very confused and lost

Sheri - You are lucky and seem to be in the minority as most women have severe symptoms after ovary removal. I recall a woman who had hers removed at age 72 and said she feels dead. I didn't have much of a problem with hot flashes but had every other physical, mental, emotional and sexual side effect in the book and I was almost 50 at the time of surgery.

Numerous medical studies show that ovary removal does more harm than good when done for benign conditions and in women who are not at increased risk for ovarian cancer. Some of the increased health risks are heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, hip fracture, Parkinsonism, dementia, lung cancer, colon cancer, impaired cognition and memory, mood disorders (depression, anxiety), ocular changes, skin aging,  sexual dysfunction. These are very serious trade-offs for the average woman in the U.S. whose lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is 1.3% per CDC SEER data. (I would think ovarian cancer rates would be similar in other countries.) Endometrial and cervical cancer rates are also low, 2.8% and 0.6% lifetime risk, respectively, in the U.S.

Some other cancers are much more common yet people don't have those organs removed prophylactically. For example, breast cancer lifetime risk in the U.S. is 12.3% but women who are not BRCA1+ or BRCA2+ don't have their breasts removed. Prostate cancer rate is 14.0% but men don't have prophylactic prostatectomies. Colon and rectum cancer rate is 4.5% yet colectomy is not a standard prophylactic surgery. The testicles are the man's equivalent of the ovaries with a 0.4% and they don't do prophylactic testicle removals not even during prostatectomies for cancer.

Treating in a manner that does more harm than good is a violation of the Hippocratic Oath to "first, do no harm."

You are not comparing Apples to apples. Cutting your testicles off for no reason is way different than removing an ovary that could be or become cancerous. My concern is people who are scared to have the surgery will actually buy into your irrational way of looking at this and could result in having ovarian cancer. You sound from your post to be an extremely negative person who feels they have been done harm by some crazy dr. I am of the age that many many of my friends have had ovaries, uterus removed and are very happy with the results. You are not the norm in my opinion at all.

Sheri,

Glad you're feeling so well, but you're still in the honeymoon phase. I had my hysterectomy at 13 years ago. The first year was recovery. I heal slowly and had a very stressful job. No more periods was what I chose to hang onto as the bonus. But the loss of sexual satisfaction was a rude awakening. It went from fireworks to barely a whisper or nothing at all..

First twelve months, outwardly I looked fine and did for a long time. However, joint, ligament and, bone pain were awful. Sleeplessness became a huge problem and still is. Wake up 3-4 times a night and difficult falling back to sleep. Used to get 8-9 hrs, now lucky if I get 3 in a row. Osteoperosis started at 3 years post surgery. Blood pressure went up, after having been good with meds for years.

Hot flashes started day 5 post surgery, still going strong. For years, skin hair etc. were great, best of 5 girls in the family. Looked 10 years younger. My hair is thinning and falling out and my skin has turned into my 90 y/o grandmother. I could go on but I won't .

In hindsight, I understand why aged-too-fast is cautionary to others. We don't know how hormone withdrawal will affect us until the (secondary damage) is done. The majority of the medical profession still considers female organs dispoable past child bearing years. There has not been broad acceptance of new evidence that the low hormone levels post menopause are very beneficial for quality of life in senior years.

Now the Drs. say what do you expect, you've had a hysterectomy. Before surgery it was a dismissive, you don't NEED them anymore.

I did not have cancer, but 'just in case' removal of everything for endometriosis. Each woman is unique as are her symptoms. But the unilateral prophylactic approach of take it all dismisses the over all unique female chemistry.

I encourage women to find a surgeon they trust and can partner with. One who explains the plan and associated risks. Not a dismissive Dr. who tells you just enough to make you agree while forgetting you have the right to an EDUCATED decision for your body and life.

I am thrilled you feel so good but not every

woman has the same outcome, good or not. Once it's done you can't go back. And there are many more woman who have to fight for surgical relief being dismiss with their symptoms being something they must bear.

There is a long way to go in medicine to give women equal and appropriate gynecological treatment.

Best wishes for your continued good health and well being.

I am grateful to all discussions I do not think in anyway of being talked out of any treatment What I read has helped me heaps in understanding of each case. I think that anyone makes their own decisions. In my discussions I received confirmation of how I felt and what I believe in.I  am glad of the way yours went and how you feel now and I hope when I have mine I would also feel the same

Lovely response top00104.  Does your job involve diplomacy?!! x

Very well said. I agree every woman is different. just me personally I had more problems before getting my ovaries removed. I can now with the help of natural supplements get a full 9 hrs of sleep. My weight has leveled off, no more back and pelvic pain and most of all no more fear of ovarian cancer. I watched my husbands aunt die from this silent killer and it was miserable to watch.

No. Just common sense and true feelings

sheri44006 I chose to have a full hysterectomy I had a bad scare because of the characteristics of my cyst that it was cancerous. My sister died from cervical cancer 23 years ago at 43. My  mom died  of cancer at 40 my little brother at 45. My daughter had cervical cancer also they caught hers early . I had a 37 cm cyst on the left overy and a 3 cm cyst on the left. I had hernia also that needed repairs from a surgery 15 years ago. This and the last surgery they cut me from breast bone to pelvic bone. I was knocked into menoupause then at 48  because of issues from that surgery and never had a problem with it. I knew I had a small cyst growing along with the huge one  and if they were able to removed it with out hurting the ovary there was a good chance of another growing.My gyno didnt know if they could remove the cyst because of all my scar tissue. Im 63 years old. I was so grateful it wasnt cancer. If I was 30 and this happened would I have probably not. But I will be forever  grateful I do not have to worry a cervical or ovarian cancer ever again.If I have issues from the hysterectomy I will deal with them as they come. As I know you will too.  This was my choice we all neeed to make our own choices for our bodies not the surgeons.

Hi aged-too-fast. I'd like to add for the benefit of those who need a hysterectomy and salpingo oophrectomy, that I had a hysterectomy when I was 40. I'm now 73 and just had a double salpingo oophrectomy, my choice as I had an para ovarian cyst on right fallopian tube and a family history, (mother) of ovarian cancer. The hyserectomy gave me 33 years of period free normal life on eostrogen only HRT. My ovaries were not cancerous when biopsy results came back but I now have peace of mind for whatever remains of my life! I would not want to put anyone off this type of surgery if it's needed for whatever the reason. Peace of mind counts for a great deal to me and I don't regret either of the surgery's I had. I hope all those who need it can go ahead if they wish to without worrying too much about studies which may or may not be correct. Researchers are changing their minds constantly and in my opinion the conclusions depend on who's paying for the research!

I was wonderring of what surprises would I get after the surgery.