Weight Gain After Hysterectomy

One of my aunts was showing serious menopausal symptoms. Her menstruation would go on for like 10-15 days, coupled with an excruciating abdominal pain. Finally she went to her gynecologist, and it was found that she was going through what many women go through these days - uterine cysts, which caused the excessive bleeding. The next course of action was a hysterectomy. She was soon operated, thankfully without any complications. She was recovering well, and in around two months of the operation, she was back in the groove. Although she was fine, she was experiencing the problem of weight gain after hysterectomy. It wasn't anything unusual, as most women gain weight after hysterectomy.

But we wondered what could trigger a weight gain after hysterectomy and here is what we found out.

Hysterectomy pertains to a surgical removal of the uterus. It is the most common gynecological surgery. It is either a total removal of the uterus along with the ovaries, the fallopian tubes and the cervix of the uterus, or it could be partial, where just the cervical stump is retained. It is done when fibroids have developed in the uterus or in the cases of an endometriosis, uterine prolapse and some other reasons.

Even if this surgery seems uncomplicated, it has significant after effects. It could prove to be very irritating for those who undergo this surgery. Weight gain after hysterectomy is the most evident occurrence in women, and it is really a turn off for them. So lets check out this weight gain and the other side effects of a hysterectomy.

Side Effects of a Hysterectomy
Those who have gone through a hysterectomy, can ramble on and on about how they have puffed up after the surgery or how they have lost the vitality that they had earlier. Well, I have even heard my aunt saying that. Besides this, there are more serious and evident after effects of a hysterectomy. Weight gain is the manifested result of a hysterectomy. It is caused because of the reduction in the levels of estrogen, as compared to the androgens, the male hormones. Many a times, weight gain is experienced around the abdomen, but it is not absolutely necessary. Another cause of weight gain is the decreased metabolic rate. Maximum women undergoing this surgery are middle-aged, between 40 and 55. So, it is natural that their physical activity is less, when compared to a 25 year old. So decreased metabolic rate in tandem with reduced physical activity, triggers the weight gain in women after hysterectomy.

Basically what happens after a hysterectomy, is that the blood estrogen level falls, and this removes the protective shield of estrogen on the cardiovascular and skeletal systems. This increases risk of cardiovascular diseases. According to a few studies, there is also a greater vulnerability to osteoporosis, after a hysterectomy. Testosterone levels dip in women post this surgery, and there is a problem with bladder functioning also. Hot flushes are amongst the common side effects of this operation. Mood Swings and decreased muscle and mass strength, are other side effects of hysterectomy. Fatigue, depression, hair loss, anxiety and vulnerability to thyroid problems, also fall under the side effects of this operation.

Hysterectomy and gaining weight go hand in hand, and there is no denying that fact. What is important, is how you deal with it, by eating right and by indulging in an adequate amount of exercises. All this not withstanding, what happens after a hysterectomy, is that there is a weird feeling experienced by the woman who undergoes this surgery. She feels that she is no longer a woman. There is a loss of the essence of being a woman and this feeling should be addressed. There is more to a woman than just her uterus.