Symptoms you may be searching for
If any of these brought you here, you are in the right place.
- uterus removal surgery
- hysterectomy is it necessary
- big fibroid uterus removal
- heavy bleeding not stopping with tablets
- uterus coming down surgery
- adenomyosis treatment
- ovaries keep or remove
- hysterectomy recovery time
- life after uterus removal
- hysterectomy without cutting the stomach
See a doctor soon
Bleeding after menopause, or bleeding so heavy that you feel giddy, breathless or faint, needs prompt examination before any talk of surgery. Most causes are not cancer, but the lining of the uterus must be checked without delay.
What is a hysterectomy?
A hysterectomy removes the uterus (womb), usually with the cervix (the neck of the womb). Periods stop and pregnancy is no longer possible. The vagina stays as it is. The ovaries, which make the hormones, are a separate decision.
There are three ways of doing it:
- Vaginal hysterectomy, through the vagina, with no cut on the abdomen. Chosen for a uterus that has come down (prolapse) and for a normal-sized uterus.
- Abdominal hysterectomy, through a cut low on the abdomen, like a caesarean scar. Chosen for a large uterus, many fibroids, suspected cancer or dense adhesions.
- Laparoscopic hysterectomy, through keyhole cuts, with the uterus removed through the vagina.
Dr. Ragavi performs abdominal and vaginal hysterectomy herself. The route depends on the size of the uterus, the reason for the operation, earlier surgeries and your health, and she explains the choice.
When you should see a doctor
See a gynaecologist if:
- Periods are so heavy that you change pads every one to two hours, pass clots, or feel tired and breathless (low haemoglobin).
- A scan shows fibroids and you have pressure symptoms: passing urine often, constipation, or a swelling you can feel.
- You feel something coming down, or the uterus has come out at the opening.
- Period pain and heavy bleeding are getting worse after 40 with a bulky uterus on the scan (possible adenomyosis).
Hysterectomy is advised for large fibroids with symptoms, heavy bleeding that has not responded to medicines and a hormonal IUD, uterine prolapse, adenomyosis, and cancer of the uterus, cervix or ovary. It is not the first step for irregular periods, small fibroids, or bleeding never treated with medicines.
How it is diagnosed at RV Clinic
The consultation settles two things: what is causing the problem, and whether anything short of surgery will fix it. Dr. Ragavi asks about the bleeding pattern, pain, pressure symptoms, earlier treatment, and whether you have finished having children, then examines you with a lady attender present to judge the size of the uterus and any prolapse.
A transvaginal ultrasound scan at the clinic measures the uterus, locates the fibroids, measures the lining, looks for adenomyosis and checks the ovaries. Blood tests include haemoglobin, thyroid and sugar. A Pap smear is done if not recent. When bleeding is irregular or you are over 40, a sample of the lining (endometrial biopsy) rules out cancer before the operation is decided.
A note on scans
Sex determination of the foetus is not done at RV Clinic, and no scan report here will state it. It is a punishable offence under the PCPNDT Act, 1994.
Treatment options
The alternatives come first. For heavy bleeding: tranexamic acid tablets during periods, hormonal tablets, or a hormonal IUD, which reduces bleeding greatly in most women and treats adenomyosis too. For fibroids when you want to keep the uterus: removal of the fibroids alone (myomectomy), by laparoscopic gynaecological surgery in Chennai when size and number allow, or by open surgery. For fibroids that cause no symptoms: watchful waiting with a yearly scan, because fibroids shrink after menopause. For prolapse: pelvic floor exercises and a pessary ring, described under urine leakage and prolapse treatment in Chennai.
When hysterectomy is the right choice, Dr. Ragavi decides the route with you. The tubes are usually removed at the same time, which lowers the chance of ovarian cancer later and does not affect the hormones.
Ovaries: kept or removed. Before menopause, healthy ovaries are usually kept, so your hormones continue and there is no sudden menopause. After menopause, or with a strong family history of ovarian or breast cancer, removing them may be advised. If they are removed before menopause, hot flashes and dryness can start within days; hormone replacement is discussed beforehand, and menopause care in Chennai continues at the clinic.
Recovery and risks. Two to three days in hospital after vaginal hysterectomy, four to five after abdominal, and full activity by six weeks. The risks, all uncommon, are explained before consent: bleeding, infection, injury to the bladder, ureter or bowel, clots in the legs, and anaesthesia risks.
Life after hysterectomy. Periods stop for good. If the ovaries are kept, hormones, energy and mood carry on as before. The uterus has no role in strength, weight or ageing.
Where treatment happens
Consultation, examination, scans, the trial of medicines and follow-up happen at RV Clinic Madipakkam or RV Clinic Thalambur, whichever is closer to you. If you need a hysterectomy, abdominal or vaginal, it is done by Dr. Ragavi Vikram herself at Unittas Multispeciality Hospital, which is 21 km from the Madipakkam clinic and 5 km from the Thalambur clinic. RV Clinic is an outpatient clinic. No operation is done at either clinic address.
What to expect at your appointment
- Call or WhatsApp the clinic. Bring old scan reports, prescriptions and any earlier operation notes.
- Dr. Ragavi listens to the whole history, examines you with a lady attender present, and does a transvaginal scan.
- If medicines or a hormonal IUD have not been tried, she usually suggests them first, with a review in three months.
- If hysterectomy is the right treatment, she explains the route, the ovary decision, the risks and the recovery, in Tamil, English or Hindi.
- Tests are completed before an admission date is fixed. You are reviewed at the clinic a week after discharge and again at six weeks.
Frequently asked questions
Uterus eduthuta weight podumaa?
The uterus itself has no effect on weight. Weight gain after surgery comes from resting for weeks while eating the same, and from the hormonal change if the ovaries were removed. Walking from the second week prevents it.
Will I lose my strength or feel old after the operation?
No. Strength comes from muscles, food and activity, not from the uterus. Women return to housework, jobs and exercise. If the ovaries are kept, the hormones continue exactly as before.
Can I avoid hysterectomy for fibroids?
Often, yes. Fibroids that cause no trouble need no treatment. Heavy bleeding can be controlled with tablets or a hormonal IUD, and fibroids can be removed leaving the uterus (myomectomy). Hysterectomy is for when these have failed and the family is complete.
Should the ovaries be removed at the same time?
Before menopause, healthy ovaries are usually kept, so the hormones continue and there is no sudden menopause. After menopause, or with a family history of ovarian cancer, removal may be advised. It is your decision, made before the operation.
How many days in hospital, and how long to recover fully?
Vaginal: usually two to three days in hospital. Abdominal: four to five. Most women manage light housework by two to three weeks and everything by six, with no heavy lifting until then.
Will intercourse be affected?
The vagina is not removed. After the six-week check, most couples resume intercourse without difficulty. Dryness can occur if the ovaries were removed, and it is treatable with a cream.
Book a consultation
If you have been told you need your uterus removed, bring your reports for a plain second opinion. Call or WhatsApp the clinic for an appointment at Madipakkam or Thalambur.