Ovaries removed

Women's health
1

Hi I am 9 days post op after having TAH with ovaries removed, since having them removed I have done more research and have read more about reasons for keeping your ovaries and now feel so depressed because I let mine go. It seems that if you lose your ovaries you are at more risk of dying from heart disease and I ve got this in my head that I m going to die sooner because of this. I maybe going through the surgical menopause now and it's causing me to be emotional, my surgeon is going to put me on HRT when I go back in 5 weeks time but only for couple of years. Is anybody out there who had their ovaries removed and doing well with no signs of heart disease. I am so worried now I wish I had asked my surgeon not to take them out but it's too late now. I feel absolutely gutted I didn't keep them

2

Sorry just to add I was peri menopausal before I had the op and I am 49 years old

3

Hi Nanny5,

I too had total hysterctomy, Ovaries removed. Endometriosis .  I was 39 Now 57!) no sign whatsover of any heart  disease. Was given HRT the same day had the operation and have been on it until Summer of last year, I was taken off it straight away as I  had a suspected TIA. After tests and MRI, no evidence of TIA. Requested that I be put back on HRT but was refused and told I had been on it too long. Now, 9 months on I have symptoms of a surgically  induced menopause. Night sweats, anxiety, panic attacks, nausea and dizziness to name a few. Back to Drs for blood tests. After all the hype with regards to HRT I feel I benefited from it  as I had 18 years free of 'Menopause Madness'  After my first panic attack, since stopping it, my heart was checked out...informed that this is what  happens with anxiety and panic. All I can say is this,  ask as many questions regarding what to expect now you have had this procedure and what are your options to best protect you. Reassurance is key to healthy mind/heathly body.  Hopefully post operative follow up will be far better now than it was 18 years ago. I was given a leaflet, and sent on my way.however just a warning, Dr Google is a no go.  I resorted to this and you feel you are going to have every disease /disorder known to man. Exercise, good diet, lots of laughing, go a long way to keeping you healthy.  I am sure you will be just fine. It is early days and a total hysterctomy is a big operation for any woman to go through. You need time to heal. Look after yourself. ☺️X

4

Hi Nanny to 5. I have jsut had my second ovary removed but they left my uterus behind - I wish they hadn't! (I don't tolerate progesterone well). I had my first ovary out 5 years ago when I was peri-menopausal and was put on HRT. With the second one gone my surgeon said I would have to remain on HRT for life as, even after the menopause the ovaries release hormones, allbeit in much smaller amounts. There are lots of groups out there that can help. 'Hystersisters' is one, just do a search. I am looking to use a non oral estrogen - when they allow me to take it, like you I have to wait but need to go via my GP not my surgeon.

Hope you find something that works and the support you need.

Helen

5

Hi

I had the same thing everything removed including my ovaries in 1982, had an HRT implant inserted when having the op. I was on HRT implants for 8years and then the wonderful Estraderm MX patches came out which I am still on, I'm going on 71 now and intend to stay on the implants for ever!!"

Some doctors are ignorant of the needs of women who have gone throught the surgical menopause. HRT is a replacement not a supplement as it would have been if you were going through the normal menopause, it is a must to take it immediately after the op.

In the latest research from both the medical schools of Yale and Pennsylvania Universities in the USA, 50.000 women have died before they reached the age of 70 needlessly because they stopped the HRT (this is only women who have had their ovaries removed when they also had a hysterectomy) this was when the  WHI research findings first came out in 2003 they were frightening to take it.

Patches are estrogen only (Estraderm MX) the sizes are 25 miligrams 50 and 100miligrams, I started on the 100 size and I am now using the 50 size, I tried the 25 but I had terrible side effects and was very pleased to go back onto the 50's. I feel wonderful and never suffer from the so called side effects of the surgical menopause, no heart problems either.

If you wish to stay on the patches you have every right to do so, it's entirely up to you. My surgeon years ago pioneered the implants in my area and he was totally against the tablet form of HRT as it had to go throught the digestive systom, liver etc. Patches go at once to where they are needed and there is less risk of problems.

6

Hi Jean

Thanks for info, it's good to know someone has had this op done and still here to tell the story as everything I have read has made it sound so negative. I ve been crying again today over losing them just because I ve read the mortality rate is far higher without your ovaries. I thought I d signed my death warrant!

7

Hi Helen

HRT for life? I didn't think they would let you do that? My gyno said I d be on it for couple of years until I would ve gone through natural menopause and then come off it, but it's after that I m worried about as I read your ovaries still carry on secreting into your 80's. She's not giving me anything until I see her in 5 weeks, I thought she would ve gave me some before I was discharged after my op. All new to me and don't know which way to turn x

8

Jean, this is fantastic information. Many thanks for posting. For those without either ovaries or a uterus HRT is not an option as far as I can see, no matter what your age.

I still have my uterus so have to take both progesterone(ugh!) and estrogen. I was fitted with a mirena coil when I had my op but they will not allow any estrogen until histology is back on the ovary they removed ensuring I am 'nasty' free. This will be at least another month. So far I haven't shrieked irrationally at my other half or had anyother symptoms - so fingers crossed.

I will definitely be asking for non tablet form and had been thinking of estrogel but your experience on the patches has given me another option. I am 50 and all concerned think that I would have gone through the menopause if I had not been on HRT for the last 5 years (since they took my first ovary). 

