Symptoms After Surgical Menopause: What They Don’t Tell You!

I’ll never forget the advice that I received from my doctor about the symptoms after surgical menopause. When I had my hysterectomy/oophorectomy, I was told to “lube, lube, lube.”

Yep!! You read that right! Lube, lube, lube. 

I have a sneaking suspicion that I’m not the only person getting that wonderful advice… I know I’m not the only one. You would think that having a general doctor, a gynecologist, and an oncologist, that I would’ve received a little more information on what was headed my way. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

If you’re going through surgical menopause or supporting someone who is, this post is for you. In this article, I’m sharing some of the lesser-known symptoms after surgical menopause that many women experience, but rarely get warned about. 

1. Cognitive Changes That Made Me Question My Sanity

Brain Fog Like I’ve Never….

Now I understand that it’s surgical menopause. And the memory lapses are still happening. I constantly forget words that I want to use and can’t recall things that I’ve just done. That can be VERY scary!!!

It takes monumental effort to NOT get side-tracked with the internet or any other little thing that might catch my attention.

I used to be able to multitask very well. You know, as women, we can have six conversations going on at once and totally be able to backtrack on each one and know exactly where we were.

Now, I’m lucky if I can get through one subject at a time. 

Mental Mapping Difficulties

I’ve always had an excellent sense of direction. After my surgeries, I have trouble finding my car in a crowded parking lot.  My spatial awareness and ability to mentally map my surroundings have really diminished.

2. Sensory Changes Nobody Mentions

Electric Shock Sensations

These can be zaps anywhere on your body and I mean “anywhere.” I’ve only personally experienced this a few times, so I feel lucky.

It’s nerve pain and when the signal from your brain to somewhere on your body gets interrupted, or maybe it’s even the wrong message, it comes across as an electric shock. Of course, this is happening because of fluctuating, declining hormones.

Phantom Smells and Taste Changes

Food doesn’t taste the same on some days but other days, it does. Some women report that favorite foods suddenly become unappetizing or that they develop unusual cravings. Sometimes I literally forget to eat and I only notice when my hands start shaking!

Please refer to my blog post all about oral health, where I go much deeper into this subject.

Formication (Not a Typo!)

This peculiar sensation feels like insects crawling on or under your skin when nothing is there. It’s different from general itchiness and can drive you to distraction, especially at night.

Tinnitus and Hearing Changes

Tinnitus is where you hear a ringing, buzzing in one or both ears. It can come and go and is often associated with hearing loss, but not always.

I didn’t develop tinnitus directly after my surgery. I went for one year or more before I started noticing this very high pitched ringing that I hear in both ears.

I’ve literally been wearing ear plugs for sleep since I was 12. I can’t sleep without them. There was a lot of domestic violence in the home and night time was the worst time. I developed quite the insomnia problem because of it and ear plugs became part of the solution.

I’ve never been subjected to super loud noises for long periods of time and never had any of the things happen that could potentially cause tinnitus. I know my age could have something to do with it, but I never had any issues until “after” my surgeries.

Causes of Tinnitus:

There isn’t an answer that fits everyone who suffers from tinnitus. It’s a common issue for a lot of people. Some of the causes are:

• Noise exposure
• Medications
• Ear Infection/Wax
• Neck or Head Injuries

3. Physical Symptoms Beyond the Basics

Joint Pain That Moves Around

From migratory arthritis to muscle loss from no/low estrogen, to weight gain putting more stress on our joints, it makes sense that we’re going to have joint pain. I have an article dedicated to “joint pain.”

Random Allergies and Sensitivities

Did you know that estrogen also regulates histamine, so no/low levels of estrogen means that the body has a tough time breaking down histamine, which leads to an allergic type reaction.

Burning Mouth Syndrome

This burning sensation can affect the tongue, lips, gums, and inside of the cheeks. Please refer to my blog post on more about oral health in surgical menopause.

Digestive System Rebellion

My digestive system seems to have developed a mind of its own—bloating, sudden food intolerances, and unpredictable bathroom habits have become my new normal. Here’s a really good, fairly current article on gut health and estrogen levels.

Dry Everything

Dry skin, dry eyes, dry ears, dry mouth and vaginal dryness. Holy smokes, does it ever end??? Thank goodness there are remedies for these things individually but for me, that only adds up to more things I have to keep track of.

Heart Palpitations

To be honest, I have suffered from heart palpitations on and off throughout my life, and I think it’s because of medications that I take. For some women, this can be quite a scary event if you don’t know what to expect during peri, menopause or surgical menopause. More here.

Muscle Tension and Spasms

Did you know that aching and muscle cramps affect almost as many women as hot flashes do? Also, I didn’t know that estrogen plays a significant role in how we “perceive” pain.

4. Emotional and Psychological Effects

Anxiety

If you suffer from anxiety or depression, or both, you will be more susceptible to them in surgical menopause. With a sudden shift and drop in your hormone production, along with the physical changes, like weight gain, it’s common for women to feel self-conscious or have a fear of being judged.

