I had a hysterectomy at 42 due to huge fibroids and the bleeding associated with that. I kept my ovaries. They functioned just fine till I was 45.

Pretty much all of a sudden I was sweating huge amounts . This happened at night but also while I was at work. I was a home health RN. I would be bending over a patient's bed and the water would start pouring off of me. I do NOT mean sweating I mean POURING...it dripped off of my head and down my arms and ran off of my fingertips. I had to use rolls of paper towels to mop up. Soaked clothes and then the chill of the A/C in my car and patient's homes...it was a nightmare. Also I would get to a cross roads in the country on my way to a patient's house and ....lost...couldn't remember which way to turn....then I would sit there and cry...then a panic attack. I was a real mess.

Insomnia....horrible nightmares...no sex drive..it all happened almost over night. I went to my parent's home with my DH and kids for Thanksgiving. This was during those first couple weeks that this started. I told my Mom what was going on. She said get to the Dr and get hormones. She had gone into menopause in much the same way at the same age. I have read that this is very common.

I went home and called my MD who is also a friend. Made appt and he was kindness itself. I said " STOP this NOW !". He laughed and asked if I had any idea what I wanted to take. I had already looked up everything I could find about menopause in folks that had their ovaries and had also had a hysterectomy. It makes a difference in what you can take if you don't have your uterus.

Women have a need for estrogen as well as a tiny amount of testosterone. I asked for the only product on the market at that time....15 yrs ago. It was called Estratest. He gave me free samples and a scrip and sent me on my way with orders to report back and that it would take a while to kick in.

I started the med that day as I walked to the car...call me really motivated LOL. It started working within the week. I have not stopped it in all these years. I am aware of no risks since I have no uterus. Any other risks are offset by my diet/activity level/checkups/mammograms. I refuse to worry about what might happen down the road. I am stronger now than I have ever been...each year I can do more and feel great while doing it. My DH and I have a fantastic love life , better each year. I never ever had another sweat episode and the nightmares and panic attacks stopped.

I still have trouble with depression and insomnia but they are due to the stress that I have in my life that comes and goes....I do my best and am getting better at learning to deal with that too thru meditation. I also am very very active physically and I know that the release of the endorphins is a huge bonus in making me feel better.

I suggest you see an MD you trust and who values you as a person. Talk to them and see what your options are. Do not settle for all the symptoms that are making you miserable. It isn't necessary and I think diminishes the quality of your life and those who love you. Good Luck and if there is anything at all that I can help you with please do let me know. c

Thank you so much, Trailrunner! Your post is exactly the kind of info I was looking for -- what you went through and what your life is like now. Yes, I plan to see my doctor and should have put that in my original post....but I FORGOT! :)

It's so amazing how quickly the onset of your symptoms occurred. That's what it feels like to me, but nothing as brutal as what you experienced. My mom is a very private person but I think I could ask her about what she went through. I know she was on hormone replacement for a while but stopped when the cancer risks were publicized -- I'm not even sure what that's all about but I'll do my research. Thank you again; your willingness to be so open about your experience is reassuring and inspiring to me! I'm so glad to hear you're doing great!

I suggest you see an MD you trust and who values you as a person. Talk to them and see what your options are. Do not settle for all the symptoms that are making you miserable. It isn't necessary and I think diminishes the quality of your life and those who love you.

Oh, without question! I honestly don't know where I'd be right now, had I not done exactly what Trailrunner advises. My symptoms started when I was about 45 and my periods became scant and irregular. I too had profuse, dripping SWEAT flashes followed promptly by horrible chills, and not just a few times a day but just about every ten to fifteen minutes. I had them day and night - the day sweats prohibiting me from working or functioning on any kind of normal, routine level, and the night sweats making sleep impossible. When I did sleep, I had terrible nightmares. Zero sex drive. I was one hot, hideous mess!

I tried every over-the-counter remedy I could get my hands on (I even tried taking apple cider vinegar daily, because I read it helped symptoms - all it did was make me want to vomit twice daily). Nothing worked for me, although others did tell me they obtained relief with this supplement or that cream from the health food store. That just wasn't in the cards for me, though.