9

Hi sue

You are right about Dr Google, I have scared myself to death since reading everything. I hope they can sort something out for me it's driving me insane! Is there no way your doc will put you back on it? You're still quite young I think, before I had my op I was telling the doc I didn't want to go on HRT for long as I m worried about breast cancer ( which my mother has had) she says for couple of years maybe until I m 51/52 . But since reading all this on the web I m tempted for it to be longer

10

That's what I m thinking of now Helen, the estrigel patches, sounds better than orally I think.

11

Hi Nanny to 5

Yep - you no longer have a way of producing essential hormones.

If you can take all the information you can gather on life after TAH and hormones, do some research on what you think you would like to be on. Loads of forums and advice - just remember everyone is different and reacts differently to different forms of HRT.

It is sometimes scary, and confusing, to use Dr Google but it does have it's uses in providing information allowing you to be armed with knowledge to make an informed choice on what you put into your body. I know of planty of people who once discharged from hospital have their HRT via the GP. If you have a good one they will be able to advise and help with choices as well as letting you try alternatives if the first lot don't suit you. 

I went to the hospital armed with my preferences, didn't get exactly what I was after but had read enough to be able to argue my case when offered something I didn't want. I would have preferred to have estrogen immediately but the surgeon want to have my biospy results back before prescribing that so I am currently just on progesterone (as I understand it you won't need this as you have no uterus) in the form of a mirena coil. Everything I have read suggests that I will be on HRT for life now and I will fight for the right to remain on it (I'm 50 now by the way).

Having no ovaries is not the path to an early grave via heart disease - many ladies on the forums are testement to that. 

Hope you continue to recover well and I am sure you will get something that suits you and will be.

Helen

12

Nanny to 5

Have alook at this pst from Pink Lady

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/new-positive-report-on-hrt-reported-10-feb-15-in-uk-press-384941

Very positive, I'm sure you can find the report she is talking about :-)

 

13

Hi

Over the years I have done a lot of research world wide into HRT for women having the surgical menopause with ovaries removed and estrogen production does simply not stop when periods finish say about 52 years of age on average. A women is still producing about 50% to 60% of estrogen alone ten to 15 years after her periods have stopped on average, it reduces gradually over time not suddenly stop at 52 as some GP's seem to think.

So surgical menopausal women do need HRT patches gradullay reducing the size of the patch over time, ending up on the 25 milligrams as I intend to do.

As I said before I have been on the HRT trans dermal route for 33 years, I have no vaginal dryness at all and a very good libido, never had any urinary tract infections in all that time what more can a woman want.

14

Hi Nanny

I had my ovaries removed last year and straight into surgical menopause at age of 44. I decided not to go on HRT due to family history of breast cancer, however the gynae consultant did warn me about issues surroinding this decision.

Over the last year I have had flushes, which have been hard to cope with but has really settled over the last few months. I had my yearly appointment with the breast nurse and mentioned about heart disease/ bone density and lack of HRT and she assured me that there is no reason why have to go on it.

I understand how u feel about saying goodbye to the ovaries, but wiill settle over time. Ive never felt better in years since I made the decision to have mines removed.

Hope u manage to feel better soon. In the meantime try the 'Ladycare Menopause magnet' this was my saviour smile

15

According to the research results from Pennysylvania  University Medical School even women with the BRCA1 and BRACA2 genes who have had their ovaries removed should still be offered HRT because the lack of HRT would probably kill them before breast cancer would and they said this not me that  breast cancer can be cured. As I said before none of the 1,000 women in their research who were given a placebo instead of HRT reached the age of 70.

16

Thanks for your info, my mom had breast cancer and this was my reason to keep my ovaries rather than go on HRT but my gynae said she would prefer to take them due to the chance of them failing in next couple of years and having to go back in to take them out. Also more chance of ovarian cancer and as I was peri menopausal they would stop working in couple of years anyway. Since I ve had the op I ve realised they carry on working slightly for some years after the menopause. I am really so upset and cannot stop crying over my stupid decision, I m convinced i have to go on hrt now regardless of breast cancer worry as i d worry more about my heart. Just wish I could turn the clock back 2 weeks

17

How many of the women who have had their ovaries removed had a family history of heart disease? My dad had a quadruple bypass when he was in his 50s and my grandfather died of heart disease at that age.

18

Not sure why my last post was deleted as only a link to get info.

https://patient.info/health/menopause-and-hrt-leaflet

Emis Moderator comment: I have replaced the link with the equivalent article from our site as per the FAQ linked below. The leaflet includes a tab to related information for other articles.

http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398316-adding-links-to-posts

19

Hi Nanny to 5,

I had my TVH/BSO in March 2014, and I had sooo mnay problems after the surgery. It is only now, that I realise that most of my problems was because I didn't have any ovaries anymore! This is almost two years later! I agree with you! After realizing that I had to be on HRT or ERT for the rest of my life, I freaked out. I cried everyday too! Thinking that this is the end of my life! And had the same feelings that I had signed my death warrant! I am only now coming to terms with it all.

20

Feel the same way. I was really happy with my decision at first, thought I would never have to worry. But now I regret it all! I wish I could turn it back too. I will never knew the longterm consequesnces and I was never told. I keep thinking back to the day I signed the paperwork. I remember the BSO, and my gyno was like yep all good. I wish I never did it now. I live in fear everyday now.