PCOS and keeping ovaries

I am having surgery LAH on Friday, 7-23. The Dr wants me to keep my ovaries if possible. I have read as much info as I can on the subject and I am on overload right now. With PCOS, I have had a lot of trouble wth my ovaries anyway. Lots of hormonal issues. Worried about cancer in ovaries. I have also read that over 50% of women that keep the ovaries , have to have them removed or they stop working within 5 yrs. One Dr. (not the one doing surgery) already said I was starting menopause--but no one has tested my levels. So now I am totally confused on what to do, any suggestions?
Renee

Good Luck!!

I'm writing this from my point of view, not a medical opinion.
I have PCOS and had constant pain in ovaries and uterus for the last five years - it continuously got worse. I even did so much research and tried so many different things. I'm 43 and the DR said because I was young I'd have to leave the OR with a hormone patch which would give a steady amount of hormones, and diagnosed me with no pathology or what ever it's called for "they can't find the reason for the pain." Dr. said if they are making your life miserable get rid of them. The other doctor who saw me said with undiagnosed pathology she couldn't guaranty the pain would go away and wasn't going to remove the ovaries, Last year a doctor told me that hysterectomy was the worse thing for a PCOS patient. Tomorrow it will be be two weeks in recovery. I feel better than I have in years. I don't know if it will last, but I also had a puffy look about me all the time and believed my body was producing too much in the way of hormones and with the constant imbalance, I wondered if I could be normal with everything removed. Again only 14 days out, but I'm losing that puffy look, starting to have that square look in the face turn to feminine again, and the only pain I have is cramping from recovery. I doubted at my pre-op and my doctor said the decision was all about making your life more comfortable and livable, he could wait four or five more years, but it was up to me. I had a list of 15 concerns, and he told me he could guarantee 12 of those he could fix, the last three items were different for all women and no one has THE answer, because it's different for every woman. I questioned what to do right to the moment I fell asleep as they wheeled me to the OR, but decided I was going to leave it in God's hands and deal with the rest as it showed up. Only two weeks out and so far I'm thinking it was the best thing I could have done. I'm curious if there are others out there with PCOS who do not regret still........

PCOS here and having a hysterectomy (2007) was the best thing that ever happened to me........ about to lose my last ovary and looking forward to it...... excited about maybe having normal hormones for once in my life (even if they aren't real!)

Lisa

I was so thankful to see this post! I was just diagnosed with PCOS and am trying to resesarch to see what is the best treatment. My dr is giving me the option of using an estrogen patch but I have never taken estrogen before and am nervous about it. I am tired all the time and would love it if the estrogen would help 'balance' me out and help me feel better. If anyone has any advice I would be so appreciative!!!!!

rabianco2
LAVH Aug 2009
kept both ovaries

I have PCOS. Due to that, I ended up with a precancerous condition. I have had cysts on my ovaries forever. A few times had to have them surgically removed. I had my hysterectomy 2 weeks ago. Everything was removed. It was odd. I went to the hospital on my period and three days after surgery, I was having hot flashes! So, I am on elestrin gel and I feel like me again. Also the pathology report came back with NO cancer. I had a complex cyst on my right ovary. Guess what? I now am free. I don't have to worry about endometrial or ovaian cancer ever again.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by pnkpearl I have PCOS. Due to that, I ended up with a precancerous condition. I have had cysts on my ovaries forever. A few times had to have them surgically removed. I had my hysterectomy 2 weeks ago. Everything was removed. It was odd. I went to the hospital on my period and three days after surgery, I was having hot flashes! So, I am on elestrin gel and I feel like me again. Also the pathology report came back with NO cancer. I had a complex cyst on my right ovary. Guess what? I now am free. I don't have to worry about endometrial or ovaian cancer ever again.

Congrats on being cancer free! It feels good to not worry about it ... doesn't it?! I had complex endometrial hyperplasia that I developed due to PCOS, and my doctor said there was a 50 percent chance it had progressed into cancer. Even though I did not have any children, and I am only 31, I am happy I made the choice to have the hysterectomy (da Vinci 4 1/2 weeks ago).