Waiting game

At my pre-op we decided to get rid of the overies since some of my problems are hormonal and I am 40. My doctor says she does not usually send women home with a patch, because each person reacts to menopause differently. She suggests waiting until we know how I will react first. However, if my symptoms are bad, she will put me on which ever type I agree to. Has anyone else faced surgical menopause without HRT right away?

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Has anyone else faced surgical menopause without HRT right away?

That is is good question to ask. Yes, I came out of surgery finding out they took both my ovaries. I was clueless about surgical menopause. Shocked and dismayed that I would be in menopause whether I liked it or not. Didn't even know how to spell hormone! My doctor took a wait and see approach. I'm glad she did.

For me, it gave me time to read up about hormones and what might be the effects of replacing them vs. not. It gave me some time to decide for myself what I wanted to do, to see what symptoms showed up and with what measure of severity. For me, it was important that I had some measure of control over the decisions and that I could make informed decisions.

In the end, I started with the Climara patch. I began with it 1 month after surgery because insomnia was showing up the strongest. I was having hot flashes and night sweats. I could handle the hot flashes during the day, but I couldn't handle the night sweats and insomnia. Later I added progesterone and now I'm working toward testosterone.

Hope this helps. Keep us posted.

~Lilbelle

Hi Donna!

You don't mention what sort of hormone problems you are having which would warrant having your ovaries removed. I hope you will carefully research the pros and cons of keeping them and then make your final decision. Hormone balance sometimes is as easy as taking a pill or applying a patch or cream, but unfortunately it's not always easy to achieve hormone balance post-op. One has only to read in the Hormone Jungle and Sexual Dysfunction forums to get a feel for how difficult the struggle can be and how adversely hormone imbalance can affect post-op life. Surgical menopause may not be any easier than what you are dealing with now.

If you do opt to have your ovaries removed, whether or not to start hormone therapy right away is a decision you can make based on your symptoms after surgery. It's good to have a plan in place ahead of time so you know what you want to try. Reading articles #10 - 13 from this link to the Hormone Jungle Articles will give you a good idea about what is available.

With or without hormone therapy right after surgery you're apt to experience fluctuations in your hormones post-op as your body recovers from surgery and you adjust to the loss of the hormones your ovaries made and had stored, as well as adapting to the new hormone source. It can be a trying time, but you'll be in good company on this site with so many Sisters to support you.

Best wishes for your upcoming surgery!

s

I experience fluctuations now, so I guess that is why waiting would be a better idea than just jumping in with a patch.
I already have trouble with hot flash, insomnia, irritability, weight gain, libido, hair loss... etc.. This has been getting worse over the last three years, but it began after my first failed pregnancy. I have been treated for hormone imbalances off and on since I was 18. I gave up on treatments when I was 30 for a while. I became such a witch because I was so miserable. I had to seek help again. My neurologist also says that my problems are hormonal imbalances and that they may work themselves out after menopause, so for now we treat.

I have been on meds for several years to deal with these symptoms. We make adjustments here or there, but the adjustments don’t last long. It is time to remove the variable; ovaries. Yes I will still be on meds, but the ovaries will not be there spewing erratic doses of hormones into my system.

This is not the reason for the hysterectomy. This is the reason for the BSO, and I have gotten a second opinion in addition to that of my neurologist.

It just seems like I've read a lot about women going home from the castle on HRT. I was curious as to whether there really is a benifit to waiting.

I am already on prempro low dose, for pre-menopause issues. My doctor is planning on taking both ovaries. I am getting a patch right after surgery. I am concerned about the symptoms of ovarian cancer, which I have all of....He just told me that I have endo and adeno, also ovarian cyst...been being treated for IBS and fibromyalgia for over a year....I have all of the symptoms for ovarian cancer also.....so...I guess I just should have ask him outright if he had any idea that I had cancer..but I think I was afraid to....

Your doc is right everyone goes through things differently. I am 13 weeks post op today and they removed everything and I have not taken 1 single hormone since my surgery. Cannot being I am high risk of blood clots cause I had one before. Small minor hot flashes from time to time, but I feel great. Best wishes for a speedy hormone free recovery!!!!!!