Depression After Hysterectomy
Depression after hysterectomy is a common side-effect experienced by women who have undergone the procedure.
However, studies show that majority of the women who have undergone a hysterectomy end up having a better quality of life socially, psychologically, and sexually. They also have better moods whether or not they have had problems with depression and anxiety prior to the hysterectomy.
For the few who experience depression after hysterectomy, below are some of the reasons that might bring on such feelings:
- The removal of the uterus during a hysterectomy might bring on a feeling of loss for the woman.
- The depression and anxiety after hysterectomy might be because of the fear for one’s health.
- Another fear that may form is that the hysterectomy might cause changes in personal relationships.
- The woman may also fear that her sexual life will be affected.
- Aside from the actual loss of the uterus, another loss a woman might feel is the loss of her child bearing capability even when she has no more plans of getting pregnant.
The feelings of depression after hysterectomy usually fade as the woman goes through the recovery process. As her body starts to heal, her emotions also go back to normal through time.
However, if the depression after hysterectomy persists then you should consult your doctor. Depression is not just in the mind or something you can will to go away. Studies show that depression has chemical and biological bases. It is an illness that anyone can have regardless of race and age. It can occur over short or long periods of time, or can even occur intermittently. The longevity and extensiveness of the treatment also varies.
Studies show that aside from environmental factors such as physical illness and stress, depression may also have genetic roots. Another cause may be an imbalance in brain neurotransmitters and chemicals. Still, depression after hysterectomy may also be attributed to hormonal changes, especially when the ovaries are removed.
40 Responses to “Depression After Hysterectomy”
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Hi there,
I had a hysterectomy 4 weeks ago. I do have my overaies. Starting last week, I was very depressed and having constant anxiety attacks. My body was constantly restless and my muscles were tense. I believe partially this is due to the fact I am only 33 and never had kids. I ended up going to urgent care last night. They gave me pills to relax my body so I could sleep as well at night. They also gave me a different type of pill to take the depression edge off. I was hoping there might be at home exercises I can do.
There are no “exercises” but having a hysterectomy has ended your chances of birthing your own child but not necessarily having your own biological child. A surrogate would be a great option for you. Use your own eggs and your partner’s sperm to create embryos for transplant. If no partner is available, sperm donation is readily available. Consult and infertility clinic.
It sounds like you are having some depression after your hysterectomy. It’s ok to take anti-anxiety meds for this problem for a little while or until you feel you have gotten over this “hump”. It’s difficult to grasp the finality of not ever having a child once your uterus has been removed. Children are not necessarily impossible for you. At 33 years old, you can use your own eggs and have them implanted into a surrogate in an effort to have a biological child. Adoption is a good option as well. In the meantime, do fun things for yourself or things that make you feel good during your time of healing. This will help you feel better and relax.
Freezing eggs only as an option is not very successful. Fertilized embryos and sperm have higher success rates. If you are single and without a partner you have to get a donor to fertilize your egg before freezing.
sound advice, josie
Hi,
I had a hysterectomy just over a month ago after I started to hemorrhage during a c-section. I was delivering my 5th child, but had hoped to have at least one more. I am so sick of people telling me to be grateful you have 5 kids and you are alive – I AM grateful, but I am also angry this happened and hurt that my chance to have more children was taken away. I feel so alone – will this feeling end? How do I move on?
Yes, these feelings will end. You have been blessed to have 5 children and your children are blessed to still have you in their lives. One day you will be a grandmother too. However, if you still desire to have children, a surrogate is an option. An infertility doctor can assit in creating embryos from you and your partner and then transplant them into a surrogate. If this is not an option, adoption is a wonderful option as well.
After the hysterectomy I had bad anxiety..I changed my diet, did everything…and although I made it better…the whole experience was a living hell and I’m still not the same person I was…now I’m losing my hair…I’ve heard that losing the female hormones affect the thyroid and I believe it…hysterectomy should only be done as a “last resort” to save your life…doctors make like a hysterectomy is nothing, but it can ruin..and I mean really ruin your life….
Have your PCP check your thyroid function. If you have thyroid disease, you can loose hair, have hot flushes, anxiety, depression, dry skin, and weight changes, etc. Careful of diets. Excess dieting can deplete one’s nutritional base resulting in many of your symptoms. Eating healthy, frequently, and exercising is best.
