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Is It Possible to Have No Menopause Symptoms After Removal of Both Ovaries??
I had a TAH/BSO done on Feb 5th as a result of a complex cyst. It turned out to be Stage 1A, "Low Malignancy Potential," so I was not only very fortunate to have caught it so early, I was doubly lucky that I did not need any chemo. I knew going into the surgery that the gyn. oncologist was going to remove both ovaries, and I was concerned about "surgical menopause." Having had a DVT a few years ago, I knew I would not be able to take HRT, so I was not looking forward to hot flashes, night sweats, etc. But, it has now been more than 3 months since my surgery, and I still have not had a single hot flash, night sweat, or anything!! I read so many posts from women who say they started getting hot flashes the evening after their surgery, or while still in the hospital, and I've not experienced any. Believe me, I'm not complaining :-) But, I'm wondering if it's just taking me longer for some reason to start having any symptoms, or if it is actually possible that, even with the removal of both ovaries, I could simply never have such symptoms???
hey lady , I will be gone for 2 weeks in June and will miss your surgery, but want to wish you the best of luck and a fast recovery. By the time I get back you will probably be already doing those work outs again, ha ha ha. Sprained my ankle yesterday doing my mowing and had half the neighbors over here chewing me out AT YOUR AGE??? , as if I should just sit and let it grow, My age may be 77 but my mind tells me I am still 39. Take Care
Hi Cagney,
Thanks for answering the post. In fact, much of what we previously talked about came back to me. Well, given that I speak mainly of hormones, I guess this makes sense :) But I did want to say that I am so glad you picked up one of the books on the hormones. Take a look at the sections on Progesterone. I hear what you are asking regarding the estrogen issue. I know that years ago they used to give Estrone as part of a mix of something called "tri-est" and that included Estradial, Estriol, and Estrone, but they dropped using the Estrone since it was already being produced as a by product in the fat cells of menopausal women. If I am correct, I think it is a stronger estrogen. For example, Estriol is a weaker estrogen and estrodial is the one that floods our bodies when we are in our 20's.
One of the doctors I referenced, Erika Schwartz, likes to use only Estradial when supplementing estrogen. But, what about that estrone that comes as a by product from the fat cells. I mean, that is a good question. You might want to call a pharmacist who works as a Compounding pharmacist. You can google their website and put in your hometown and find compounders close to you and see if they'd answer this question.
Back to my comment on Progesterone, take a look at that product as it is important for brain health and is protective against "estrogen dominance" issues which can cause problems later on. When was your surgery? I'm sorry..you probably posted it..I will look. You will at least be armed with information if you start to feel poorly. It takes three months for the progesterone to leave your system after having ovaries removed.
I do recall a comment from one of the doctors. He was talking about tall thin models always having low levels of estrogen and that they were often depressed. They had the body type that did not produce much. So, what they got in the form of not having weight issues, they suffered as far as depressive or dysthymia symptoms. Interesting.
Take care and thanks for the well wishes regarding my surgery. So glad to be getting this taken care of! They are afraid my bowell might be stuck to the pelvic wall...not sure if I mentioned that. I stopped working out for about 6 months about a year ago....just the usual running around. I paid a high price for that in may areas, but I wonder if that affected my body's rate of building adhesions...and if the work outs I had done religiously (nothing fanatical, but aerobic activity at least four times a week) kept the digestive tract moving freely about not giving it a chance to adhere to anything. Wish I knew so much more. Oh well!
Mary
Thanks for answering the post. In fact, much of what we previously talked about came back to me. Well, given that I speak mainly of hormones, I guess this makes sense :) But I did want to say that I am so glad you picked up one of the books on the hormones. Take a look at the sections on Progesterone. I hear what you are asking regarding the estrogen issue. I know that years ago they used to give Estrone as part of a mix of something called "tri-est" and that included Estradial, Estriol, and Estrone, but they dropped using the Estrone since it was already being produced as a by product in the fat cells of menopausal women. If I am correct, I think it is a stronger estrogen. For example, Estriol is a weaker estrogen and estrodial is the one that floods our bodies when we are in our 20's.
