Hysterectomy

The way that any particular woman responds to a hysterectomy is of course vastly diverse and may differ immensely from woman to woman depending on factors such as the kind of hysterectomy performed, age of the woman, and whether the surgery was performed before or after natural menopause.

However, there are certain commonly noted side effects after a hysterectomy which follows here:

Physical side effects after a Hysterectomy: While many women experience these side effects, many may not and some may in fact the opposite experience:

• Hot flashes are a common side effect after a hysterectomy and so are correlated side effects such as night sweats etc
• Fatigue and listlessness may often occur
• Hair loss or a coarsening of body hair may also occur
• Headaches
• Weight gain
• Memory loss or forgetfulness
• Depression and feelings of anxiety
• Women also tend to become prone to heart disease and osteoporosis
• There may be a reduced interest in sexual intimacy
• Sex may be painful and the woman may experience vaginal dryness

As important, or in some cases more important than the physical aspects of a hysterectomy are the emotional side effects after a menopause that many women experience. Since there is a very sudden and drastic change in the levels of hormones in the body, there are obvious physical effects but these hormonal changes can bring about very dramatic changes emotionally as well.

Many women, after undergoing a hysterectomy find their self esteem affected and experience feelings of low self esteem. Menopause is in any case emotionally difficult to deal with for many women, and when it is surgically induced menopause, not only are the physical side effects stronger, so may be the emotional side effects.

So, at this stage, a woman who is facing the side effects after a hysterectomy may need a great deal of support, understanding and some extra TLC as well.

One needs a lot of sensitivity to put oneself in the shoes of a woman who has just lost an important body part, having undergone a hysterectomy and the consequent emotional trauma.

An abnormal pap smear can indicate if there is anything wrong or a malignancy present which could help detect and prevent cervical cancer.

In this gynecological procedure, cells from the mouth of the uterus, the cervix are collected by scraping with a tool in order to see whether it is a normal or abnormal pap smear that would require attention and treatment.

The reason that taking a pap smear is recommended is that having the rest as suggested can considerably reduce one’s risk of developing cervical cancer.

What is a normal Pap smear?

Generally speaking, a pap smear seeks to check for any signs that cells found in the cervical area are changing from normal to abnormal.

When the test results from a pap smear show no pathologic change, this is considered to be normal. If the cells of the cervix are normal and healthy, this means that the pap smear is normal.

Does an abnormal pap smear mean I have cancer?

Cancer is not an overnight occurrence; it is a slow and gradual process whereby changes start to occur long before one actually develops cancer.

However, not all abnormal pap smears mean that one has cancer or that one will develop it at a later stage. An abnormal pap smear can indicate a number of different conditions such as:

• Inflammation – if an abnormal pap smear shows inflammation of the cells this may indicate the presence of an infection
• Presence of squamous cells which could be present either due to a premalignant or precancerous change or they may be present due to the inflammation.
• Cervical dysplasia- this is when the pap smears results are abnormal; the abnormality could be precancerous (that is to say they may develop into malignancy or non cancerous.
• In the worst case scenario, an abnormal pap smear will indicate presence of cancer and that the cancerous cells have spread into the cervix or even other nearby organs.

If I have an abnormal pap smear what should I do?

If there are signs of cervical dysplasia or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, the condition is graded from mild to severe.

Mild cases usually do not require treatment and subside on their own. However, a moderate to severe condition will require further evaluation and thereafter, treatment.

What is the best way to avoid getting cervical cancer?

Getting the pap smear test done regularly as recommended and steering clear of the Human Papilloma virus (HPV) is the best way to avoid getting cervical cancer.

It is generally recommended that every woman over the age of 21 and under the age of 65 should get a pap test done every 2 years. Women who are immune compromised or those that have certain other conditions may be required to have pap smears done more often.

This article set out 5 of the top tests that women should stay current with, in order to improve chances of early detection and treatment for a number of problems:

The Pap Smear: For cervical cancer, the key to recovery is early detection and getting a pap smear is the best way to detect this killer early on. Early detection means that you can detect this cancer at a treatable and curable stage.

