometriosis when I was 33, in August 2005. Although I suffered with symptoms for over five years, I was not diagnosed until 2004 and then only by diagnostic lap. No endometriosis was removed. After one year of Lupron, pain meds and birth control (which made me very sick), I was pushed to have a hysterectomy by two doctors. Both said my endo was too extensive to remove (which is a lie according to my surgical reports I obtained much later than I should have) and that they only reserved this procedure for those trying to conceive. I had stated I did not want children although I was young and childless. I fought with my insurance and was denied coverage to see an endometriosis specialist (who was out of network of course). I have to say here that insurance companies are as much to blame for the hysterectomies we endure as the doctors who perform them. I have never had any endometriosis lasered off and had only been diagnosed under a year and yet my insurance was ready and willing to cover my hysterectomy and castration.
If my insurance would have just covered even a small portion of seeing an out of network endometriosis specialist, they would have saved a ton of money.
Since my hysterectomy and castration I have spent probably $6000 or more out of pocket in medical expenses, and I estimate my insurance has spent over $100,000 in expenses. Expenses that will continue until I die.
I now have severe osteoporosis of the spine and osteopenia of the hip. This at 35 years of age. I have had several DEXA scans since my hysterectomy to monitor this. I have also been to countless rheumatologists and other specialists to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia that was triggered by the truama of being castrated, especially so young. I had to have another laparoscopy one year post hysterectomy and castration because of continuing and severe pelvic pain unrelieved by hysterectomy. During my hysterctomy no endometriosis was lasered off and it was left all over my bladder. I have scar tissue and adhesions I had to have removed at my last lap because of this and the hysterectomy itself (during my hysterectomy only one adhesion was noted but many more were noted at my last surgery). I continue to suffer pelvic pain today and all the signs and symptoms of endometriosis are still there.
I have no stamina, no energy, loss of memory and creative ability, body fat redistribution, chronic nausea, joint pain and muscle pain, extreme mood swings, depression and suicidal thoughts, chronic yeast infections and candida overgrowth, migraines, worse thyroid problems, chronic fevers and chills and my body temperature is never right, insomnia and sleep difficulties, and the list goes on and on. I am on more pain meds, hormones, and psychiatric drugs than I care to list. My anger and grief at what I allowed to be done to me is overwhelming. I cry all the time. I might also mention my doctor performed an episiotomy on me without my knowledge and I only found out at my six week post op appointment. The truama and pain I suffered in the hospital after my operation was horrific. My vagina is forever distorted. I have not yet attempted sex since my surgery 26 months ago.
Two weeks ago I wrote my “former” gynecologist who castrated me a letter decribing my pain and grief and the profound effect this surgery has had on me. I was assertive and professional and in no way rude or abrasive. I have not heard a single word from him, no acknowledgement of my continued suffering. This is sadly common after a hysterectomy. Most doctors once they butcher you want nothing more to do with you. You are no longer considered a “gynecological patient” and are pushed out the door. Good luck getting attention when you continue to suffer with inevidable endometriosis pain. Good luck finding a doctor without paying big bucks to help with the inevidable life long hormone problems that are going to result. This is one nightmare that does not go away. It is permanent….
One thing, I can think of, that doctors who lie for profit, because they can and women who lie about hysterectomy (sex organ removal) can not take away from the honest women who speaks the truth is:
Honest women who tell the truth about this cruel surgery are just that, honest and caring.
I have a friend who had a hysterectomy 12 years ago and she said it was the best thing she ever did because it got rid of her constant pain and heavy bleeding. In questioning her about her current health, she told me she has urinary incontinence, problems urinating and she’s been to the urologist dozens of times. In talking about it, she said that it started right after the hysterectomy, but she just realized it. Light bulb moment. She’s also had a tumor removed from her bowel and now has a cyst on her kidney and gall bladder. She admitted to not being the least interested in sex. She was very sexual before her sex organs were amputated. After talking, I asked her why she thought it was the best thing she ever did? She changed her mind and said maybe it wasn’t, but she was given no other alternatives for the pain and heavy bleeding or she would have opted for that. She also said that she was never told about all the side effects. She was lied to like every other woman, but she didn’t know it for 12 years, and went around telling everyone it was the best thing she ever did.
