if you’ve had a hysterectomy, it can be hard to know when you're in perimenopause, since tracking your menstrual cycle isn’t an option.
For many people, the first sign of perimenopause is when they notice their periods changing. But if you’ve had a hysterectomy, tracking your menstrual cycle isn’t an option. This is why it’s important to be aware of other symptoms of perimenopause. Some of the most common early symptoms are hot flushes, night sweats, and mood changes.
If you think you might be entering menopause, you can book an appointment at Menopause Wellbeing to explore your menopause treatment options.
When it comes to perimenopause symptoms, hormone therapy is the most effective form of treatment, regardless of whether you still have your uterus. The difference will be the kind of hormone therapy you’re prescribed. If you’ve had a hysterectomy, you’re likely to be put on oestrogen-only hormone therapy, instead of hormone therapy that includes both oestrogen and progesterone.
Oestrogen is the hormone that alleviates the symptoms of perimenopause. The reason that progesterone is prescribed as well is because oestrogen-only medication can cause the uterine lining to thicken. Taking progesterone helps prevent this and protects the uterine lining against cancer. If you’ve had a hysterectomy, there’s no advantage to adding progesterone to your treatment (except for in the case of a history of endometriosis, when it may be considered).
Oestrogen-only hormone therapy is available in many of the same forms as combined hormone therapy, such as tablets, gels, and skin patches.
Most people who get a hysterectomy leave their ovaries intact, but if you’ve had both of your ovaries removed as well, your ovaries will stop producing oestrogen and go into a type of menopause called surgical menopause. This causes a rapid onset of symptoms.
These are the same symptoms that occur during natural menopause and are treated similarly.
You can experience other symptoms of perimenopause. If you think menopause is causing your symptoms, it’s important to talk to a clinician to work out the right treatment plan. Book an appointment with us to discuss.
Book your 45-minute initial appointment with one of our menopause clinicians.