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[groundhog]

That rings a sad bell with me too Tempest.  My nephews are 8 and they are like my children - I know I'm not the same and one of them said to me last weekend,  'Aunty when you are better,  will you dance again like you used to '.  That made me so sad,  I used to be a funny happy aunty always doing little dances and making their lives a bit happier,  when my op went wrong and / or my ovaries were yanked out,  a part of me died.  Sorry about your mum Tempest and thank you for your understanding xx

I told my nephew I promise when I'm well we will dance and dance and dance xx

[Tempest]

Oh, Groundhog! I wish so very much for some better health and happier days ahead for you. Your dear nephews! And you.......what a lovely, brave lady you are (and YES - you are brave)! xxxxx

[Tempest]

Thank you for joining us, Coldethyl! I have been following your updates - you're a remarkable lady!


 Yes, I noticed the mood swings abated for me too post surgery (only to come back on unstable HRT - grrrr)! I did have depressed mood over time though without HRT - I often wonder if for me, vaginal estrogen and an antidepressant would have been a better bet as I had no hot flushes (but having said that, I could not tolerate the SSRI's my GP prescribed - I've since learned that antidepressants from the SNRI class seem to be more agreeable in post menopausal ladies).

I remember my Mum having the temporary ileostomy too - thank goodness stoma care has come along a good way since then!

Can you cope with the hot flushes you are experiencing at the moment? Venlafaxine which is an SNRI is used successfully at the Menopause clinic I attend for ladies who cannot take HRT, and it can certainly help with the feelings of anxiety - it's a bona fide 'alternative treatment' for menopausal symptoms which is very often overlooked, especially sometimes in the forum which is a great shame as all options should be 'on the table' for us to consider/try as each of our preferences and circumstances are different.

Sending you biggest hugs. xxxxx

[coldethyl]

Thank you for joining us, Coldethyl! I have been following your updates - you're a remarkable lady!


 Yes, I noticed the mood swings abated for me too post surgery (only to come back on unstable HRT - grrrr)! I did have depressed mood over time though without HRT - I often wonder if for me, vaginal estrogen and an antidepressant would have been a better bet as I had no hot flushes (but having said that, I could not tolerate the SSRI's my GP prescribed - I've since learned that antidepressants from the SNRI class seem to be more agreeable in post menopausal ladies).

I remember my Mum having the temporary ileostomy too - thank goodness stoma care has come along a good way since then!

Can you cope with the hot flushes you are experiencing at the moment? Venlafaxine which is an SNRI is used successfully at the Menopause clinic I attend for ladies who cannot take HRT, and it can certainly help with the feelings of anxiety - it's a bona fide 'alternative treatment' for menopausal symptoms which is very often overlooked, especially sometimes in the forum which is a great shame as all options should be 'on the table' for us to consider/try as each of our preferences and circumstances are different.

Sending you biggest hugs. xxxxx

I can cope with them so far-I take a low dose betablocker which helps with the adrenaline surges and ectopic heartbeats that the flushes sometimes cause so fingers crossed that will be enough.
The ileosotomy isn't that bad tbh- it isn't the nicest looking thing but I am considering not rushing into reversal as several friends with bowel cancer have found it tricky post reversal and I feel I have enough on my plate letting my body heal from chemo - I also want to be able to enjoy whatever time I have as no guarantees post chemo that it won't return at some point and being tied to the toilet isn't my idea of fun!!
I think that often what is required at this time of life is to be taken seriously and heard by those involved in our healthcare- in the hospital , post surgery , when I was barely functioning after the anaesthetic, the consultant doing the rounds that day got really snotty with me when I said I didn't want to discuss anything until biopsies in at clinic appointment as I wasn't mentally up to it yet having had a breakdown earlier in the year- he sneered at me and said " you aren't unique in that, you know." True but if I had had the strength I might have punched him in his smug features!!! I've always thought that men become gynaecologists because they hate women and this reaffirmed my bias. The bowel surgeon was a hoot and very compassionate about the bag- my own consultant never acknowledged it or the hideous scar he'd made-  obviously I am grateful that he contributed to saving my life but just a kind word or an acknowledgement that hysterectomy and ileostomy were big deals wouldn't go amiss.
Some women sail through life without any hormonal challenges but that is often as much down to luck ( genetics) as anything they have done, yet I have always bee made to feel by gynae team and GPs( mostly female!) that with a bit more effort on my part, all would fall into place. Some days pre-operation I was running just to stand still so would like to see this acknowledged by our HCPs before it's all blamed on our mental health and weakness!