I had a hyseretomy about 10 months ago, and have had pain ever since. The dr. thought the endometriosis had come back so he took me off hormones, then he thought maybe it was a urological problem so he sent me to a urologist. A cysto,MRI, and ultrasound reveal nothing. I have pain several days a week still, am very depressed(my hysteretomy came about from a pregnancy that did’nt develop,endometriosis, a cyst on an ovary, and a fibroid on my bladder). To top it all off, my sex-drive is non-existent! I also have IBS and fibromyalgia. The pain is really getting to me and, to be honest, so is the depression! Doctors need to let the females know this is what we do to our dogs to get them to “calm down”. I’m in more pain now than before the hysterectomy with no known cause?! Can anyone help?
Hi ,I will be having the hysterectomy on Nov 9th/2010 after
being diagnosed with large fibroids and polyps and ubnormal bleeding,Im very nervous about this operation and worried about the outcome.
Im 60 years old and hestitant about removing the ovaries.
please advise me i feel so alone.
Thanks and God bless.
I am scheduled for a hysterectomy on 12/30. I am 44 and never had children. There are other options such as adoption or surrogacy but only if you can afford it. We can’t. I can’t stop crying. No one seems to REALLY understand what I’m going thru. This pain in my heart runs so deep and I just can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel.
Hello, I had a hysterectomy at age 32. I had not had any children yet and have really struggled ever since. It gets better and easier but it can be a lonely ordeal. I am currently on anti-depressants, which has been a huge help. I went to therapy for many months and that helped as well. I wish there were more resources out there for support for those of us who had a hysterectomy prior to having children. It is a huge struggle for so many. Take care!
HI
I had my hysterectomy in 2006 and I still feel a since of loss and according to my husband has changed. No one understands the loss we feel and for me I thought that having a family was who I would be in life. I heard that having a wake for the baby I would have had would help me. It did for a while but there is hole inside me that no one understands. I feel your pain.
I had a hysterectomy almost 4 weeks ago. (kept my ovaries) and so far I am not happy at all. Even though I have no pain and no bleeding. I am having anxiety attacks, I have a terrible nausea, and no appetite. I had a urinary truck infection. and mouth thrush. Doctor told me that UTI and Thrush are side affects from antibiotics that were given to me before, during. and after the surgery. I am only 38. and I don’t know if maybe I am feeling depressed because of hormones. I researched and i states that even if you keep your ovaries you might have hormonal imbalance after the hysterectomy… I was wondering if some one had a similar experience. and will it go away.. My doctor prescribed me xonox.. I refuse to take it.. trying to take natural remedies. like Valerian,
I had a hysterectomy 10 days ago and I’m feeling very depressed. I still have my ovaries and I am blessed two healthy children. I just wasn’t sure if my feelings of such sadness are experienced by other people
I did have a hysterectomy to save my life. I’m dealing with a couple of different things: hot flashes, sharp shooting pains, feelings of sadness at times but don’t think depression…I had stage 3 cervical cancer and was hemorrhaging for 17 hrs before my first dose of radiation to stop the bleeding because nothing else would work! After 31 radiation treatments n 6 chemos I had the hysta now sex hurts too
I’m 31 n have 3 children n had tubes tied before all this so I’m ok w no more kids thing but I just feel different. I’ve been working out since I recovered from my surgery but I’m gaining weight 
feel hopeless
I had a Complete Hysterectomy about five months ago and have felt fine until now.I started getting depressed and feeling worthless.I was always s person who would get mad and could handle things,now all I do is cry at anything.I am a totally different person,I am a lot nicer but ive lost all my fight.I hope I reach a normal soon it is getting old.Just to let people know it can be hard.
i had a hysterectomy 7 weeks ago , i am suffering very bad mood swings and depression, some days i feel like ending it all. im doing a course and i have 2 kids, im 36, i did,nt want any more kids so that end off it does,nt bother me, but the pressure off everything is really after getting to me, im doing exams in my course and my mind is going blank, im not home till 6 o clock every evening, and then i have the house to do and deal with my kids one has adhd, i am separated and get no help from there father, i feel lost and lonely, and to top it all off my hair started falling out . they left my ovieries in , but i feel as tho im going through the menopause, has any one any advise please?
