Hrt or not

Hello All,
I'm a new member to HysterSysters, but have been poking around for about 3 months and I think this site is wonderful. Even if a searcher for answers cannot find the answer looked for, there is always comfort found, and that is the whole reason we search for answers to start with. So my first blurb here is a big fat thank you to the ladies who run this site and to everyone that has posted here. Comfort is often enough.

Just quickly about me; I'm 38, my surgery was due to stage 4 advanced endometriosis, had my surgery almost 10 weeks ago, my doc took everything (except my cervix because she said the adhesions made taking the cervix too complicated), post-surgery started a super-infection of a hematoma due to surgery, developed another infection intestinally due to all the antibiotics, all better now except for "meno-monster". I've been without pain since the surgery, endo pain that is, and am much happier now, even with my new constant companion meno-monster.

The pain was indescribable pre-surgery and I had more bad days per month than good ones. If I had the choice of having pain from two natural labor and deliveries, versus the pain from one day of my pre-surgery life, I'd hands down choose two more labor and deliveries. Not joking. For around 20 days a month I was in constant very bad pain, but for 1-3 days a month I was in pain that I sincerely cannot describe. I passed out from the pain many a time. Couldn't talk, sweated horribly, had to concentrate with all my might to get through. Couldn't take narcs because they make me vomit. They say the brain protects us from past pain by not letting us truly remember what that pain was like. If that is true, then Thank God! Because what I remember gives me tremors...I can't imagine what it would be like if I could truly recall. <shiver>

So, yes, I am much happier since the surgery, than I was before...That being said, I feel I can now state how much my new constant companion meno-monster truly does suck. Has anyone out there been so hot that they had a fever? For 4 days? Along with the aches and pains that go along with a fever? I went to my doc because I naturally thought I was sick, but my white cell count was normal, indicating no infection. My gyn said they were extreme hot "flashes" and the body aches could be from meno also. ???? Um, really?! I didn't know such a thing was possible. Has anyone out there had anything similar happen?

The fatigue is also a major problem. Sometimes I can't stay awake past 6pm...and then will sleep all the way through to 7am. And by noon I'm beat again. All day with zero energy.

The third wonderful gift meno-monster has given me is forgetfulness. Ridiculous and embarrassing situations abound...a few times a day. For instance, someone will tell me something or I will have a conversation with someone or I will drive somewhere, and within 5-10 minutes, I will have completely forgotten what they said, what I said or why I drove there. Friends and family laugh at my new found brainlessness, and admittedly it can be pretty funny, but it is also disturbing. I rarely forgot things pre-surgery. Now it's becoming commonplace.

My gyn (whom I think is awesome by the way) is concerned by how much I've retreated from my normal life. I'm not depressed... but because of the sauna inside my body, the all-day feeling of listlessness, and not being able to trust my brain to hold the information it's given, I may as well be. She has suggested that I go on hrt way earlier than I was supposed to. We discussed waiting a good 6-12 months before trying it because we wanted the endo sites to "die". But since I'm not having any residual endo pain, and meno-monster likes my companionship so much it holds my hand all day, she thinks it's a good idea to try it out earlier than planned, with the option to immediately stop if any pain reemerges. I'm leaning toward trying it, but am nervous.

I know this "just quickly about me" part of this post has turned into a mini gyn bio, but it just sort of started pouring out of me once I started. (Sorry about that - it's the comfort of venting I guess.) But I am hoping maybe someone out there could offer an opinion on whether or not going on estrogen will help loosen me from meno-monster's grasp, or if estrogen will just invite the endo to grow once again.

If you've read all that, Wow and Thanks! :-)

I had my hyster 5 yrs ago and my dr wanted me to wait at least 6 months so my endo wouldn't grow back but my meno-monster hit me hard and at the age of 23 I couldn't deal with it. I was put on estrogen 2 months after my hyster. It helped my meno-monster so much! Unfortuntley this past year I had to have surgery to remove endo that grew back. The endo pain came back full force and I knew surgery was my only option. I've now been off estrogen since my surgery in feb but the meno-monter is back in full force. Extreme hot flashes constantly, no sex drive, fatigue and mood swings. I go to dr tomorrow to see what I can do....I do not want my endo to ever come back but I need help with meno!

Wow beebop21...so young! That must have been really tough! I was diagnosed with the endo when I was 27 and waited 11 years for surgery because I was so afraid of menopause. It had to have taken a lot of courage to make such a heavy decision at 23. Did you have any trouble getting a diagnosis in the beginning? I went to this one doc the first time the pain literally brought me to my knees and she said I was constipated. Ha! I told her that I have two kids and this pain was comparable to third stage labor... and have been constipated my whole life to boot...this wasn't constipation! She said there was nothing medically wrong with me. What on earth does that mean? I left her office in tears. What a bad doctor.

My next doc suggested endo and I've been with her ever since...she also did my surgery. I trust her. But she and I did discuss the same thing you did with your doc...wait 6-12 months before hrt...and now I have a prescription in my hand I'm agonizing over filling. After reading your post, I'm leaning toward not filling it. Although I can always stop taking the estrogen if the pain comes back. Arg! So frustrating.

I can only give you what worked for me...HRT! Before taking them all I wanted to do was sleep, had thoughts of gloom & doom, was ALWAYS hot, no interest in sex, vaginal dryness & itching, etc. It was a LONG list! I have been taking them for 2 years now & I felt better right away. I had to have them adjusted 4 months after taking them because the HRT I was taking had a litle ANDROGEN in them which caused me to get PAINFUL acne under my arms. Since then, I have no complaints. I feel like myself again! GOOD LUCK!!!

Thanks TinaMarie2! It would be nice to feel normal for a change. :-) I'm still on the fence for now, but reading other ladies experiences helps me a lot.

I was 45 when I had my hysterectomy with everything removed 24 months ago. As you can see from my signature endo was one of many things I had. I use both estrogen and progesterone. I do have some pelvic pain that has rreturned in the last 10 months which my Dr. is pretty sure is endo. We have tried taking me off the hormones and the menopause is so severe I literally cannot function. So for me using HRT is a must. I use it knowing full well I may have to have surgery sometime in the future for endo and I am ok with it at this time. You have to weigh your options and do what you feel is right for you.

Yes it was a VERY hard decision at 23 but the pain was so severe that I couldn't function. I knew right away when my endo was back so I wasn't in pain for long. The dr scheduled surgery right away. My dr has been there for me since day 1 and is the best. If you are still on the fence about hrt, you might try black cohosh before estrogen. You take 2 pills a day for hot flashes n night sweats. It has helped me alot! My hormones are still not back to normal and the estrogen isn't working for me.

Just an FYI, Black Cohosh has estrogenic qualities so if your doctor does not recommend estrogen please do check with the doctor before using this supplement.