Elizabeth Rattray got married only a few years later when she learned that she needed a Hysterectomy Hysterectomy (surgery to relieve severe pain) Uterine fibroids. “I was really stunned because I kept thinking, ‘This is going to be a nightmare,'” says Rattray, a licensed health insurance broker in Cleveland.
Rattray remembers that the fibroids had enlarged her uterus to “the size of a 5-month pregnancy.” She began to worry about the health consequences of losing her womb, her inability to have children, and how the surgery might affect having sex with her new husband. The couple was in their early thirties.
Rattray did her research and sought multiple medical opinions. She says one doctor suggested surgery to remove the ovaries along with the uterus. There was nothing going on that required the ovaries to come out, Rattray remembers.
Rattray and her husband eventually traveled from Cleveland to Atlanta to have a laparoscopic hysterectomy, based on a referral from a trusted friend. The surgeon of her choice agreed to keep her ovaries, which she did. The surgery and recovery went well. Rattray says her sex life has been better than ever. ““Everything is working and everything is fine,” she says.
How long are you waiting
Sex after a hysterectomy is a major concern for many women considering this surgery, but it doesn’t have to be, says Maureen Wellehan, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Palm Beach County, Florida.
“You can have sex — sexual stimulation, orgasm, manual stimulation — any time you want after your hysterectomy,” Willehan says. You will need to give her time before you have vaginal intercourse. “You may want to wait up to 4 weeks to allow the upper part of the vagina to heal,” Willehan says. “If the surgery is really complicated, the doctor will probably ask you to wait 6 weeks.”
“Just as a reminder, there are many other methods of sexual gratification and self-release that do not require penetration.”
After the recovery period, women should feel no pain during sex after a hysterectomy, Willehan says, unless it is in the area where the procedure was performed or perhaps if there is pressure near a surgical wound through the abdomen during the sexual position that the partner is in the top.
Get your questions answered
Like everything else in your medical care, it’s best to know your options, the pros and cons, and your preferences.
Get a second and third opinion when necessary, says Francesca M.
This means asking key questions, such as whether the ovaries really need to be removed. Wellehan notes that this was a common practice in the past. But it is not always needed. So if it’s recommended, be sure to find out why.
concupiscence
Removing the uterus will not affect your desire. But this can happen if you remove the ovaries as well as the uterus.
“ED is caused by the loss of the ovaries,” Willehan says. The problem is really the loss of hormones made by the ovaries. “The problem wasn’t the hysterectomy,” Wellehan says.
If you need to remove the ovaries along with the uterus, Hormone replacement therapy It safely replaces a portion of lost hormones, Wellehan says, and can also help reduce cardiovascular disease risks related to the loss of estrogen. Most women in perimenopause have no change in sexual desire if they start HRT at the time of surgery.
Many things affect a woman’s sex drive, including stress, relationship issues, and other health conditions.
Keep in mind that it may not be a physical problem, if the sex still does not meet your expectations. Wellehan examines her patients to check their moods. She estimates that about a third of her patients with low libido have “underlying anxiety or depression that isn’t properly managed.” Treating these other conditions may help increase your sexual desire.
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