What are the symptoms of Surgical Menopause?

Keywords: vasomotor symptoms, musculoskeletal symptoms effects on mood or anxiety, urogenital symptoms, sexual difficulties. Surgery

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Written by IAPMD
Updated over a week ago

There are many symptoms of menopause, which can occur quite quickly after surgery. Here are a few of the most common symptoms: 

  • vasomotor symptoms (for example, hot flushes and sweats)

  • musculoskeletal symptoms (for example, joint and muscle pain)

  • effects on mood or anxiety (for example, feeling abnormally sad or worried)

  • urogenital symptoms (for example, vaginal dryness)

  • sexual difficulties (for example, low sexual desire).

There are also long-term health risks associated with surgical menopause, including the following: 

Surgical menopause is known to cause all of the above symptoms and health risks-- but these problems can generally be reduced or eliminated by using estrogen therapy following surgery through to the typical age of menopause (51 years). Most individuals in surgical menopause choose to continue some level of estrogen through at least age 60 to maintain symptom relief.

Source: Menopause: diagnosis and management (NG23)

© NICE 2019.

Visit www.iapmd.org/surgery for lots of evidence-based information and resources for those considering, going through or recovering from surgery for PMDD/PME.

Read through all FAQ on surgical menopause here. Find out more about where to get support here

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