Myth Buster: Will My Skeleton Collapse with a Hysterectomy?

The internet is great. It seemingly knows everything you ever wanted to know about anything and then some. It lets you connect to that data and people all over the world in just an instant. But there’s a dark side, too. Not everything on the internet is true and not everyone is who she says she is. That’s important to know when researching about your hysterectomy and upcoming menopause.

Beware

In all your research about hysterectomy and menopause, you’ve probably come across a lot of “facts” that made you do a double take. One them involves your skeleton. There are some articles and videos online that imply that your uterus holds up your spine. They go on to say that if you have a hysterectomy, your skeleton will crumple into your shoes. Specifically, they say that your rib cage will collapse, your hips will widen, your spine will compress, and you’ll become several inches shorter, all because you removed a troublesome, fist sized reproductive organ that they say holds your skeleton together.

Say What? Put that way, it sounds silly. Yet, that information can be found online in different articles which use an authoritative tone and scientific language that may cause you to consider the information as true, despite little to no research backing the information and no doctor writing those articles. Oh, the authors have reasons for the lack of credible sources, such as claiming the medical field is suppressing information as a way to promote unnecessary hysterectomies. But don’t be fooled.

The Truth

HysterSisters to the rescue! Here’s how one of your HysterSisters has debunked that theory with an easy to visualize scenario:

There’s a theory floating around out there that your uterus and uterine ligaments support the entire rest of your torso. If they’re removed, your torso will collapse. This is like saying that when you cut the cable that holds up the chandelier in the living room, the entire house collapses.

It’s definitely some food for thought! Before you panic about any information you find online, including that your skeleton will crumble after a hysterectomy, take a deep breath and schedule an appointment with your gynecologist. If you don’t trust her, you shouldn’t be having surgery with her anyway. Your general practitioner or internist may be able to set your mind at ease as well.

You should also get a second opinion – which is important before any major surgery. And feel free to reach out to others with concrete knowledgeable about the human body, both on and offline. Just remember, only a gynecologist specializes in women’s reproductive health so be sure to talk to yours.

Where ever you choose to get your information, vet your resources. Don’t fall for sources with the goal of scaring you one way or the other because of a pro- or anti-hysterectomy agenda. A hysterectomy may not be the best choice for you, but avoiding one because of biased data is doing yourself a disservice. Likewise, being scared into having a hysterectomy isn’t the right path either. As with any surgery, there are pros and cons, side effects, and possible complications that need to be considered before heading into the operating room. Weigh it all out with a trusted physician and choose what is best for you.

This content was written by staff of HysterSisters.com by non-medical professionals based on discussions, resources and input from other patients for the purpose of patient-to-patient support.  Reprinted with permission: Myth Buster: Will My Skeleton Collapse with a Hysterectomy?