- Date posted
- 2y
Hysterectomy
Ladies only: Has anyone with OCD had a hysterectomy? Do your symptoms feel any different after.
Ladies only: Has anyone with OCD had a hysterectomy? Do your symptoms feel any different after.
I had a hysterectomy at 36 because of endometriosis and was left with just one and a half ovaries….I felt a drastic difference with my ocd and anxiety!!!! my emotional health was the first thing I noticed. I felt so much better immediately! I am now 46 and still have endometriosis and an endometrioma cyst and my ocd has increased in the last year as my endometriosis and cyst have been growing…ugg!! but my hysterectomy definitely made a difference for me!! Hormones are powerful and play a big role.
@mbear Really useful to hear. My perimenopause starting around 41 and my OCD has been bad since then. I kept hoping it would end with menopause but I’m 57 and get too depressed without estradiol so it’s not ending soon. I thought a hysterectomy took care of the endometriosis- I’d like to hear more about this as my OBGYN is monitoring me for this due to the estradiol and thickness of my endometrial lining. I don’t have somatic OCD around this issue but my hormones really make my OCD worse so I’d like to her more.
@Erin P Our hormones play a big role in triggering or worsening OCD. That’s been my experience. Unfortunately, a hysterectomy does not cure endometriosis, but my surgery helped tremendously. Since my OCD got really bad this last year, I looked into my health issues I also did a blood panel and found out I had high cortisol. So I have been doing natural things to lower my cortisol. That has really been helping calm my OCD. Hormones plays such a big role with our anxiety as women. Especially going through menopausal years. I hope you find some answers and start feeling better 💕
@mbear Thank you, that’s why I’m asking. My doctor recommends a total hysterectomy for issues I am having. Hormones can make OCD worse so I just wanted to see how others dealt with this
@mbear I have adenomyosis and endometriosis so I’m getting a total hysterectomy. I’ve been in perimenopause for 8 years so I know I’m almost to menopause but my ocd has gotten so much worse during the hormone fluctuations of going through perimenopause. So im glad it helped you , thanks for sharing
@mbear Thank you.
@mbear Thank you. This helps a lot. ❤️
@Erin P you’re welcome ❤️
@Schoolie93 hope the best for you. We have to be our own advocate for women’s health…hopefully they can save an ovary for hormones. It’s nice to know we aren’t alone.🥰
@mbear Yes so true thank you 😊
@Schoolie93 Thank for sharing.
I’d love to know too. Info online about PMDD seems to suggest so if the ovaries are removed as well as the uterus. But my OBGYN said if you get a hysterectomy for physical health reasons it doesn’t necessarily eliminate the hormonal issues. This is something I’ve considered but not really researched because I’m 57 and still have all the awful hormonal issues periodically even while taking estradiol.
@Erin P If you remove the ovaries and you have pmdd your symptoms will improve according to my doctor, I’m 54 and almost at the end of this anyway so I’m having everything taken.
I haven’t had one and don’t plan to unless I absolutely must. But getting rid of your womb won’t solve your issues—you still have hormones.
@Nica I have to because I have adenomyosis and endometriosis, that’s why I’m asking,
@Nica And no I won’t have hormones after because it’s a total hysterectomy
Hi everyone, I’m Andrea and I am a member of the Intake Team here at NOCD. In junior high, I was known as the “aneurysm girl” because I was convinced any small headache meant I was dying. At just 12 years old, I read something that triggered my OCD, and from that moment on, my brain latched onto catastrophic health fears. Any strange sensation in my body felt like proof that something was seriously wrong. I constantly sought reassurance, avoided being alone, and felt trapped in an endless cycle of fear. Over time, my OCD shifted themes, but health anxiety was always there, lurking in the background. I turned to drinking to numb my mind, trying to escape the fear that never let up. Then, in 2016, everything spiraled. I was sitting at work, feeling completely fine, when suddenly my vision felt strange—something was “off.” My mind convinced me I was having a stroke. I called an ambulance, launching myself into one of the darkest periods of my life. I visited doctors multiple times a week, terrified I was dying, yet every test came back normal. The fear never loosened its grip. For years, I cycled in and out of therapy, desperately trying to find answers, but no one recognized what was really happening. I was always told I had anxiety or depression, but OCD was never mentioned. I was suicidal, believing I would never escape the torment of my mind. It wasn’t until 2022—after years of struggling, hitting rock bottom, and finally seeking specialized OCD treatment—that I got the right diagnosis. ERP therapy at NOCD was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it saved my life. Today, I’m 34, sober, and living a life I never thought was possible. Do I still have hard days? Absolutely. But I am no longer a prisoner to my fears. The thoughts still come, but they don’t control me anymore. They don’t dictate my every move. Life isn’t perfect, but it no longer knocks me off my feet. If you’re struggling with health OCD or somatic OCD, I see you. I know how terrifying and isolating it can be. But I also know that it can get better. If you have any questions about health & somatic OCD, ERP, and breaking the OCD cycle, I’d love to tell you what I’ve learned first hand. Drop your questions below, and I’ll answer all of them!
Hello, my name is Brittany, and I have been living with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) for as long as I can remember. However, since experiencing a stroke that I believe was a result of chiropractic care, my struggles have intensified and become overwhelmingly exhausting. I have always been acutely aware of my body and its signals, which has led to a heightened sense of worry about potential health complications. Though I’ve always had a tendency to worry, the anxiety that has surged since my stroke feels insurmountable. I’m reaching out in hopes of connecting with others who understand this journey, sharing stories and experiences in the hope that, one day, I might find a way to overcome these challenges or at least discover some relief from the relentless grip of anxiety.
For those who have had success with medication for OCD/anxiety, how is your life different now compared to before starting medication?
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