8 days post op

Hi

My surgeon isn't seeing me until 6 weeks post op and isn't giving me HRT until then. I ve been reading all about the side effects of having ovaries removed and it's frightening me, although I had no choice in the matter I wish in a way I could ve kept them. I was (before the op) on the start of the menopause, have been for last 12 months, but it still worries me reading about bones aching, skin dryness and depression! Not sure if herbal remedies are good idea? You read one article saying it helps then another saying you shouldn't take them long term? No wonder my head is so 'thick'. I hope we get sorted 'poppy', I know it's still early days for us but it's such a struggle I think x

Yes it is a struggle you are right 

I had no menopausal symptoms before my op so this was a big shock. I am 49. I asked my consultant for hrt before I left the hospital.  I even told her what I wanted. She just wrote me a prescription. I was quite surprised.  I,don't think I'm using enough though but will ask the doctor on Monday. I asked to keep my ovaries but she said that anyone over 47 she automatically took them out in case there was further complications and she had to remove them. Seemingly there is a risk they attach themselves to the bowel if left in. That's how I ended up with everything gone. 

Hysterectomy is certainly not the easy option. I sometimes wonder if I went into this a bit hasty.

chin up

lee x

Hi again lee

I m same age as you and was told exactly the same about ovary removal do must be something in it. I'd been suffering for 18 months with severe contractions due to an ablation failure so I could nt wait to lose my womb that was causing so much pain. But must be honest the recovery is harder than I thought as it's not just about the 'wound' but your whole body! Let me know how you get on on Monday please, it helps when you know someone is going through same problems. Good luck and speak soon x

Yes it's comforting isn't it when someone has the same symptoms 

I suffered from adenomyosis and was anaemic for the last year causing two spells in hospital to increase my hb levels. Just thought I couldn't live like this anymore.  THe annoying thing though is that my periods were very regular and my moods etc were really good so this operation has just brought on all these symptoms early. It is so annoying. 

I will keep in touch

lee x

My periods were infrequent, and could nt bleed as my cervix had fused shut causing hematometra ( my womb was full of blood when she took it away) which is why my womb was contracting to try and expel the blood ( labour pains) all this caused by having an ablation 9 years ago, which went well for first couple of years but then gradually started to fail. I often wonder if I d never had the ablation ( which was to get rid of very heavy periods) I certainly would still have all my bits now. Oh well, we're here now and have to work our way through this next phase. Speak soon x

Hi have been reading your posts , am similar age, same situation. All happened quite fast. Was asked if I was happy to have ovaries taken as well, I said yes after discussion with consultant, but after op I found out one of ovaries was stuck to back of uterus anyway so would have been taken anyway.,it is such a big thing to go through and does put your body through it. I have actually had a fairly active day today at 2 months post op , feel tired but still can't sleep at night. Feel like things improving with hrt and getting stamina back but school hols have left me really drained. It is still early days!  I just think that I really had no choice but to have op due to symptoms I was having and at least they are gone now. I am setting myself a goal of a year to feel ok again as that is what others have told me is the type of time frame we are looking at to feel really recovered. 

Hi froggy

I m living off naproxen, think my bodies immune to them now! Nothing is touching these headaches, just hope they go away over the next few weeks. It's the headaches that are getting me down more than the op itself. Maybe and hopefully it is a side effect of the anaesthetic but I have a feeling it maybe a side effect of no ovaries 😪 x

I put it down to the zoladex which put me into menopause whilst I wait for op but because of headaches I was told to come off and I'm back to normal. Annoying thing for me is since clear up op I feel great and am worried I'm going for an op I Dont need. I asked consultant to delay but he said no as it will fuse back together again. I'm also so confused about long term hrt use and losing ovaries and the other hormones they secrete apart from those put back in by hrt and the talk of mortality rates on websites. I've just turned 40 so I've got a while of lost ovary function before their natural time

My surgeon said I d be on HRT for just couple of years, until I m 51 so she's not intending for me to be on it a long time. If I was younger I think I would have been really pushy and asked if I could have kept my ovaries. Although I have a cousin who had everything removed when she was 30 (15 yrs ago) and she's doing great. I m trying to think positive but when you feel so awful and don't know what to do for the best it's hard. When's yr op?

Not until 6th May. I've had more meetings with consultant as really wanted to keep 1 but was told I could but probably have to take it anyway within 2 years so they really Dont want to do 2 surgeries. I can see both sides so its difficult. My mum was diagnosed with cancer of the womb last week so part of me is thinking just take the lot now. I am really worried about hrt tho xx

There really is fors and againsts for keeping/removing the ovaries. My friend had hysterectomy and 4 women on her ward was there for the removal of their ovaries as they had failed and was wishing they'd had them taken away in the beginning. Problem is you don't know if they will fail or not, if we could predict what would happen our decisions would be so much easier. Also I had suffered with ovulation pains all my life and this would not have been helped if I had kept them. No way did I want to lose them but sometimes we have to do what we think is for the best and not what we really want. Only you should decide, good luck with your decision

Mine would not be as its failing more that endometriosis would still grow and cysts start in that one too

Think you're answer is to have them removed then Froggy, I know it's not what you want but it's for the best in your condition. Good luck

Thanks I have got to that decision but I've still got niggling doubts but I think I'll always have them. Its good to hear someone else say you're doing right thing though xx

Hi, have posted to poppy 49. Def think hormones and upheaval of op have lot to do with it and getting things right again can take a long time . Hope you are feeling better soon. 

Thank you

hopefully things settle down as time goes on

lee x