My mum’s aunt died 3 days after her H due to “hemorrage”. Another acquaintence who had an H in July, and she just had a 3 hour surgery to remove necrotic tissue. She has had problems ever since her surgery that have culminated to this point. Can you please explain what would cause necrotic tissue at this point after the surgery? Could it have been there all along and now at a crisis point?
I have a friend who had a hysterectomy 12 years ago and she said it was the best thing she ever did because it got rid of her constant pain and heavy bleeding. In questioning her about her current health, she told me she has urinary incontinence, problems urinating and she’s been to the urologist dozens of times. In talking about it, she said that it started right after the hysterectomy, but she just realized it. Light bulb moment. She’s also had a tumor removed from her bowel and now has a cyst on her kidney and gall bladder. She admitted to not being the least interested in sex. She was very sexual before her sex organs were amputated. After talking, I asked her why she thought it was the best thing she ever did? She changed her mind and said maybe it wasn’t, but she was given no other alternatives for the pain and heavy bleeding or she would have opted for that. She also said that she was never told about all the side effects. She was lied to like every other woman, but she didn’t know it for 12 years, and went around telling everyone it was the best thing she ever did.
Dear Felica ‘Castrated and happy’
of Oct. 20, 2007, 11:08am
You say you had a hysterectomy, then you mention at the end of your posting that you are ‘castrated and happy’. Thank goodness this HERS Foundation website educates us on the difference between the two surgeries, as unfortunately, it seems some (most?) doctors don’t bother to mention the vast difference between the two surgeries, to their patients.
For Thirty-four years after my castration, I was still uninformed on the technical difference between the two surgeries, until I found this HERS Foundation website.
I was told by my surgeon that I had a Total hysterectomy. He was referring to my castration surgery. So 35 years later I now realize the vast difference between the two surgeries. Thank You HERS.
The gyno/surgeon that performed my two surgeries in 1972 (hysterectomy first then castration 3 weeks later) did not bother to mention what differences the after effects would be, from each surgery. He simply said I could expect life to be the same after the surgeries, except
1) I would be unable to bear children
2) I would no longer have my monthly periods (which he said I would probably consider a plus) and
3) I would need to take hormone replacement therapy for the rest of my life.
He had a small plastic figurine approx 6 inches high, on his desk where he used a pencil to point out the female sex organs, as he briefly mentioned what body parts he would remove during each surgery.
That was the extent of my ‘INFORMED’ consent to my two surgeries. This is outrageous and this must stop!!!!
Absolutely NO mention was made of any possible or predictable negative after effects, some of which are mentioned on the HERS Foundation website!!!!
Know this, the postings on this blog ring true, in terms of my own experience during the past 35 years since my surgeries. Thank God I found this website 1 year ago.
As the increasingly rapid loss of collagen throughout your whole body ( a documented predictable after effect of these surgeries) increases dramatically and your vagina becomes flaccid and useless and your bladder likewise, you may be lucky enough to begin to remember what you read here at this blog website. No doctor is likely to link your devastating symptoms to your surgery. You will get all sorts of doctor recommended tests done again and again, to no avail. You will try every medication available, to no avail. These may offer some temporary mental or physically-temporary comfort, that will predictably disappear as your reality check presents itself in a few weeks or months.
You will be sent on a futile merry-go-round of medical investigations into your strange symptoms that doctors will repeatedly tell you ‘I never heard of that before’, if you try to link it to your sex organ surgery.
I am happy that you are now in the honeymoon stage, post surgery. Enjoy it, as your reality check is just around the corner, where the truth is waiting to be confronted.
A word to the wise is sufficient.
I agree that the practice of deceit and cover-up in the medical community concerning hysterectomy abuse and misinformed consent is evil. This evil treatment is something I came to the conclusion of unfortunately by my experience with a hysterectomy, too. The torturous, abusive treatment afterward by the doctors included verbal and physical torture, permanent disfigurement, permanent sexual disability and extreme emotional and mental distress.
The money making operation of sex organ removal (hysterectomy) by deceit, should not be legal, as it stands, in America. I was given incorrect information to an extreme, legally.
I was regularly menstruating and knew nothing about menopause or the functions of the female anatomy concerning hysterectomy, I was mislead and tricked into hysterectomy and have the medical records to prove it.
Please write or call:
First Lady, Maria Shriver
State Capital Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Use your name and address when addressing the first lady to insure her response.
