5 year anniversary & i think my hormones are messed up!

I am 5 years post op today, i kept my ovaries, but i really think there is something going on w/ my hormones.

I keep asking the doctors & they keep thinking i need anti depressants or anti anxiety medications.

What does it take to get someone to test your hormones?

I don't sleep much, some nights i am burning up and sweating ..others freezing, sometimes i just lay there and stare at the blackness, because i cannot sleep -
occasionally i have hot flashes during the day, i am very moody, i have dizzy spells & crying spells, other times i just simply dont care about anything, then the next minute i am so upset about the same thing i didn't care about earlier.

I am active, i exercise, i generally take pretty good care of myself. I am settled in a job, in a relationship, my kids r great, things all in all are good for me & honestly I dont feel depressed.. just really "off" not even sure how to explain it.

My dr has now tried me on 4 different anti-depressants & none seem to help, one makes me sick to my tummy, the next made me so tired i could not even keep my eyes open during the day, another made me really super not care about anything, and the 4th... just does not seem to do anything.

any ideas????

Rochelle,
It does sound like most of your symptoms could be due to hormone problems.

If your current doctor doesn't seem to be helping much, maybe it's time to seek another opinion and look for a doctor who is more knowledgeable about the issues we face as we enter menopause.

You can read more about hormones and symptoms in the articles at www.hormonejungle.com

hi rochelle, i am post hyster 2 years on march 5th...I saved only both ovaries and am 48. I am also very miserable due to the perimenopause stage in my life. I am depressed, sad, lonely, no ambition, no energy, emotional, happy one sec miserable the next. I have had all my important levels checked out and I am ok on thyroid, iron, vitamon d, folic acid. I think that its up to me right now to get on a progesterone cream or more testosterone. I have no sex drive, no vaginal lubrication without Astroglide and am happliy married even though i lost my job 6 months ago..I worked at my past employment for 28 yrs and they just up and let me go for no reason. Plus 3 yrs ago i had an affair with my boss and my hubbie found out. Many many stress factors now, no job, no money...I can see why we are all messed up. I think you should test all your hormone levels plus the ones dr's do on women...iron, vitamin d, ETC. write me back DONNA

I am going through the same thing you are but they are sending me to the sleep clinic....like that's the answer?? When I talk to the dr about HRT he thinks I just have depression. My symptoms are the same as yours. I did quit smoking 9 months ago and I've put on 10 pounds and that is what I "thought" was happening and so did the dr. I know now that it isn't the case. I am tired, can't sleep, my feet feel like they burn some nights so bad that I can't sleep, yet they are cold to the touch.....and I can't explain my moodiness. I am not depressed even though I feel like I am sometimes.......I am being sent for bloodwork finally but I don't really know what's going to happen from here....it has been almost 5 years to the day that I had my LAVH. I kept both my ovaries as well. I just want to feel better and I'm tired of feeling this way....my apt with the sleep clinic is taking forever.....it's like they just aren't that anxious to help me out.....it's been 2 weeks and I still don't have an apt??? very frustrated and cranky.....when this first started a few years back the dr put me on anti-depressants which made me so tired I couldn't function as a human being.....and I sleep non stop....couldn't stay awake.....can't wait for the testing....hopefully I'll get some help after complaining for like 2 years about this......if I didn't have a mitral valve prolapse (heart condition) I would never be getting any answers......my cardiologist is the one helping me...not my family dr......

It has been 6 years since my LAVH, kept both my ovaries. Reading all your posts makes me very happy! I have almost all the exact symptoms, thought I was crazy!!! Went for my yearly pap today & the doctor is putting me on hormone therapy. I left the doctors office exstatic! I will be 48 next month, have a great husband and 2 kids but felt MOODY, SAD, DEPRESSED, NO SEX DRIVE, HOT HOT HOT, TIRED, CAN'T CONCENTRATE, DIDN'T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING. Everything felt like a chore. I am too young to feel this way about life. I am looking forward to taking my pills, and hope they can relieve my symptoms. Good Luck to you!
Remember, it is your body. If you think it is your hormones, go see a different doctor.

Hi sisters,
My TAH was two yrs ago today. Its nice to be able to discuss the same issues, worries,concerns, and fears without feeling crazy. I've been feeling depressed, but not sure if its everything I have going on with my finances, working, and going to school. My babygirl is going to high school, the is going very fast. My belly looks more swollen than ever!! My sex drive seems really low sometime and vaginal dryness seems to be there. I'm not in a relationship so its hard to tell. I've asked if I needed a low dose of estrogen, but I don't have symptoms regularly so my doctor says don't worry! I don't want to want until everything starts hitting me all at once. I will be 42 in October and feeling like my body is slowly dying. It is not a good feeling. Thanks for letting me vent. Take care everyone.

have any of you looked into natural means of balancing your hormones via lifestyle/diet/exercise changes instead of hormone replacement therapy? i am just beginning to learn about this -- planning to read some books on how hormones rule the body to get a better understanding of what's going on and how to navigate perimenopause...

someone recommended books by Dr. John R. Lee (what your doc may not tell you about premenopause) and Uzzi Reiss (natural hormone balance for women). anyone read these?

I will look into Lee and Reiss. Thx sis

Wow...I am so glad to have read these posts. I am 5 years post total but kept ovaries and will be 40 in Sept. I am always swinging in moods and having horrible nite sweats, tossing and turning all nite, don't have a sex drive currently either. Has anyone noticed having a problem with an acne explosion. I wake up and feel like a greasy faced teen. I have been treated for depression for many years but it seems to sway more than it used to, plus, marriage is rocky plus 2 boys...preteen and a teen...feels like the whole world is against me...Top it off with unemployment...I feel like a basket case. My other fear is thyroid issues cause that runs in the family too... Annual physical doc appt isn't until Sept.

Jeez...this sounds so familiar!! I'm (counting on fingers) 11 yrs post-op. Got to keep my ovaries. The past several months the hot flashes are driving me crazy! It seems I spend all night either throwing the blankets off, or pulling them back over me. Don't know what a good nights sleep is anymore. Going on two weeks ago, I started taking the new One a day vitamin with soy for "menopause support", and also black cohosh. Not helping.
To make matters worse, hubby has recently retired on disability and there went our health insurance...*sigh*. Thankfully, I'm not experiencing mood swings or I'd probably go postal from lack of sleep, LOL!!
I need to get back in here when I get a few spare moments and do some research...see what else I can do for these #&*@^##(*& hot flashes. Don't know why I didnt think of checking here ages ago...duh. But right now I need to get my fanny out the door to work. Nice to know I'm not alone in this and cant wait to get back in here and find some familiar faces!!