One of the doctors I referenced, Erika Schwartz, likes to use only Estradial when supplementing estrogen. But, what about that estrone that comes as a by product from the fat cells. I mean, that is a good question. You might want to call a pharmacist who works as a Compounding pharmacist. You can google their website and put in your hometown and find compounders close to you and see if they'd answer this question.
Back to my comment on Progesterone, take a look at that product as it is important for brain health and is protective against "estrogen dominance" issues which can cause problems later on. When was your surgery? I'm sorry..you probably posted it..I will look. You will at least be armed with information if you start to feel poorly. It takes three months for the progesterone to leave your system after having ovaries removed.
I do recall a comment from one of the doctors. He was talking about tall thin models always having low levels of estrogen and that they were often depressed. They had the body type that did not produce much. So, what they got in the form of not having weight issues, they suffered as far as depressive or dysthymia symptoms. Interesting.
Take care and thanks for the well wishes regarding my surgery. So glad to be getting this taken care of! They are afraid my bowell might be stuck to the pelvic wall...not sure if I mentioned that. I stopped working out for about 6 months about a year ago....just the usual running around. I paid a high price for that in may areas, but I wonder if that affected my body's rate of building adhesions...and if the work outs I had done religiously (nothing fanatical, but aerobic activity at least four times a week) kept the digestive tract moving freely about not giving it a chance to adhere to anything. Wish I knew so much more. Oh well!
Mary
Yes...but, aren't we both 39 after all ???? Sometimes my body has problems keeping up with my brain. Strange statement, but you know what I mean!
Thanks for the wishes. I am so glad we are going to get to the bottom of this...I hope at least. I will keep in touch regarding the outcome.
Mary
Thanks for the wishes. I am so glad we are going to get to the bottom of this...I hope at least. I will keep in touch regarding the outcome.
Mary
Thanks ladies! And Mary, I did get one of the hormone books you recommended, and printed off all of the info you shared with me a little while ago. I guess I just found it unusual that I haven't had ANY menopause symptoms yet. But, since I am overweight too, that probably has alot to do with why I've not had any symptoms. I probably have alot of estrogen stored in all of my fat cells. :-)
Mary, I do hope your surgery goes well. And, enjoy your birthday!!
Karen
Mary, I do hope your surgery goes well. And, enjoy your birthday!!
Karen
Hi Cagney,
First of all, Star, I wanted to let you know I am going in for surgery on the 7th of June. Laprascopic surgery. Either adhesions or post-menopausal endometriosis with a good possiblity of bowell attachment to the pelvic wall are the culprits that have cause the debilitating pain and chronic diarrhea I have had since Dec/Jan of this year. Finally getting some answers...and a decent pain killer, too. Unable to post often due to not only job issues, but chronic pain. Guess I didn't "body roll" enough....geez, go figure! Wonder if this could have been avoided. Don't know.
Anyway:
You probably know why I did not post to this when I saw it .... and you know I am not ignoring you either :)
Poor Cagney has heard my epistle's from previous threads where we discussed the differences between the synthetic estrogens (which can produce side effects that could contribute to problems with DVT). In fact, I think I had to ask you what DVT stood for...Deep Vein Thrombosis, right?
Anyway, I don't use the hormones that cause these side effects. But the ones I use (the Bioidentical hormones) are so misunderstood by so many, that the best I can do is again is to suggest Northrup's book...and to do your own research on the different female hormones and the benefits (long term and short term) and risks that all of the hormones carry. For example, if I am out of balance with my estrogen (even though it is the bioidentical and not the synthetic type) and progesterone (not progestin as we all know by now) I can get into trouble with estrogen excess. But if I am low on Progesterone, my thyroid goes crazy, my cholesterol goes up, and I cease rebuilding bone, I have constant and debilitating brain fog, (although the estrogen and testosterone contribute to clarity of mind) joint pain, soft muscle pains, etc. Testosterone also offers many benefits that so many are unaware of.
