So I met with consultant yesterday, and contrary to his colleague who I met for my initial appointment on 1st Dec, he wanted to take ovaries out as well to reduce risk of recurrence.
I am 32 and have a 2 year old daughter. Before my diagnosis we had discussed trying for a second baby, though this was not a definite. Since my diagnosis I have accepted that we won’t be having another baby and count my blessings we have one already but can’t shake the feeling that my ovaries going seems so final. I also worry about the menopause and everything that goes along with that, though the consultant said they would start my on hrt straight away.
My priority has to be minimising the risk of recurrence and I know removing ovaries will help to do this, I suppose I’m just looking for others who were in a similar position to me to hear your experiences and that will hopefully help me feel more at peace with my ovaries going.
Thanks for reading
x
I am post op 24 days and I had to choose wether to keep or remove my ovaries due to risk factors.... I am 44 years and have had my children but I was still conflicted and so sort another opinion whiched helped me alot but even then I didnt feel 100% about it and was worried that I needed to accept it beforehand other wise afterwards- emotionally I would be upset. I was also freaking out about going into menopause but I must say I have only had a couple of mild hot flushes and have not noticed anything else at all.....my DR said not to start HRT until 6 weeks post op and then said we are all different and some woman dont even get hot flushes and then others have quite a difficult time.
This site has been a great help to me but also another great place to post for ladies talking about this is hyster sisters, one word.
I just want to wish you all the very best and I feel for you and everyone that has to go through this
I had the same choice to make earlier in the year.I'm 46 with no children (through choice) so it was an easy decision for me. Plus I was a bit freaked out at having 2 different types of cancer cells present, so it was all about reducing any further risk.
I started on a very low dose of HRT the morning after my op, and I've been fine with it. If anything it's been a blessing, I've suffered with bad migraines for 30 years, but in the 7 months since my op I've only had 1.... every cloud etc.
I just wanted to add that I had a radical hysterectomy on Monday but I did keep my ovaries. Menopause was something that worried me but I was assured if I did go through it then I would go straight on HRT to minimise the symptoms.I have 2 children and even though we never really planned to have anymore I did think I would wake up and mourn for the children I would never have but actually so far I just feel glad its over and that I am blessed with the children I hve already. I hope it all goes well. I don't feel too bad 3 days post op, and such a wonderful feeling to be cancer free xxx
Thanks for your reply, I'm still wondering whether I will wake up and mourn the loss of my fertility, but for me the risk of recurrence in the ovaries outweighs the menopause symptoms. I think the fact that they will also be able to check my ovaries once they are removed to further inform any additional treatment I might need makes me feel like it's better for them to be removed. However all this being said I still feel conflicted about losing them. It feels so final and once they are gone that's it there's no turning back. Argh! My head says get them removed my heart says keep them (even though I won't need them as won't be having another child).
I was already beginning menopause anyway when my cancer was diagnosed so it was irrelevant that I was given no choice in what was going to be removed. I have also been told I cannot have HRT so have been riding the waves of menopause for four years now. The only symptoms I have really noticed is the hot flushes, which I now call 'Tropical moments' and they are so much reduced from 2011 they're really not a bother. I just wanted to reassure you that this is not an everlasting condition and I suspect that having everything out in one go meant I went into freefall menopause rather than dragging it out over years and years as the ovaries gradually deteriorate.
Thanks for your reply Tivoli, I think I am feeling a bit more accepting of the menopause now, though still can't shake the feeling that it all seems so final. I'm sure once I've had the surgery I'll start to come to terms with everything but I think at the moment I'm still in a state of disbelief to some extent and keep expecting someone to ring up and say they've made a mistake and that I don't need a hysterectomy at all (think that is my brain trying to protect me!).
