confused... totally

I'm 38, 3 weeks post tah/bso. Do I NEED hormones? I didn't get any yet. I'm taking Calcium and Vitamin D. I have some other complications: spinal cord injury. I think my doc is afraid that the hormones pre-surgery were causing my dysreflexia. I know it was the cramps from all the stuff in and around my uterus.

Incidentally, does one get facial hair if they DON'T take hormones?

Sorry, please forgive my ignorance. I'm confused, new at this and just don't understand all of this. I tried to research it prior to my surgery, but I'm not always well, I work full time have two wonderful sons and I'm taking classes. So.. I didn't get to far.

Any suggestions would be great!
THanks

Hi! I am almost 4 months post op. I am only taking bioidentical progesterone at the time. I do plan on going on HRT. No, you will not grow facial hair if you don't take hormones, but you will experience many other things. Here are a few things I am experiencing because I am estrogen and testosterone deficient...bladder problems, loss of hair on head, pubic area, & underarms, sore feet, dry eyes, mood swings, feeling blue (with no reason), inconsistent sleep, smelly discharge, loss of sensitivity in sexual areas, and the list goes on! HRT also helps heart health and bone health. I recommend the book by Dr Elizabeth Vliet, Women, Weight, and Hormones. She has some great material about bioidentical hormones and how they can benefit us. You will not be sorry that you read it! Her web site is herplace.com God bless in your search for the path you should take!

itsme...hate to say it but this is a decision you'll have to make for yourself.

Everyone is different in their reaction to hormones or without them....just as everyone goes through menopause differently.

I'll address the symptoms below for myself:

Bladder: yes, I had them when I first quit hormones. Then I found if I took lexapro they stopped...so it seems like it may actually be the hormones connection to serotonin. Now, without either, I seem to be fine...but I did stop drinking coffee.

My head hair is actually thicker now that I've stopped all hormones and growing normally. I was really shedding a lot with the ups and downs of the hormone pills and patches and growing half as slow.

Pubic area/underarms: that was already thin prior to surgery and hasn't gotten any better.

Sore feet: gone

dry eyes: gone

mood swings: gone

sleep issues; gone if I'm careful about how I eat

smelly discharge: what??

loss of sensitivity: nope...feel it and like it!

thanks for the help. My hubby and I were only concerned about facial hair My bladder and colon don't work anyways cause of my stupid spinal cord injury. I have loss of sensation so that doesn't matter, either.
Hair, i hate it anyways in those places lol so that's great! for me tee hee

I don't have any discharge, nor does it smell THANK GOD.. hahaha

I never had any of the other problems that I'm aware of.. sometimes my severe issues out weight the little problems so that's ok with me.

Thanks for the responses! As long as I don't get facial hair, I'm not taking anything I have vitamins for my bones and will just eat healthy MOST (yes, most... I have to be bad sometimes) of the time.

thanks!

oh, I'm sorry...and no increase in facial hair!

Thanks that's what I needed to know

6andcounting, thanks so much! I needed to know the WHOLE low down so I can make a intelligent decision before my next appointment. I really appreciate all of your assistance.


thank you thank you thank you