I believe the practice of not informing a patient of the female anatomy before a hysterectomy (sex organ removal)and the known side effects of this surgery is something the first lady, Maria Shriver, should be aware of. Perhaps then we will get the support we deserve, and the laws will be changed to protect women, the men who love them and the children who need them both.
I was forced by trickery and deceit into an unneeded and totally unwanted hysterectomy by Dr. Christiane Northrup. She knew that vitamin A therapy was the proper treatment for excess bleeding but kept silent and sent me in all the wrong directions. I had gone to her specifically because she claimed to offer holistic and nutritional treatment and I got anything but. I can only call what I went through as Surgical rape. And I went through the usual litany of devastating symptoms for years afterwards as a result. I don’t want to go into what has been eloquently described by other women here. But I just want to make one comment. For me, although I faced many medical issues, what I faced even more in the aftermath, was a confrontation with the reality of EVIL. I think we need to face this squarely and not go into denial. The medical system that does this to women, constantly lying to cover their tracks is EVIL, not misguided, not incompetent, not stupid, not insensitive (althought it may be all these things along the way) In the end it is evil and that is what we are up against.
Dear Ms. Castrated and Happy, It is obvious that your castration is recent. First of all, ask your husband if he enjoys sex as much now that your vagina is an inch or more shorter. All men report that sex is not as good because if the cervix is also removed there is nothing that grabs the penis. Think about it. If your husband was castrated like we are do you really think he would have the sexual desires as before his castration? What do they call removing the testicles if it is not castration. Our ovaries are our testicles, so wouldn’t it be called castration. Is this term used to create fear in men? You, Ms Castrated and Happy is fooling yourself. They removed your sex organs; the uterus, ovaries and cervix. How could you enjoy sex? I wished you would have found the Hers Blog before you had your surgery because there is no way you will get out of this. Sooner or later it will happen. It may take one year, five years or ten years, BUT, it will happen to you. All the after-effects we are going through and then I bet you won’t be tooting your horn. You will not be the exception! SORRY. If you would watch this God-awful surgery you would see how terrible it is when they cut the nerves to the Limbic System and leave the nerves tied in bundles. That is the only way they can remove the uterus and ovaries is by cutting all the nerves that run throughout our bodies. These nerves control our over-all well-being and emotions. Our hearts will go out to you when you are not able to function like before your surgery. The majority of us have lost our jobs, our husband and our circle of family and friends. That pain that you seemed to have for 10 years is nothing compared to a lifetime of pain, discomfort, frustration and lack of sexual feelings. What you did was exchange a few unpleasant symptoms for dozens and dozens of unpleasant symptoms that will never go away. I, too, was fooled into thinking that it wouldn’t change anything and all my symptoms would disappear. My life is one constant struggle to just survive. Like Felicia said, “I am sorry to rain on your, image saving, parade!”
To Castrated and Happy Above,
you said, “Every single one of my unpleasant symptoms is gone”. I hate to rain on your, image saving, parade but this list of unpleasant symptoms includes your ability to have a uterine orgasm, don’t think you are fooling anyone on this blog. Your new protruding abdomen and loss of uterine hormones and functions are enjoyable to you?. Castration is an accurate term, I am sorry it makes you uncomfortable to know the truth. It is impossible to utilize a body part that is amputated from your body. Castrated and Happy, your sexual desire is back? after your sex organ was removed from your body, it is a miracle, notify Rome immediately.
How dare you post this comment after the above true story by TQ, who was attacked and mutilated by a criminal with a medical license. TQ is living proof that the laws must be changed to include the “female anatomy” video as part of informed consent.
Every women who reads this blog know this; before you consent to having your sex organ amputated from your body watch the, HERS Foundation, “female anatomy” video first. If you are going to the hospital or clinic for a myomectomy, exploratory surgery, or any abdominal surgery:
HAVE A LAWYER DRAW UP THE CONSENT FORM TO MAKE IT LEGAL THAT YOU WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE OPERATING ROOM WITHOUT YOUR SEX ORGAN.
Felicia,
I’m glad that you feel good about your decision to undergo hysterectomy and castration, and that your painful menstruation, pain with sex and headaches stopped.
Unfortunately removal of the uterus puts women at a three times greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease, and castrated women have a 7.2 greater incidence of cardiovascular disease. Hysterectomized and castrated women also have a significantly increased incidence of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures.