I cannot tell you how thankful I am that I was introduced to a woman who knew of a holistic doctor in our area who specializes in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. On my first visit to the doctor, she spent 45 minutes with me and went over in great detail why she prescribes what she does for the women under her care. After my bloodwork was in, she put me on a regimen of bi-est and testosterone creams, and a progesterone capsule. Since I'd tried so many other things, I was skeptical of how these things would work, but I kid you not - within a week, I was a changed woman. The hot flashes didn't stop in their entirety at first, but I got down to maybe two or three a day, instead of five or six an hour. Now that I've gone through a couple more rounds of bloodwork to recheck levels and tweaked my dosages somewhat, I am just about symptom-free. The bi-est has completely taken away my hot flashes - save for perhaps one or two little "prickly heat flashes" during the course of a week, but they're not problematic at all. The testosterone has given me more energy and done wonders for my sex drive, and the progesterone helps me to sleep like a baby. I'm also taking a couple of supplements at the doctor's suggestion - I was quite low on Vitamin D, for one thing.

When I was flashing/sweating/chilling profusely and suffering from insomnia, I was really having problems getting what felt like all-out rage under control at times. That too has improved markedly. Ask my husband - I'm sure he'd agree. ;-D

Do talk to a trusted physician - one who will truly listen to you and explain options to you. I am comfortable with the relatively low risks associated with my bioidentical hormones, and the doctor did explain those risks to me. It was most definitely a quality of life issue that compelled me to go that route, and I am not one bit sorry that I chose to do so. I had more than one woman tell me, "Oh honey, you just need to suck it up and suffer through it" - but I'm firmly of the opinion that there is really no reason to do that. Help is available.

Ladies, please tell me about your peri-menopause..........

Well, in a word, it sucks!

I arrived late to this party - still had regular periods till I was 55 and if given the choice I'd have kept them till the end of days! But they became scant and abruptly stopped shortly before I was 56. The hot flashes began almost immediately, several time/day but the interrupted sleep was the worst for me and that alone caused mood issues and forgetfullness. After doing a bit of research on my own (including the threads here) I spoke with my MD who suggested HRT, short term, progesterone and estrogen. At my request she agreed to use the combo with testosterone based largely on the rave reviews I read here. Unfortunately, I did not have the same results. The hot flashes disappeared almost immediately, I slept through the night, but I also broke out like a teenage boy :-( She pulled the testosterone out of the mix, my skin cleared up and I'm hot flash free. Now if I could just get some elasticity back in my skin.......

I'll be 57 in a few days, my MD seems a bit distracted since she's still delivering babies left & right, so I'm on the hunt. I've recently heard about a local MD who 'specializes' in menopausal women and who also has a more inclusive approach - holistic AND the non-invasive cosmetic miracles - sounds like a winning combo to me!!

I had a total hysterectomy at age 32 so I went right in to menopause and endured it for many years as I could not take estrogen with 3 sisters with estrogen positive cancer. It wasn't easy but I made it and at age 60 I started feeling normal due to the fact that I had underactive thyroid and was put on medication. Once it kicked in the sweats and mind fog went away so please make sure it's not your thyroid that's the culprit. Get it tested and if the TSH blood work is not between 1 and 3, then you need medication. Many drs. are still using an outdated guide for those values but The New England Journal of Medicine came out with new values five years ago. Mary Shoman has a great site to help you diagnose yourself. Just google her name. Good luck.

Because I had severe fibroid tumors and ovarian cysts, I had a total hysterectomy at 43, but have had intermittent issues with hot flashes. I've ALWAYS been in a fog & had sleep issues, so I can't blame the forced menopause! I occasionally get night sweats, but nothing too bad, the hot flashes are minimal. I did try some HRT for a while, but once the scrip ran out, I didn't refill it.

I am also on thyroid meds (Hashimoto's disease) and a mild anti-depressant, so I think that helps with my symptoms. I'll tell you, I'd take raging hot flashes & dripping sweats over the HORRIFIC bleeding I had monthly. I had a fibroid tumor the size of a cantalope. My uterus was the size of a 5 month pregnancy when it was removed. Hysterectomy was the best thing I ever did!

