 Women's LifecyclesHysterectomy and Artificial “Instant” Menopause: A Sudden Shock at Any AgeApproximately one in every four American women will enter an abrupt, artificial menopause. The condition known as surgical menopause is the result of a complete hysterectomy. A hysterectomy is the option that most physicians commonly recommend for women who have fibroid tumors, severe endometriosis, cancer and/or constant, heavy bleeding. A complete hysterectomy involves surgical removal of the entire reproductive tract, including the uterus, tubes, and ovaries. Unfortunately, up to 90 percent of the time, a woman’s pelvic organs will be removed for benign disease that could have been treated by non-surgical approaches. Once a woman has had a complete hysterectomy, her body will immediately enter menopause regardless of her biological age. It is important to note that after a complete hysterectomy there are no ovaries to produce any level of hormones. As a result, the body goes into a kind of shock, as the main source of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone dries up overnight. Regrettably, too many physicians make the mistake of prescribing only estrogen for women after a complete hysterectomy, but estrogen alone is not enough. In fact, estrogen prescribed without progesterone to balance it, will inevitably trigger estrogen dominance, along with potential risks for breast cancer, low thyroid, and other preventable diseases. Furthermore, an estrogen-only approach ignores the basic physiology of hormones and their interactive role in protecting the health and function of a woman’s vital organs. Needless to say, though her uterus and ovaries have been removed, the breasts, bones, brain and heart that remain still need their full complement of hormones to function. A woman who has a complete hysterectomy will require a new and balanced supply of all her sex hormones: estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, as well as DHEA. In a partial hysterectomy, where the uterus is removed and the ovaries are left behind, the belief that ovarian production of hormones is not affected, is an error in thinking common to many in the medical profession. In fact, the ovaries are significantly impacted because there are two primary pathways for blood flow to the ovaries: one through the aorta, and the second through the uterus. When the uterus is removed, the flow of blood to the ovaries lessens significantly and consequently, total hormone production is reduced. While hormone imbalances may not be as severe as with complete hysterectomy, women who have partial procedures should be tested, treated , and monitored to ensure that hormone levels do not become imbalanced over time. Some medical experts estimate that of the more than 600,000 procedures performed annually in the US, up to 70% may be unnecessary. And, because mortality rates and long-term risks for disease are known to be higher in women who have had a hysterectomy, doubts are growing about its’ therapeutic value; many practitioners now recommend it only as a last resort. Indeed the safest approach of all may be to detect and correct hormone imbalance early before it becomes common cause for a hysterectomy that might otherwise have been prevented. Artificial menopause can also occur as a result of radiation or chemotherapy, or by the administration of certain drugs that catalyze menopause for medical reasons such as to shrink fibroid tumors. Because there is no opportunity for gradual adjustment to the hormonal drop-off, the symptoms of artificial menopause can be sudden, severe and debilitating - requiring a more immediate intervention of supplemental hormone therapy. Recommended Products
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