Your “sexual desire” is back, but your vagina is shortened and made into a closed pocket. The clitoris becomes flaccid. Uterine orgasm is not possible wihout a uterus. Perhaps you are among the small number of women who are fotunate enough to experience some slight vaginal wall contractions with clitoral stimulation. One woman described it in HERS Hysterectomy Questionnaire (a study of the adverse effects of the surgery) as the differnece between diving off the high dive and sliding into the water. Sliding into the water is better than zero feeling, but as you can see from the Adverse Effects Data on HERS web site at
http://www.hersfoundation.org 80% of women who have had their female organs removed report a loss of sexual desire and 61% report loss of ogasm. If we eliminated from the study women who were never sexual and never experienced orgasm the actual percentages would be considerably highe because you can only lose what you had, you can’t lose what you have never experienced.
I appreciate you taking the time to post your feelings about the surgery, and I’m sure you would agree that every woman should be given the video “Female Anatomy: the Functions of the Female Organs” before she is told to sign a Hysterectomy Consent form so that she has the information needed to make a decision about what she will and will not allow to be done to her body.
Hello, I am sorry for those that have had bad experiences with their hysterectomies. My heart goes out to you! I’m the exception so thought it was important to share my story. I’m actually very glad that I didn’t find this site until after I had a hysterectomy, as it would have scared me and delayed my decision. I had a hysterectomy due to continued discomfort/pain/frustration, for nearly 10 years, from endometriosis/adenomyosis. I am so happy that I did it! Before the hysterectomy, I had migraines/many headaches, daily cramping, pelvic pressure, spotting, decreased interest in sex. Now I feel like I was given a second chance at life! Every single one of my unpleasant symptoms is gone! My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner. My sexual desire is back and my husband is quite happy too! Please know that there are exceptions, as I am living proof. Castration is an accurate term, but one used to create fear. It’s just a word and I am not afraid or ashamed of it. I’m castrated and happy!
TQ said…
Surgery:
– total abdominal hysterectomy via 9-inch vertical incision, w/removal of cervix and w/removal of right ovary for two partially degenerative fibroids.
Background:
My story starts with the suspecion of uterine fibroids after a routine gyn exam. This was then confirmed by pelvic and abdominal sonogram. I was asked “if I mind having a hysterectomy” – my response, YES! I was not offered any other surgical alternative, and told since I was asymptomatic and not taking BCP, that we would “watch and wait”.
Watch and wait for what!!! I thought. Although, I didn’t really know what all a hysterectomy entailed, I decided to investigate alternatives. I had been seeing a naturopath at that time for several years and informed her of my diagnosis. To my surprise, she was all for surgery, and didn’t really offer an alternative plan.
Eventually, I went to see Dr. M. a gyn with her own private practice (she had delivered my neice). I had seen her on panels with the naturopath I was seeing and she was well known in the area. I contacted two younger women who had seen her for pelvic issues – one had endometriosis, but both still had their reproductive organs intact and neither had started a family yet.
News shows were telling women in order to avoid hysterectomy, they must know about the alternatives, and one being myomectomy to remove fibroids. So I scheduled a consult with Dr. M. to discuss having a myomectomy. At the initial consult I informed Dr. M. that I was not interested in a hysterectomy and wanted to only know if she felt (based on my situation) whether she could do a myomectomy. I provided her the results from my previous pelvic/abdominal sonogram and recent blood work.
Dr. M. wanted me to get an additional ultrasound. I brought my previous pelvic/abdominal sonogram to the hospital as background on my case. The results from the hospital were vastly different from my previous tests. Results stated that my uterus was of normal size, but I had a 15.2 cm mass, and “Uterine fibroids would be quite unlikely”. The hospital recommended pelvic MRI and CT scaning as part of preoperative evaluation.
I was then sent for a pelvic/abdominal MRI and results were compared with previous abdominal ultrasound from the hospital ordered by Dr. M. Results cited that probably I had a pedunculated fibroid. This is a fibroid that is attached to a stalk hanging from the outside of the uterus. Second diagnosis of fibroids. Both the preoperative ultrasound and MRI were incorrect. The sonogram I had the previous year was actually the accurate report.
On next appt., results were discussed and Dr. M. informed me that we should schedule for surgery, which would be one month after my initial consult.
