Newbie here!! Prefest question -

I am 2 weeks post-op after having TAH/BSO.

I had stage 3 endometriosis and was on Lupron injection for 6 months to battle that, plus add-back tx (Prefest) for the chemical menopause the Lupron caused.

After having mixed results with Lupron, MD and I decided to go full monty and remove everything - both ovaries and uterus.

Since I was on Prefest before with no bad side effects, MD kept me on it- started it right back day after surgery b/c I was sweating like a farm animal in the hospital 1 day post-op.

I know there are different opinions about progestin use if one doesn't have a uterus, but I'd like to hear from gals who used both like I am now in spite of having the TAH/BSO. I've always had a great libido and hubby of 17 years would like it to continue, LOL! If I only take estrogen, won't the libido drop, ie b/c of no progestin?

I know it's very early in the game for me, but so far I'm still having the "power surges". I simply cannot give up my am cup of coffee, but it makes me sweat so bad I have to drink it with the fan blowing on me. I know caffeine can trigger hot flashes, but I HAVE TO HAVE MY COFFEE. I sound like a nut, huh?

Hello!

Hopefully there will be others to come along and share about their experiences using Prefest. Generally those of us in surgical menopause are prescribed estrogen only, at least to start out, but in your case since endometriosis is involved, being on both estrogen and progestin makes sense. Progestin (which is a synthetic progesterone) can counteract the effect of estrogen on endometriosis. Estrogen can feed any endometriosis left at the time of surgery.

I didn't have endometriosis but I do still use bio-identical progesterone as a part of my hormone therapy. While it's true that those of us without a uterus don't have to use progesterone because we don't need to worry about the increased risk of uterine cancer from using estrogen only, many of us find that progesterone balances our hormone needs. Keep in mind that women who have had a hysterectomy but kept their ovaries benefit from the progesterone that continues to be produced.

Experiencing menopause symptoms post-op is common, with or without ovaries and on or off hormone therapy. As you get further into your recovery, let your doctor know if the symptoms are bothersome. It's possible that with your ovaries gone, the hormones that worked well for you prior to surgery may need to be adjusted for life without ovaries. I did lose my libido as a result of having my ovaries removed and in my experience, it was the addition of testosterone to my hormone therapy that made all the difference.

Best wishes as your recovery continues!