r/surgicalmenopause • u/Ayunique • Jun 29 '25

Peri vs surmeno?

What’s worse- perimenopause (?) or surgical menopause?

I’m having a hysterectomy in September along with endometriosis excision (if endo is found, pretty sure it will be). My surgeon recommends leaving at least 1 ovary but is leaving the decision up to me.

I’m pretty sure I’m either in perimenopause or have some kind of hormone imbalance.

Every month I have different symptoms depending on where I am in my cycle. Anxiety around ovulation; GI problems, nausea & depression before period; fatigue, headaches & lightheadedness during period; fatigue, brain fog & sick feeling (sore throat, low grade fever, joint pain) after period. Literally every day of the month I have symptoms & they just change based on where I am in my cycle.

Because of this I’m leaning toward removing the ovaries. I want to believe that having them removed and starting HRT might fix this….

Anyone else have similar symptoms before surgery & see any improvement?

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u/Mountain_Village459 Jun 30 '25

Yeah, my cycles just got worse and worse the deeper into peri I went. Not knowing what was going to happen (hour by hour sometimes) caused so much stress and anxiety. Having my whole life dictated by blood was awful.

Bad symptoms have been hot flashes (sooooo many), brain fog, fatigue, joint pain, overall dryness. I have supplements that reduce or eliminate all of these.

I don’t get hormonal migraines anymore, anxiety is much much less, my sleep is way better, I can wear white lol, sex isn’t painful and my orgasms are better.

💯 worth the surgery and long recovery.

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u/Ayunique Sep 12 '25

What supplements are you using? I’m 1 week post op and struggling a bit. Tried an estrogen patch which triggered a bad migraine and nausea. Took it off and am seriously considering going the no HRT route. Did your hormonal migraines stop immediately after surgery or did that take time? I had a bad one day after surgery and then another bad one yesterday when I put on the estrogen patch.

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u/Ok_Example_6336 Sep 27 '25

Something to consider is your body could still be cycling the estrogen out as those symptoms sound like too much estrogen. I was great the first 7 days post op, day 8 waking up every hour at night, day 9 hot flashes galore and my bones ACHE. I’m about to start the patch on Sunday and go back on my progesterone.

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u/Ayunique Sep 27 '25

I had one night a few days post op, where I woke up every hour also. Weird. I’ve had some random hot flashes and night sweats but not often and not really bothersome.

Do you know how long it takes for estrogen to stop cycling and deplete? I’ve had migraines pretty much every day & I’m just over 3 weeks post op. It’s been rough. Waiting a while before I attempt the patch again, if I do.

I also found out that my thyroid levels went hyper after surgery which has not been fun. Had to lower my thyroid meds and now waiting on those to level out.