Women’s stories
Thriving after her hysterectomy — without HRT
Penelope had suffered for years with severe endometriosis and abdominal scarring.
The simplest tasks like walking and housework became acutely painful. She felt the
endometriosis was taking over her life.
Penelope had undergone laparoscopic surgery several years ago to confirm the diagnosis,
and even the recovery from that procedure had been agonizing — it took her
weeks to get moving and eating again. That made her dread the hysterectomy that
her doctors recommended. She tried everything short of surgery, including Depo/Lupron,
a hormone-blocking medication that might shrink the endometriosis, but she felt
no relief from the pain, and the hot flashes and side effects of the drug were severe.
This spring Penelope reluctantly agreed to have her hysterectomy. She feared a repeat
of everything she had suffered with her laparoscopy — or worse! — so
she began to research how to prepare for surgery. That’s when she found us.
Penelope learned about the vital role that nutrients play in her body’s endocrine
function, and that with the appropriate support her body would be better able to
heal and to balance her hormones naturally, even after her hysterectomy. She started
her Personal Program some weeks before her surgery, including the supplements and
dietary changes.
The hysterectomy was an intense experience for her doctor, who said removing the
endometriosis scars was “like cutting concrete.” But Penelope was amazed
at how good she felt after the surgery, and how fast she healed. She felt strong
and healthy and was up and walking — and eating! — right away. Her doctor
commented on how unbelievably fast she was recovering.
Penelope was thrilled at the contrast between her difficult recovery from her laparoscopy
years before and the seemingly easy recovery from her complete hysterectomy. She
attributed the change to the nutritional support she’s getting from the Program.
She’s also amazed that she still is experiencing no hot flashes or night sweats
a month after her hysterectomy, just with the support of our Personal Program, and
a soy drink she has every day that’s rich in soy isoflavones. She had expected
to “crash” after the surgery unless she took estrogen. We discussed
the merits of adding a bioidentical estrogen to the Personal Program until she reaches
the age of 45, but Penelope feels so good she doesn’t think she really wants
it. We promised to talk monthly as she completes her recovery.
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Our Personal Program is a great place to start
The Personal Program promotes natural hormonal balance with nutritional supplements,
our exclusive endocrine support formula, dietary and lifestyle guidance, and optional
phone consultations with our Nurse–Educators. It is a convenient, at-home
version of what we recommend to all our patients at the clinic.
If you have questions, don't hesitate to call us toll-free at
1-800-798-7902. We're here to listen and help.
Last Modified Date: 05/26/2011