I had a TAH (left ovaries in) about a year and a half ago due to large fibroids that I didn't know I had. Up till the crisis (horror movie bleeding) that led to the surgery I was "business as usual". I am 52 now so without periods, it's hard to judge where I am am at. Sleep is definitely affected - wake up lots during the night; more intense dreaming (I was chalking that up to less stress at work but maybe it's part of this); mood issues - I feel like crying a lot; takes effort not to flip out on my kids when they are being annoying sometimes; also reflux - never had that before.

rucnmom: One of the features of leaving the ovaries is that you do postpone menopause . But the uterus does add to your estrogen level so when it is gone you will still go into menopause at a faster rate than you might have with it. Just the same you can see your supportive MD and get blood levels done and go from there. With out your uterus you have more options as to HRT. Good Luck.

Thank you all for the great information and insight. I need to have my thyroid checked again soon, so I'll see the doctor and get a full checkup. I'll find out what my options are once I know where I stand hormone-wise at this time in my life.

Thank you, Trailrunner, Auntjen, DLM, Yaya, Pesky, and Rucnmom for your openness!

Folkvictorian,
I'm 57, have been hypothyroid since the birth of our 3rd child 23 years ago, and am on Levoxyl for the thyroid. For a long time I went to an endocrinologist recommended by readers on Mary Shomon's Top Doc list (mentioned above).

He put me on a low dose estrogen patch (Vivelle dot) and I recently weaned off it. Knock wood, I have never had horrible hot flashes or many of the symptoms mentioned. I really believe that my endocrinologist managed my hypo state and my peri-meno state quite well. So much so, that I recently stopped seeing him and now let my internist manage my care. She's not familiar with bioidentical HRT, using only Premarin (yuck...pregnant mare's urine), but since I don't seem to need hormone now, she's fine dealing with the thyroid issues.

I'd strongly suggest you get your thyroid checked and that your TSH is around 1-2. Often, thyroid and meno symptoms overlap.

I work out regulary and that really helps all around. I find I sleep better when I work out.

There is light at the end of the tunnel! Hang in there.

I didn't experience the mind fog but the hot flashes and night sweats were killing me. I started a thread here about it a little over a year ago. Since then, I've been on HRT and it changed my life.

When I was peri-menopausal, I experienced breast tenderness unlike anything I experienced in my life. It seemed like my breasts always hurt unless I was on my period.

I went through menopause at the average age of 54 and I miss my old self. I can just look at food and gain weight now. I've never had that problem before. It's not that I'm fat, it's just that I must be oh so careful these days. There are so many treats I used to love but can't indulge in anymore.

This is so timely! I have not experienced the sweating (yet) but the forgetfulness is ridiculous. We have a Keurig coffee maker and twice within the past few months, I have started a cup of coffee but forgotten to put the CUP under the spout. I will walk over to my "to do" list to add something, but by the time I get there, I've forgotten what I was going to write. I don't know what my monthly cycle would be doing because I had a uterine ablation about a year ago which totally eliminated my periods (yay!). I have been moody, kind of depressed, pissed off at DH for no reason, low energy. I have my annual physical with my regular doc on Friday and this is at the top of my list of complaints! I also am 46. I thought it was too early for this nonsense but I guess not.

I just read your post. Last year my gyn said when you turn 50 lets take you off birth control pills; I'll bet you go into menopause just like that...finger snap! Yep! Six months ago I stopped taking "the pill", stopped having periods and started having terrible night sweats/hot flashes. DH and I have slept cuddled up at night for 32 years and now he's too hot to sleep next to. He seems offended when I say "your too hot"! :0) I suddenly started eating more, gained 10lbs I haven't taken off and DH's sex drive seems to be cut in half.....????? I tried taking black cohash to eliminate the hot flashes, it didn't do a thing. Last week the weather dropped to sub zero temps and I haven't had a hot flash since.....?? As far as becoming spacey....forgetful, I argue with myself now too.....yep!!!! I talk myself into or out of things that I otherwise would not do....I'm talking business decisions.

Meditation sounds like a something I should try ......thanks trailrunner!

I will post these couple of ideas and hope that they are helpful:

You have to do WAY more than you think you do to counter the effects of the lower hormones. Believe me I know. I rode 3200 miles in 62 days and ate like a monster and lost 8 #....I am set to do it again in April. You have to stay WAY more active and energetic than you think. So Gold and Nicole I hate to say it but whatever you have been doing probably won't be enough. Do more...donot hurt yourself but do more.