I had my hysterectomy on May 20th. I also had 1 ovary removed and repairs done to my rectum and bladder. I have been feeling depressed and I have noticed that I want to spend all my time in my dark living room watching tv and reading. I don’t even want to do anything with my kids. I am so tired all the time and I don’t know how long it will take to feel better. I know the hysterectomy was the right thing to do and I think that since I already had depression and anxiety problems they were just exacerbated by the disruption to my hormones. I had other options but I didn’t want them. I couldn’t have more kids so why have a period. I don’t know how to get through this without having a complete meltdown. I don’t want to be on super strong meds but I want to enjoy life again
It will take time Kim. This is something very common among women who undergo hysterectomy, especially those who have struggled with anxiety and depression before the procedure. We will work on providing some resources that might be helpful later on the site. Thanks for your comments
Underlying depression and anxiety can become more profound after a woman has a hysterectomy. Hormonal and physical changes as a result of your surgery contribute as well. Notify your doctor to have him or her adjust or even start an anti-depressant for a brief period of time.
Kim, change your mind set regarding your hysterectomy. You are now free from monthly drama!
No more pain, bleeding,etc. Enjoy your family! You have lost nothing! You are starting a new chapter in your life.
I am relieved to find this site. Up until a little over a month ago I was very healthy – I thought. I am now post complete hysterectomy (uterus and ovaries). My symptoms came on so quickly there was no time to research. I had cysts strangling my organs and surgery needed to be done asap. Thank GOD there was no cancer. Now, I have returned to work – 3-4 weeks early (no FMLA) to very stressful position – and I am not handling it well. My strength is not where is was, I am very close to tears after intense meetings, and I am getting thoughts of just “walking away” from it all – which is rediculous because I have mega bills and cannot afford to do it. I am glad to see it is not just me going over the deep end, but that I can expect this. While I don’t know my next step to take, I am beginning to read much more about the post-surgery challenges that others are going through as well.
Many women have similar symptoms or experiences like yours after having a complete hysterectomy. The lack of estrogen as a result of having your ovaries removed can bring about profound emotional changes. Depression is not surprising. Some women will opt to take estrogen replacement for short period of time. Others will opt for an anti-depressant such as zoloft or lexapro, which help control depression and reduce some of the vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes).
Rest if key to recovery from a hysterectomy. Going back to work or taking on huge responsibilites too soon can derail a women’s recovery. Sometimes it’s best to take 6 weeks off or if you have to go back to work, do so on a part time or reduced work load basis.
Hi, like most of the other ladies on here, I too feel tired quickly and very lethargic. It doesn’t matter how much sleep i get, I feel I need more. I had my hysterectomy On the March 9th. I felt great after my surgery (had keyhole) no pain and was happy. I’ve been back at work for about a month but can only manage to half of what I was doing before. Will I get better as time goes on or is this it and have to resign myself to not being able to continue as before? (I’m 52).
Kate, you will be 100% again. Ask your doctor to check your electrolytes and thyroid function. Issues with your blood glucose, potassium, sodium, etc. can cause one to have a lack of energy. Abnormal thyroid function in women is common and can contribute to lethargy as well. Do you snore or find yourself waking up at night, you may need to have a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea. Once sleep apnea is corrected, you will rest better and improve your overall health. Start taking a multivitamin. Start exercising too.
I had my surgery on the 14th of June and developed complications two weeks later when my bowels became obstructed. I had to return to surgery. I was doing fine after the initial surgery but now I am finding myself feeling very sad. I am hiding it well from family but I am crying easily and truly thinking about getting away from it all. I have always been a very strong individual with friends and family members relying on me for support. I don’t like how I am feeling.
Pip, you are not alone. Many women feel depressed after having a hysterectomy. This is final! No more children and no more kids. When you have a complication, such as a bowel obstruction, it adds to your depression. This is temporary. Once you start to feel more like yourself and recovery, the old you will reappear. Don’t hide your feelings from others, talk it out. Take some “sick and tired” time and do somethings for yourself. Be selfish. I bet you take care of everyone and everything but yourself. Let others lift you up and most of all support your needs for a change.
Tiff, your feelings are normal and will be self-limited. Having your uterus removed is a final step in a woman’s reproductive capability. Most of my patients express the same sympathies are you and once they no longer experience the monthly dramas of the past, these ladies have no regrets. Get out the house. Go get your hair, nails, feet, etc., done. Hang out with good girlfriends. Grandchildren will be your next babies
Hi,
I have just been reading the comments but my symptoms are different. I have a complete vaginal hysterectomy just over 12mths ago. I have 4 children and had the hysterectomy due to abnormal cells on my cervix. I recovered really well and returned to work after 6weeks. I had implants of HRT & testosterone at the same time as my op. However my GP will not prescribe the testosterone and the hospital can no longer get the supply of the implants. I have now been given tablet HRT. I feel really tired, ache in my joints and generally feel really old although I am only 44. To add to this I also have hypothyroidism, which has been controlled for many years. Has anyone else been ok then taken a dive some months after the op????
