Could Earlier HRT Have Made a Difference? My Post-Hysterectomy Journey

Two versions below!
✨ Short version first for those just browsing
📝 Full version underneath for anyone wanting the whole story

💡 Short Version:

Hi everyone 👋 I’m 56 now, but I had a hysterectomy at 38 (I kept one ovary). Over the years, I went through a LOT—mental health struggles, fibromyalgia, brain fog, and hospital stays.

A few weeks ago, things flared up again: awful sleep, zero energy, worsening brain fog, weight gain, and just feeling completely off. 😣

I talked to my doctor about switching from oral estrogen to the patch and asked if I could try progesterone—even though I don’t have a uterus. He was hesitant, but after a few appointments, he agreed. And WOW—what a difference. 🙌

I finally feel like myself again—maybe for the first time since before my hysterectomy.

💬 Has anyone else added progesterone after a hysterectomy—even without a uterus?

👇 Scroll down if you’d like to read my full story and details.

📝 Full Story:

I had a hysterectomy when I was 38, and I was able to keep one ovary. I’m now 56. After the surgery, my mental health crashed. I experienced suicidal thoughts, had several psychiatric hospitalizations, and completed two six-week stays at a recovery-focused mental health facility.

I was put on psychiatric medication, which helped somewhat, but I never truly felt like myself again. Around that time, I was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia—I had pain from head to toe and struggled daily with severe brain fog. It got so bad that one doctor even prescribed stimulant medication typically used for ADD.

At age 50, I started having intense hot flashes, and my doctor put me on oral estrogen. It worked for a while. But just recently, everything came crashing back—exhaustion, poor sleep, worse brain fog, weight gain, and total burnout. 😔

My doctor ran some blood tests and found my ferritin (iron) was a little low. I started iron pills, but I still felt like something else was off. I eat meat, haven’t had a period in 20 years, and eat a pretty balanced diet (breakfast and dinner, plus snacks like apples, carrots, nuts, cheese, etc.).

Desperate for answers, I turned to ChatGPT (AI) to help me look deeper into hormone balance. It suggested I ask my doctor about switching from oral estrogen to a patch, and trying progesterone to help with sleep, mood, and balance—even post-hysterectomy.

My doctor agreed to the patch but didn’t want to prescribe progesterone since I don’t have a uterus. After four conversations (yes, four!), he finally agreed to let me try it.

And I am so thankful he did. 🙏
I feel more like my pre-hysterectomy self now—at 56—than I did at 39 right after the surgery.

This has made me wonder… if I had been given HRT support earlier, could I have avoided years of emotional pain and physical exhaustion? I’ll never know—but maybe this post will help someone else avoid the same.

If you’re struggling or just not feeling like yourself, you’re not alone. 💕
Feel free to share your experience too—this space is better when we lift each other up.

🌷 With kindness,
Pam