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Surgical Menopause - Dealing with Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy,. Just the mention of the word has put fear and dread in women's hearts for years. Growing up, I always thought of hysterectomy as the absolute worst thing that could happen to me as a woman. I have significantly moved the ranking of the word to the lowest spot on my list.
Due to medical reasons, thousands of women are forced into menopause each year by way of hysterectomy. Ovarian cancer, cysts, cervical cancer, uteran cancer, endometriosis, just to name a few have forced doctor's to perform hysterectomies, to save lives, or just to give women a better quality of life.

Having a hysterectomy by no means signals the end of life as we know it. The old saying "the more things change, the more they stay the same", should be the motto for women after hysterectomy. Life goes on. Nothing really changes, except maybe for the absence of the dreaded visitor monthly. And even with that, I actually embraced the fact that I didn't have to writhe in pain every month, and I could make plans without consulting my trusty calendar.
If you've had a hysterectomy, or are planning to have one, it really doesn't end there. The effects of hysterectomy do not have to dominate your life. There are ways of dealing with all of them.
Hot flashes are just that. Flashes! They will stop after a few moments. My advice is to drink ice water, move around, focus on something else....if you don't let them control you, they won't control you.
As for the sexual side effects, not every woman has them. I know quite a few women who have had hysterectomies, and only about half of them have a lower sex drive than they did before the surgery. There are things you can do to boost your sex life. Read romantic novels, watch "chick flicks", or enjoy erotica. We're grown women, we should be able to enjoy an erotic magazine or movie every now and then. Plus, have open communication with your partner, tell them what makes you feel sexy, roll-play, whatever it takes to get you in the mood. After all ladies, we're in menopause, we're not in the grave!
There may also be times (especially if you're not taking hormone replacement therapy) when you just want to slap everyone you come into contact with. The emotional side effects of hysterectomy are the worst for me. Sometimes I just have to be by myself. Write in a journal, turn your music up full blast and sing until you're hoarse, take a walk. Just like hot flashes, these "nerve flashes" will pass and you'll wonder what made you feel like snapping.
So do something nice for yourself, take up a new hobby or restart an old one. Have a makeover, take a mini vacation just for you. There are thousands of ways to pamper yourself, pick one. You deserve a little extra attention. And remember, women are their own worst enemy, and their own worst critic. So don't be hard on yourself, remember, you didn't invent hysterectomy, you just fell victim to it.
Finally just know that you are still the wonderful, beautiful woman you were, just with less parts. It changes nothing about who you are. It changes nothing about who you can be. Life does go on, and it can be even better if you let it.

Learn more about this author, Vanessa Beaty.
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