How Is a Hysterectomy Done and What Are the Long-Term Effects on Women’s Hormonal Health

If you’ve just had a hysterectomy procedure, or you’re preparing for one, you’ve probably been told it’s a common surgery and recovery should be simple.

But for many women, the days and weeks after surgery are anything but predictable. Truth be told, the younger you have one the more adjustments there will be. Hormone shifts can hit harder than expected, especially if the ovaries are removed. Emotions change. Sleep changes. Your body feels different, and sometimes so do your relationships.

I’ve spoken with many women over the years who felt caught off guard by what came next. That’s why I believe it’s so important to talk honestly about what really happens after a hysterectomy and how natural support may help.

What is a Hysterectomy Procedure?

A hysterectomy procedure is a surgical operation where a woman’s uterus is removed.

Depending on the medical reason and the type of surgery, it might also include the removal of the cervix, ovaries, or fallopian tubes.

According to the CDC, nearly 600,000 women in the U.S. undergo hysterectomy surgery every year. That’s more than half a million women facing a major hormone shift annually. Doesn’t that sound extreme; more like an epidemic.

But here’s the part I want to emphasize, not every hysterectomy is the same. And not every woman will feel the same afterward. And WHY do so many women need hysterectomies?

Types of Hysterectomy: What You Should Know

Understanding the types of hysterectomy helps make sense of the symptoms and changes that follow. These are the most common forms:

• Total Hysterectomy – Removal of the uterus and cervix
• Partial (or Subtotal) Hysterectomy – Uterus removed but cervix left intact
• Radical Hysterectomy – Uterus, cervix, surrounding tissue, and part of the vagina removed (often in cancer cases)
• Hysterectomy with Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy – Removal of uterus, fallopian tubes, and both ovaries

That last one is key. When your ovaries are removed, your estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels drop suddenly. That’s not gradual like menopause. It’s immediate. This is why some women feel like they were thrown into the deep end of hormone imbalance overnight.

That’s also when natural support makes a big difference. But we’ll get to that soon.

What Happens to Your Hormones After Hysterectomy?

This is the question I get most: “How will a hysterectomy affect my hormones?”

It depends on whether your ovaries are removed.

• If your ovaries are kept, your hormone production may continue close to normal, at least for a while.
• If your ovaries are removed, your body enters what’s known as surgical menopause.

Now, surgical menopause is different from natural menopause. It’s more abrupt. There’s no slow build-up. Changes are not subtle. You may go from having regular periods to suddenly dealing with hot flashes, mood swings, vaginal dryness, poor sleep, or brain fog, all within weeks.

Studies published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) show that women who undergo oophorectomy (ovary removal) are at a higher risk for low bone density, cardiovascular issues, and even emotional health challenges due to the sudden estrogen drop.

That’s why understanding hysterectomy and hormones is not optional. It’s essential.

The Role of Estrogen and Progesterone

Your body relies on estrogen and progesterone for way more than fertility.

• Estrogen helps with brain function, memory, heart health, and maintaining bone strength
• Progesterone helps regulate mood, supports sleep, and keeps estrogen in balance

Without these hormones, it’s like the volume knob gets turned way down on energy, desire, joy, and even comfort.

But here’s the encouraging part: God gave us options. I’ve spent years helping women find what their bodies respond to, and sometimes it’s the simple, natural things that help the most.

How Natural Creams May Help Support Your Hormone Levels

When hormone levels crash, many women are offered prescription hormone replacement therapy (HRT). But not everyone wants to go that route or feels good on it. As a matter of fact, according to MD Anderson, a leading cancer treatment center, this might be a step onto the road to cancer for many women taking HRT.

That’s why natural alternatives, like transdermal creams, are worth considering. At Whole Family Products, we offer several formulas that many women have said helped them feel more like themselves again, after a hysterectomy.

Note: These creams are what are called BHRT – Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy because they are natural to the body and not made from progestins. BHRT works in much the same way as your own body to support hormone balance.

PhytoEstrogen Cream
Uses plant-based estrogen-like compounds from red clover, black cohosh, and more. It may support hormonal comfort gently, especially for those who prefer a lighter option.

Meno-Lady Cream
Contains micronized progesterone alongside evening primrose oil and botanical extracts. Women love it for mood swings, sleep support, and night sweats.

Fertile Balance Cream
Often used pre-hysterectomy (for PCOS or irregular cycles), this bioidentical progesterone cream may still be helpful after surgery for those with remaining hormonal fluctuations.

Natural Estrogen Cream and Estriol Oil
Estriol is the weakest / gentlest and shortest time binding to receptors of the 3 estrogens your body makes. The latest research, discussed here in a study published on NCBI, points to low-dose vaginal forms as safe for menopausal symptoms even in breast cancer patients. It is because of this that it is set apart from stronger estrogens even for long time use.

BiEstro Cream
Contains 80% estriol and 20% estradiol, two forms of estrogen your body recognizes. Especially helpful for vaginal dryness, hot flashes, and memory fog. BiEstro Cream is usually the last line of defense for women for whom nothing else seems to work. According to the same article found on NCBI – Breast Cancer Risk in Menopausal Women Using Estrogen-Only Therapy, estradiol is best used for short term relief; for 5 years and under to be safe.

Each of these is transdermal forms, meaning it absorbs through your skin, can be more efficient than pills that lose potency through digestion. Even better when applied vaginally such as with estriol oil.

Life After Hysterectomy: What They Don’t Always Tell You

Recovery after a hysterectomy procedure is about more than surgical healing.

Sure, the physical recovery matters and depending on the type of hysterectomy surgery you had, it could take 4 to 8 weeks.

But many women tell me it’s the emotional and hormonal aftermath that surprised them most.

It’s one thing to prepare for a hospital stay. It’s another to wake up one day feeling like a stranger in your own skin.

Some women feel relief, especially if the surgery ended years of pain or heavy bleeding. But others feel a wave of fatigue, sadness, or even a strange sense of loss they didn’t expect. That’s completely normal.

You’ve just gone through a significant change. Your body is adjusting. And your hormones, well, they’re still figuring things out too.

Hormonal Changes After Hysterectomy Surgery: It’s Not “Just in Your Head”

A lot of women are told they should “bounce back” in a few weeks.

But when your ovaries are removed during a hysterectomy, hormone production takes a sharp dip. Estrogen drops. Progesterone drops. Even testosterone, which helps regulate mood, energy, and libido, can decline rapidly. And when that happens, symptoms can show up in surprising ways.

According to research published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), women who enter surgical menopause often experience more sudden and intense hormone-related symptoms than those in natural menopause, including:

• Night sweats and hot flashes
• Difficulty sleeping
• Mood swings or increased anxiety
• Vaginal dryness and irritation
• Skin and hair changes
• Lower libido
• Trouble concentrating or feeling mentally sharp
• Loss of muscle mass

What About Sex Drive and Vaginal Health?

Vaginal dryness, pain during intimacy, and a drop in libido are extremely common after a hysterectomy. That’s because estrogen plays a key role in maintaining the health of vaginal tissue — keeping it moist, elastic, and resilient. When estrogen levels drop after surgery, so does vaginal comfort.

In fact, a landmark clinical study published in Psychosomatic Medicine showed that a reduction in sex hormones after surgical menopause is strongly associated with decreased sexual interest and vaginal sensitivity. The study also found that supplementing with specific hormones helped restore sexual motivation in some women post-hysterectomy.

This helps explain why many women experience discomfort or even avoidance of intimacy after surgery, not because they’ve lost interest emotionally, but because their body is responding to a real shift in hormones.