Black cohosh DOESNOT work. I can't tell you how many friends in my coop tried it as an alternative. I don't know about the bio-identicals and I would try them in a shot if I had not already been on my meds for 15 years. See your sympathetic and knowledgable MD and get a great work up and then see what is what. If you have your uterus you have fewer safe choices. But there are still great alternatives to having moods and sleeping alone and lonely...I wouldn't give up one night ...not ONE with DH...40 years next Tuesday and he is worth taking one pill a day for the last 15 years.

nicole : meditation has so many pluses. Get " Mindfulness in Plain English" you will never ever regret buying it and taking what he says to heart. Available on Amazon. GOOD LUCK ! c

Thanks for asking this question. I'm going to be a little rude and piggy back on it.

I've had low estrogen problems in the past, which caused us to take a little time in getting pregnant. After pregnancy things were a lot better but since the month I turned 40 my cycles have been really off and this last cycle my estrogen measured 10 on Cycle day 3. Which the nurse practitioner said indicates perimenopause. I'm not ready to fully throw in the towel yet as I did have more exercise than normal and my thyroid meds were too high <.3 so that all got adjusted which could cause a lower estrogen.>I've had night sweats off and on for years some related to low bloodsugars, others unexplained so the posts here clears that up for me.

Now I'm wondering if I should ask for hormones or something similar. Seems I'm missing my period this time around - just some light spotting is that how menopause started for you all?

I have similar symptoms to a low thyroid, however my dose before we upped gave a TSH around 1.8, and increasing the dose did nothing to alleviate the other symptoms.

I'm wondering if I've been in peri-menopause since I was 36-37 and now I'm approaching menopause since I had low estrogen since around then.

trailrunner - could you elaborate more on what the difference is if you have your uterus removed and the hormones? Is it less risky to take hormones that way or??

Hey lyfia: this is info that I have read on the linked page below. It is of course continually being debated and studied. If you have no uterus you take only estrogen , referred to as ERT. It means that you have no risk of uterine cancer as you have no uterus. It also appears that you have a much lower risk of breast cancer than folks who take hormone replacement therapy known as HRT , it contains both estrogen and progestin. It seems that the culprit is the progestin.

I had terrible periods of bleeding that lasted days and days. I saw one MD and she said " oh well you will get better when you go into menopause " . WHAT !? I was literally bleeding to death. When I saw her again she said the same thing. I went to my friend who is an OBGYN and he checked me out and he stated that due to her waiting so long and putting me off, my fibroid was now huge and my blood count was so low that I couldn't even have the needed hysterectomy until I had taken iron for 4-6 weeks. I was really upset. I not only had to take iron but I had to have an abdominal hysterectomy instead of a vaginal. More surgery and more recovery and pain.

I did need a bladder tuck also so that was done. I made an amazing recovery and have never regretted the surgery. I had no choice and have felt 100 % since I had my uterus removed. I know that their are lots of stories out there about surgery that was not needed and poor results and long recovery etc but I had a great outcome.

I have cont, the hormones for 15 yrs now. I know that I probably could stop and probably have no ill effects. But I am not going to and my MD agrees. I responded so quickly to the med combo of estrogen/testosterone that he and I both feel that it was meant to be. I get an annual check up and mammogram. I feel great and my skin and muscle tone is probably 20 yrs younger than I have any right to have. It is my personal fountain of youth. If I am misguided then so be it. I told DH that they can pry the bottle from my cold dead hand ...when I pass on out on a trail in the woods somewhere LOL.

The single best thing that any woman can do is have a great and supportive spouse/significant other and equally wonderful MD or other health care provider. Every single one of us is an individual and requires a listening ear and informed choices. I can't stress enough , as a retired RN , the importance of getting good medical care. If it requires changing caregivers to get what you feel comfortable with then do it. Do not wait and do not suffer...life really is too short . c

Here is a link that might be useful: ERT and HRT explained

So glad to see this thread. I am 48, have not had a period in about 2 years due to having an ablation about 5 years ago (the best thing I ever did)! My doc checked my hormone levels last year and said I was not in menopause. I haven't had any hot flashes or sweats, but I definitely am forgetful.

