Question about HRT following surgery

My sister was put on the Vivelle dot patch immediately following surgery and told me she has never had a single problem or needed to switch hormone replacement. I asked my doctor if I can try the same patch right after my surgery, and she said she can't give me any hormone replacement until six weeks after the surgery? Is that standard? I was hoping to be put on hormone replacement right away. Also, my general surgeon/family practioner told me that he'd like to assist at the surgery (our hospital requires two doctors for each surgery), and he told me to just let my ob-gyn know. But when I mentioned it to her, she said, "uh, no, I don't think so..." She said she likes to work with another ob-gyn on hysterectomies. It just puts me in an awkward place. Plus, I'm feeling more and more blue as the date to the castle approaches. Maybe I'm just overwhelmed with tying up loose ends at home and work. Oh, well. It's the weekend, and the sun is shining, and I'm going to enjoy it!

Hi

The only reason I've read for delaying the start of HRT is when there is a diagnosis of endometriosis. In those cases, it's due to the thinking that endo feeds on estrogen and depriving endo of a food source will "starve" it. If you don't have endo, I have no idea why your doctor would want you to wait to start HRT as most women start immediately after surgery.

Be sure to ask your doctor why you have to wait.

s

I was also put on the Vivelle dot patch immediately following surgery. As soon as they tucked me into my bed the nurse put the patch on. I have not had any symptoms of menopause at all.

Be stong, ask lots of questions and be incharge of your own body. Good luck!

Hi, I'm not sure why they would tell you that you had to wait 6 weeks to start HRT. I know all docs are different, but that seems odd to me. What are your reasons for having the hyst? I know women with endo can't take HRT a lot of times because the hormones will make it grow. I didn't go on HRT until about a month after my hyst because I didn't think I could be on it (I had the hyst due to uterine cancer). When the symptoms became so bad I cried to my doc and he put me on them, he had been waiting for me to experience symptoms before starting me on them, since some women have no problems and don't need them. (Those are some LUCKY women! LOL)

As for your general surgeon, next time he/she brings it up you should tell him/her to contact your doctors office directly and speak to him/her about it. Don't make it your problem, let them duke it out themselves. You shouldn't have to feel uncomfortable.

Best of luck!

Mary Ellen

I too was put on the patch immediately and then on Premarin 1.25 once I got home and I have not experienced any symptoms of menopause.

I agree with the others that have said endo would normally be the cause of delaying HRT.

Good Luck

HI! I had TAH/BSO on June 2nd. My doc didn't start me on any HRT because he wanted to see how I would do without it first. (My mom and sister both had their hysters very young and neither of them ever took any HRT) I'm not sure I'm going to be that lucky though. I'm suffering with insomnia , BAD mood swings that send my family running , and relentless headaches. Looks like I'm going to have to talk with my doc about it next week when I go for my 6 week check up. Anyway.....my point is.....maybe your doc is the same way. Wanting to see how you do without it first.

Kel

Thank you all for your replies. My surgery is being done because of heavy/prolonged bleeding, fibroid tumor, and repeated ruptured ovarian cysts. NO endometriosis. When I go for my second opinion on Monday, I'll ask that doctor about it. Maybe he'd be willing to recommend immediate HRT in his second opinion report. Thanks so much for your support, ladies. I don't know what I'd do without this site. Hugs to all!