Now a little about my life at this time, I was working full-time in a demanding field and also going to school part-time. I was providing financial and other support to my mother who was guardian of my 6 year-old great-nephew. I was still menustrating normally and had never had any reproductive issues up to this point, having no pains or issues with sexual function. I had slight distention in my abdomen and thought I was getting fat and had been laxed on my health pursuits because of the additional demands of school. Because of no previous pelvic surgery, Dr. M. commented that I had a “virgin pelvis”.
Fortunately, I was at the end of my current class and took a medical leave from my program. I was 35 years of age with no children.
A few points on the Informed Consent form:
– Myomectomy (proposed procedure)
– ….”if myomas are too numerous or strategically placed, it may not be possible to remove all tumors or that hysterectomy may be required”
– ….”risks including but not limited to bleeding (which could necessitate transfusion or even hysterectomy)”…..
At initial consult, I made it clear that hysterectomy was not an option – only a myomectomy is what I was interested in having performed. We never discussed hysterectomy until I saw the consent form. At that time hesitated on signing the form and inquired why hysterectomy was listed; was I in danger of having one. To this the physician, responded “no”. She then wrote on the consent form “Not likely that uterus will even be invaded by wounds because of preoperative sonograms and MRI reports”.
In hindsight, if she really wanted to assure me that hysterectomy would not have been performed, she would have crossed out the references to it. My concern, was that we were on the same page and she understood that I was saying “No” to hysterectomy. Other than her note, she made no additional attempts to clarify the consent form.
Post-Op
Dr. M. noted “the patient was advised that a myomectomy would be performed, noting the radiologic findings”……
Noting the radiologic findings, I said no hysterectomy, not based on radiologic findings, not if the sky was blue, not if she fell out the right side of the bed that morning. No, means No…..
In spite of our discussion concerning the incision (Dr. M. wanted me to have a tummy tuck) and said that she would do a horizontal incision that the plastic surgeon would then utilize for the tummy tuck. She sent me to a plastic surgeon and provided the insurance agency with a justification. The plastic surgeon noted at consult that his work would not be covered by insurance as it was a cosmetic procedure. But he was paid for an office visit and I’m not sure why I was there as I was preoccupied with the impending surgery, arrangements needed for work and home, to really analyze the situation. In the end an unsightly 9-inch vertical incision was done to serve as a reminder of this experience.
But I made it through the 1-hour surgery and was told about the hysterectomy once in my room.
I should mention, that while the nurses were in the process of strapping me down to the operation table (something I was totally unprepared for), I started to have second thoughts about going forward with the surgery. My thoughts were screaming, but before I could articulate my concerns – the nurses noticed my tears….at that point I was anesthestized.
It took 3.5 weeks for the pain to stop post-op, instead of the 2 weeks Dr. M. had told me. Since, I hadn’t done any research on hysterectomy, I didn’t know what to expect and so concerned myself with my recovery plan. Surgery was over and I could get back to my life.
Recovery included healthful diet, juicing, exercise – everything except weight lifting as this was my favorite and I thought more aerobic type exercise was important at this juncture. Dr. M. gave no instructions one way or another. Register for school, I had a new system to put into place at work and training to complete.
But something started to happen, I noticed that my usual and consistent focus was off and I was having “flights of fancy”. Initially, I chalked it up to spring/summer fever, as it was Mar when I went back to work. So, I dropped my class and thought “you’re not a superwoman” focus on completing your training which consisted of 7 classes between 5/11/98 – 8/25/98. But as I went through my classes I started having the feeling that my life was moving too fast, I started having trouble comprehending what was being said by the instructor, and I started having trouble remembering the information from the previous class once I moved to the next. I also started to feel a restlessness and irritability, I hadn’t felt before and in Aug 98 – just six months post-op I started having severe lower back pain.
Previous to the back pain, I had mentioned to the naturopath that I felt as if someone had removed my body from my shoulders and replaced it with someone else’s. That was the best way I could describe what was happening. I became progressively weaker, even to the point where it felt I didn’t have the strength to breathe. The back pain was unpredictable and causing me to have problems standing erect. After 5 weeks of dealing with the back pain and trying everything OTC I could think of – I went back to Dr. M. to inform her of these developments. She theorized that maybe my center of gravity was off……but offered no real assistance. I then went to an internist, and explained that my abdomen had become distended and was more distended when the back pain struck. He commented about “why did women who had hysterectomy gain weight”. He gave me a diagnosis of obesity and sent me to phyical therapy.