Another weird thing that has started happening to me are these weird, itchy rashes mainly on my back and legs. Someone told me it could be hormonal and a symptom of menopause. Has anyone ever heard of or experienced that? The dermatologist has no answers for me. I appreciate everyone's candor and the great information here.

I went out to dinner with friends last night and heard a great joke about middle aged women--which all of us the table were.

Two women decide to go shopping. Into the car and off they drive. The passenger notices that her friend has just gone through a red light. Oh dear, she thinks, that isn't good. I won't say anything, she must not have noticed it.

Then, her friend charges through another red light. The passenger gasps to herself 'Mercy, this could be dangerous. Well, I won't say anything, I'm sure she knows what she is doing.'

She stays quiet until her friend passes through the THIRD red light. Finally, the passenger summons her courage and says 'I don't want to sound like a back seat driver but maybe you didn't notice that red light you just went through.'

Her friend looks at her, astonished. 'Am I driving?'

Ann

In my late 40s I was feeling normal, then started a period that wouldn't end, had two blood transfusions, and a couple of days later had a total hysterectomy.

I'll never forget waking up from surgery and my dh was angry with me then said, "Why didn't you tell me you were bleeing so bad?" I looked at him and said "It's girl stuff." Guess I scared him. lol

I haven't had any menopause symptoms except the occassional night sweat. Maybe loss of energy which is the worst IMO.

Funny joke ! I used to get home from VERY early morning runs and not remember if I had gone out to run or not ! I had to check the state of my clothes to tell. This was before menopause so I think I was asleep.

Oakley you are a lucky duck.

texan_ hope you can find out what the rashes are all about. Always look back and try and pinpoint when they started...new soaps/detergents/clothes/bedding/lotions....try hypoallergenic fragrance free everything and see if that helps. Also we use Cetaphil brand cream and it is wonderful. My DH is an albino and has all kinds of sensitive skin issues and it has really helped him. Worth a try. c

I have not had any symptoms yet and I still have all my parts LOL. Not yet 50. I am still on bc pills due to PCOS. My doc checks hormone levels at my yearly exam. I will probably need to take some type hormone once she takes me off bc because of the cysts.

I would like to find out more about the bioidentical hormones.

tina

Tina, I'm admittedly no expert - but I can attest that bioidentical therapy has been a complete godsend for me. Just came across this FAQ which may be of some interest to you (looks like there are links there as well that may dig deeper). This doctor's responses seem to mimic the philosophies of my own doctor.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bioidentical FAQs

trailrunner thanks!

As of right now...No hot flashes for about 4 weeks. But I think about food ALL the time!!! :0) I ate a green salad for breakfast.....getting the book "Cinch" from the library, I need to lose this 10lbs!!!!

I do have all my parts, I run, but not as much in the winter. :0)

I have the "perfect" DH, but haven't found a gyn that I like. :0) Example: I said I have a very active sex life and taking me off the pill is a problem....blah blah...she asked "How many partners?" ?????? NO.....I'm married!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm STILL TALKING ABOUT MY HUSBAND! oh....and I'm short tempered lately.....lol

I read the reviews of Cinch on Amazon. Will be interesting to see how it goes after you stop the 5 foods for 5 days part. I love the particular things that she stresses you eat but would sub frozen or fresh strawberries instead due to price :)

I had noted the book Why French Women Don't Get Fat. I think her meals and ideas are more well rounded and realistic to follow. You might want to check it out too.

I am amazed that your MD didn't pay attn to the fact that you are married ??!! How in the world do they justify the care they give and not know WHO they are treating ..big sigh. I would be short tempered too LOL.

Keep us posted as to how it goes. We are having gorgeous sun for the next days and up to 60's on Sunday...we are headed out for 2 days of cycling on Sat and Sun so I am excited. Need to get ready for my next big bike tour in April !!! c

trailrunner.....I saw the author interviewed on a morning talk show. She said you eat raw spinach leaves, almonds, raspberries and yogurt when you start out...then later on eating dark chocolate daily is mandatory! :0) That sounds VERY appealing! :0)

I've saw your pictures when you trained last year. Your in great shape!!!!!!

Thank you for the information trailrunner, and others who have posted. Auntjen thanks for sharing that link as I will keep that in mind when the time is mine.

