What You Need to Know About OBGYN

Why Transgender Men Should Worry Less About Hysterectomy Recovery

One of the biggest parts of a hysterectomy that worries every patient is what the recovery period will be like. While recovery is never the most pleasant period of anyone's life, it's important to note that recovery can be easier for transgender men undergoing a hysterectomy than it is for cisgender women. If you're a trans man and you're putting off your hysterectomy because you're worried about what you've heard regarding recovery, here are a few factors to reduce your anxiety before your appointment with a gynaecologist.

You Want This Surgery

There are many reasons cis women have hysterectomies. However, for many of these women, it's a solution that's not the first choice. Whether the woman is not ready to give up her biological ability to have children or she's just worried that the procedure will take away her femininity, it's common for cis women to feel some upset or disappointment regarding the surgery. This can skew accounts of recovery towards the negative side. In fact, research shows that positivity can improve the recovery process. So, if you're a trans man who's looking forward to feeling an improved sense of gender affirmation after a hysterectomy, you're likely to find recovery easier than a cis woman who would have preferred to avoid it.

Your Muscles May Be Stronger

One factor that makes hysterectomy recovery difficult for some cis women is that those who have already birthed a child will have weaker abdominal muscles. If you've never carried a baby or given birth before, your abdominal wall will be stronger. Having these strong muscles will reduce your pain after surgery and make getting around easier, as well as making exercise regimes less uncomfortable if you've chosen to undergo post-hysterectomy physiotherapy. Your abdominal wall will also, therefore, strengthen and tighten itself to normal levels more quickly than a cis woman's, reducing the risk of potential dysphoria from losing a flat stomach.

You'll Already Be On HRT

As a hysterectomy is not usually the first treatment a trans man goes through when they begin their transition, you'll likely already be on hormone replacement therapy by the time your surgery date arrives. The correction and regulation of your hormones pre-hysterectomy should reduce the menopausal symptoms (such as mood swings or hot flashes) that cis women often deal with after surgery, and may even eliminate them completely. This will make your recovery period a happier, more comfortable experience with less ups and downs.