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Hysterectomy at 44

Posted , 12 users are following.

nicole77115
nicole77115

I am scheduled to have a hysterectomy in a month.  Can't decide if I should remove ovaries.  I'm age 44 so I have quite a few years left before menapause, but I'm concerned about ovarian cancer as it runs in my family.  The hysterectomy is being performed by my ob.  I have very large fibroids causing horrible bleeding and pain, a polyp and an ovarian cyst that was biopsied two years ago and was benign.  My CA-125 is slightly elevated and has been for years.  Keep or get rid of my ovaries?

0 likes, 37 replies

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  • del_05917
    del_05917 nicole77115

    Posted

    Firstly I'd recommend a chat with a professional  and then another & another to help U decide what's best for U. These are huge decisions with loads of factors. 

    You mentioned you are 44 yrs of age with plenty of years before menopause.... 

    I left work on the Friday of Halloween went to doc because I had been constipated ( 6 days ) I was running and drinking 2 litres  of water a day, thought it a little odd that's the only reason I called into the doc ..

    From there she said best check it out with a scan .. i had a cyst on ovary .. had op .. sent home, went back to be told it was stage 1 ovarian C

    ( my world fell apart just hearing the word - see I still can't write it )  

    I'm  now a week passed after having a hysterectomy ( precaution messuments for future along with chemo to come  wink 

    I've had no girlie issues ever, no endo , no

    Pain , no cramps , I've not missed a period or been late in at least 10 yr 

    had twin pregnancy that went fine no reason to suspect anything might be wrong 

    I'm not trying to scare u -

    but u surmise u have many years before menopause 

    ..... I'm 37 and left work on that bank holiday weekend of halloween and I've not been back yet .  

    Grab all the information u can,

    Ovarian C is not something to 

    Take chances on 

    Xx 

    • nicole77115
      nicole77115 del_05917

      Posted

      Thank you for sharing such a personal story.  The more I read the more I am convinced I need to have the ovaries removed.  I'm meeting with the Doctor that will perform the surgery next week and he plans to do some genetic testing to weigh my risks.  No matter what I'm feeling more and more comfortable with taking estrogen for a few years.  :-(

    • nicole77115
      nicole77115

      Posted

      I meant to put a :-) not a :-(. 
  • Debi59
    Debi59 nicole77115

    Posted

    Personally I would have them removed. I had total hysterectomy end Nov only because they had found cyst non cancerous and offered a full hysterectomy same time. My mum had hysterectomy when she was 32 and left left her ovaries. Last year we found out she had ovarian cancer she has spent last year having chemo and operation she is 80. I will be 60 this year and decided to take offer of full hysterectomy and not take any changes. Think it whatever you feel best doing good luck x
    • lyn82834
      lyn82834 Debi59

      Posted

      Dear Debi

      I am so sorry to hear about your Mum.  It is so unfortunate but perhaps at the time she had a hysterectomy leaving the ovaries was the recognised thing to do.  However, with the prevalence of ovarian cancer and the difficulty in diagnosing it early enough to make a difference, I'm in agreement with most of the others in removing the ovaries.  Before I had mine removed I had a scan and the radiographer told me that she'd brought her wedding forward to allow her Mum to be present as she was dying from ovarian cancer.  These ladies were so upset as they knew that it could have been prevented if she'd had them removed at the time of her hysterectomy.  After having total hysterectomy with ovaries removed I continued with HRT and it was as if there had been no change.  I had a wonderful recovery.  One bit of advice that people have been giving is to listen to their doctors.  However, I would say always get a second opinion.  I contacted a past gynaecologist I knew who advised me that having a hysterectomy was risky and not to have it unless cancer was showing!  I took no notice of this and went ahead, why wait until the horse has bolted.

      Good luck to you all.  Lyn

    • lyne46216
      lyne46216 lyn82834

      Posted

      Hi Lyn,

      I was just wondering how long after you had ovaries removed that you started with HRT? I am due to have mine removed Thursday and I’m so lost as to if I should start hormones or not. I suffer from acute migraines but am under control with preventive medications and I am terrified what will happen once I’m in surgical menopause. I have read a lot on the topic and everyone has a different opinion. Any advice? 