Well I found out the reason for my missing period and it is not peri-menopause this time. We are getting a little surprise baby if all goes well. I have an almost 90% chance of miscarrying so taking it a day at a time.

ok, Lena - I am exercising a great deal of restraint here but am hoping all goes well for you and that 10% is all you need. woohoo! sorry - there's only so much restraint I can muster.

Deb - I sure hope we'll be in the lucky 10%, but we made it there once so the probability is against us. I've recently started with lots of back and neck pain so not looking good at the moment as it feels more like a period coming on now. Well we had a good run so far for a week.

Congrats!!! Take it easy and I, too hope you are in that 10%.

tina

My thoughts are with you during this time lyfia. You have our support. c

Hoping all goes well Lyfia!

My thoughts and prayers are with you, Lyfia! All the best to you and your little one.

Had to share a funny perimenopausal moment. My memory has really been affected; it wasn't great to begin with but now it's awful. Usually I walk my DD to school because we live about two blocks from her school. But the other day I had to bring some heavy items into school, so I drove. I spent the day at the school, helping with a project, then walked to the back of the school to meet her at the end of the day. We walked home together, RIGHT PAST my parked car, never even noticed it. Got to our house and had a little panic when I noticed my car wasn't in the driveway. DUH.

I so enjoyed everyone's stories about memory loss. I am 48 and it is a big problem right now. My family is annoyed with me, they tell me things over and over and nothing sticks. I feel like wearing a sign around my neck "Idiot. Repeat everything at least 5x!" I am a word person, a writer, and it is so upsetting to forget words. I was trying to remember that I needed a cucumber for a salad and the only words I could come up with were calculator and computer, and I knew those weren't right. I am still getting periods regularly. My Mom stopped hers at 50, and I'm bumping up against it. Unforunately, due to a blood condition, any HRTs are out of the question for me. They increase the clotting risk and mine is already elevated. I would love to find something natural that doesn't involve HRT to try to help this memory thing. Other than that, I find I'm tired quite often in the morning, wide awake however at night! Teens in the house could have something to do with that though. Anyway, reading everyone's stories was very reassuring. Maybe I'm not suffering early onset dementia after all...

judithn, I am your same age and had been going through the same thing. I was very moody, forgetful, in a fog, no energy. I had been on bioidentical hormones for ac oouple of years, and they did work, but, just not enough, IMO. I was very happy with them in the beginning though, and I am sure I needed to have my "saliva" or blood work checked again, but, then I heard of THE MENOPAUSE DOCTOR in our area! I absolutely adore him, and he really listens and understands.

Anyhow, I told him no HRT's if possible and he agreed and put me on DHEA. I think you could probably get them over the counter at a health food store, even though I buy mine from his office. I was also enemic, which really surprised me, so I am on an iron pill also. He also put me on a prenatal vitamin. None of these are prescription. It took me a long time to get into him, so maybe you could try the above things until you get into a good menopause doctor. I feel very good now, took about a month though to feel my best.

I hadn't clicked on this thread yet, too close to home, but decided I should post if only to warn others. I began having heavy bleeding after not having a period for five months. (Was actually excited, since I am 50, for it to be coming to an end.) Several friends said it was normal, don't worry. It will be like this for several months to six/eight months, then you'll stop.

It was time for my yearly, so I went to the doctor. I had started the period from hell. On/off for 6 of 8 weeks. Ultrasound showed a small fibroid. Possible/probably cause. Had hysteroscopy, D&C and uterine ablation. He said everything looked good. A week later, he calls to tell me I have endometrial hyperplasia complex atypical which often leads to uterine cancer (30%). So I'm signed up for a robotic (DaVinci) total hysterectomy. Since I just had the ablation, I may never know if it had become cancer (unless it has moved into the uterus). Surgery was to be next week, but I got a call yesterday there was a mix up in scheduling. (Cannot tell you how mad I am at the moment!) No cancer in my family, so that's one point for me.

So, my advice is at ANY age don't ignore skipped months and/or heavy bleeding. It could be signaling that something is seriously wrong.

