According to a research review , in the United States, more than , hysterectomies are done each year for a primary diagnosis of endometriosis. About 12 percent of women with endometriosis eventually need a hysterectomy. They can answer specific questions about your situation and address any concerns. This is especially important if you have other medical conditions.
Like any medical procedure, a hysterectomy can have drawbacks. These can vary depending on your preferences, situation, and overall health. Some longer-term drawbacks can include :. Talk with your doctor about the possible drawbacks of the surgery. They can provide personalized advice, taking into account your concerns and any other ongoing health conditions. A hysterectomy relieves the symptoms of endometriosis for many people, but the condition can recur after the surgery, and the symptoms can persist.
All the excess endometrial tissue needs to be removed, along with the uterus. If any tissue is left behind, it could continue to grow. Endometriosis is often misdiagnosed or hard to diagnose. For Black people, it can be even harder to get an accurate diagnosis because of racial bias. According to a study , there are significantly fewer studies on endometriosis in African American women, whose symptoms may be more likely to be misinterpreted.
Moreover, doctors are less likely to believe reports of pain from Black women. Overall, doctors are less likely to diagnose endometriosis in Black women, who also have more limited access to holistic treatments. As a result, people of color may be less likely to receive adequate treatment, including surgery. Everyone responds differently to treatments, so your doctor might try more conservative options before they recommend things like surgery. Other treatments can include :. Ablation may also be an option.
This laparoscopic procedure destroys excess endometrial tissue and scars to help relieve symptoms, including pain. Pain from implants may be mild for a few days before your menstrual period. It may get better during your period. But if an implant grows in a sensitive area such as the rectum, it can cause constant pain or pain during sex, exercise, or bowel movements. This surgery works very well to relieve pain from endometriosis. But pain does return for up to 15 out of women who have surgery.
You can take low-dose estrogen after surgery to protect your bones and prevent symptoms of menopause. But this increases the chance that implants could come back. Without estrogen, you can have severe symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes , vaginal dryness, moodiness, and depression. Your bones also begin to thin.
This increases your risk of osteoporosis in later life. Taking estrogen can prevent these problems. If you don't want to take estrogen, you can take another type of medicine to make your bones stronger. Estrogen therapy ET may increase the risk of health problems in a small number of women. A woman's increase in risk depends on her age, her personal risk, and when she starts ET. Some of the problems include: footnote 2.
These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
I have had pain before and during my period for years. I tried non-prescription and prescription medicines to control the pain. Nothing was working. Because my pain was so bad, my doctor suggested that I consider a hysterectomy.
I didn't like the thought of surgery but had to do something about the pain. Since I'd already had two children, I had the surgery. It has been 6 months now, and I am glad I had the surgery.
Endometriosis made me miserable for a week to 10 days every month. Since my husband and I have three children and did not want any more, I decided it was time to take action to get rid of the pain. I decided that ablation made the most sense, because I wanted to keep my uterus and ovaries.
My doctor talked with me about the discomfort and risks of having the wall of the uterus treated with a laser.
Frankly, it didn't take more than a week to recover, since the incisions were so small. But you know, after a year or so, the pain started coming back.
I'm going to have to rethink my options now. Even though my sister has had long-lasting relief from ablation, it's not for me. My periods were really painful about 5 years ago. I went to my doctor, and he asked a lot of questions about my periods and did an examination and some tests. When all the tests came back normal, he said endometriosis might be the cause of my pain.
He suggested a hysterectomy but did say that endometriosis can grow back in other places. I still wanted to have a child, so I said no hysterectomy. Fortunately, I did get pregnant, and ever since having my baby my periods have been so much better! My doctor told me endometriosis might be causing my painful periods.
I'd never even heard of it before. She told me all about endometriosis and the treatments I could try. She suggested I try taking birth control pills and using ibuprofen before and during my period. It took a couple of months of using this system, but now I hardly have any pain. I am glad I didn't have surgery. Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts.
Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements. I tried hormones and had laparoscopic surgery, and my symptoms are still bad. I'm not close to menopause, so I don't want to wait for the symptoms to go away.
I'm close to menopause, so I prefer to wait for the symptoms to go away. Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now. How sure do you feel right now about your decision? Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps. Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.
Some of the problems include: 2. I'm close to menopause, so I could take medicine and wait for my symptoms to go away rather than have surgery. If I have my ovaries and uterus taken out, endometriosis will never give me pain again. I can take estrogen after surgery to make my bones stronger and to keep from having hot flashes and other menopause symptoms. Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you?
Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice? Author: Healthwise Staff. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
Get the facts. Your options Have your uterus and ovaries removed to treat symptoms from endometriosis. Keep using hormone therapy or have more laparoscopic surgery to remove endometriosis and scar tissue.
Key points to remember There is no cure for endometriosis. Hormone therapy or taking out tissue with laparoscopic surgery can ease pain. But pain often returns within a year or two. Taking out the ovaries oophorectomy and the uterus hysterectomy usually relieves pain. But the pain relief doesn't always last. Pain comes back in up to 15 out of women who have this surgery. When your menstrual periods stop at around age 50 menopause and your estrogen levels drop, endometriosis growth and symptoms will probably also stop.
In some cases, scar tissue remains after menopause and can cause problems. Taking out the uterus and ovaries is a major surgery with short-term and long-term risks.
Hysterectomy FAQ Published October, National Institutes of Health. What are the treatments for endometriosis? Food and Drug Administration. Drug trials snapshots: Orilissa. Published August 13, Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.
These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Pros Hysterectomy can help alleviate intolerable symptoms Oophorectomy can help alleviate pain. Cons Multiple surgeries may be needed Pain relief may not be complete Oophorectomy leads to permanent sterility and triggers menopause.
Endometriosis Healthcare Provider Discussion Guide Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider's appointment to help you ask the right questions. Download PDF. Email the Guide Send to yourself or a loved one. Sign Up. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What are your concerns? Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles.
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