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Hysterectomies
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Definitions:
There is a great deal of confusion over hysterectomies. First, let’s define exactly what a hysterectomy is: A surgical removal of the entire uterus.
A hysterectomy with an “oopherectomy” means that the uterus is removed along with one or both ovaries.
Surgical approaches:
There are two major surgical approaches to hysterectomies:
A “total abdominal hysterectomy” simply means that the uterus is removed through a surgical incision in the lower abdomen. This is the most common approach and the one with the fewest post-operative complications.
Because it is technically easier to perform and with better visualization, the abdominal approach has fewer problems.
The other approach is a vaginal hysterectomy. This is popular because there is no abdominal scar. But it is technically more difficult to perform, primarily because it is in a much smaller, tighter space for the surgeon and it is difficult to see, literally, for the surgeon. It takes much longer to perform thereby exposing the patient to more anesthesia risk, as well.
No more orgasms?
Did you know that if you remove your uterus that you may never experience another orgasm again? Who gets warned of that in advance?
The ONLY justifiable reasons for hysterectomy are for the following:
Cervical cancer
What about cancer of the cervix? Cervical cancer takes a couple of decades to die from. The cervix is the very tip of the uterus and easily approached from the outside. A smaller surgery can remove the cancerous cervix called a conectomy. This does not need to involve removing the entire uterus.
Cervical cancer is not a justifiable reason to perform a hysterectomy.
Hysterectomy accelerates hormone decline
One observation made by some Wellness doctors is that the actual performance of a hysterectomy seems to accelerate the pace towards declining hormone production by the ovaries and even the thyroid gland.
How? Anatomically, a portion of the arterial blood supply to the ovaries may have been inadvertently cut while performing the hysterectomy. This can slow down ovarian production of sex hormones leading to premature menopause.
How does thyroid production slow down with a hysterectomy? This is only a theory, but all hormones are related to one another through complex feedback mechanisms, many of which we do not understand. Once one hormone declines, then others seem to follow the lead.
Hysterectomy with oopherectomy
There is a huge difference between a hysterectomy and a hysterectomy coupled with an oopherectomy.
Surgical menopause – a nightmare for women
Your ovaries are your hormone production factories for all of your sex hormones: estrogens, progesterone and testosterone. If your ovaries are removed, your hormone factory is completely destroyed. The term “surgical menopause” means that your body is subjected to a tremendous shock of hormone annihilation in an instant.
Your adrenal glands do act as a small backup when it comes to hormone production, but it is extremely small and insignificant. Surgical menopause is a nightmare for all women.
Most women are not told about how bad the effects of surgical menopause really are and how bad the shock is once you wake up from the surgery completely drenched in sweat.
Ovarian removal = castration
Removal of your ovaries is the same thing as castration. How often do men get their testicles removed? It is the same thing. When you remove the source of manufacture of sex hormones then that person just shrivels up and becomes almost non-human. So why recommend it?
Ovaries removed for the wrong reasons
The tragedy is that many oopherectomies are performed for the wrong reasons. Often ovaries are removed because of some hope that migraines might be helped (actually they worsen) or that endometriosis will improve (usually it does not).
There is no question that removing your ovaries will also end up removing ovarian cysts. But why kill the ovaries to make ovarian cysts go away?
Bio-identical hormones save your ovaries
It is much safer to administer bio-identical hormones (like progesterone) to shrink ovarian cysts than to perform an oopherectomy.
Cancer is the only justification for oopherectomy
The ONLY legitimate reason to remove both ovaries is if both ovaries have cancer (or likely to develop cancer if the BRCA genetic testing is positive – this is a huge additional topic which I will not delve into now).
There is no other reason to have your ovaries (or even one ovary) removed. Period.
What if it’s too late and you already had a hysterectomy?
Many women have had a hysterectomy in the past. We can’t change that.
Whether you still have your ovaries or not, you are now experiencing menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness.
Now what do you do? You need estrogen, no question about that. It must be bio-identical estrogen as stated on the remainder of this website.
But many mainstream doctors mistakenly believe that if your uterus is no longer present that you don’t need progesterone anymore.
WRONG. Every one of your trillion cells in your body from the sex organs to your retina, skin and finger nails have progesterone receptors. Your body craves progesterone. Give it what needs.
Just because you don’t have a uterus (if you have had a hysterectomy) does not mean that you don’t need progesterone.
Recommendations for women with past hysterectomy:
The official recommendation for treating menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness) in women who have had a hysterectomy are:
Use a bio-identical estrogen cream (Estro325) – begin with one scoop at night and titrate upwards to end symptoms.
Add bio-identical progesterone (Progest50) – take one capsule at bedtime.
Both of these products can be ordered at: www.Estro325.com
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