How Does a Woman's Body Change After a Hysterectomy?

Are you faced with undergoing a hysterectomy and wondering if your body will change? A hysterectomy is the removal of the uterus (in some cases, the ovaries and fallopian tubes might also be removed). After the uterus is removed, you will no longer have menstrual periods, and you cannot become pregnant or carry a baby.

Dr. Elizabeth Graul at Phase II Center for Women's Health in Millcreek, UT carries out hysterectomy surgery to remove the uterus for a variety of reasons. She will perform the surgical procedure either vaginally, robotically, or laparoscopically, depending on your needs. During your appointment, Dr. Graul will conduct an evaluation to determine your diagnosis. She will discuss your treatment options so you can make a decision on what works best for your needs.

Benefits of a hysterectomy

In most cases, Dr. Graul will try to leave the ovaries during your hysterectomy so you do not go through early menopause.

Benefits of a hysterectomy include:

• Provides relief from chronic pain
• Stops heavy or irregular vaginal bleeding
• Treats or removes the risk of uterine cancer
• Reduces the chances of developing endometrial or ovarian cancer
• Stops painful menstruation
• Treats uterine prolapse, fibroid tumors, and fibroids
• Reduced downtime of only a few days

Reasons to undergo a hysterectomy

There are many reasons why a woman might need to undergo a hysterectomy. Dr. Graul at Phase II Center for Women's Health in Millcreek, UT will go over why you might need a hysterectomy, such as treatment for:

• Cancer
• Heavy or irregular menstrual cycles and bleeding
• Endometriosis
• Uterine prolapse
• Chronic pelvic pain
• Fibroid tumor

What to expect from a hysterectomy

A traditional open hysterectomy involves an incision through the abdomen and will leave a scar. However, Dr. Graul offers the latest hysterectomy techniques. A robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy causes only minimal scarring, and a vaginal hysterectomy causes no scarring. At your consultation with Dr. Graul, you will learn about the different hysterectomy options and which ones will best meet your treatment needs.

If you undergo an abdominal hysterectomy, you will face about six weeks of recovery time, but with a laparoscopic (robotic-assisted) hysterectomy, you can return to light activities in 3 – 4 days, and you can have a full recovery in 4 – 6 weeks.

A vaginal hysterectomy offers rapid recovery and is less painful than another hysterectomy, such as an abdominal hysterectomy. Patients generally recover in 3 – 4 weeks.

Hysterectomy recovery

Following a hysterectomy, recovery varies and depends on the surgical technique used to complete the procedure. A laparoscopic or robotic hysterectomy provides the shortest recovery time compared to a vaginal hysterectomy. Normally, with robotic or laparoscopic surgery, you will only face a few days to two weeks of downtime. A vaginal hysterectomy can take from 3 – 4 weeks of downtime.

If, during your hysterectomy, you also had your ovaries removed, you will start to experience menopause symptoms such as mood swings and hot flashes during your surgery recovery time. You might need to undergo hormone replacement therapy if you experience symptoms from menopause after having your ovaries removed during the hysterectomy.

Following any hysterectomy, Dr. Graul will provide you with detailed after-surgery care instructions that include restrictions and recommendations to help ensure that your recovery is successful.

Schedule a hysterectomy consultation in Millcreek, UT

If you are faced with undergoing a hysterectomy, we invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Elizabeth Graul at Phase II Center for Women's Health in Millcreek, UT. During the consultation, Dr. Graul will outline what you can expect following the hysterectomy surgery. She will provide you with a treatment plan and go over what type of hysterectomy will best fit your medical needs.