HysterSisters.com is a massive online community with over 475,000 members and over 5 million posts.
Our community is filled with women who have been through the
Hysterectomy experience providing both advice and support from our active members and moderators.
HysterSisters.com is located at 111 Peter St, Toronto, Canada, M5V2H1 and is part of the VerticalScope network of websites.
With free registration, you can ask and answer questions in our HYSTERECTOMY forum community, get our FREE BOOKLET, access Hysterectomy Checkpoints and more.
You are not alone. The HysterSisters are here for you. Join us today!
|
|
Post-Op TAH/BSO, no menopause symptoms--should I take Estrogen anyway??
|
09-11-2009, 08:07 PM
|
Guest
|
|
Posts: 8
Hysterectomy: August 24th, 2009
Surgery Type: TAH/SAH
Ovaries: Removed both
|
|
Post-Op TAH/BSO, no menopause symptoms--should I take Estrogen anyway??
Hi,
I had TAH/BSO 18 days ago. In the hospital I had 3 or 4 hot flashes, but since then nothing. My doctor is trigger happy to put me on Estrogen but I am not convinced that I need it. Has anyone else had similar reaction? Should I just do it because she says? I know that not taking it puts me at risk for osteoporosis and heart disease. Could I just take supplements to protect against those things? I really could use some advice on this! I just hate to treat something that isn't there.
Lorie
|
Sponsored Links
|
Advertisement
|
|
|
09-11-2009, 08:35 PM
|
HysterSister
|
|
Posts: 166
Hysterectomy: August 4th, 2009
Surgery Type: TAH/SAH
Ovaries: Removed both
|
|
Re: Post-Op TAH/BSO, no menopause symptoms--should I take Estrogen anyway??
I'm having the same struggle. My surgery was 5 1/2 weeks ago. I started having warm spells and night sweats 2 days postop so my DR started me on Estrace onDay 3. I have been ambivalent about it. It helped to read the articles on this site - one of the benefits apparently is a decreased risk of colon cancer, which is the cancer my mom had. Look under Resources for info. Also on one of the discussion threads the hostess posted a link to a Medline article that said recent research shows HRT doesn't increase the risk of breast cancer.
Right now I kind of feel like it's wise to take it so I don't have abrupt menopause from the sudden loss of my ovaries. I would like to gradually taper it off, and eventually discontinue it though. I had some menopause symptoms preop but very mild, and my mom's menopause was very mild so I think I wouldn't suffer severe symptoms.
I have also seen research that says weight training is highly effective in preventing osteoporosis so I will be going back to doing weights (used to do them and loved it) and also taking my calcium.
My postop appointment is next Wed so I will be asking my DR more about this then. Will let you know what she says.
|
|
09-11-2009, 09:21 PM
|
HysterSister
|
|
Posts: 1,737
Hysterectomy: August 14th, 2009
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Removed both
|
|
Re: Post-Op TAH/BSO, no menopause symptoms--should I take Estrogen anyway??
I am 4 weeks post-op today. I had a couple of night sweats in the hospital but nothing since. The doctors said if I wasn't having symptoms in the hospital that I probably wouldn't have any at all.
So far, no hot flashes or anything but I think that I'm noticing I'm a little more emotional and foggy-headed than I'd like to be. Gonna discuss hormones with my dr. next Thurs at my post-op. I would rather not take them if I don't have to but I also don't want to have mood swings. I think I'm OK but I find myself being obsessive over things at my job and I'm not even back at work yet. Thing is, I'm that way about work anyway so I can't tell if it's normal.
I don't want to start imagining things that aren't there. This journey has been very interesting to say the least.
The best to all my sisters out there. Keep us informed about how things go. I feel like I have 175,000 friends out there!
|
Sponsored Links
|
Advertisement
|
|
|
09-11-2009, 11:59 PM
|
Guest
|
|
Posts: 268
Hysterectomy: June 10th, 2009
|
|
Re: Post-Op TAH/BSO, no menopause symptoms--should I take Estrogen anyway??
I had a TAH/BSO three months ago, and have not had any symptoms of menopause - no flashes, no sweats, no sleepless nights...nothing. My doctor said he's not inclined to put me on anything since I've had no symptoms and my mother had breast cancer. He did say that if I do start to experience symptoms to try black cohosh first, and if that didn't work, he would, as a last resort, start me on a very low dose of estrogen...
|
|
09-12-2009, 04:33 AM
|
HysterSister
|
|
Posts: 25
Hysterectomy: August 11th, 2009
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Removed both
|
|
Re: Post-Op TAH/BSO, no menopause symptoms--should I take Estrogen anyway??