Hi Lesley. I see that you are in the UK. Well, first please see your GP and have your thyroid levels checked. I suspect you will need to change your medication dosage. Secondly, you may need to increase your estrogen dosage. Try and see what happens. The typical dosage in the US is .6125mg of premarin or 1 mg of estradiol. You may need to up the dose. If testosterone is what you are lacking, consult a gyn or a compounding pharmacy for testosterone creams, supositories, or injections. Some ladies even had a progesterone component with their hormonal replacement therapy despite not having a uteurs. Good luck.
Im 46 yrs old, and I’ve had pelvic pain now for about a year, so I went to the gynecologist and he did a pelvic exam and exploratory laproscopy and found a large fibroid uterus and he told me I need to have an abdominal hysterectomy to relieve my pain. He said he may leave 1 ovary.
Im terrified. I had severe post partum depression after my children were born and think it was a hormone problem. I am afraid if he has to remove my ovaries, my hormones will be cut off, and I will have problems like I did post partum and be severely depressed with no way to help myself.
I have children, and no plans of having any more, and actually wouldn’t miss that monthly cycle. None of my 4 sisters have gone into menopause before the age of 57.
Will hormone replacement help me not be depressed after a total abdominal hysterectomy?
Twylla, if your ovaries are disease free please keep your ovaries to avoid depression. If they have to come out, then place your self on hormones immediately if you don’t have any medical contraindications such as hypertension, stroke, or blood clotting issues. Hormones may not be adequate to control your depression and you may need to consider an anti-depressant as well.
Depending on the size of your uterus, you may consider a myomectomy, which is just the removal of the fibroid tumors while leaving your uterus and ovaries in tact. Ask your doctor or seek a second opinion.
I had a full hysterectomy in 2004 following unbearable migraines & cluster headaches & infrequent heavy periods. I have always suffered from Depression & Anxiety and had been on antidepressants following the traumatic birth of my first daughter in 1992 and subsequent birth of my 2nd daughter 11 months later. My husband, who I loved to bits, was always a very hard person with an angry temper and very little sympathy although at other times he could be lovely & kind. He spent a lot of time at work and a lot of time at the pub. I felt alone most of the time. My daughters were already out of control and used to me being “put down” by him & his family, & by the time I had the hysterectomy I was exhausted. My mother came to help while my husband was at work but she would get angry that my daughters were “lazy” and “mouthy”(I had a REALLY strict upbringing) & then moan at me about them & the fact my husband still called in the pub after work, there was so much shouting & tension in the house my stress levels from day 1 of leaving hospital went through the roof! Literally overnight I went from absolutely adoring (although hating at the same time sometimes) my husband, to falling in love with “his” and “my” best friend – the godfather of our daughters who had been both our best friend since we were in our teens and who had always loved me and been there for me. My husband had known he had always loved me as I had picked my “bad boy” husband over the “nice” one when we were sixteen. I ended up having a Complete Breakdown. The hospital had taken me off my antidepressants and not given me HRT. The hospital said I was in withdrawal shock and I pleaded to be “committed” – I just felt desperate. No-one would listen. Our friend was torn between me being his forever love of his life (he never married although he had two children from a previous relationship) & the fact I was the wife of his best friend and the mother of his godchildren. After my husband blanking me when I was throwing up and in a real state, I burst out “I want to leave – I think I love ****** “. I expected my husband to go mad & tell me to go BUT he went to pieces & declared how much he loved me and couldnt bear me to go! By this time I was totally out of control. My husband would bath me and tell me he wanted me to be happy and I had to do what would make me happy BUT that if I went it would destroy him. Then he would say nasty stuff behind my back. But during the next 3 years he was the loveliest, kindest he had ever been, in between losing his temper and hating me and hurting me so bad I ended up in a refuge. I left three times with my daughters who hated moving up and down the country, moving schools etc – we’d moved a long way from where I came from and I had never settled. His parents also moved doors away and interfered a lot/undermined everything I said etc to the children. Everything was a mess. I kept going back to him as I would see our “friend” but he was also in a state and confused about what to do. The times he stayed away I would flee back to my husband who I honestly deep down loved too – these two had always been a shared part of my life and I felt torn between the two. My ex husband has never really settled although he has had a few live in partners. My daughters live with him now (when I lived there they admitted they hated me being there because I “turned” him against them by “expecting and insisting” he back me up re: their out of control behaviour. He would “switch off” and go to pub or eventually lose his temper, usually at me.
