Confusion

Hi all. I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right spot or not, but... I AM CONFUSED. Seems to be a constant thing for me lately. I had a TAH on 7/6/04, kept both ovaries. I recovered quickly and wonderfully. All was GREAT, until 6 weeks, when I had to start getting my class ready (i teach kinder). I had been taking it easy, so I could be just overdoing it, but it feels like more to me. I am sooooo tired all the time, I can't sleep well, even if I'm so tired I could die. I feel like crying all the time, but is that because I'm just so tired, or because my hormones are going crazy? I have more acne than I've ever had, and I just can't seem to focus on anything. Right after the surgery (and even a little before) I had hot flashes frequently. Now I'm just HOT all the time. My dr. suggested taking a low dose of hormones for a few months, to see how it goes, but I wanted to wait and do some research on some alternatives (my mom is fearful of the HRT as we have a breast cancer history in the fam). Anyway, I CAN'T RESEARCH ANYTHING. I try reading and I just don't retain anything or I lose focus after a few sentences. I'm ready to just take the hormones so that I can function, then do the research. That is so different for me. I usually like to know what I'm getting in to before I do it. I guess my questions are: do the natural things, like black cohosh, EPO, and anything else help certain symptoms, or just any and all menopause type things? And is that what it sounds like I'm experiencing, or am I just overdoing it? (I should also say that I am REALLY watching what I do, focusing on not overdoing it, so I don't think that is it, but maybe...)

ANYWAY, if anyone made it to the end of my long venting, and if anyone made any sense of anything I said HELP. I'm not sure which way to turn!!!!!!!!!!
~Amonte

Oh (((((Amonte)))))) I'm so sorry you're going through such a rough time right now I could easily be writing the same post, as, most of the time, I have a lot of the same feelings: I had a TVH with repairs, keeping ovaries 3 1/2 years ago. However, since about 2 weeks into my recovery, my ovaries have been doing just about anything they feel like doing:

• First they went on strike for three months, which resulted in my turning the heat off in January, much to the pleasure of my family (NOT)
  
• When they went back to work, I found myself have extreme PMS symptoms... something I'd never expected, as PMS had never been one of my Pre-Hyst complaints
  
• Once the ovaries settled a bit, they started puttering around and, all along, I've been having perimenopausal symptoms.
  
• These days, I'm having mostly peri-menopausal symptoms by my doctor, like your mother, is weary of HRT and will not prescribe them for me.

Because of all the issues I'm dealing with and of my doctor's attitude, I've just started using the following combination: Black Cohosh and Evening Primrose Oil twice a day and Valarian Root and Magnesium with Calcium in the evening. This combination should help with most, if not all perimenopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, insomnia, memory and concentration issues. Furthermore, it should help strengthten the bones and the heart. You could ask you doctor if this combination, or another similar, could help with some of your symptoms

BTW, since you are still very early in your recovery and have suddenly increased your level of activity, some of the issues you are dealing with could very well be due to this increase of activity. One thing I would do, when I first returned to work, was to ensure that I would rest whenever I could. That included ensuring that I would elevate my legs as much as possible and that I would have a nice little nap when I returned from work.

Hope this helps. Sending tons of s your way. Please be sure to keep us posted.