Questions from endo patient about keeping ovaries

I haven't had my pre-op appt yet, but wanted to get some feedback from you all about keeping both ovaries or leaving 1 or both. I really don't know what I should do. I don't have a very great sex drive the way it is and I hear that taking the ovaries leaves no sex drive whatsoever. I don't want that and my DH definitely does not want that. Also, I think I am hormonal already and I don't want to get any worse. Also, I hear that endo needs the estrogen to grow and so by taking both ovaries, it wouldn't have a chance to grow back or what? But leaving 1 or both it would more than likely grow back?

So, from experience, who can tell me what would be the best option. Thanks a million!

Hi Jana!

You might find the following article from the Pre-Op Articles archive helpful:

Keep Ovaries? Keep one or both?

I hope that, in partnership with your medical provider, you make the surgical decisions that end up being the best ones for you!

Many s and Best Wishes,

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Suz73 I haven't had my pre-op appt yet, but wanted to get some feedback from you all about keeping both ovaries or leaving 1 or both. I really don't know what I should do. I don't have a very great sex drive the way it is and I hear that taking the ovaries leaves no sex drive whatsoever. I don't want that and my DH definitely does not want that. Also, I think I am hormonal already and I don't want to get any worse. Also, I hear that endo needs the estrogen to grow and so by taking both ovaries, it wouldn't have a chance to grow back or what? But leaving 1 or both it would more than likely grow back? So, from experience, who can tell me what would be the best option. Thanks a million!

You have to do what is right for you. I have to have a hysterectomy and doctor feels that while she was in there I should have them out-just to be safe. I was weighting it out.......would love to end menopausal hot flashes,mood swings, etc! But I have been doing alot of reading about the ovaries..........they don't stop giving off hormones after menopause ends. They go into an inactive state and secreate hormones your whole life-many to keep you healthy-heart for one. Don't take my word for it do some research on your own. For me I have made the choice to keep-that is if nothing is wrong when the doctor goes in.

I think you'll find that the jury is still out on this one... different docs have different opinions regarding ovary removal and HRT in endo hyst patients. How your endo behaves is another thing to consider.

I had my ovaries removed at the same time as my hyst for several reasons, and I take a small dose of estrogen as HRT now.

In addition to endo, I had other hormonal problems, the most obvious being very serious PMS, diagnosed as PMDD, and my migraines were also hormone related, and those were cured or made much less intense by the removal of my ovaries. I felt like I was detoxed by getting rid of my ovaries, and starting from zero made HRT adjustment a lot easier.

I was prepared to go without HRT if I could, but after a couple of weeks, my menopause symptoms were so bad I thought I would give it a try. Also, both my gyn and my PCP felt strongly that I should take something, due to my age and having heart disease in my family history. My endo was very minimal and very slow growing, and the majority of my pain was with menstruation, so the gyn figured that a little bit of estrogen wouldn't hurt me.

I've been on it for over two years now, and I have had no endo pain. With some diet changes I have been able to lower my dose from its high about a year after surgery. I feel younger than I did ten years ago, and my sex drive is higher than it has been in years. However, reading other women's stories here, I know I am on the successful end of the spectrum as far as hyst/BSOs for endo and HRT afterwards. You can never really know how things will turn out for you. You can only make your best guess in consultation with your doc and taking your knowledge of your condition into account.

Hi suz73!

Whether or not you should keep your ovaries can be a tough decision, especially with endo in the picture.

Our hormones benefit out overall body and aid in the health of our cardiovascular system, bones, skin, eyes, libido, etc. However, the same estrogen that can be good for us can also feed endo.

One thing to keep in mind is that neither a hyst nor a BSO will cure endo. There is no cure for endo at this time. Many women do find that they feel better after surgery, but there are women who still have endo issues even with no uterus, no ovaries and no HRT. Since we cannot look into the future to see into which group we will fall, we each have to weigh the pros and cons for our particular situation to decide what is best for us. Here is a link to a source that has information about endometriosis as well as a question and answer section regarding whether or not you should keep your ovaries: Endometriosis Overview.