My ex husband said at the time that his doctor said I was mentally affected from the hysterectomy and one day I would “snap out of it and realise what I had done”.
I am now happily married to our “friend” – we finally got together in 2008 and he is lovely. But all of a sudden I feel the depression returning and now I’m scared I’m going the “other” way – all I can think about is my ex (who I still have occasional contact with) and how I could possibly have left etc. His “kind times” haunt me. I always expected to grow old with him and even when I left and got together and married our friend, I still had this sense I would spend my old age with my ex!
I feel like I am going mental and am so scared the past 7 years have been like my ex’s doctor said – that I have suddenly “snapped out of it” and wonder what the hell have I done.
I miss my girls (now 18 and 19) a lot although it was always very hard work and they still are when they visit – they have never accepted authority in any form and I was emotionally and physically abused by them when they were younger.
But I also miss my ex husband so much too.
I always told him I loved 2 people – him and the friend – they were a “part” of me as we had been a friendship triangle for the same amount of time (now 30 years).
I’m scared I’m going to ruin my marriage to the wonderful man I am with who, up until a few weeks ago, I could never have imagined leaving. Yet now I feel torn between hurting him and loving him so much, and the haunting of “the nice images and reminders” of my ex husband and the good times when we were without the stress of the girls and just “us”.
How do I stop myself destroying everything all over again?
I seriously doubt that your hysterectomy is the cause of your depression and subsequent issues. I think that you should seek help from a counselor or psychiatrist.
I had a hysterectomy 3 weeks ago. I am 37 and have been trying to have children for about 6 years, I have been married for almost 9 years. I’ve was told my ovarian reserve was bad and I most unlike had any good eggs. Found that out in May. But my periods have been horrible, with loosing so much blood and I had endometriosis. Well with all of that my gynocologist and my husband and I came to the conclusion that for my health I should have it done. They were able to leave my cervix, but took left ovary and tub as well. I thought I would be fine with it all, but when I am alone I find myself depressed and empty. Also if anyone is wondering the chances of IVF were not an option due to finances and we had 5 failed IUI attempts. We will look into adoption, but it does not change the way I feel right now.
Melanie, you have every right to grieve. This will get better. Have you spoke with a counselor yet? This maybe a good time to do so.
This is difficult for you and many women. I am glad that you will adopt. There are so many children who will be fortunate to call you mom.
I underwent a hysterectomy on August 11th after 3 years of pain following an IUD malpractice. I had my uterus, cervix, and left ovary removed.
I’m 24 with a decent history of depression and anxiety (I’m actually on disability. I understood that I may have issues ‘coming to terms’ but that’s not really the problem I’m finding. I have no energy, and my motivation is almost non-existant. I have no history of thyroid problems, or really anything else previously mentioned… is this just a hormone imbalance?
I had gone on Lupron for 6 months during the 3 years of pain and had success but was on Estrogen pills to deal with the hot flashes. I’m not having hot flashes now, and I wasn’t tired during the treatment (for those that don’t know, Lupron puts you into a state of temporary menopause).
I have an appointment to see my doctor at which I intend to bring up the issue, but should I also be seeing my psychiatrist to increase my dosage(s)? I mean, if it’s hormonal, would they even help?
I went through with the surgery because I wanted to finally get to run and play with my little girl, who is now 3, but with this lack of energy I’m finding it hard to get out of the house if it’s not a necessity, much less actually get playing with my little one
Lynn, I would start with your psychiatrist. Your underlying depression maybe what the issue is.
I am a 42 year old female who ha a total hysterectomy in July. I too expirienced the extrerme anxiety with crying spells and sadness. My depression was so overwhelming that I attempted to take.my life and ended upbin the hospital for renal failure as a result of overdosing on blood pressure pills. Due to the depression I was also unable to return to work and my position was filled. The symptoms do get better over time. I am not on any antidepressents it has been my faith and love from family and two friends that has allowed me to get back to myself. I hope things will continue to get better.