Just think of being in a noisy room, maybe with a few friends and everyone is talking. You’re trying to listen but all of the “stuff” is just too much when you can’t focus or track conversations like you used to.

This all causes frustration, which only makes it worse. Then, when you freak out, you’re the asshole who can’t handle anything. At least that’s what happens to me.

Emotional Numbness

This can also go the opposite direction and women can become emotionally flat, not really experiencing joy or sadness.

I’ll be honest, I can’t remember the last time that I cried. It’s been years, that’s all I know.

Rage Episodes

Maybe you’re normally an even-tempered woman, but surgical menopause introduces you to a type of sudden, intense anger that feels completely out of character and difficult to control. 

The parts of the brain used for mood control and emotional processing are greatly affected by the drop in, guess what?? ESTROGEN!! When it’s in short supply, those parts of our brain don’t function as well, affecting our moods.

Depersonalization

This strange sensation makes you feel detached from yourself, almost like you’re observing your life from outside your body. This disorder can make you feel as though you’re living in a dream, or a nightmare. 

5. Sleep Disturbances Beyond Insomnia

Insomnia is one of the more common symptoms after surgical menopause and many women experience changes in their sleep. Some will begin having bizarre dreams, the ones that leave you wondering what the hell just happened.

One of the biggest complaints of waking up at night would be night sweats. A night sweat is basically a hot flash while you’re asleep. When you get hot enough, you will most certainly wakeup, drenched to be sure.

Developing a strong sleep routine, tailored to what works for you can be so rewarding. I personally need an extra hour or so of sleep now that I’ve had my ovaries removed. And if I’m short on sleep, I pay heartily the next day and keep paying until I catch up.

Sexual Changes Beyond Libido

Doctors rarely discuss how surgical menopause can change the entire sexual experience—from arousal patterns to types of touch that feel pleasurable to orgasm intensity and duration. Did you know that 10% of women have NEVER and will never experience an orgasm??

Even if you can’t use HRT because of a cancer diagnosis, in this case, I would still talk to your doctor and see if a vaginal cream would be something you can use. Topical creams metabolize differently, so it may not carry the same the risk as the oral route.

Why Don’t We Talk About These Symptoms After Surgical Menopause?

20% of doctors have no training on menopause in general, let alone symptoms after surgical menopause. Or if they do get trained, it’s a very small part of the curriculum.

I find this fact so sad, as 300,000 women EVERY YEAR have an oophorectomy, placing them directly into surgical menopause.

I often wonder why these symptoms after surgical menopause aren’t more widely discussed. Is it because:

– They’re hard to measure objectively in medical studies?

– They vary so widely between women?

– They overlap with other conditions, making them easy to misattribute?

– Our healthcare system still doesn’t prioritize women’s health experiences?

I really think that it’s all of the above questions. Each and every woman arrives at surgical menopause differently and each experiences it in their own way. Some women have a few symptoms, some have them all.

Whatever the reason, the silence around these symptoms leaves many women feeling confused, alone, and questioning their sanity.

What Has Helped Me

While everyone’s journey is different, these approaches have provided some relief:

First and foremost is “knowing” that what is happening inside of my body and mind is real and that there is a tangible explanation for everything. This alone gives me a measure of comfort and control.

Finding a healthcare provider who actually listens and believes me.

Connecting with other surgical menopause survivors online.

Tracking symptoms to identify patterns and triggers.

Being gentle with myself and acknowledging that this is a major physical transition.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve noticed while reading this article, estrogen is the common denominator in almost all of the symptoms that you read about. We have estrogen receptors all over our bodies, affecting every major bodily system.

So, when our ovaries are removed, it’s quite the jolt to our bodies. If you’re eligible for HRT, (hormone replacement therapy,) and you want to make use of it, I think that would solve or greatly improve most of the symptoms that I’ve mentioned.

But, if you’re like me, and you really don’t have much say in the matter, because of a cancer diagnosis, or some other reason, then you’re going to have to be like a good detective on yourself. Listening to your body and finding what works for YOU!! And you WILL find help! It’s out there, I promise!!

Before creating this blog, I thought I knew quite a bit about the medical world. After researching and from my own firsthand experience going through surgical menopause, I’ve really been enlightened to how our bodies work.

If you find yourself having bothersome symptoms, keep pushing for answers, relief, and validation. You’re not imagining things, you’re not alone, and you deserve care that addresses the full spectrum of your experience.

If you are EVER feeling depressed or having bad thoughts, PLEASE call one of these phone numbers, as hard as it may be. Self harm is a permanent solution to a temporary problem and you just don’t need to go there. PLEASE!!

-National Institute of Mental Health at 1-866-615-6464.

-National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

-Your nearest ER to see a mental health crisis professional.

*Disclaimer: This post reflects my personal experience with the symptoms after surgical menopause and related information gathered from support communities. Always consult healthcare providers about your specific symptoms and treatment options.*