If you had a hysterectomy, did you keep your ovaries?

I had my TAH done on December 30. I had my right ovary removed due to recurrent cysts on it. I had already had a surgery done almost 3 years ago just to remove a very large cyst off my right ovary. When he went in to do the hysterectomy, there was another cyst and a lot of scar tissue on the ovary, so he did remove it. He left the left ovary, but now I'm wondering why. I am already on HRT because of tremendous hot flashes and night sweats. I couldn't take it anymore so at my postop appt on Jan. 5, I asked him if there was anything he could give me for the hot flashes and night sweats. He said that he had a hard time believing that I was actually having a failing ovary because it apparently looked "beautiful" during the surgery, but he said maybe it just needs an extra boost to "kick in" and start working. He started me on the HRT and yesterday was my first day to feel tons better, heat-wise. He said we are hoping to only do the HRT for 2-3 weeks. We'll see...

I recall after my surgery (kept both ovaries) that I had hot flashes for 2-3 weeks and then all of a sudden it stopped...began feeling the mid-month ovary release pain and everything went back to normal.

Maybe it will just take a couple more weeks for your body to adjust back to normal.

I kept both ovaries and tubes, just wondering today.... Now where do the eggs go?

I had a TAH in March, 2008. I had so many problems in past years when I finally made my decision to have the surgery, I told them to take "all or nothing". I didn't want to have addional problems down the road. It has been SO VERY DIFFICULT since I was forced into "surgical" menopause. What should take several years took 24 hours for me. I am grateful that I don't have to worry or suffer with my heavy bleeding (and all the problems that caused) but will say I cannot beleive HOW MUCH has changed. I cannot take any form of HRT so I am really having a hard time. The most difficult of challenges has been the 30 lb weight gain which I've posted about several times. I try each day to deal with my new "life" and will admit get very down at times. It has not been easy but the support from family, friends, and this site has helped a lot.

I had a laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy (in combination with the DaVinci robot, too!) and had everything removed - uterus, fallopian tubes, cervix and both ovaries. It was the BEST THING I have ever done for myself, honestly. My ovaries and my uterus have given me nothing but problems for 41 years - ever since I got my first period at 12!!!! Chronic hormone problems ultimately set the stage for me to become estrogen dominant and develop Stage 3 endo and produce constant endometriomas (for which I have had 6 laparoscopies),multiple intramural fibroids, multichambered cysts and 9 months ago, breast cancer. A lumpectomy, 4 weeks of radiation treatment and the fact that I cannot take any kind of hormone related treatment (like Tamoxifen) pushed me to make the decision to have the hysterectomy. Not only have I done everything I could to prevent a cancer recurrence but I am FINALLY, blessedly pain free for the first time in eons.

I may be sweating, I may have hot flashes and I may be going through a post surgical insomnia phase, but it's all relative to what I have already been through in my life, and most recently, with regard to my breast cancer. If I had to do it again I would.

My doctor told me the eggs that are released are just absorbed by the body.

I am 7 months post op, SAH/BSO. I would do the same thing all over again. I don't know which pain was worse the fibroids or the rupturing cysts. THere was absolutley no question, the ovaries were GOING.

The plan was to leave both ovaries if she could. Unfortunately, my left ovary was twisted and had a very large cyst on it. She said the right ovary looked very healthy so she was able to leave it. I was happy with keeping just one, but I would have preferred to keep both if the other one was healthy.

I am 52 years old and kept both of my ovaries. I had a vaginal hysterectomy when I was 40. I now wish my ovaries were removed during my hysterectomy. I started to have cysts on my right ovary again, and now I am experiencing menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, weight gain, tons of anxiety and panic attacks, etc. The ovarian cysts can be quite painful on top of my ulcerative colitis. I will be starting on bio-identical hormone replacement therapy after I get my blood work done. I had ovarian cysts before my hysterectomy, but my gyne decided my ovaries looked okay during my hysterectomy, just some scar tissue on my right ovary. By the way, we moved to a different state, and I had to find a new gyne. This new gyne told me that I have vaginal shrinkage and a lot of scar tissue from my vaginal hysterectomy. Now I wonder if I should have had the abdominal hysterectomy instead of the vaginal one. I knew something was wrong with me when I had to have a pelvic ultrasound, and it was so painful this time. I have had those in the past before my hysterectomy with some discomfort, but this last time, it was awful. My new gyne said the pain was from all of the scar tissue from my hysterectomy.

I went into surgery for sure knowing that my Dr was going to take my uterus and cervix, the plan was to leave both ovaries, but we decided in the pre-op consult that since I had such severe pain on my left side w/ovulation that he may take the left ovary as well. When he got in there he found cysts on my left ovary and took it too. He did find a small cyst on my right ovary, but felt that if it hadn't bothered me previously he would leave it in to avoid hormone replacement and putting me into early menopause. I kinna wish he would have taken it too because now I am worried about if the cyst with grow and if I will have to go through this again in later years.