Menopause continues 2.5 years after ovaries removed!

Hi All
I had a full hysterectomy plus ovaries removal 2.5 years ago next month. I am still in full throws of hot flashes! Anyone else having menopausal symptoms so long after this procedure? I can't take any HRT or even over counter remedies as I have to avoid all oestrogen products as I had womb cancer.
How much longer I ask myself?
Your comments welcome
Kate

Hi there and welcome.
I had the same surgery as you for the same cancer four years ago. I am much better these days but I still get hot flashes --although not so bad as in the beginning.

You do not say what stage and grade your cancer was and whether you had any other treatment? That may be a factor in what happens in the future for you regarding hormone replacement.

If you were the same as myself (grade one stage one) then you could find that at the three year mark you may be offered some estrogen replacement. I thought I would never be allowed it ever again but in early stage and grade endometrial cancer, once you get past the three year mark you are often considered cured.
I was given the all clear last March at three years! I was very surprised because I thought it would be five years but the oncologist said I was done and I could have any HRT I wanted.
He put me on a low dose patch but it made me dreadfully ill as my body had become so used to no estrogen at all.
Since then I have been playing around with all types of estrogen without too much luck.
I do use testosterone,with great success however and it helps tremendously with energy and zest for life! It also helps with libido somewhat but I do need to use a little vaginal estrogen for it to work properly.
I am not sure if the hot flushes will ever go completely for you unless you can get on to estrogen at some point. I have got so used to mine that I don't worry about them any more. I had them for so many years in peri before my surgery that they are just a price I have had to pay for being cancer free.
I am still working on the HRT though. Maybe one day I will find something that helps.

You are almost at the magic three mark so hopefully you will be able to have something soon.

Good luck!


uk lady

Hi UK lady!
Thanks for your reply! I was actually stage 1 (beginning stage) but grade 3 (quick growing) so they caught it quickly before it became a stage 2!

I appreciate your answer and it is lovely to hear from someone with the same symptoms as I had!
I guess I am used to the flushes now and am very lucky to be rid of the cancer and also lucky not to be experiencing any other awful symptoms apart from a lack of libido (complete!)

I would still like to hear from any one else though as it is good to hear from like people and have advice and share experiences.

Cheers
Kate

Hi katers, I just had the works removed a month or so ago and can't take any estrogen because I had estrogen positive breast cancer. I hope they at least subside! I'm awake all night with these hot flashes. The day before my hysterectomy, I met someone who had everything removed at 27 and didn't take HRT. She said her hot flashes lasted five or six years. I've also heard that everyone is different. They say you can look at your mother and you may follow a similar pattern -- even if it's surgical. So, I wish I could offer relief, but apparently, everyone is different. I hope yours subside soon!!! Asha

p.s. They offered me effexor - -an anti-depressant that apparently helps with hot flashes. Not being depressed, I've declined, but apparently that is an option.

My dr. told me that the average time for menopause is 5 yrs. I've got a couple of friends who've been dealing with the hot flashes for almost that long, so I guess he's right. Sure seems like a long time though

It really does vary. You can have menopause for a short time or indefinitatly. I would talk to your doctor about it.

I guess I have given up trying to figure out how long the hot flashes last. I had them after my hyst in '03 and a few years before, so it will be a total of 10 years for me. I will say they were very severe right after my surgery. I went on HRT for several years and it helped take them down to almost nothing.
I am off now and they are still there, but mild and not anywhere the amount I was having them in the beginning.

Exercise and change of diet have helped me.

I had stage 3C ovarian cancer 4 years ago and went into surgical menopause at age 42. My oncologist told me that it is typically more severe, but lasts not as long as natural menopause. How long? Two years he said. I put up with the hot flashes and night sweats and three years out they seemed to subside. Now, four years out they are back and they brought their friends: insomnia, water retention, bloating, mood swings, and severe fatigue and exhaustion, lack of motivation, anxiety, always feeling overwhelmed, weight fluctuations, sugar cravings, the works. I have seen several doctors and had several tests it all seems to be hormone related. I feel terrible most of the time, this has been going on for over six months now.

I do not want to do HRT but I have looked into it. The trick seems to be that you really need to balance things - which requires monitoring your levels. Just taking estrogen or progesterone alone will not be so good. Still, I don't want to take anything for fear of the cancer returning.

I too wonder how long this will last or if it ever wlll normalize again to some extent. I felt so good those first two years after surgery and chemo. Actually, I felt better on chemo than I feel now most days. If this goes on indefinitely I will need to do something as it severely affects my life . If I knew this is just another phase, I would ride it out as hard as it is.

Uk lady...interesting you use T with the E. No side effects?

I am 3 years post op, and still having symptoms.

I found a naturopath that has had me change my diet to a high protien no grains "adrenal fatigue" diet.
It helps a ton, and I notice that when I do eat sugar or bread my symptoms get a lot worse. Especially at night.
I also have blood sugar fluctuations that cause hot flashes too. My "regular" doctor could find nothing wrong with his tests, so I went outside that care and it helped a lot.

You sound like you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue as well.. It is really important that you take care of yourself.

Get enough sleep, think about a diet change, snack often, drink a lot of water, no soda. Take long salt baths, start meditation or yoga or even Reiki. Take regular walks. Try tea instead of coffee, the anti-oxidants are good for you, and the lower caffeine is too.

Talk to a ND if you can, they have a lot of good advice that can neatly fit in to and augment what your MD says.

Good luck hon!