Whenever I have a new ache/pain/memory issue/bone issue, etc, I ALWAYS look to hormones first. I had absolutely NO IDEA how much they ruled our lives.
Good luck to all....off to walk the dogs and to celebrate my Birthday!
Mary
First of all, Star, I wanted to let you know I am going in for surgery on the 7th of June. Laprascopic surgery. Either adhesions or post-menopausal endometriosis with a good possiblity of bowell attachment to the pelvic wall are the culprits that have cause the debilitating pain and chronic diarrhea I have had since Dec/Jan of this year. Finally getting some answers...and a decent pain killer, too. Unable to post often due to not only job issues, but chronic pain. Guess I didn't "body roll" enough....geez, go figure! Wonder if this could have been avoided. Don't know.
Anyway:
You probably know why I did not post to this when I saw it .... and you know I am not ignoring you either :)
Poor Cagney has heard my epistle's from previous threads where we discussed the differences between the synthetic estrogens (which can produce side effects that could contribute to problems with DVT). In fact, I think I had to ask you what DVT stood for...Deep Vein Thrombosis, right?
Anyway, I don't use the hormones that cause these side effects. But the ones I use (the Bioidentical hormones) are so misunderstood by so many, that the best I can do is again is to suggest Northrup's book...and to do your own research on the different female hormones and the benefits (long term and short term) and risks that all of the hormones carry. For example, if I am out of balance with my estrogen (even though it is the bioidentical and not the synthetic type) and progesterone (not progestin as we all know by now) I can get into trouble with estrogen excess. But if I am low on Progesterone, my thyroid goes crazy, my cholesterol goes up, and I cease rebuilding bone, I have constant and debilitating brain fog, (although the estrogen and testosterone contribute to clarity of mind) joint pain, soft muscle pains, etc. Testosterone also offers many benefits that so many are unaware of.
Whenever I have a new ache/pain/memory issue/bone issue, etc, I ALWAYS look to hormones first. I had absolutely NO IDEA how much they ruled our lives.
Good luck to all....off to walk the dogs and to celebrate my Birthday!
Mary
This lady will help you understand what you are going through. She posts quite often
Hi, I was also diagonsed with the same type of ovarian cancer (actually my anniversary date was May 8 - I'm 5yrs cancer free this year! Yeh!). Yes, we are very lucky.
I refused to take estrogen. I'm overweight and was told that estrogren stores itself in fat cells. In the past 5 years I've had maybe 5 hot flashes and they havevn't been severe. I've had no night sweats, or excessive menapause symptoms (although my memory is a little more shaky than it used to be even though I'm only 38). I'm starting to notice more symptoms lately but not sure if it's menapause related or not.
I was also told that some people don't have menapause symptoms at all. Maybe you're one of those lucky few too!
I was told after my initial pathology that I should have a second opinion on the pathology as LMP is rare and a difficult diag. as it very closely mimics the more aggressive cancer. I had a specialist in gyn pathologies confirm the diagonsis, I would recommend that you have that done too.
Take care,
Debbie
I refused to take estrogen. I'm overweight and was told that estrogren stores itself in fat cells. In the past 5 years I've had maybe 5 hot flashes and they havevn't been severe. I've had no night sweats, or excessive menapause symptoms (although my memory is a little more shaky than it used to be even though I'm only 38). I'm starting to notice more symptoms lately but not sure if it's menapause related or not.
I was also told that some people don't have menapause symptoms at all. Maybe you're one of those lucky few too!
I was told after my initial pathology that I should have a second opinion on the pathology as LMP is rare and a difficult diag. as it very closely mimics the more aggressive cancer. I had a specialist in gyn pathologies confirm the diagonsis, I would recommend that you have that done too.
Take care,
Debbie
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