Allison, I have a very large fibroid and am having a hysterectomy in June. I am keeping my ovaries and cervix though. Since I have had no children by birth (we have an adopted son that we brought home from hospital when he was 1 day old), I haven't really paid much attention to my femaile anatomy, so I feel kinda dumb about things. I wasn't even really sure the difference between my cervix and uterus until these last few doctor visits-I know, don't laugh!! It is just something since not birthing children, I have worried about.

So, what is a hysteroscopy?

Good advice Allison. I'm sorry you are to be the "guinea pig" for us though. Hopefully your hysterectomy will solve all problems. I wish you all the best.

I dealt with all that off-on years ago (before I was diagnosed with PCOS) - ultra sound is your friend when the ovaries and/or uterus are involved.

When I have my yearly this summer, I'm going to ask for additional hormonal testing. Still on the pill (for the PCOS), I've had no problems or symptoms yet. I always had the skipped or intermittent bleeding - never heavy - that could be scary!

Keep us posted.

tina

I had the very heavy bleeding and went to see the Dr I was using at that time. She put me off and I went home. Cont to bleed very abnormal amounts. Went back and she put me off again and said " it will get better when you get to menopause". She was an idiot. I went to another MD who was also a personal friend...that was why I hadn't gone to him originally. I am glad I did. The fibroid he found was so large that I had to have a regular hysterectomy rather than the much less invasive kind. Live and learn the hard way. I did keep my ovaries but not the cervix. You might want to look in to why you are being told to keep the cervix...one more thing that can get cancer and you will need to keep up with yearly PAP smears. I am glad that I kept my ovaries but be aware that they will stop functioning sooner than they normally would due to the loss of the uterus. The uterus secretes hormones also and the lower levels will cause the ovaries to stop .

I am still glad that I kept mine but now I do worry that they are in there and can possibly get cancerous also...I don't have ovarian ca in my family but who knows ? I do take HRT and have for 15 yrs. I won't ever stop...at least not as long as I am doing so well on it.

Here is a link to DHEA. It is fraught with problems if you are not under the care of an excellent MD...and there are a lot of side effects. c

Here is a link that might be useful: DHEA

I think (hope) doctors today have the mindset of sparing what organs they can. I've read/heard arguments on both sides of the story. Here's some info from the wall street journal health journal:

Cutting Less

More doctors are challenging the convention of removing the cervix during a hysterectomy. Here's why:

* Pap smears have sharply reduced the incidence of cervical cancer.
* Sparing the cervix reduces the risk of bladder damage.
* Some doctors say it may improve sexual function.

Some 600,000 hysterectomies are performed in the U.S. every year, making it the second-most common women's surgery after Caesarean section. It is done to remove cancers of the uterus or cervix, or more commonly to treat a painful condition called endometriosis or because of noncancerous uterine growths called fibroids. Prior to 1940, nearly all hysterectomies preserved the cervix because it was easier and safer given the lack of antibiotics and blood banks. But by the 1960s, removing the cervix, viewed as a cancer preventative at a time when Pap smears were still fairly new, became standard.

Now the tide appears to be turning. In 2006, 9.7% of U.S. inpatient hysterectomies, which account for more than 90% of the procedures, preserved the cervix, compared with just 1.7% a decade earlier, according to federal data.

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Just sharing that info, not saying they are right. It's something anyone considering a hysterectomy should think about. I'm just thankful that we have alternatives to an actual hysterectomy these days.

tina

tina, the stats you listed is exactly what my doctor has told me. But, he did add that because I hadn't had any children, my cervix is in very strong and good condition and he said I would hate him (in the sexual area) if he took my cervix, and that it really would effect that part. So, I am all for keeping my ovaries and cervix, until there "might" come a time I need them gone.

I could have gotten a hysterectomy years ago, but, I was trying to keep everything since I have heard it can really effect your hormones.

As far as the DHEA, I have had no side effects, and I really trust THIS doctor. Not saying it's for everyone, but, it has done well for me. I am much more even keeled, and not so anxious, like I was like before. I would definately research any drug before getting on it. I learned my lesson on that with prednisone last summer for my poison ivy. I will NEVER get on that stuff unless it is life or death!

So, what is a hysteroscopy?

It's a look around the uterus. I've linked a good explanation below. Good luck with your surgery.

Thanks, tinas.

Here is a link that might be useful: explanation