NO Female Parts Left; LSH Procedure;x2 weeks

I will begin talking about my concerns, identifying my profession for no other reason, but to let you know where I come from. As a medial administrator for both large and small medical practices, plus hospital departments; I feel I've had access to information resulting in an overload regarding my own female health. It has not afforded me help with my sudden, urgent physical state in resolving what now are lifelong decisions that will affect my overall mental and physical health. It was a quick decision to have a LSH (supracervical laprascopic hysterectomy) on 8/25/08, be hospitalized, and surgical patient for the 2nd time in my life. I am now minus my uterus, ovaries, and tubes! I know I'm not alone, but it sure feels that way when one is not adequately prepared with knowledge to make intense decisions for her future! It feels so drastic. I have fear, anxiety, and confusion! I started with excessive bleeding in 4/08. Discovery by Vaginal US idendified a "growth" in my uterus. A D&C and hysteroscopy was performed on 5/20. After that I had extreme pain to the point it felt like a ruptured appendix. Results of the pain was a "ruptured ovarian cyst". From that point on nothing "female" in nature was the same. Oh, by the way I turned 50 in January 2008!!
I have been tired, sleeping no more than 2-3 hours at a time, hot flashes have started and crying quite a bit.
I get mixed messages from health care professionals, compound pharmacies regarding bio-identical hormones, and friends. HELP!
I don't have ANY female parts left. I am scared. At my follow up appointment 9/4/08 I was put on Evamist.(a estrogen replacement transdermal spray; 1.53mg of estradiol) In reading the literature it lists multiple potential disease states that are disturbing. I know I need hormone replacement desperately, but am so confused with so much at once I am almost emotionally frozen as to what is best for my body.
Does anyone relate with my procedure? Suggest a path that I may consider? I haven't talked to anyone who is 50, had a LSH suddenly, believes in bio-identical hormones, or has a proven track record with synthetics. I've always maintained good physical health, take vitamins and herbs rather than Rx pills, and generally healthy and full of energy! (not now!) I feel like I need to start over again somehow to learn how to eat, drink and make the best medical decisions for my body! For some reason..probably hormonal (YIKES) I feel like this is a death wish without my ovaries!! Breast cancer, strokes, DVT's, dementia, etc, are all listed as a result of Estrogen replacement....AND I'm not suppose to take progesterone with Evamist!? I've talked to a compounding pharmacy who will do a saliva test, but I am still LOST!
I would appreciate any feedback as I am into this a few weeks and already panic ridden.
If you go this far through my story THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

i'm sorry you arent feeling well. i had an lsh also but kept my ovaries. it sounds like you are in surgical menopause and need time to get your hormone replacement therapy right for your body. until that happens, you'll probably continue to have symptoms. i hope everything gets straightened out for you quickly and you feel good again

There is a menopausal supplement called menersa. It is all herbal and does not have all those side effects. If you google menersa you can read about it.

I'm sorry you're not feeling well.(((HUGS)))
I can relate about worrying about side effects from HRT. I'm not taking anything as of yet and not sure what to do myself.
Can I ask why you can't take progesterone with the Evamist?

lady di - I am sorry you are having trouble. I can really relate. I had a TVH in Nov keeping my ovaries. Then due to a severe complication, I lost my ovaries in an emergency surgery in Feb. I had NO time to prepare. I am 46 yrs old and the lack of hormones has been so tough on my body. What I can say is this, when I was close to my surgery like you are, I was in no mental position to learn or make decsions on my HRT. I just took what they told me and frankly it did not work very well. Once I started mentally recovering, I found the energy and brain space to start to learn. I adjusted my HRT until I was feeling better. I may still make some more adjustments, but I am taking them slowly because I learned the further I get out from my surgery the more my body keeps changing. I currently take 1mg of Estradiol in the am and .5mg of Estradiol after dinner. For me I found splitting the dose and taking part in the morning and part before bed helped me sleep. I was not sleeping at all, and now for the past 30+ days since I did that, I have slept every night except one!!!

Hang in there and hugs to you,

Starbgirl

I can identify with the "suddeness" of surgery. I have had two surgeries in my life....one in 1984 and my LSH in 2006.

My experience, with my LSH was that I complained to my GP that my period would not stop...it was not anything other than normal most of the time (normal for me being 2-3 days of hemmoraging) but normal for many years. BUT, I would always stop after 8 days....now I was going 28 out of 30.

So, she sent me to a GYN who gave me three options, LSH being the most invasive. I went with LSH! No periods, ever again, OH YEA!!!

From start to finish, I went from late July to surgery in mid September. If I had to make the choice again, I would, in a heartbeat! Best decision I have ever made for my health.

I was in surgery at 9AM, woke up in recovery at 11:10AM, in my room by a bit after noon..........my cath was out in the recovery room. Up to use the bathroom the first time around 4PM and then a walk with my nurse. No pain meds to this point.

