Please tell me what role my ovaries play on my heart health (if any) or just health in general?

Hi guys I am new to this forum this is my first post.
I am super anxious because I had a hysterectomy @ the age of 50 due to cervical cancer; my ovaries were also taken. I've been doing a ton of research on the role ovaries play in the woman's body and unfortunately found a nerve-wrecking article that claimed despite being in menopause our ovaries serve as protection for good heart and bone health in our 50s and even 60s. Knowing that I don't have my ovaries now I am one word, scared. Of course my procedure was life saving so I had no choice, otherwise I'd still have my ovaries :\ Please fill me in with what chemicals our ovaries produce after menopause as well as the role these chemicals play. Before the procedure I hadn't had my period in about 3 months, so I was slowly crawling towards menopause, but I wasn't quite there yet. Would probably still have gotten my period at some point this year, since the estrogen decline is a process. Please, if you know of anyone in the same boat or if you yourself had a complete hysterectomy and you're doing fine years later despite no hrt please let me know as I could really use the peace of mind I'm also terrified of the aging that might happen. I'm scared from here on out my skin will just slowly perish and wrinkle away. Does this happen?

	Quote:
Originally Posted by soficali Hi guys I am new to this forum this is my first post. I am super anxious because I had a hysterectomy @ the age of 50 due to cervical cancer; my ovaries were also taken. I've been doing a ton of research on the role ovaries play in the woman's body and unfortunately found a nerve-wrecking article that claimed despite being in menopause our ovaries serve as protection for good heart and bone health in our 50s and even 60s. Knowing that I don't have my ovaries now I am one word, scared. Of course my procedure was life saving so I had no choice, otherwise I'd still have my ovaries :\ Please fill me in with what chemicals our ovaries produce after menopause as well as the role these chemicals play. Before the procedure I hadn't had my period in about 3 months, so I was slowly crawling towards menopause, but I wasn't quite there yet. Would probably still have gotten my period at some point this year, since the estrogen decline is a process. Please, if you know of anyone in the same boat or if you yourself had a complete hysterectomy and you're doing fine years later despite no hrt please let me know as I could really use the peace of mind I'm also terrified of the aging that might happen. I'm scared from here on out my skin will just slowly perish and wrinkle away. Does this happen?

I also recently had a hysterectomy and had everything else also removed, minus cancer. You've been through a lot. Sending you big hugs.

I am in my 50's and just just thrown sudden menopause too. I am not on HRT either and have the same exact questions as you!

All the questions you ask are really good ones. I'd like to know the answers to those too. Hoping someone will come by and reply to you post that knows.

I have a similar situation. However, I am 61. Have been IN menopause for 5 years, Had a complete hysterectomy because of stage 1 endometrial cancer. Surgery successful and I am cured and cancer free. I am also wondering, now that I don’t have my ovaries, do I need a little estrogen to stave off major bone loss or heart disease?

Great information on this site

https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/article_683097.htm


https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/article_605568.htm


https://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/article_614776.htm

I struggled with the same questions when trying to decide whether to keep ovaries or not. Saw five physicians - 2 obgyn, 1 urogynecologist, 1 endocrinologist, 1 cardiologist. Plus the surgeon. The cardiologist is one of the best in this area, excellent credentials, up to date on research, etc. My question was, what will happen to me, at age 51 and not menopausal yet, if i take out my ovaries during the hysterectomy. What I found on the internet in more or less (i read them all) legitimate studies raised the specter of heart disease, osteoporosis, skin aging, depression, and lung cancer (ha, maybe you didn’t find that one, another thing to worry about... worry not, and keep reading.) I will go backwards on them.
Lung cancer: American Lung Association came out with a statement saying there is no correlation between surgical menopause and increased risk of lung cancer. Study citing that risk was flawed.
Depression: Several studies show that you need to take into account how depressed or anxious you were BEFORE oophorectomy. If not depressed, you are not more likely to get depressed after surgical menopause than the average aging woman (read Nora Ephron’s I hate my neck for some laughs/tears).
Skin aging: yes, menopause makes your skin all over dry and more aged. Estrogen or estriol cream helps, so talk to a good dermatologist if that’s a concern.
Osteoporosis: Yep, a risk for any, surgical or not, menopause. Do weight bearing exercises, stay active, and if your bones start to look brittle (there are scans for that) you can have an injection every six months to beef them up, so to speak.
Finally, heart disease. The cardiologist said, it’s not like your heart will explode or something will happen to it. It’s just your lipids (cholesterol) will go up, thus leading to more plaque and eventually to coronary disease. Men have that risk most of the time as they have no estrogen. Read Dr. Dean Ornish’s book and eat like that, if you can. I’m trying but it gets boring. Cardiologist said they can do a calcium scan to see what is my calcium score. If zero, then I am ok. If in the hundreds, then i can take a statin to prevent coronary disease. I will go once corona subsides a little. Otherwise eat healthy and stay active, a recent study shows that even ppl w a lot of plaque live just fine if they stay active and their arteries remain elastic.
I think there is a lot of debate over ovaries because A.doctors don’t necessarily know which way is best, B.it really depends at what age you get the surgery (different if you are in your 30s or 40s, and different if like me, 51, where my ovaries were likely already sputtering...) and C.it’s a political/feminist issue, why do we get snorfleed, men don’t get their prostate taken out when they have cancer.... i really can’t speak to that. I made my decision, all was taken out two weeks ago. I feel most excellent, yeah, some hot flashes at night but i can cover and uncover myself, eating freshly ground flax seed, will get the estrogen cream for vaginal dryness and i might even put some on my face. One day at a time, hugs to all. I hope this was helpful.

Spot on! We've got quite a few articles in our Menopause and Hormones library about these various risks and benefits. These two in particular outline what estrogen does for us:

• What Ovarian Hormones Do for You
• Menopause Risks: Head to Toe

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Lilu68 men don’t get their prostate taken out when they have cancer

Actually, they do: a radical prostatectomy, where the prostate gland is removed, is a common option as a treatment for prostrate cancer in men. I know somebody who's had one.