Do I get ovaries out or no?

So I was diagnosed with PCOS and endometriosis. I had a total hysterectomy in November 2019. I asked about having my ovaries taken out before my surgery (because of acne, excess hair growth in unwanted areas and bc of the pain in my ovaries), my doctor said I was too young to go through what all removal would cause... I was 31 at the time. I took her advice against my better judgement and the advice from other older women I know. I am still dealing with all the symptoms that my ovaries cause. I guess my question(s) would be...how soon after removal of ovaries does one go through menopause? How bad is menopause(I know I can google it but I need real women telling me real opinions)? And what is quality of life during and after?! Should I get my ovaries removed?

Here's the thing, what if it's not the ovaries causing your issues? I'd personally find any help for the issues first. Your sex drive, for one thing, will diminish in menopause. You can read up on whatever else the good of the ovaries is. I assume there are good medications that help acne. You could ask about HRT. My mom swore low estrogen gave her facial hairs and she stayed on a low dose of it until she passed away at 93.

I agree with JammyWammy, ovaries provide essential function to the body and removing them could be much worse short and long term than what you are dealing with now.

Some may have success with HRT but for many it is an ongoing battle.

Despite experiencing strong PMS since surgery, that would not be a reason for me to get rid of my ovaries

Hi,

First of all, I am so sorry you are struggling with this.

I was diagnosed with PCOS in my thirties (am now 49), after years of suffering from it. I don't have endo so I can't speak to that. I suffer/suffered from excessive body/facial hair, thinning scalp hair, acne, irregular periods, and insulin resistance. A lot of shame about this. Have always had a hard time maintaining weight. I just had my hysterectomy on July 8, 2021 due to excessive bleeding and adenomyosis after 2 years of trying alternate treatments.

I did keep my ovaries, so I cannot speak to the experience of menopause. My surgeon and GYN both said I should keep my ovaries for the benefits they provide. I have read on here that surgical menopause starts very quickly after the surgery and can be more severe than natural menopause. Did they say if you have endo on your ovaries contributing to the pain?

I have been researching more about PCOS because my endocrinologist basically blew me off. I believe that removing your ovaries will not cure PCOS because it starts in the brain releasing hormones. I have scheduled an appointment with a dermatologist and a new endocrinologist who both specialize in PCOS. I am trying to learn about insulin resistance and diet. Not sure if you struggle in that area or not, but I'm afraid of developing diabetes, so trying to reverse that.

Not sure where you are located, but I would recommend seeing an endocrinologist who specializes in PCOS to help you in your decision if you can. Maybe get a second opinion from a different GYN about the pain you have from your ovaries (not sure if that's endo related). There is also an endo and menopause forum on here that you can also post questions to. I believe with endo you cannot use HRT, or it is not indicated, to help with menopause symptoms because endo feeds on estrogen.

Good luck,

Nicole

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Jammywammy Here's the thing, what if it's not the ovaries causing your issues? I'd personally find any help for the issues first. Your sex drive, for one thing, will diminish in menopause. You can read up on whatever else the good of the ovaries is. I assume there are good medications that help acne. You could ask about HRT. My mom swore low estrogen gave her facial hairs and she stayed on a low dose of it until she passed away at 93.

What is HRT?

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Originally Posted by Weezyj What is HRT?

Hormone Replacement Therapy.

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Originally Posted by ngriffhawk Hi, First of all, I am so sorry you are struggling with this. I was diagnosed with PCOS in my thirties (am now 49), after years of suffering from it. I don't have endo so I can't speak to that. I suffer/suffered from excessive body/facial hair, thinning scalp hair, acne, irregular periods, and insulin resistance. A lot of shame about this. Have always had a hard time maintaining weight. I just had my hysterectomy on July 8, 2021 due to excessive bleeding and adenomyosis after 2 years of trying alternate treatments. I did keep my ovaries, so I cannot speak to the experience of menopause. My surgeon and GYN both said I should keep my ovaries for the benefits they provide. I have read on here that surgical menopause starts very quickly after the surgery and can be more severe than natural menopause. Did they say if you have endo on your ovaries contributing to the pain? I have been researching more about PCOS because my endocrinologist basically blew me off. I believe that removing your ovaries will not cure PCOS because it starts in the brain releasing hormones. I have scheduled an appointment with a dermatologist and a new endocrinologist who both specialize in PCOS. I am trying to learn about insulin resistance and diet. Not sure if you struggle in that area or not, but I'm afraid of developing diabetes, so trying to reverse that. Not sure where you are located, but I would recommend seeing an endocrinologist who specializes in PCOS to help you in your decision if you can. Maybe get a second opinion from a different GYN about the pain you have from your ovaries (not sure if that's endo related). There is also an endo and menopause forum on here that you can also post questions to. I believe with endo you cannot use HRT, or it is not indicated, to help with menopause symptoms because endo feeds on estrogen. Good luck, Nicole

