TV presenter Jenny Powell has revealed she had hysterectomy after years of suffering severe symptoms from fibroids.
The 56-year-old, was a former DJ presenter on Top of The Pops and ITV’s Wheel of Fortune, shared an update from her hospital bed on Thursday following the surgery which was performed by a robot.
She said: ‘I am feeling relieved that the symptoms I lived with for so long will now subside’.
A hysterectomy is a major operation which involves removing the entire uterus, can be carried out to treat pelvic pain, fibroids cancer or heavy periods.
Fibroids are non-cancerous growths made up of muscle and fibrous tissue that develop around the womb.
Jenny Powell revealed she has undergone a hysterectomy performed by a robot as she shared an update from her hospital bed on Thursday
The condition, which will strike two thirds of women at some point in their lives, can cause heavy periods, back and tummy pain, constipation and a frequent need to urinate — all symptoms Powell has struggled with for years.
In an Instagram video, which has amassed more than 2,900 likes, the presenter revealed her uterus was 1kg (2.2lbs) when it was removed.
‘My womb was 1kg in weight, so I have been carrying a heavy load. I am looking forward to the recovery now and trying my best to eat properly,’ she said.
In the video caption she added: ‘An enlarged uterus, fibroids and adenomyosis is something I lived with. Heavy painful bleeding, constipation and constant weeing were all things I got used to.’
Adenomyosis is a gynaecological condition affecting about one in 10 women.
It occurs when the lining of the uterus grows into the uterine wall, causing the uterus to thicken.
Speaking ahead of her surgery in a clip on her Instagram Story, she explained: ‘I’ve suffered for so long with all sorts of symptoms and tried all sorts, but yeah it’s time’
Medics don’t know exactly why it develops but suspect it may have a genetic link.
Like fibroids, adenomyosis can cause heavy menstrual bleeding, bloating and an enlarged uterus.
Having a hysterectomy is a potential treatment for fibroids and adenomyosis, but is typically offered if other treatments, such as medications, haven’t worked and a woman doesn’t want to have any or any more children.
Around 55,000 hysterectomy operations are carried out in the UK each year. Most of these are performed on women aged between 40 and 50.
Powell has also previously spoken about her struggle with the menopause making her ‘tired and depressed’.
Menopause, which causes women’s periods to stop, is a normal part of ageing and usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55 when a woman’s levels of the sex hormone oestrogen drop.
About eight in 10 women will experience menopausal symptoms including hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, difficulty sleeping, low mood or anxiety and problems with memory, according to the NHS.
Treatments doctors can provide include hormone replacement therapy, such as tablets, skin patches and gels that replace oestrogen.
In 2022, Powell was forced to go to hospital after severe menopause symptoms left her struggling to ‘get out of bed every day’.
She told Closer magazine: ‘The menopause affected me mentally and I didn’t feel like me. My periods were awful, I’d have to change about five times a day and I lost that much blood that I became anaemic. I was really tired and depressed.
‘I’d struggle to get out of bed and I couldn’t wait to go back to bed at night.’
Powell also revealed on her Instagram ahead of the surgery that the hysterectomy would be performed by a robot.
The high-tech remote-controlled machines were deployed by NHS Trusts to clear the backlog of women who missed out on vital operations during the Covid pandemic.
While the devices cost just under £2million each, they slash the time it takes to perform the delicate surgery, and as they also work with pinpoint accuracy it also means patients recover faster.
Called Hominis, the surgical system is operated by a human controller who manoeuvres the robotic arms while watching the procedure on a screen in real time.
The robot features shoulder, elbow and wrist joints to provide human level dexterity and 360-degree articulation.
An additional arm guides a laparoscopic video camera through a small, separate incision, to help visualize the internal procedure.
Hominis enters through the vagina to perform the hysterectomy and then wraps its arms around the uterus to perform the operation.