Some doctors feel that women with endo should have a BSO and use no HRT to attempt to keep the endo at bay. Others feel that after a BSO, HRT is okay as long as the estrogen is balanced with progesterone and one uses the lowest dose possible. Other doctors feel the benefits of keeping the ovaries out weigh the risks of the ovaries feeding any remaining endo. And there are all kinds of opinions in between!

Your ovaries can be removed at a later date if they do become an issue, but once they are gone, they can't be put back. And surgical menopause can be horrific; just peek through the various hormone forums on the site! For those of us with endo, not all of the alternative products are good choices as there is some belief that plant estrogen can be an issue. Estrogen can also be stored in our fat cells. And our bodies can continue to make estrogen by converting dietary cholesterol to progesterone, then to testosterone and then on to estrogen. So, even without ovaries or HRT, estrogen can still rear its head and feed any undetected endo or endo that was not removed.

I can tell you what I did. Based on my age at the time of my hyst (25), my medical history, my family medical history, and my doctor's views, I retained both of my ovaries when I had my hyst, even though I have stage IV endometriosis. I do still have endo (some was left on my bowel walls) and I do deal with endo pain issues, some times it is bad, other times I am okay. If my ovaries had been removed, I would have needed to use HRT and we felt that my own hormones were better for me. I had to make the best decision for me and my overall health.

I wish I had an easy answer that was a sure cure. But I don't! I would suggest you read as much as you can about before making your decision. The more you know, the better able you will be to make the best decision for you. You can start by reading through the Endometriosis Resources. Seek at least a second opinion about what might be best for you and consider talking to your GP regarding how keeping or removing your ovaries would affect your overall health. If at all possible, you should consider seeing an endometriosis specialist.

I wish you the very best for whatever you and your medical team decide is right for you! s

This is a tough question and one that I put a lot of thought into before my surgery. You, along with your doctor, have to make the decision that is right for YOU, based on YOUR history.

I can tell you what happened with me. 3 of the 4 docs I consulted recommended retaining at least one ovary if possible, given my age (39). They felt it was best for my overall health. In my case, my endo was slow growing and hadn't been treated for 7 years. I had a terrible time with menopause symtoms when I was on lupron and wasn't eager to jump into surgical menopause. I also worried that I would trade one set of problems in for another. And, I figured that if I ended up needing HRT, that estrogen would feed the endo anyway so that was a concern.

Ultimately, my doctor said he would have to make the decision based on what he found once he got in there. So, I was scheduled for a LAVH with a possible BSO. He said that if the ovaries were unhealthy or if he thought I would have an immediate recurrence of endo, he would take them. Otherwise he would keep them.

I was able to keep both ovaries and I'm very glad. However, I realize that I am at a much greater risk of recurrence down the road. I'm only 2 months post-op, so my future is still unknown. I may have to go back in and have my ovaries removed at some point, but my doctor felt that if I could even buy 5 more years, I would be better off in the long run.

Again, this is my story. You need to do what is right for you as you work with your doctors. If my endo was fast growing and caused lots of damage and scar tissue, my decision may have been completely different. As far as endo goes, I was a better candidate for retaining my ovaries than others are.

My biggest recommendation is to find a doctor that has lots of endo experience. Good luck!

I didn't really have a choice about keeping my ovaries. I had endo on both of them and I was in alot of pain all of the time. I had mine removed and the menopause hasn't been a wonderful experience. Hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia and hair loss have been a problem!

BUT~I am on hrt and I am not in pain anymore! My sex life is better, I can walk upright everyday of the month and I can wear white shorts whenever I want to! I am only 5 months out and still trying to get my hormones balanced. That in it's self can take a while.

Having your ovaries removed is a BIG decision! Talk it over with your docter and weigh ALL of your options!

BTW~I was 30 when I had my surgery!