POTS after hysterectomy

[kbennj]

I am most likely going to schedule a hysterectomy in June.  I was diagnoses with mild POTS in February.  My symptoms are mostly dizziness (no actual fainting) tiredness, heart palps ....Dr put me on ToprolXL 25 ml a day which i take 12.5 in the morning and 12.5 in the evening.  This really heped the heart palps ALOT!  I have upped my water by a ton, which has also helped alot, but i do see my symptoms get worse during my period.  I was wondering what everyone's thoughts were on having a hysterectomy?  I am hoping it helps relieve some of the PMS increased POTS I get.  It is usually at its worse the week before my period and the week during.  The rest of the time I hardly know I even have POTS.  Is it because of the obvious blood loss during ones cycle? Will having the surgery make things better? Just hoping for the best, Thanks Kathy

[LivingInHope]

I had a hysterectomy a little over three years ago.  It has not helped my POTS.  It has however, helped me not to be fighting anemia due to menstrual and endometriosis blood loss.   Blood iron deficiency (even if you have a normal CBC) can aggravate both tachycardia, shortness of breath, and make you feel really tired.  I speak from experience.  Have you had your iron, ferritin and T.I.B.C. blood levels checked?

[kbennj]

Well I am 8 wks post op now.  I had 1 fainting episode in the hospital right after surgery , which is to be expected with someoen with this condition.  I was made to get up too soon after surgery, abt 1 1/2 hrs after.!  I wasn't even out of anestesia yet and the Dr wanted to take my catheter out.  I was so mad.  And I had another near fainting episode 1 week after surgery and that was because I pushed myself too hard and went for a walk, which I shouldn't have done.  These episodes were most likely caused from blood loss from surgery and until I built up more and healed  a bit, I was a little weak at first.  But now i am back to my old routine pretty much.  Strength is good.  I am having some hot flashes now and cold flashes and acne issues.  I am also experiencing an increase in anxiety and even have had a few panic attacks the last few days.  There is good and bad with each week I get out from surgery.  As i gain strength, I am developing symptoms of hormonal imbalances, wich would be expected.  I am going to see my Dr on Monday about going on Effexor for the hotflashes and the anxiety.  It also helps with POTS I have heard, so what the hay, I'll try it.  I know the panic attacks are aweful and I refuse to live with them alny longer.  I will update later when i get used to the medication.  Overall the POTS symptoms have been better though after surgery.

[lielou]

I'm curious as well.  My POTS symptoms get really exaggerated for the two weeks around my period but I don't know whether removal of just the uterus would alter that significantly.  I imagine you'd have to have your ovaries removed too and that is a big whack, as they say, because of the sudden disruption in your hormonal system.  Have you heard anything more about improvement in symptoms following hysterectomy?

[kbennj]

OH I can't take birth control pills, for 1,  I am 35 years old.  I could not take them in my twenties.  I had a lot of issues on them.  The reason i am having a hysterectomy is not for just stopping the POTS symptoms, I have severe ovarian cysts that are very painful at ovulation.  Plus I have a strong family history of female cancers and my OBGYN has been asking me to get one for a couple of years.  I have been putting it off.  The reasons to get a hysterectomy were there long before the POTS was.  I just got diagnosed with POTS in February of this year.  I was just saying, if the only time I really feel POTS affects me is right beofre my period, how do you guys think I will react both hormonally and/or surgically with the pots after a hysterectomy. ???

[AireScottie]

I take continuous birth control pills to avoid having a period, and I'm no longer in the ER with every period :)  You might want to try this first to make sure stopping the periods will improve the situation.  Also, my dysautonomia goes crazy with anesthesia, and the nurses never give me enough saline IV fluid before, during, and after surgery, so you couldn't pay me enough to have unneccesary surgery.  If you go the medication route, you may not be able to use the new low dose hormones that have come out in the last few years.  I started with that and ended up bleeding every day.  Imagine how bad that was!  Right now I'm taking Junel 1.5/30 and have been period free for a year.  It will depend on your own body's natural hormone levels, though.