The PT upon seeing the diagnosis, raised an eyebrow and wondered why I came in with this diagnosis, I was of normal weight. I went through several weeks of PT in which I had no trouble performing any of the exercises (I had exercise before and after sugery) and was not surprised by this fact. The only relief I had was during the heat/TENs therapy. But once each session was over, I was back in pain. It took a while to notice that the more I exerted myself, the more I triggered the pain – but just going to work was now an exertion. I started getting regular neuromuscular massages, which seemed to help with my energy and cognitive function. As well as alleviating the back pain – at least for a while. But I stood too long or picked up a piece of equipment at work (no matter how careful or biefly done) I was back in agonizing pain. I prayed each day to wake up without the pain, sometimes my prayers were answered, but most times I now struggled to get dressed and in my car and to work where I could do my best to stay seated all day.
I could go on as my ability to function physically and mentally further declined. My lost of sensation in the pelvis, bladder, bowels, abdomen and other areas. My increasing difficulty to articulate my thoughts, learn, focus, remember, newfound clumsiness, and disturbed bladder/bowel function. Lost of appetite, nausea, a feeling of being drained to the core – something beyond hunger. Hair/skin/oral health changes. Living as the simplest of tasks now become major undertakings. And every minute, hour, and day is an exercise in relearning everything as nothing can be taken for granted.
In the beginning, I called the surgeon and begged her to help and asked what I had done to deserve this???? She calmly and coldly informed me to make an appt. and if I was having problems with my back I would require surgery. At that point, I had been through enough horror and pain to realize I was on my own and would have to find a better doctor. But with a hysterectomy, the doctors only want to talk about hormones (steroids), depression (antidepressants), and my anger. Not about the fact that I wasn’t an addict, drug or otherwise before surgery and I am not looking to be one now. Not about what do I say to my employer so that I can retain my employment. Not about what I can say to my family, to explain that for the first time in my life, I needed their help and support. And most of all, not about the life-robbing issues that presented themselves directly after surgery.
I have not been successful on that front, and it has now been 10 years since the surgery. My life is in shambles as I haven’t been able to return to my educational pursuits, my employment is very tenuous now. I do my best to hide my situation as I was informed by HR that unless there is something from a doctor, there was nothing they could do. This has left me open to people’s assumptions concerning my work ethic, ambition, and character. What I had to learn is that as long as I continued to try and live my previous life, I was going to end up flat on my back. I learned that progressive exercise created complete loss of muscle function until recovered. I learned not to beat myself up when I go grocery shopping and cannot put the groceries away. I learned that even talking/listening on the phone can be too mentally taxing. I learned that being upright (with standing the most taxing) was a problem. I had to learn the consequenes of sex and the dismal alterations of sexual function. I had to learn the unimaginable……
And so, my living nightmare continues……. Do I have a problem with the surgical procedure hysterectomy, of course not, I have a problem when women are denied choice. Dr. M. denied me the choice in deciding whether to have a hysterectomy. Dr. M. denied me the opportunity of finding a skilled surgeon to complete the myomectomy, if she was not. Dr. M. has left me vulnerable to the attitudes and abuses by uncompassionate physicians, employers, and family. Dr. M. has taken 10 years of my life, and threatens to rob me of my future. And she leaves me with the question, “What did I do to deserve this…..”?
I am the founder of the first Austrian support group for hysterectomized and castrated women in my country.
Women here have to deal with so much ignorance towards their health problems after these invasive surgeries that is incredible for our century!
Fact is that there are NO descriptions of the possible hudge body and mental health problems of these poor ladies after the surgeries and common guide lines for treatments (besides psychopharmaka and hormonal treatment, which is not well developped till now)
Fact is too that every alcooholic is better treated than women after these surgeries.
Fact is too that nobody cares about the partners of the concerned women.
Fact is too that NO women organization feels concerned about the harm of the concerned women till now.
This is only ignorance towards the biocemical function and the anatomy of the female body!
femica
lbg,
When a doctor says that he or she is the only one performing a new surgery but they tout it as safe and efficacious it rings every alarm bell loud and clear.
If it was safe and efficacious it stands to reason that many other doctors would be performing this surgery. He put up his web site in 2002, has not updated it since 2005, and as of 2005 according to his web site he was still the only doctor performing this surgery.