I think this is a personal decision. I had a TAH/BSO on August 11 and went immediately on estrogen. The research I did convinced me to do it because 1) I am only 40 and natural menopause would have been a long way out. The studies I have read suggest that estrogen only HRT for women who are young has some very positive side effects (bone health for one...heart health for another). My doc explained this to me very simply. He said, you are young and your body is used to and wants the estrogen. Plus, I don't have a high risk factor for any of the cancers associated with HRT. That being said, the older a person is, the more likely that the negative side effects will outweigh the positive ones...like I said, a personal decision based on numerous factors, and 2)I have no time for menopause right now because of family and work issues. It would be TMI for here, but let's just say that going nutty because of hormone withdrawal is not an option right now.
|
|
09-12-2009, 06:43 AM
|
HysterSister
|
|
Posts: 223
Hysterectomy: September 10th, 2008
Surgery Type: LAVH
Ovaries: Removed both
|
|
Re: Post-Op TAH/BSO, no menopause symptoms--should I take Estrogen anyway??
I was put on Vivelle dot (transdermal estradiol) immediately out of surgery. After 2 months, I cut the dose in half. Since I had Breast Reduction just a few days ago, I had to go off, so about 6 weeks ago, I cut the dose in half again, then went off cold turkey two weeks before BR surgery. I have experienced hot flushes, but nothing I couldn't handle. (My GYN doesn't know this yet, he wants me on for another 6 months to a year. Each of us is different.
|
|
09-12-2009, 08:29 AM
|
Guest
|
|
Posts: 8
Hysterectomy: August 24th, 2009
Surgery Type: TAH
Ovaries: Removed both
|
|
Re: Post-Op TAH/BSO, no menopause symptoms--should I take Estrogen anyway??
I am 20 days from TAH. My Dr also prescribed Estrogen and I am not having any symptoms. I am not taking it. I feel really good. My incision isn't bothering me at all. I do have swelly belly though. My clothes aren't fitting at all.
|
|
09-12-2009, 03:44 PM
|
Guest
|
|
Posts: 37
Hysterectomy: July 16th, 2009
Surgery Type: SAH
Ovaries: Removed both
|
|
Re: Post-Op TAH/BSO, no menopause symptoms--should I take Estrogen anyway??
Dear Fvwitch--we ALL have swelly belly! It'll go down eventually (mine hasn't gone at 2 months post-surgery, but I'm thinking positively!).
I am over 8 weeks out after having everything but my cervix removed and I haven't yet experienced one menopausal symptom. (knock wood) I'm praying I'm one of the exceptions to the rule.
I'd love to hear from others who are further out than I and who have experienced little to no symptoms; I want to know how different I am from the norm!
Bless all of you, dear hystersisters.
|
|
09-12-2009, 05:04 PM
|
HysterSister
|
|
Posts: 134
Hysterectomy: December 19th, 2005
Surgery Type: SAH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
|
|
Re: Post-Op TAH/BSO, no menopause symptoms--should I take Estrogen anyway??
I think a lot depends on your age. I'm 54 and I started HRT about week 3 or 4. I did not like what started to happen to my vagina. Dry and kind of shrank. I sleep like a baby with no hot flashes or sweats. I am a happy estrogener!
|
|
09-12-2009, 06:06 PM
|
Guest
|
|
Posts: 34
Hysterectomy: August 26th, 2009
Surgery Type: DvH
Ovaries: Removed both
|
|
Re: Post-Op TAH/BSO, no menopause symptoms--should I take Estrogen anyway??
This is a great question; I have exactly the same story--had a few hot flashes right after surgery, but now nothing. My doctor says it is because we store estrogen in our fat cells (which I have plenty of, thank you!), so apparently I have enough estrogen floating around to keep things comfortable for now.
|
|
Similar Threads
|
From This Forum |
From Other Forums |
66 Replies, Last Reply 03-26-2010, Started By Joining4Support 4 Replies, Last Reply 08-09-2009, Started By Ouchie 8 Replies, Last Reply 02-16-2009, Started By breezy67 8 Replies, Last Reply 10-23-2008, Started By Janmac 10 Replies, Last Reply 01-02-2006, Started By darend 5 Replies, Last Reply 06-01-2005, Started By apr119 6 Replies, Last Reply 04-18-2005, Started By Dee101 11 Replies, Last Reply 03-24-2005, Started By ephphatha00 9 Replies, Last Reply 02-23-2003, Started By Gingercat 11 Replies, Last Reply 02-11-2003, Started By PinkRibbonAmy 3 Replies, Last Reply 09-09-2002, Started By spiritdfilly |
10 Replies, No Uterus - No Ovaries - Yes HRT - Surgical Menopause 2 Replies, Hormone and Menopause Central 2 Replies, Hormone and Menopause Central 1 Reply, Natural Meno Post Hysterectomy - Kept Ovaries 2 Replies, Hormone and Menopause Central 1 Reply, Hormone and Menopause Central 7 Replies, No Uterus - No Ovaries - No Hormones - Managing Menopause 9 Replies, No Uterus - No Ovaries - Yes HRT - Surgical Menopause 7 Replies, No Uterus - No Ovaries - Yes HRT - Surgical Menopause |
|
Advertisement
Hysterectomy News
TODAY'S EVENTS
Calendar -
Hysterectomies -
Birthdays
Request Information
I am a HysterSister
Your Hysterectomy Date
$vbulletin->featuredvideos is not an array!
Advertisement
Advertisement
|