Once the nurse told me that I was not getting any paid meds, I asked for half a dose, as others had told me to "stay ahead of the pain." I took half a dose for the first three days, then dumped the rest down the drain. Poor fish getting Oxi!

The whole thing was easy, yet I took more time off than I had planned, as it really is major surgery!

The best thing that you can do for yourself is have a positive attitude and remember that you are healing from major surgery, so take it easy, even if you thing you feel great!

I had my hysterectomy (TAH) last year at the age of 37...no kids. My husband and I had started talking about having children about a year before. I always knew I wanted to have at least one child, but also that I would have to have at least a partial hysterectomy at some point. Wanted to wait until my 40's. But, due to some misdiagnoses over the years, mainly because my GP just plain did not listen to me, I ended up having to have the surgery early. We took the ovaries as well since I have a family history of ovarian cancer. I was told I needed the surgery on Wednesday, had it done the next Tuesday. I know what it's like to have this decision basically made for you and not much time to get used to the idea. I have a background in medical office/records, so also have had access to an overload of medical information, and yes it can sometimes be too much.

OK, they started me on HRT the day after the surgery. Still had some mood swings and such, but like others say, you have to have time to get used to it. After some research, I decided to change to an OTC med (Estroven is the one I've recently started.) and I have had good luck. Hot flashes are almost gone, and I'm finally sleeping a good bit of the night. (I had a lot of nights of 2 to 3 hours sleep, if that much, as well.) I still have a few restless nights once in a while, but they are few and far between.

It takes a lot of time. I'm not crying at the drop of a hat like I was for a while in the beginning. (Although I sometimes feel angry at the doctors who dropped the ball over the years.) I think the OTC med I'm taking now is going to be it for me. Just keep in touch with your doctor, do your own research and if you are worried about the possible side effects of your HRT, try something else. That was one big reason I switched to something that is all natural. Mostly though, know you are not alone and take care of yourself.

Hi

I had my TVH/BSO in '03 at the age of 53. I had severe hot flashes from the get go, and have been on the vivelle dot patch all this time. I take a low dose, eat well, exercise and have regular checkups and mammograms. I feel very comfortable on the patch which is the only thing that really helps me. Yes, I did try herbs and supplements, but I did not get the relief I needed.
I understand the fear of the risks. I feel it is a personal choice taking hrt with the intention of taking the lowest dose for the shortest time. The first years were the worst, and as the hot flashes lessened, the dose was lowered.

I think this article from the Mayo Clinic helps look at the pros and cons of taking HRT:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hor...herapy/WO00046

You are welcome to visit our Hormone Forums to see what others have to say and to post questions you may have.

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

I hope this helps some.

s

ladydi58,
I can relate. I'm 48 and had the same surgery as you. It was for horrible adeno pain, and now that my hrt is stablized, I feel better than ever. You are on the right track. I, like you, wanted biohrt. I had a hard time finding a doctor to prescribe, but it looks like you're moving in the right direction with the testing and the compounding pharmacist. I knew that was going to be my best path, because I've never done well on synthetics (bad bad headaches with all birth control pills I've ever taken). The test results will give you a great place to start. I started on 2mg of biest cream .4estradiol and 1.6 estriol. I used half in the am and half in the pm. I also used progesterone ( which I finally stopped because of grogginess and a little depression). We finally added 1mg of testosterone to the cream for energy and libido. It took about 6 months to get it all right, but it finally happened. Has your pharmacist given you any doctor names to work with?
It sounds like once you get your hormones right, you'll do a lot better. YOu just need a little help at this point. Most "mainstream" doctors I know don't talk to you about biohrt. They prescribe what's in the book. You'll have to find somebody who thinks outside the box and has done some outside training in hrt.
I wouldn't stress over the "dangers". With no ovaries, your body needs the extra help for now. I wish you the best!

I had everything taken out on August 14th, which of course means instant menopause. I don't think hormones are an option for me because I had cancer. I'll have to handle any symptoms the old-fashioned way.

I'm sorry you are so distressed. Menopause is not a disease. Fortunately you made it to age 50 with your insides intact!

I've researched hormones quite a bit. Statistically, 1 out of every 100 women on synthetic hormones will have an "adverse event" (for example, blood clot, stroke, heart attack, cancer, or alzheimer's). These "events" could be mild, debilitating, or fatal. But 99 women out of 100 will be OK.

Traditional doctors won't go near bio-identical hormones because they can't be tested the way other drugs are (by putting hundreds or thousands of people on the same medication at the same dose and seeing what happens). Open-minded and alternative doctors will prescribe them. Some bio-identical hormones are plant-based.

The big pharmaceutical companies aren't interested in producing bio-identical hormones because you can't trademark a naturally occurring hormone and sell it at a huge profit. Instead, they use the urine of pregnant mares to produce synthetic hormones that are almost, but not quite, the same as hormones that occur naturally in our bodies.

Hope this information is helpful.