23 days post hysterectomy, awful mood swings with ovary?? HRT? Help!

I'm 23 days post op and I feel like I'm going crazy! I'm 29 so I was not close to menopause before surgery. I still have my left ovary. Removed my cervix and uterus. (Right ovary removed 3 years ago.) Since my left ovary was saved, I wasn't quite expecting this. The first week I had uncontrollable crying, insomnia, tongue ulcers, hot flashes, hives and night sweats. I chalked it up to the many side effects of surgery. I had some really good days after the first week. This last week has been awful for me! (Mood wise, most other side effects ate gone) I still have night sweats but my mood swings are crazy. I cry all the time, mostly over nothing. I get very, very angry over small things. Sometimes I feel like my head will explode. Then I'll cry again for minutes, sometimes an hour or so. My fiance is beginning to get impatient. He's been so great this whole time. He just leaves the room when I start up (then I cry because he left!) My 8 year old son sees me crying and just asks "Mom, Is it your hormones again?" I've called my doctor, his nurse says he's out of town until Wednesday. I want him to do a blood test. Is that the most efficient way to test levels? Also, should I ask him for hrt? Or should I wait a few weeks to see if I go back to normal? I know hrt can have its own set of side effects and I'm really scared of gaining weight. Birth control made me gain 25lbs. I can't continue like this though! It's affecting my home and work life! Thank you in advance!

I'm sorry to hear that you're having such a rough time. Everything you've described sounds like a hormonal issue, so I'd recommend having your FSH and LH levels checked. Your ovary may have temporarily shut down, which is quite common following a hysterectomy; it should resume normal functioning within a few weeks. In the meantime, keep your bedroom cool, wear loose-fitting cotton clothing to help dissipate the heat from a flash, and avoid common flash triggers such as smoking, caffeine, alcohol, hot or spicy foods, and rapid temperature changes. Also, if eating soy isn't contraindicated for you, then 1-2 daily servings of tofu, edamame or soy milk, or a soy-based supplement, can help to balance your hormones until your ovary starts up again; other HysterSisters have reported success with black cohosh, so ask your doctor or pharmacist if it would be appropriate for you. I hope you start to feel better soon!

Although I kept my ovaries after my hysterectomy, they failed anyhow. However, I was much older than you, 47. I am now on HRTand feel very good. Most of my research shows the risk of taking estrogen is very small. It's actually the progesterone that has more of the risk factors which we do not need anymore since we do not have a uterus. I would encourage you to speak with your doctor and also check out the forum here on this site concerning hormones. Hang in there. I hope you can get this figured out.