Lupron vs. natural vs. surgical menopause

I am facing a hysterectomy probably early next year and am wondering about hormonal supplementation. I had Lupron before my hysteroscopy and had almost no ill effects, I will get another 3 month Lupron shot this week to hopefully shrink my fibroids up and enable less invasive surgery. My question is how does natural menopause compare to surgical menopause and to chemical menopause (lupron). Anyone with any experience? Can I expect an easy time because I had no problems with Lupron? (I hope!!!)
I think I'd like to try to 'go it alone', and figure my DR may want to know about my decision before the surgery so he can prescribe something for me to go home with

Diana:

Lupron works by blocking estrogen's effects on the body; following surgery, if you have your ovaries removed, you won't have any estrogen source remaining. It's a different mechanism, but with similar symptoms -- and that may be a good indicator that you'd do well following BSO.

You will have to watch out for bone density issues; did you have a DEXA scan before the Lupron? It might be a question worth answering before making any decisions. Another point I want to make is that your needs may shift in that first post-op year; what works at the beginning may change later down the road, and keeping flexible will help quite a bit!

Most of us do find that we need some vaginal estrogen to keep those tissues healthy; the doses are extremely low, and the vagina is an effective barrier against any getting into the bloodstream.

Good luck; I hope the Lupron works for you! You might also want to look over on Hysterectomy Alternatives and Options which may have some answers for you in the Lupron department.



Audrey