Do I need a full blown hysterectomy??

[lenore518]

I am a 48 year old pre-menopausal woman scheduled for a hysterectomy next week and feel it is overkill.  I have suffered with ovarian cysts for several years and currently have a 4cm complex cyst on my right ovary causing extreme pain and impacting my quality of life. I also have a small fibroid on my uterus and several polyps.  I completed breast cancer treatment (stage 1 invasive ductal carcinoma) in August.  I am scheduled to start Tamoxifen soon.  My doctor believes the best approach for me is a full hysterectomy and no tamoxifen.  What do you think?

[remar]

This must be a really hard decision for you because having the surgery is for life. You can not undo it. Of course you want to stop the pain your having.
Have you and your Dr talked about removing the cysts and polyps?
If it were me, I would get a second opinion and maybe even a third. You need to know what all of your options are.
We're here to listen and answer any questions you have. Take care. Remar

[Cherie762]

Having a hysterectomy would have nothing to do with your taking Tamoxifen or not. I am quite concerned for you in that you dealing with breast cancer and the gyn issues. They are seperate issues yet the body of coarse is all connected. The ovaries as you know produce estrogen. However at your age chances are your entering menopause atleast peri-menopause. Id really get another opinion regarding discontinuing that med. Please repost this question on the breast cancer forum, I will answer the hysterectomy part to the very best of my ability.

I have to wonder why your dr has not suggested a chemically induced menopause it would make the symptoms dissapear. Unless Leupron is bad for the cancer i dont know this.
If your dr would agree to do a diagnostic lap he could see if it would be possible to remove just the cyst.It is a rather large cyst and is likely comprimising the effected ovary. Meaning he may have to remove just the one ovary along with the cyst. I had ovaian cysts and I know they are extreamly painful. Upon rare occasions they may require an er trip . A cyst can cause torsion this is twisting of the ovary, if this happens your pain will be so great you will go to er! Torsion can cause ovarian rupture,its rare but the larger the cyst and more vascular components the more possible. If you develop that severe of pain get to er.

Do not use heat pads on cysts, can increase odds of rupture also, I agree with remar that you should get a second opinion asap.Do also keep your oncologist informed of all of this info,Good luck please let me know how you are.

[ljlu]

55 now at 36 GYN insisted I use HRT because the Danocrin for breast lumps caused no periods, Danocrin was an 'anti estrogen drug and the HRI was the cause of my ovarian cysts..once I stopped the estrogen that was feeding these ovarian and breast cysts, I was fine..However, this same GYN did toal hysterectomy after an exploratory showed NOTHING WRONG with ovararies, uterus or cervix..He catrated me for nothing, I just had IC and he knew this. Don't take out ovaries if you don't have to, trust me.,Now I have osteoporosis and a totla hysterectomy wil age you faster and the queslity of life will be much worst.. Danocrin can get rid of the extra Estrogen causing the ovarian custs. "That's what caused mine"..Once I stopped all the meds Danocrin and Hormone replacement therapy, all issues cleared up. Didn't need to be castrated like that..If you get another opinion, go out of the area, NO Md will say the other is wrong, they all agree..Check w/one out of that hospital area..But try not to do it, nature gave us these parts for a reason, they keep us young. The less drugs you take the better too, Make certain your oncologist and GYN talk to each other, mine didn't. Good luck, use your intuition. If it's not broke leave it alone. you need ovaries to live longer and protect your bones, heart and teeth, skin etc..Don't take HRT..especially if you've had any cancers..Good luck ljlu

[Cherie762]

With the exception of abortion,, I would have to say HRT is the most contraversial subject I have to deal with on this forum. This is why i never advise yes or no. It is seemingly very needed for some women and seemingly quite harmful for others.

I could pull up reasurch to support or not support most any theroy.some say HRT is good for the bones and heart(bio identical) some say HRT increases cancer risks especiallly breast andits a very tough decision.

Once decision is made if women decide to go with HRT its even harder to get the right med or combo for each and every one of us have different needs and body chemistry.

My story in short I used Vivelle for about 2 years it helped me w hot flashes mild moodiness and sever night sweats...those where MY symptoms...then I stopped taking it.
9 weeks ago I had a surgery called an anterior cervical discectomy...4 of my vertebrae in my neck had fused. the nerves where trapped and comprimised inbetween. I was on my way to being  a parapalegic. Drs opened my neck , removed three intervertable discs and inserted donor bone..now Im fine I have the neck of a "15 " year old ,I am actually 1.5 inches taller. My point is I will never have any way of knowing if I did this to myself by stopping hrt or not,  One would need a crystal ball to know that.

Over all my years of having various surgeries and doing tons of reasurch here I have concluded.If I was to go to my gyn today he would tell me to get back on the bio identical hormones. I to the best of my knowledge have nothing wrong with my feet yet I bet if I went to a podiatrist today they would find something wrong..

All patients in the USA have the right to informed consent...that piece of paper you sign before surgery is so important. If you do not want your ovaries removed have it put on that paper. Most drs have in fine print the legal right to take anything once inside that they deem neccessary. YOU as a patient have the RIGHT  to take that RIGHT FROM HIM .

Many come on here and say read do your homework. Yes please do. but watch your sorces. Many are slanted to prove disprove what they wish.

My greatest wish for all of you ladies is health. To be pain free and live a long happy life.