The Mammogram: Regular breast self exams are of course a must. The shower is a good place and just at the end of the menstrual period is a good time. Again for breast cancer, early detection is the key.

Cholesterol Test: As we have said before, heart disease is the number one killer among women and in order to keep potential heart disease in check cholesterol levels are important to monitor.

Skin test: Abnormal skin spots and moles could be signs of skin cancer and should be periodically checked for.

Colonoscopy: Colon-rectal cancer is thought of as men’s cancer; however it is a major killer among women as well.

Get regular testing done; it may end up saving your life!

This is a slower process that may help to remove the threat of cancer from the body.

Certain hormones are believed to help cancer grow in the body so when hormone therapy is introduced, the body is manipulated to stop producing those hormones.

If the tests indicate that the breast cancer cells have an area where hormones can reach them, hormone therapy may be a good option.

Estrogen is one of the leading hormones to affect breast cancer. Special treatments are designed to stop the ovaries from making estrogen, such as ovarian ablation. This treatment may aid in slowing down or even stopping the growth of cancer.

Hormone-dependent breast cancer is also common in post-menopausal women. Using hormone inhibitors can help stop certain enzymes from producing the hormones in the body which feed into cancer.

This form of treatment is best used in early stages of breast cancer, although it is also often paired with another form of treatment to help provide a more thorough protection.

Radiation therapy uses different types of radiation to attack the cancer cells in the body, hoping to either kill them or prevent them from growing.

External radiation therapy will use a machine outside of the body to send radiation toward the breast cancer. These are high-energy x-rays which will attack the cancer cells in the attempt to eradicate them from the body.

Internal radiation therapy will use radioactive substances and place it inside of the body, close to the cancer. These substances can be sealed into needles, catheters, or seeds that are injected directly into the body.

It will then give off the radiation directly next to the source of the breast cancer in an attempt to kill it.

The type of radiation treatment which is used will depend largely on how advanced the breast cancer in the body is. The further along it has developed, the less time there is to fight it and more aggressive treatments are a necessity.

Performing breast examinations on yourself frequently is the first thing that you need to do in order to watch for signs of breast cancer.

If a lump or anything out of the ordinary is found, you need to visit the doctor immediately.

They will perform a number of different tests to see what the abnormality is caused by and what can be done to fix the problem.

A mammogram may be the most common procedure to perform. This is basically an x-ray of the breast to determine what is inside.

If a lump is found, the doctor may perform a biopsy. This is where they will take either a section of a lump or the entire thing to examine the cells under a microscope to determine the nature of those cells and if they might be breast cancer.

An estrogen receptor test will determine how the breast cancer cells will react to an increased level of estrogen being introduced into the body. This can determine if hormone therapy will be enough.

Finally, an MRI may be performed to perform a look at the entire body to determine the state of health it is in. From here, breast cancer treatments can be decided upon.

But, the examination of the available data shows that screening mammography among women between 39 and 49 years of age results in a 15 percent reduction in the risk of death from breast cancer.

It is clear that screening mammography offers an identifiable survival benefit to women in this age group.

Although false positives are a significant problem, only five biopsies are required for every case of cancer found.

But other data makes us realize that while screening women in their forties might be the right choice from the perspective of an individual woman, it is probably the wrong choice from the perspective of our health care system overall.

It turns out that adherence to the current guidelines from the American Cancer Society (which include screening women in their forties) costs more than $680,000 for every year of life saved. This is more than 10 times the amount that is thought to be affordable within the health care budget of wealthy countries like our own.

Source: Children’s Hospital Boston

Though there is some controversy surrounding the fact of when a hysterectomy is actually required, what is important is that this is a decision that should be an informed one, after considering all the facts relating to the surgery, the kind of surgery that you may need as well as the side effects that the surgery will inevitably have.

