if you gals get a complete hysterectomy & bilateral saipingoophorectomy, you'll need hormones. Mary has great information for you there, but i wanted to point out that the FDA reported today that BHRT is not better than HRT which can be formulated with more different levels of each hormone more easily than the compounded BHRT:
thought you folks taking bio's, BHRT, would be interested in this report today from the FDA saying that bio's are not better than taking the individual hormones separately. In fact, it can help to take them separately to individually adjust the dosing for each hormone:
FDA informed healthcare professionals and patients that the Agency sent letters warning seven pharmacy operations that the claims they make about the safety and effectiveness of their so-called "bio-identical hormone replacement therapy," or "BHRT" products are unsupported by medical evidence, and are considered false and misleading by the agency. The pharmacy operations improperly claim that their drugs, which contain hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and estriol (which is not a component of an FDA-approved drug and has not been proven safe and effective for any use) are superior to FDA-approved menopausal hormone therapy drugs and prevent or treat serious diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and various forms of cancer. FDA is concerned that the claims for safety, effectiveness, and superiority that these pharmacy operations are making mislead patients, as well as doctors and other healthcare professionals. Compounded drugs are not reviewed by the FDA for safety and effectiveness.
Patients who use compounded hormone therapy drugs should discuss menopausal hormone therapy options with their healthcare provider to determine if compounded drugs are the best option for their specific medical needs.
Read the complete 2008 MedWatch Safety Summary including a link to the FDA New Release regarding this issue at:
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Menopause
HI
I'm new here but seen the post on rather or not to have a partial
or full"hysterctomy" I had a partial"vaginal" onne done when I was 41 and I can offer this advice PLEASE take calcium EVERY day "please" I didn't do this because my Dr. didn't tell me to and your bones need this because your body is going through some changes..also vitamins would help and ASK any and all questions your might have.I was in Germany at the time and we didn't have the internet like we have now! darn!!haha.Shirley
I am having the same issues. I do not know what to do. I can either have a partial or a complete. If I decide a to get a complete, I will have to get on hormones. I have a rare condition I got from birth control pills called Hepatic Adenomas(4 in 100,000). These benign rare tumors may grow if I do a complete and have to be placed on hormones. If I do a partial, then what chances do I have for my ovary to become infested again with these complex cysts? Also- I am having a lot of hip pain and lower left abdominal pain.
I am scheduled to go in for a visit on the 9th of Oct.(pre-op visit), my surgery(what kind I do not yet know because of my indecison), is cheduled for the 17th of Oct. Please give me your input.
Hi,
I did my research on this topic AFTER my surgery. In my case, I didn't have much of a choice but to have a radical hysterectomy, since malignant cells were discovered in an ovarian cyst during an otherwise routine surgery. But, it has taken six years (since then) to stay on top of the hormone business and this will keep me busy for years to come. I am 53.
Not everyone has the same menopausal symptoms, but mine were debilitating. Surgical menopause is difficult. Some symptoms showed up immediately and some came three months later (when all natural progesterone was fully out of my system) and some just showed up this past year. I use bioidentical hormones. I just recently had my progesterone script increased and it has been very helpful keeping my urinary incontinence at bay and in fact, improving. It never ends, though. I have learned so much.
My doctor writes the prescription for these and approves of their use. But, it is difficult to get good information on them, although, things are getting better on this front. My sister used them for over ten years. But, she had the advantage of being in the medical profession and her OB/GYN was very familiar with them. Not to be confused with HRT, I will say that BHRT (Bioidentical hormone replacement Therapy) needs to be thoroughly researched, since even the experts will tell you that you might find yourself training in your doctors on the wonders and lack of dangerous side effects of these hormones as long as they are used correctly.
Estrogen and Progesterone (NOT progestin, the synthetic product...and, yet this is often called progesterone and it gets very very confusing. You will need to understand this stuff...but, it is interesting, I promise) need to be in balance in your system. Yet, we make estrogen in the fat in our bodies as we go through menopause, yet you make little to no progesterone (men make more progesterone in their body's than menopausal women) so even if you did not go on any hormones after surgery, you would still be creating estrogen and unopposed estrogen is not good. I will add...
I am not a doctor. I am passionate about women's health.
I suggest you pick up some literature on this...my favorite is "The Wisdom of Menopause" by Christianne Northrup, MD...Suzanne Somers is just releasing a new book on the topic. She interviewed 16 doctors and put all the information together...now, this is not her first book on the bioidentical hormones, but the previous ones did not address surgical menopause, only natural menopause. I don't own the new book, but have ordered it, since I have found her other books very interesting and helpful.
I hope you can find some peace as you try to make your decision about keeping your ovaries. Ask questions....to people who have been through it, doctors/nurses who understand it...Many of us were told we were going to lose our ovaries and sent home to deal with a myriad of unforseen problems. Little did I know. It has been quite a journey.
Don't be scared...just arm yourself with information.
Best of luck to you. Mary