whether or not to keep ovaries

I will be having a hysterectomy in the next couple of months. I am still waiting on biopsy results to tell me if I have cancer or not. Even if I don't have cancer I will have the hysterectomy due to 7 abnormal pap smears in the last 5 years due to an auto immune disease. At this time there is no reason to believe that my ovaries will have cancer, and ovarian cancer does not run in my family. I am 47 and already going through menopause. It would be nice to keep the ovaries and proceed through menopause naturally, but I probably don't have long till that would be over anyway. I have been told by one friend that if ovaries are left, then they have to be removed in a few years anyway. Is that true, as a standard rule?

No that's not true. If you had no ovarian disease you'd have no reason to remove them, and it sounds like they are OK now. I'm not sure where that idea came from, but I don't know of any facts to support it, fortunately. Ovaries do a lot more good than we used to know about.

Because I had uterine cancer (2/3 of uterus full of it.) and 2 cysts in my left ovary, my doctor said that it was best to get the ovaries out. He said otherwise , I would be taking a risk in getting ovarian cancer. I did get a C125 blood test, pre op and it was okay. The pathology report also confirmed the cysts as benign. I would wait to see what your biopsy results are and make a decision from there. Good luck to you! Keep your sisters posted.

if it was me - and i was already going through menopause...i'd prob just have them take my overies - so there is no risk of ovarian cancer.

I got mine out, along with the tubes, and cervix. It was best to have peace of mind. I didn't want to worry about dealing with more cancer and another surgery in the future.

Yeah, I'm thinking the peace of mind of not worrying about ovarian cancer would probably be greater than the consequences of instant menopause. I'm still on birth control pills, so I have no way of knowing exactly where in menopause I am. I could actually be through. All the women in my family were completely through by their late 40s. SO I could be saving the ovaries for nothing.

I am very glad that I kept mine. The doctors are starting to say now that the ovaries do more than they thought even after menopause. So if you do not need them out I would keep them It is a personal decision though. Best wishes to you!

I went through natural menopause with no HRT. But with no ovaries I had new symptoms plus the old ones and ended up on HRT. It doesn't happen to everyone but its good to know that it can happen while you're deciding. Having an HRT or alternative plan in mind is advisable in case you need it. Good luck on the decision.

I appreciate all this input. I know that I will have to discuss it with my doctors, but it helps to have some ideas before that conversation so I know what kinds of questions to ask.