Whether it is partial hysterectomy (which is the removal of the uterus) or complete hysterectomy (which is the removal of the uterus as well as the fallopian tubes and the ovaries) that one undergoes, some symptoms and at least some side effects of hysterectomy surgery are almost inevitable:

Complete Hysterectomy is also known as surgical menopause and the possible side effects that women could suffer are not unlike those which are experienced as the symptoms of menopause:

• Hysterectomy side effects include hot flashes (or flushes) and night sweats as well as disordered sleep and insomnia which are commonly experienced by women undergoing menopause.
• Similarly, mood swings, irritability, feelings of tiredness and fatigue, anxiety and depression are also common hysterectomy side effects because of the hormonal changes that occur in a woman’s body as a result
• Constipation is another possible hysterectomy side effect
• Unexplained pelvic pain can also result from the surgery
• Vaginal dryness and a lowered libido or interest in sexual intimacy; even painful sex can result as the side effect s of hysterectomy
• Chances in skin and hair, such as dryness of skin, dryness or coarseness of hair, hair loss are all not uncommon hysterectomy side effects.
• Dizziness, nervousness, feelings of disorientation and lapses of memory also do occur as can headaches and heart palpitations
• Urinary problems such as incontinence etc can also result from a hysterectomy
• Weight gain is a possible hysterectomy side effect
• As early menopause increases women’s risk of heart disease, so does hysterectomy increase such risk. It also increases the risk of developing arthritis and osteoporosis.

As in the case of any major surgery there are also the attendant risk factors associated with hysterectomy such as anesthesia complications, risk of infection, excessive bleeding, and possible damage to nearby organs.

Women should undergo screening for cervical cancer before the age of 30 for every two years instead of an annual exam.

Women aged 30 and older should go for screening once for every three years.

These guidelines are based on the evidence that suggests testing more frequently leads to over treatment, which can harm young woman’s chances of carrying a child full term.

Women don’t get cervical cancer first, but they acquire HPV. The HPV virus causes precancerous abnormalities of the cervix and cervical cancer.

Source: Reuters

These are usually found during a Pap smear and if these abnormal cells are found, the LEEP procedure, which stands for loop electrosurgical excision procedure, allows for other procedures to be completed, such as a colposcopy or a cone biopsy.

How Is the LEEP Procedure Completed?

The LEEP procedure removes the abnormal cells on the cervix. It uses a thin, small wire loop that is an electrode attached to a surgical generator. This generator sends out an electrical current that will cut away the cells. These cells can then be sent to the laboratory for evaluation.

The procedure itself takes about 20-30 minutes. It’s usually done in the doctor’s office. It may feel as though you are having a pelvic exam simply because you are on the exam table and your feet are in the stirrups.

A colposcope is used to as a guide for the doctor. However, unlike the colposcopy used during a normal Pap smear, there is a tube attached to help get rid of a small amount of smoke from the procedure.

Before the procedure begins, an electro surgical dispersive pad is placed on the thigh. The pad is on an adhesive electrode that is covered in gel.

It provides a pathway for the electrosurgical current. A disposable loop electrode is attached to the surgical generator by the doctor.

The doctor will prepare the cervix for the procedure by applying iodine solutions and acetic acid so he can easily see the abnormal cells.

An injection of a local anesthetic into the cervix will keep pain and discomfort to a minimum. Once the area is numb, the electrode loop is charged and the wire will go through the cervix surface.

Once the area of abnormal cells has been removed, a ball electrode is used to control any bleeding. Once the physician is done with the procedure, you will soon be able to leave.

What Are the Possible Complications from the LEEP Procedure?

While there are few complications to the LEEP Procedure, they can include mild discomfort and bleeding. If there is bleeding that seems to be heavier than a regular period or if the discomfort becomes severe pain, the doctor should be notified. In addition, a strong odor or discharge should also be reported.

Most doctors advise their patients to refrain from sexual intercourse, using tampons, douching, or lifting heavy objects for at least two weeks. This will help the healing process and also help prevent vaginal infection.

Cervical Dysplasia Does Not Always Mean Cancer

It’s important to note that having cervical dysplasia does not necessarily mean the patient has cervical cancer. It is however, imperative that these abnormal cells are removed so they do not develop into cervical cancer.

The patient will need to return to the doctor for follow-up visits, including another Pap smear. It’s very important that the follow-up is completed to be sure all the abnormal cells have been removed.