I’m dealing with acne, excess hair growth, aching pain with severe bloating once a month, severely painful and fibrous breasts, and haven’t been able to lose any weight (which is all in my belly). I was having horrible menstruation to the point I was only having a week in between and destroying my clothes! Yes lots of shame especially when you miss a hair or a hair pops up out of nowhere and someone’s kids calls you out on it in front of everyone! Not to mention the hair on my breasts and no for some reason I get long hairs on the top of my but cheeks!!!I used to have beautiful skin until my mid twenties. It has just crushed my confidence. It’s hard to have a spontaneous sex life when I’m constantly worried about him seeing all this even though he has seen it and it doesn’t bother him.
I don’t even know what an endocrinologist is!! I’ll have to look that up!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Weezyj I’m dealing with acne, excess hair growth, aching pain with severe bloating once a month, severely painful and fibrous breasts, and haven’t been able to lose any weight (which is all in my belly). I was having horrible menstruation to the point I was only having a week in between and destroying my clothes! Yes lots of shame especially when you miss a hair or a hair pops up out of nowhere and someone’s kids calls you out on it in front of everyone! Not to mention the hair on my breasts and no for some reason I get long hairs on the top of my but cheeks!!!I used to have beautiful skin until my mid twenties. It has just crushed my confidence. It’s hard to have a spontaneous sex life when I’m constantly worried about him seeing all this even though he has seen it and it doesn’t bother him. I don’t even know what an endocrinologist is!! I’ll have to look that up!

It's a doctor who specializes in hormone disorders throughout the body. PCOS is a hormonal disorder starting in the brain. They might be able to help you understand the weight issue, I also have all my weight in my belly, so frustrating. Diabetes relates to insulin which is also a hormone. PCOS can put you at risk for insulin resistance and diabetes. I have read that diet can help lower the PCOS symptoms. I have not had my appointments yet though. A skin doctor, or dermatologist can help with the acne, and hair issues.

I can totally relate to all you are saying about hair and confidence, and your partner seeing all of this. It's so hard to talk to doctor about as well, very embarrassing. It's starting to become more talked about but the treatments for hair issues are considered "cosmetic" and not covered by insurance yet. But as I've gotten older, and spent years trying to deal with all of it, I'm now in a place to ask for more help. If you can, I would encourage you to ask for more help from doctors. Another GYN might be able to help you with your pain, bloating, and breast issues.

Hang in there!

I don't think that getting your ovaries out will help with the facial hair. I never had facial hair until after I had my hysterectomy and my ovaries were removed. I'm guessing that because of the lack of hormones from the removal of the ovaries (and I can't have HRT because I had cancer) is what is causing this for me. I really hate the facial hair, but the risk of going through cancer again is worse.

Regular menopause is unpleasant, but surgical menopause is far more drastic. Rather than a natural, gradual letdown of hormones, the body is slammed into a state of extremely low estrogen. Different women experience this in different ways, but I felt the lack immediately after waking up from surgery. Hormone replacement therapy can alleviate the symptoms, but this is a crude mimicry of hormonal equilibrium, involving trial and error (not to mention expense), whereas the body can maintain without conscious thought. There is also the heightened risk of certain health problems such as breast cancer if hormone therapy is used, not to mention the ongoing disruptions to our supply chains. Your health and comfort will be more assured if you're not relying on an outside source for hormones!

To add to this, removing ovaries can alleviate some PCOS symptoms, but it does not solve the underlying causes. PCOS is an endocrine disorder and should be addressed at that level. To that effect, I recommend looking into an inexpensive, readily available herb called vitex. It has been used to help with womens' issues for hundreds of years and is considered generally safe. I began using it a year ago and it helped with my PCOS issues which still lingered despite having my ovaries removed years before. I dropped about 20 extra pounds and my mood drastically improved. My sister also started taking it around the same time. Her moods also improved, she has a regular cycle for the first time in her life, and she began a slow, steady, and continual weight loss.

So, to recap, surgical menopause can be manageable, but it can also be downright miserable, and there's no going back once it's done. Based on personal experience, I recommend against ovary removal for any but the most dire situations. This is especially the case when other therapies are available. I urge you to look into vitex. If it seems like it's worth trying, give it some time to work.