Help. Still up in the air.

Hi my surgery is on Friday June 4. I am still trying to decide whether or not to have my ovaries removed. I have severe PMS and anxiety about a week before my period. I then proceed to bleed heavily and painfully for over a week so for two weeks or longer in a month I am miserable. I am afraid that if I don't have my ovaries removed that I will still have terrible PMS and awful panic attacks. On the other hand will I have problems if I get them removed that I am not prepared for? I could use some help here if anyone has gone through this particular dilemma. Thanks

I had HORRIBLE, near-suicidal PMS monthly; aside from all the pain, etc., there were months where it was incapacitating.

Removing my ovaries wasn't a choice but a necessity anyway, due to the giant mass that I had. But a side benefit of the whole menopause thing has been a definite improvement in the even-mood department . Not that I haven't had my "times," particularly in the early post-op period, but there was a calm in me that never existed before the surgery.

I am one of those women who has benefited, mood-wise, from bio-identical progesterone. It seems to be "either-or," but there is some research that suggests those of us with the worst PMS are the most likely to do well with progesterone. However, it's not for everyone! If you're interested in the research, go the search engine, use the terms, "progesterone and PMS*" (you need that wildcard to fill the four characters our search engine requires). For "username," put "trish" and match the exact name. She did write some posts on that subject -- and she's our research QUEEN! .

I have had other problems, but overall my mood hasn't been one of them. Under extreme stress, I had a rough period last summer, but I began 1/2 dose Welbutrin and it was enough to help with a lot of things. My hormonal mix is my own, but I've also found that I really need the testosterone and DHEA too for energy purposes, Prometrium for mood, and the low dose of estrogen for my bones.

One comment here: you ARE young, and bone loss can be significant, especially in that first year. You'll have to consider the fact that you'll need some form of HRT, usually. I think there seems to be some anecdotal agreement in the GYN community (at least, on their message boards) that those of us doing menopause the "instant" way do need some estrogen replacement, with the guideline of weaning off at the age you would have likely begun. It's a long path, when you're young, and your ovaries produce small amounts of hormones even after "normal" menopause. So you'll want to keep that in mind.

Sorry, I know this is kind of those "on one hand, on the other" posts. My experience, as someone who was 12 years older than you are now (but who's counting ) and closer to menopause, may not reflect yours. But for me, yes: I seem to be a much nicer person without my ovaries. I'll bet my family would agree...



Audrey

Gina,

I too was undecided as to whether to leave my ovaries or have them taken out, but my doc. made the decision for me and left them in. I can tell you I don't PMS anywhere's near as bad as I did before and my kids like me much more now. Even my DH sees a big difference in me. I do have to admit it did take a few months for my hormones to settle down and my doc did not fully prepare me; he made it sound like a piece of cake, "just like a C-section" which is a load of rotten potatoes. You are 10 yrs. younger than me and should do much better than I did. I have other medical problems which my doc. neglected to deal with so now I am looking at more surgery and am seeking a second opinion. My best advice to you is to talk to your doctor and make sure you feel comfortable with your decision. I am here for you if you need to talk.
Hugs,
Toni

I told my surgeon to try to save an ovary if it was healthy (we knew going in that one of the ovaries definitely had to go). I dont know what to tell you. I went in to surgery hoping to come out with one ovary so I wouldnt have to deal with surgical menopause. I am 46. Both ovaries were very diseased so both were removed. Surgical menopause has been difficult. Its different for me than my PMS was. During my PMS, I got very tense, had cramping/pain and was very tired but slept like a rock. With surgical menopause, I have extreme fatigue but cant sleep. I have a bad case of insomnia and have many hot flashes. I also have some anxiety that I didnt have before. It seems that everyone is somewhat different, so if you have your ovaries removed you could very well react differently than I have. Do you have endometriosis? I had severe endo so I can only have very limited estrogen for 6 months after surgery since the endo feeds off of estrogen. If you limit the estrogen after surgery for awhile, any remaining endo should die off. If you dont have endo and have your ovaries removed and go on an appropriate dose of estrogen, maybe you wont have many menopausal symptoms. It really is best to discuss all this with a doctor you trust. Like I said before, what has happened to me wont necessarily happen to you. I wish you the best of luck in making your decision. It is a tough decision.

	Quote:
Originally posted by Audrey S. I had HORRIBLE, near-suicidal PMS monthly; aside from all the pain, etc., there were months where it was incapacitating. Removing my ovaries wasn't a choice but a necessity anyway, due to the giant mass that I had. But a side benefit of the whole menopause thing has been a definite improvement in the even-mood department . Not that I haven't had my "times," particularly in the early post-op period, but there was a calm in me that never existed before the surgery. I am one of those women who has benefited, mood-wise, from bio-identical progesterone. It seems to be "either-or," but there is some research that suggests those of us with the worst PMS are the most likely to do well with progesterone. However, it's not for everyone! If you're interested in the research, go the search engine, use the terms, "progesterone and PMS*" (you need that wildcard to fill the four characters our search engine requires). For "username," put "trish" and match the exact name. She did write some posts on that subject -- and she's our research QUEEN! . I have had other problems, but overall my mood hasn't been one of them. Under extreme stress, I had a rough period last summer, but I began 1/2 dose Welbutrin and it was enough to help with a lot of things. My hormonal mix is my own, but I've also found that I really need the testosterone and DHEA too for energy purposes, Prometrium for mood, and the low dose of estrogen for my bones. One comment here: you ARE young, and bone loss can be significant, especially in that first year. You'll have to consider the fact that you'll need some form of HRT, usually. I think there seems to be some anecdotal agreement in the GYN community (at least, on their message boards) that those of us doing menopause the "instant" way do need some estrogen replacement, with the guideline of weaning off at the age you would have likely begun. It's a long path, when you're young, and your ovaries produce small amounts of hormones even after "normal" menopause. So you'll want to keep that in mind. Sorry, I know this is kind of those "on one hand, on the other" posts. My experience, as someone who was 12 years older than you are now (but who's counting ) and closer to menopause, may not reflect yours. But for me, yes: I seem to be a much nicer person without my ovaries. I'll bet my family would agree... Audrey

I thank you all for your input. I have my pre-op appointment tomorrow and I will be asking more questions. I am more than a little nervous. I think that I will end up having my ovaries out but I already suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. My biggest fear is having them become worse until the hormones come out right.