This appears to be human experimentation with the human female as the test animal. Let the buyer beware.
Do you know anyone who has undergone the HALT procedure?
http://haltfibroids.com/index.htm
Just happened upon this website when doing my research.
Hi- in December 2005 @ age 44 I had a complete hysterectomy recommended by my doctor & gyn oncologist I was referred to. I have never had any female issues my entire life and @ 43 I started having some issues with my health and periods that lasted over a year that could not really be pinpointed. All signs were pointing to ovarian cancer my doctors said but nothing very 100% sure unless we take them and biopsy them. My younger sister @ age 23 had ovarian cancer. With my family history, along with my age and issues it was stongly recommended that I have the surgery. Not wanting to go through what my sister went through, being scared and with the recommendation of my doctors, I had the surgery. Two years later, I wish I would have received a second & third opinon. I went thru terrible hormone problems after the hysterectomy that are just now manageable and my life is back to normal but I am still having issues with my sex life that will never be as it was before the surgery. Although, I questioned my doctors @ length about the quality of my sex life after surgery and he assured me it would be the same after. It is not even close to the same and the sad part I have learned is that it will never be the same. So, what I am getting @ is get a second and third opinon! If the doctors can’t pinpoint your issues, keep looking for the answers. If they really don’t need your ovaries, don’t let them take them. After 2 years, seeing all kinds of specialist, I feel my problem all along was my thyroid and it could have been taken care off w/out a hysterectomy. Good Luck, think twice before you have this surgery because you can’t get back what they take.
lbg,
The link to alternatives for fibroids is:
http://hysterectomyinformation.blogspot.com/2007/08/fibroids-you-never-need-hysterectomy.html
Check it out and you’ll discover that you never need a hysterectomy for fibroids unless you have the wrong doctor. Myomectomy (surgical removal of fibroids leaving the uterus intact) is the only constructive management of fibroids that cause a true medical problem.
Is there a link to HYSTERECTOMY ALTERNATIVES ? I am 51 years old with a 6mm fibroid cyst. A year ago it was about 4mm. Last year my OBGYN said a hysterectomy was not needed (yeah), since I was nearing menopause and it would probably shrink. I hasn’t shrunk, infact its grown. It’s aggravating my abdominal hernia and I feel pressure and bloating, some painful periods, but that’s about it. Nothing I can’t deal with.
I was surprised to see such a different response to the cyst at this visit. She said it should be removed and recommends hysterectomy, leaving my cervix and ovaries. Too large for Laproscopic surgery would require abdominal. Just started researching options.
Prefer not to have hysterectomy, but see that the Uterine artery embolization (UAE) also has possible sexual disfunctioning side effects. What to do? Advice and links needed. (I’ve tried Chinese herbs and accupuncture.)
I am 44 years old and never had a female problem all my life, but was taken to ER one night a year ago with severe pain. I had no bleeding or any other symptom besides pain. As soon as my gynecologist got involved, the residents working under him were trying to railroad me into getting a hysterectomy. When my doctor showed up two hours later, he didn’t even say hi, he just said “let’s go”. I demanded that he tell my why he was planning a hysterectomy, and I refused to go anywhere. He never really answered me, because he was more interested in badgering me and asking me why I didn’t want one. Gross, who would want one? No one ever gave me any reason why, much less told me about any side effects. Talk about being uninformed. I demanded that I not be given a hysterectomy, and made the doctor promise to save everything. I was heavily drugged, and signed a blank consent form. I woke up with a bandage across my belly and a pad between my legs. I had no idea what happened. I found out later that the criminal doctor told my husband he had to take it all, and after I got my medical records, found out we had been lied to and that my ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and cervix had been amputated and my vagina sewn into a pocket. This was all done simply because of a benign ovarian cyst. Now I have to live with sexual dysfunction the rest of my life. I have lost bowel control, have severe hot flashes, chronic lower abdominal pain, severe fatigue, arthritis in my hands, feet and knees, short-term memory loss, complete change in breast shape, abdomen shape. I no longer have dreams, on top of insomnia. I have changed and the only way I can describe it is that I still care about things, but I don’t feel like I do. One day I was intact, the next I had been butchered and mutilated. Gynecologists who perform these unnecessary surgeries are criminals and cowards. We simply have no human rights when it comes to our supposed “medical” care. We are a slab of meat to these criminal doctors. This became clear to me after I got a copy of my medical records. I immediately noticed that the consent form had been falsified to say I consented to a TAH BSO. Never did I consent to that, never. It’s not just a doctor who does this alone, the staff is in on it. I was lied to, railroaded, gutted and then lied to some more all within 8 hours of being taken to a hospital. I guess falsifying a consent form would be easy for the doctor after he just mutilated me. Is there a law against falsifying a consent form? If there is, it seems to be well hidden. The only difference between a serial mutilator and a gynecologist is the (M.D.) after their name. Gynecologists are cowards and above the law and will continue mutilating and lying to women until the laws are changed in this country. When over 11,500 women are hysterectomized every week and 1/3 of the women in the U.S. do not have any female organs, it is a catastrophe; yet women and society continue to be brainwashed by these criminals. If a mechanic did the same thing to my car, it would be considered illegal and the state licensing board would get invovled. It is however, the standard of care for a gynecologist to mutilate women anyway he/she wants. It’s done at their discretion, and their discretion is mostly based on their income and status, not the health and wellbeing of the woman. Didn’t the Nazi’s sterilize and experiment on women’s female organs too?
