New to this

Hi All!!!!  My name is Liz, I'm 27 and just had a supracervical hysterectomy with both ovaries removed.  I've had severe ovarian cysts since I was a teenager and numerous surgeries dealing with them.  I was put thru a drug induced menopause at 20 after two consecutive surgeries didn't help.  In 2005, I had to undergo an open heart surgery, 3 months after that I was pregnant with a baby.  Had a son 11 months after open heart, and my ovaries started acting up, this time with a vengence.  Due to the fact that me and my husband couldn't have more children, and my ovaries were a mess, I had the hysterectomy.  I'm still trying to get used to the fact that I won't have another period, but my question to you guys is, how do HRT pills work?  Do they work for you, did you have problems with them?  I haven't been put on any just yet, but I was wondering what has helped others.  Please let me know....
Liz

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

Congratulations on your new baby!
HRT pills are now called HT pills. That stands for hormone therapy. They work by replacing the estrogen that has been removed by taking out your ovaries. Since your uterus was removed, you do not need progesterone.

Estrogen is very effective in controlling hot flashes. It is also very helpful in preventing osteoporosis (thinning of the bones), keeping skin looking less wrinkled, and reducing the risk of colon cancer. Estrogen alone has been associated with an increased risk of blood clots (about 1/10th of 1% increase). Ask your doctor to get a baseline bone density  and get another in one to two years to see if you are loosing bone. Also talk about types of treatments if you are having any symptoms of menopause.
Machelle M. Seibel, MD