    • Karmaway
      Karmaway lyn82834

      Posted

      I think it’s wrong that you’re scaring people (me for one) that still have their ovaries. There can be many factors that contribute to getting cancer. Not just having your uterus removed. I had a perfectly competent surgeon who teaches other surgeons and she advised me I’d be fine to keep mine as their is no ovarian cancer in my family. 
    • lyn1951
      lyn1951 lyne46216

      Posted

      I can answer that question, I was started on HRT about day 2 - 3 after my surgery.

      I had some kind of really rare and weird reaction to losing my ovaries, started sweating like a waterfall, veins closed down I was so dehydrated, and Dr's standing there looking puzzled at what was causing the intense sweating, until one suggested what happens if we put her on HRT, sweating stopped immediately. 

      Even Dr's I have told about this years later go extremely rare to have such an intense reaction.

      ?As I understand it HRT is started at the earliest about 10 days after surgery.

    • lyn82834
      lyn82834 lyne46216

      Posted

      Hello Lyn

      I had taken HRT for 17 years prior to the hysterectomy and stopped the progesterone pessaries before the hysterectomy.  I continued with the oestrofem following the op.  I was not advised to stop it, even for a short time, so didn't.  I had no problems at all.

      All the best.  It is always your decision in the end.  Cheers Lyn

    • lyne46216
      lyne46216 lyn1951

      Posted

      Hi Lyn

      Can I ask how old you were when you started HRT?

    • lyn1951
      lyn1951

      Posted

      I should have enlarged on my experience, my surgery was about the same time as the big HRT scare, so Dr's at the time were reluctant to give to patients.

      ?I started off on a very high dose, and then because I didn't really want to be on it for the rest of my life, GP and I worked together every 3 months or so I stepped down to a lessor dose, different brands, half tablets, a really big mix and muddle to do it gradually, but by about the two year mark was able to stop taking HRT, now as I have got older I use a pessary for the tiny amount of hormone I seem to need.

    • lyn82834
      lyn82834

      Posted

      Hello Lyne

      I started HRT when I was around 49/50 when I was in perimenopausal stage.  I had to try several before I found one that suited me.  My gynaecologist at the time was a professor with Phd in hormone related topic and a top consultant in gynae.  I was with him for years until he retired.  He used to say to me that he could tell the women who were on HRT when he went to the supermarket.  My skin is still amazing, soft, unwrinkled.  My hair is great, my vagina is not at all dry.  I feel wonderful.  So glad that I'm still on it although current gynaecologist is young and not an enthusiast of long-term HRT but he recognises that I'm an intelligent woman and have the right to choose.  He gave me options about ovaries when having hysterectomy but recommended removing them and I was in total agreement.

      Ovarian cancer is often called the  "whispering disease" - it creeps up on people, hard to diagnose early and does not have a good prognosis.  However, we all make our choices based on our own research and sharing experiences.  That's what this site is about.

      All the best. Lyn

    • Karmaway
      Karmaway lyn82834

      Posted

      Not everyone will get it though. Don’t appreciate you being so negative about keeping ovaries. I wasn’t worried at all until I read these comments!
    • Karmaway
      Karmaway

      Posted

      Trying to work out how to block you!
    • lyne46216
      lyne46216 lyn82834

      Posted

      Thank you Lyne for sharing. It helps making decisions. At first reading all about people getting cancer was scary, and I was quite honestly a bit angry. I have come to realize that people are not trying to scare others but are genuinely trying to help prevent what has happened to them happen to others. I appreciate your experience with HRT as before I was dead set against it. I am 49 and have started with the hot flashes, irritability towards things that never bothered me before, insomnia etc so I’m pretty sure I’m in menopause. I will however talk to my gyno about starting HRT right after the surgery. Unfortunately they called me today to say I will only know tomorrow if my surgery will be tomorrow. Shortage of beds again. I’m hoping that this will be done soon. Not knowing is so hard to deal with. Thanks again!
    • lyn82834
      lyn82834 lyne46216

      Posted

      Hello Lyne

      All the best for your surgery.  I hope that it's gone ahead for you.  It's good to hear of the experiences of other as information can assist us with making our own decisions but ultimately it's up to the individual what choices she makes around health.  Best wishes Lyn

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