Where do I start..I could use some advice

I am hoping that maybe I could get some advice as to my situation. I am 39 yrs young, I had my hyster about 8 months ago and I still do have my ovaries. My problem is that since I had my hysterectomy I have had a lot of breast changes (I am currently waiting to have a new lump ultrasounded AGAIN since my surgery as I had found one 4 weeks post-op as well) I have breast pain & I also find that I cry a lot and have lite facial hair now & my libido is just suddenly not there and it was there 2 months ago. I had my hormones checked at 4-5 months post op and the doc said my hormones were fine. I dont' feel like I am fine and I don't know what I should do help myself.

I would appreciate any suggestions or your experiences if you have your ovaries and have gone through this. thanks

I had similar experience in the way I felt following hysterectomy at age 33. My ovaries shut down for a while, then started back, then stopped, then started after I added an estrogen patch. I strongly believe that the blood supply to the ovaries is compromised during and following surgery. I was told 1 out of 3 women go into early menopause following hysterectomy despite keeping their ovaries. I did have some breast lump issues too, but all turned out to be nothing serious.

If you don't feel fine now, since it's been 9 months, I'd request retesting of your hormones. I bet your ovaries are doing the on/off again thing like mine did. I had my ovaries removed 9 years following the hysterectomy. Probably about 4-6 of those years my ovaries were misbehaving. I used the estrogen patch for 2 years during that time.

Hope you figure out what's up and get some relief from your symptoms soon. Good luck!

Perhaps you can request saliva hormone testing as the blood testing is less sensitive to smaller fluctuations and mostly picks up significant changes.

Removal of the uterus alone does cause some hormone changes, more noticeable in some than others, depending on the body's own hormone mix. Your ovaries may be compromised, but then again they may be okay and continue to function, but there may be some hormone change related to uterus removal. I certainly had that, even though my ovaries were functioning. I seemed to experience a drop in female hormone and more dominance of male androgens.

I also developed breast cysts afterward, fibrocystic. The cysts are usually or always benign but cause you to have to have ultrasounds because mammograms can't tell what they are.

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Originally Posted by Calypso I had similar experience in the way I felt following hysterectomy at age 33. My ovaries shut down for a while, then started back, then stopped, then started after I added an estrogen patch. I strongly believe that the blood supply to the ovaries is compromised during and following surgery. I was told 1 out of 3 women go into early menopause following hysterectomy despite keeping their ovaries. I did have some breast lump issues too, but all turned out to be nothing serious. If you don't feel fine now, since it's been 9 months, I'd request retesting of your hormones. I bet your ovaries are doing the on/off again thing like mine did. I had my ovaries removed 9 years following the hysterectomy. Probably about 4-6 of those years my ovaries were misbehaving. I used the estrogen patch for 2 years during that time. Hope you figure out what's up and get some relief from your symptoms soon. Good luck! Perhaps you can request saliva hormone testing as the blood testing is less sensitive to smaller fluctuations and mostly picks up significant changes.

Thanks so much for replying I appreciate it so much. Yes it does seem like my ovaries are turning off & on and I keep thinking I am doing sumthing to cause that..like what I have no idea LOL!! I am guessing you had your hormones checked and you were low on estrogen so they gave you estrogen? I will ask my doc re: having my saliva checked...I didn't know you could do that as I've never heard of it. Thanks again..I see you have had a lot of surgeries, I'm sorry that you have gone through that & hope you are ok now..Thanks Guitara

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Originally Posted by moonsong Removal of the uterus alone does cause some hormone changes, more noticeable in some than others, depending on the body's own hormone mix. Your ovaries may be compromised, but then again they may be okay and continue to function, but there may be some hormone change related to uterus removal. I certainly had that, even though my ovaries were functioning. I seemed to experience a drop in female hormone and more dominance of male androgens. I also developed breast cysts afterward, fibrocystic. The cysts are usually or always benign but cause you to have to have ultrasounds because mammograms can't tell what they are.

Thank you too for replying to my inquiry Moonsong. Really you also developed breast cysts afterwards?!!! I was told it had nothing to do with my hyster & that I probably just never felt them before..which is complete bull!! I feel a bit betrayed by my body & like I wasn't told the whole story of what could happen after the hyster. I had to have it though. I have an ultrasound on Friday again and I am really scared...I think it's normal to be & I've had a very rough year with surgeries & stuff...so this is why I am so grateful to have this site and for your reply to help me through...so really thanks a bunch!

Are you taking anything at all (or did you) to help yourself and for your cystic breasts at all?

Guitara, I think my cysts were caused by hormone imbalance. I got on estrogen replacement when I went through menopause. This made the breast cysts decrease some in size, and some disappeared. However, a number of cysts are still there and probably always will be. They cause me no pain except in mammograms. So I don't do anything about them and don't worry about them. I keep up with where the the lumps are so I'll know if something new comes along in there that I don't know about. Breast cysts are common. Good luck.