I would like to thank the HERS Foundation and Nora Coffee for saving my life. I was so damaged and sick after I was hysterectomized, I was nearly bed ridden for a year, and am still not functioning very well. Without your support, counseling and recommendations I do not believe I would have survived.
You are the real experts. The truth is loud, clear, and undeniable.This crime against women will be stopped. Every woman who tells the truth about what the surgery has done to her body and her life is courageous. Every one of you is amazing. We will stop this from being done to another generation of women.
Every woman and man who speaks out about the damage hysterectomy and castration has caused in their lives brings us a step closer to ending this nightmare. Together we will change the law.
Thanks Nan for telling your story and how this has affected your life and your family. I also marched in Washington, DC. I am in the front with the sign Stop Castrating Women. I just don’t understand why it is so hard to pass a law so no more women have to suffer like we do the rest of their lives. I remember marching in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and having doctors drive by with their finger up at us and calling us names. Do you suppose we were making trouble for their business? We are victims, our husbands are victims, our children are victims and our friends are victims. Why? We are not the same person we were before our surgery. We change physically and mentally. We have given up so much for the sake of money. Every doctor who performs an unnecessary hysterectomy (which most are unnecessary) should be held accountable and be charged with a criminal act. This is barbaric! Please believe us women who are speaking out and protesting against the doctors who know what this surgery does to our bodies. This is taking all our energy, but we MUST do this so our daughters and granddaughters will live their life with their cervix, uterus and ovaries.
I am pictured in the protest photo of HERS taken in Washington DC in March 2005.(Green beret) I marched in other protests in Seattle and Portland as well as that one Washington DC and handed out literature to educate people as to the adverse affects of unnecessary hysterectomies and castration,(called oopherectomy to confuse or mislead the patient as to the real meaning of the surgery). I was a victim of both and never told of the adverse affects physical, mental, and spiritual. These affects are often so devastating that they lead to suicides. At the least a woman UNBECOMES the person she was before castration. I now suffer from a weak bladder, loss of creativity, loss of sensuality –think of interest and enjoyment on a scale of 1 to 100, because of one surgery mine dropped from 90 to under 10. It does harm one’s relationship with one’s partner. One’s skin loses feelings to touch. All the cells of the body lose hormones that operate all our systems that work with things such as cholesterol and insulin. It is complicated, but I assure you often devastating to one’s health for the rest of one’s life, and for a lot of us that would mean for the next 30 to 50 years ! The lack of the hormones we are stripped of can cause fibromyalgia, loss of memory, fatigue, depression — the list is long. If you ever hear of anyone considering a hysterectomy for anything other than actual cancer ( not precancer) they should be told of HERS and get to the important REAL TRUTH.
Thank you for “listening,” Nan in Spokane
I am horrified that hysterectomy by deceit is legal. Every citizen with a conscience must get this word out to everyone you know, sign the petition, and support Nora Coffee, and the millions and millions of women who had their bodies and often lives ruined by predator doctors.
I know these is true cause it happened to me. How can they get a way with this!!!!!!! it’s not fair its a crime agenst my body
This information is very surprising. I can’t believe we aren’ t told these things in school.
Thanks for posting this information. I thought I was alone this.