Hi, I am 31 and had my uterus and cervix removed after complications with my 3rd child. That was in 2001, after the surgery I could hardly lose any weight at all, and now all I can do is put it on. I have tried diets, exercise, and trying to stay as physically active as possible, but nothing works. I want to talk to a doctor about it, but I am afraid I will be viewed as a fat and lazy house wife looking for an excuse.
I guess the point I wanted to make is that yes I think the hysterectomy has made it harder to lose and easier to gain! I am very frustrated and I understand your anguish.

Hi,
thanks for the reply, I am still desperatly trying to lose weight, I might start working next week so I will see if I lose any weight with being more active, even though I have been going to a weight loss clinic for one month I went and got weighed today and I didnt lose or gain any, but I am still going to keep on trying.
Take care,
pat

A couple of suggestions - have you looked into pilates - it advertises that it helps esp with weight loss around thigh & tummy??

Also have you done some research (on-line via say google or yahoo) into different types of eating (not so much diet but just what foods might better suit your metabolism).

One other thing that might be worth looking into is "hair analysis" this analyses your entire system (everything that is in your body apparently comes out in your hair) might be worth checking to see if your system is functioning properly or lacking (or has too much) of something??

Then of course there's the two current "in" diets which do seem to have some value - curves & atkins ??

Good luck

Thank you for the suggestion, however, I do have and tried pillates (gunthy-renker). As far as "diet" I use that term to define my eating habits, not an actual diet. I studied anatomy, physiology, and pathology where I learned that the best food plan is the food pyramid, or something similar. Our bodies need calories, fat, protein, and carbs, just in certain amounts. I have heard that it might be getting revamped by our government. I have also tried atkins, it gives me a headache, but I continued the program and lost nothing, gained nothing. It did work for me after my second child but not this time. I have a doctors appt on wed and I am going to bring a food and exercise journal with me so they can get an idea of what my habits and styles are. Hopefully it will save some time as far as them telling me to try this or that for a couple weeks or months and then having to come back again and again.
I am a smart, educated woman, and I just hate feeling like I am being underminded by doctors. It happened every time I was pregnant. For example, with my last child I kept expressing my worry about a vaginal delivery because my first child was 9 lb 1 oz, and my second was 10 lb. 3 oz. The doctor and hospital wouldn't listen, and kept telling me its fine. Thank god my baby knew he was too big to fit, because after one week of useless induction I had a c-section. Well, my son was 12 lb. 6 oz. My doctor actually told me, you need to get a smarter doc! I said, I tried to tell you! That is the treatment it seems all doctors give you. They don't beleive you know your own body, because you don't have a medical degree on your wall! Hopefully this doctor will be better, we'll see.

You may be smart & intelligent & educated but that doesn't mean you cna't learn more & while I totally understand (have been there myself & with my daughter) about drs not listening - you too need to learn to listen instead of taking offense & assuming things.

I do't know you soi believe that it's sensible to start with the basics. The old food pyramid is a good example of needing to update your information - there are auto-immune diseases (not aids) that mean a person can not eat according to that pyramid - one is ibs (irritable bowel syndrome) which my daughter has & another friend too - one of them gains weight when she eats the wrong foods & the other loses it - my daughter loses weight drastically if she eats bread, chips, potato, rice, corn, sweet potato, pasta, sugars, etc etc - so that rules out fast food except for plain salads & plain chicken etc.

So perhaps you could try a) looking into the auto-immune disorders & "diets" that apply to them (there are numerous such disorders) & also have you tried the curves "diet"?

Other than that you need to just do some research to figure it out yourself.

My daughter was diagnosed with anorexia by closed minded drs & then did her own research & self-diagnosed ibs & whereas the drs couldn't get her to gain more than 1-2lbs in 8 months she regained her normal weight on the ibs diet after only 2 months. She by the way was 15 at the time so her mind was still open to the concept of learning new things but then she was also at university doing a degree by then.

This was many years ago. I also have gained weight. Some say its not from the surgery but I belive it is.
All I can tell you may help is to get a treadmill and walk 30 min a day on it.
Gweny2

I had my hysterectomy on april 2, 2004. I went in weighing 120, came home weighing 145! How and where did the 25 lbs come from? Dr said it was water retention, took pills for that, didnt work. Then he said for me to exercise, still gained weight. Im not eating any junk foods, soda is one can a day if that. I walk 4 miles everyday. Plus I have 3 children that keep me busy alot. Im only 5'0 tall and this weight is seriously becoming a problem. Heart disease is alot in my family, and im scared taht this weight is gonna trigger things with me. Im healthy at the moment, but who knows. Id like to atleast get back to my 120. Has anyone tried anything and it work? Thanks.

Your situation sounds like my daughters - check out lowcarbfriends.Com - this is a site which my daughter found useful re her irritable bowel syndrome which initally caused her to lose weight to near death levels this site helped her regain weight - but she now can't stop gaining weight despite alot of exercise & no junk food etc etc like you - everyone is different so your weight may balance out on this - also there are a number of other auto-immune disorders - hashimoto's hypothyroidism for one which can cause weight gain as can stress & hormone imbalance.

Get your hormone levels checked, do some stress reducing things (long hot baths, yoga, meditation, relaxation & in the meantime research on line medical causes of weight gain & see if any of the dozens of things listed seem applicable to you (or to your family history) & then get tested for them.

I am 39 yrs. Old. And back in feb 2004 I had surgery. I even asked my Dr. If I was going to gain because I had heard horror stories. Well, she said thats just what they were ...Stories.
Then how come I went in weighing 120, and now I weigh 170. I hate myself now.
We went hiking for a week. I also do some bike riding. And nothing!!!!!
It's a lost cause nothing is going to work.
I am so desperate. Somebody please tell me what to do.

Although I have gained weight since my hysterectomy the "fault" is mine - eating too much, eating the wrong foods & due to physical illhealth too little exercise. But I know plenty of women who have not gained after having a hysterectomy - so I do feel that although the surgery, hormonal changes as well as age do affect us that whether or not we gain weight is often more down to us than we would like to admit.

Just as anyone whose situation changes must re-evaluate their life, diet (as in what foods & how much etc they eat not as in going on a diet) & so on so must we, if we don't the we should blame ourselves first - their are natural alternatives, numerous types of exercises to fit different lifestyles, circumstances & health issues as well as different eating styles & so on, all of which we can choose to learn about & evaluate or not.