Ovaries In or Out? HRT Experiences?

Ladies (and Gents if any):

I am OVERWHELMED with information on the topic of whether or not to keep my ovaries if they are found to be healthy during my surgery a week from today!

I know that I am the only person who can make this decision. However, I highly value my hyster sisters and would like to ask for your opinions on the subject.

My gynecologist is like "it's no big deal to be on HRT" and says that he's easily able to find the right meds for all but a tiny percentage of his patients. He admitted that some women take more work at it than others but say out of 100 he might have 2 that aren't easily pleased.

(One plus is that I live in the DFW area so I might be able to go to the hormone specialist mentioned elsewhere on this site.)

Here's some background info on me in case there are others who have experienced HRT with one or more of the conditions I have:

I am 41 years old with an 18-year-old son and a 20-year-old step-son. I have NUMEROUS other physical conditions/complaints besides my gynecological ones including being 60+ pounds overweight, having TMJ, fibromyalgia, Type II diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure, mild carpal tunnel syndrome, bladder problems (burch procedure is scheduled to fix bladder probs during upcoming hyst) and loss of 95% of peripheral vision in one eye to name a few.

I already take a gazillion prescription medications (avandia, glyburide, prozac, neurontin, skelaxin, vicodan, diovan HCT, ditropan xl, etc.)

My primary care physician says to take the ovaries out. My gynecologist says it's up to me (we've already agreed they go if he finds any disease or problems) but even with all the info I have read I honestly haven't been able to decide. :confuse:

Surgery is Jan. 24 so I have until Wednesday noon to make up my mind.

I welcome any and all comments, stories, suggestions and help regarding this topic.

FYI I DO have aim (IOnlyGet5) but I'm not able to be on as often during "normal" hours although I will try to do so between now and surgery.

Thanks!

If you head on over to the Hormone Jungle, you'll see it filled with women who can't seem to get their HRT right for them. Your doctor probably thinks his patients are doing great on the HRT he puts them on, but I think that many women think that the way they feel is normal so they don't say anything.

You're only 41.......You still have perhaps 10 more years before natural menopause. My suggestion would be to keep your ovaries if they're healthy. There's such a huge difference between surgical menopause and natural menopause. If I had my choice, it would be natural menopause.

Another way to look at it is this. Even if your ovaries work for you for only the next five years, that's five years you will have had your own hormones working for you. Read the threads in the Hormone Jungle...you won't have to read many before you see that it's difficult for many ladies to get hormonally balanced. Maybe you could print out a few or direct your doctor to the Hormone Jungle so he can see for himself.

Here's a question you can ask your doctor. If you weren't having a hysterectomy, would he go in and remove your healthy ovaries if you asked him to?

Between you and your doctor, I'm sure you'll arrive at the right decision for you.

Hi Dana Beth

I suffer from some of the same things you do like high blood pressure, migraines and carpal tunnel (going for surgery on left wrist tomorrow Jan 18/02). I have to say that since my doctor put me on medication for my high blood pressure that my migraines have not been as often so I guess the blood pressure was aggravating the migraines. I also live in Calgary, one of the few places in the world that has chinooks and a lot of people suffer from migraines due to the chinook weather. I am also about 30lbs overweight. I am 36 and approx 15yrs from menopause.

Anyway, my gp told me that when I was going to see the gyne to make sure that they keep my ovaries (she is a wonderful gp and I trust her opinion). I have 5 fibroids my uterus is approx 14weeks, but my ovaries appear on the ultrasound to be clear from anything so I will keep them if hysterectomy is the way I choose to go and am leaning that way. This is I feel is the right option for me.

Best of luck in making your decision.

Lori

	Quote:
Originally posted by IOnlyGet5 My gynecologist is like "it's no big deal to be on HRT" and says that he's easily able to find the right meds for all but a tiny percentage of his patients. He admitted that some women take more work at it than others but say out of 100 he might have 2 that aren't easily pleased.

Not to be a wet blanket, but I'll bet those 2% of ladies who have trouble with HRT think it's a really HUGE deal. It's aways a big deal if it affects YOU. Are the other 98% totally happy with their HRT? Or just grudgingly accepting that this is as good as it will get now?

HRT costs $$ too... $$ is always a motivator for me If my ovaries are making that stuff for free, why would I wanna pay someone to replace it??


JMHO

Hi Dana Beth,
My name is Beth but everyone calls me BOO!
I am having a total on monday. I have 4 plum size fibs and a couple ov polyps. I have had heavy bleeding, back pain, cramps, mood swings, pms and all the other fibroid goodies. I got my first peroid in 4th grade (just 10) It has always been a big pain in the you know what! I have elected to take my ovaries due to I will be probably going to enter menpause within te next 4-5 years I already have pre- meno symptoms, I was sort of worried about hrt but I've been so nuts with mood swings, and hot flashes for so long- how could it be worse? I am having an epideral instead of general because get real sick from that stuff and i want see whats going on. I have an 11 year old awesome daughter and am quite content with that. I know 'm going feel yuckie for a while after but I'm so loking forward to no more periods (I like to travel alot and i work on my feet all the time because I am a chef) And every time I have to plan my trips aound the p time and grin and bear it when I am busy. I can't wait for that first time when my little friend doesn't show!!
As for hrt, I will just deal with it work with my doc and get it right!

keep in touch and I will let you know how it went. Please let me know what you decided!
Be safe and not scared, just informed. your sis BOO

Hello,

I am also scheduled for a tah on January 25 for fibroids. I am having my uterus removed but keeping my ovaries. My Doc insisted that I am too young to have my ovaries removed! I am 40. I do not have any other health problems other than TMJ which can be very painful so I can relate to your problems there. My doc said that if my ovaries weren't healthy he would reconsider taking them out but that if they were healthy it would be in my best interest to leave them and let nature decide when I should go through menepause. I wish you the best with your surgery. God Bless!

IOnlyGet5,
At 52, 8-9 months out from my last period my menopausal symptoms worsened after having my ovaries removed. I would not do it again. I experienced severe anxiety, depression, heart pounding in my chest, and high blood pressure before the right dose was found for me. I did not have these symptoms before my surgery!

You are on average 10 years out from menopause. Ideally that would mean 10 years of taking estrogen replacement. The majority of women are only having their estrogen replaced. The adrogens produced by the ovaries has for the most part been an ignored issue.

This article sums up the main issues involved. Not all doctors are universally recommending to remove ovaries on a women in her early 40s. In the past this was true. That bar seems to have been raised to 50.

I recommend printing out this article and discussing it with your doctor. It highlights all the major issues on this topic.

Rational for Ovarian Conservation by Donna Shoupe MD

I was 44 at the time of my surgery, and I simply told my doctor I wanted to keep my ovaries if I could. She said that was fine because I was most likely 10 years or so away from menopause and there was no need to push me into instant menopause if it wasn't absolutely necessary.

My ovaries were healthy, so they stayed. So far, they continue to work as they should.

Another fact which I learned along my journey was that ovaries don't stop producing hormones at menopause -- they simply produce them at lower levels. So they continue to give health benefits even after fertility and periods are gone.

Just some more food for thought. I know you said you are pretty overwhelmed with all of the information. I trust that you and your medical team will come up with the resolution that is best for you!