HRT or not

Ok, I have a question about HRT. Have any one decided not to take hormones after hysterectomy? If so why? I am struggling with my belief that I had for so long that when I went threw menopause that it was a natural part of being a woman and not something to medicate with artificial hormones. I would like to get other opinions because I am only in my 30s and never thought I would have to face having a hysterectomy.

Hi cheyrhia I saw in one of your older posts that you kept your ovaries, right? Are you having any symptoms of menopause? If not, it's very likely you won't need to think about HRT for many years, by which time the range of options out there will likely be completely different than it is now. Many, many women go through natural menopause with little or no HRT, and as long as their DRs are seeing to it that their bone density is OK and their cardiovascular system is healthy it can be a very good way to go.

Surgical menopause is different... the symptoms are much more severe for most of us. Often, despite thinking prior to surgery that we would not choose HRT, we find that we have to in order to have a decent quality of life.

s,
-Linda

Before my TAH I wasn't going to take HRT. I was hoping to avoid HRT until I learned that my ovaries were diseased and had to be taken. I am in my early 40's and at risk for osteoporosis.

I'm only 6 weeks post-op and have been taking HRT for 5 weeks. So far, so good.....no more hot flashes and my bouts of crying are under control. Still not sleeping through the night though.

I have been having some severe menopausal symptoms and I have heard that sometimes the overies don't recover from sergery. I was hoping that by 3 months out I would feel somewhat normal again. I seem to be getting worse.

I would get in to see your DR then... they can do a quick FSH test to see if your ovaries are working. FSH is a pituitary hormone that tells the ovaries to make more estrogen. If the ovaries don't do as they're told, the pituitary responds by making more FSH, so high FSH levels = non-working ovaries. Then your DR could prescribe something, HRT or otherwise, to help with your symptoms and help you maintain your bone density, either until your ovaries decide to 'wake up' or for the longer-term if they don't.

If it turns out your FSH is low, in the normal pre-menopausal range, then you might ask the DR to look at your thyroid function, because women often have problems with their thyroid after this surgery and some of the symptoms are similar to those of menopause.

s,
-Linda

thanks surferbabe, I will make an appointment to see my doc. hopefully I can get to some kind of normal soon thanks again for the great advice.