have some questions about menopause/hysterectomies?
I am 32 years old and am scheduled to have a hysterectomy in about two weeks and I have some questions maybe someone can help me out with. I have very severe periods/ovarian cysts/fibroid tumors and all that fun stuff so my ob/gyn has scheduled a hysterectomy for me. I really don’t want to have him leave an ovary and have to deal with the pain of cysts all the time so I decided to go with a full hysterectomy and we talked about hormones to help with menopause. Should I take the hormones? If I don’t, will menopause just eventually “go away” or will I have to deal with it forever? If I take the hormones, that would be something I would stop taking eventually so that I would go through menopause, right? So wouldn’t it be better to just go through it now? I don’t know anyone who has gone through menopause so I’m not sure what the best option would be. Any opinions would be appreciated.
Filed under: Ovarian Cyst
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It really is up to you, but since you are opting for a full hysterectomy essentially you are putting your body into almost immediate menopause. I would right now take the hormones because the last thing you should have to worry about after going through so much trouble with your body and now surgery is hot flashes, mood swings, not being able to sleep and possible thinning hair, it would just make your life a little easier right now. If you feel differently later you can also go off the hormones and let nature takes it course. The hormone therapy won’t STOP your body from going through menopause it helps with the symptoms.
The reason your doctor is recommending hormone therapy is because surgical menopause symptoms are often more severe then going through menopause naturally. Your body suffers a sudden loss when the ovaries are removed and that sort of shocks. I believe hormone therapy could really benefit you right now. It’s not intended for long term usage and you can always ask your doctor for more information on what will happen, and what your body will be going through.
I would recommend taking the hormones because you will have major mood swings, it will almost be like going through drug with drawls for something that naturally occurs in your body. Make sure that they put in a kind of "sling" for the rest of your organs so that they don’t fall and cause problems. I’m not sure how long menopause lasts my mother just started thought that. You could try to slowly ween yourself off the hormones but some are needed for a natural sex drive and such.
Good luck on your journey to the castle
I had a total hysterectomy in 2001 and did not take any hormones. I have had real problems with my emotions and hot flashes. Also, something I learned in nursing school is that after your body stops producing hormones, your bones loose more calcium than before, so you are more susceptible to osteoporosis.