[doolou]

Hi Tempest and thank you so much for your kind and informative reply.   I am getting armed with information for my menopause clinic appointment,  which after one phone call asking for any cancellations,  is now 13th February.  It feels like it's going to be a long 3 weeks.  I have also  been considering having a private hormone blood test done.  My initial thoughts is that again some information I could take to the clinic,  giving a basic overview?  Your opinions on that whether it is worth bothering with would be appreciated.  I'm 8 days into 30mg lansoprazole and not much change tbh. Tinnitus is driving me nuts,  headache etc. My dilemma is, do I do what I was thinking and stop my HRT and look to start from scratch?  Stay as I am on alternate days, or go back to every day?  I hate going to to GP's. Feel like a nuisance/fraud and find it very stressful.  My BP is up a bit too, but will be sky high if I go to doctors. Sadly I don't have a lot of faith in GP's unless you've got a cough/cold? 

And to all the other ladies on here,  my situation seems pathetic by comparison.  Sending my hugs to you all and if only there was a better system in place to help the majority of women who suffer whilst going through thr menopause,  surgically or naturally x

[Mer109]

Just to brighten up our dull days, I have just attempted to watch a bug move across the carpet for a good few minutes, on closer inspection it was a piece of plastic not able to move at all!!!!

Day 89 post op and taking Tibolone /Livial, balance, dizziness obviously not improving at all!!

Hoping for miracles at GP appointment on Friday X

[Tempest]

Oh, I've done this Mer!!!!!!  It's usually my Hubby's sock fluff.......

I'm so sorry you're still feeling truly rotten - roll on Friday!!! As Hurdity said, maybe the Tibolone isn't suiting OR I'm thinking because it's weakly estrogenic and you weren't in menopause before your surgery, it could be that you need a decent dose of estrogen to make you feel better! Incidentally, it is possible to go up to 5mg on the Tibolone, but I would probably try a patch to be honest just in case it's really not suiting you!

Estradot has good stickability (better than the other patches) and it's small. I can pass on some tips about sticking if you're given these (I just couldn't absorb them - I have problems with transdermals). Or you could ask for Estrogel, which you apply ideally to inner thighs, starting at 2 pumps in your case. Sadly, you often have to TELL the GP's what you want to try because a good many of them aren't clued up on HRT.

We're here for you - so if you have any questions, give us a shout! xxxxx

[Yorkshire Girl]

Hello everyone
Great idea Tempest, I was thinking a thread for surgical menopause would be useful!!

I had TAH with BSO on 6th Dec 2016 aged 44 due to severe PMS. My first appointment at the hospital in April 2016 I was given Zoladex to bring on the menopause, to make sure it would help & it did, I was a new woman. In Sept consultant gave go ahead for op. Lost most of my friends to PMS, moved house, fab new GP who made this happen, now on my own with a fantastic & very supportive hubby & my sister who has been great.
In hospital for 2 nights, went home with severe iron deficiency, being sick & barely eating or drinking. Had to have doctor out who gave me anti-sickness tablets, still taking iron tablets as I can only take one a day not three. Week after surgery night sweats started leaving me & bedding completely saturated, they stopped after 2 weeks, now just suffer with intense hot flushes which are frequent day & night.
GP insisted on HRT as I'm high risk for osteoporosis, started on Estradiol patches 25mg, too early to know if they are working yet.

[Tempest]

Welcome, Yorkshire Girl!

You and Mer109 are very close in timing with your surgeries - hopefully you'll be able to hook up and share your journeys of recovery and progress with HRT.

I'm so glad the night sweats have settled for you - that's very encouraging! And I'm so sorry you've had the complications with iron deficiency - is the GP monitoring you carefully post op. for this now?

I'm wondering if you've come across the blog Miss Jekyll and Hyde? It's a very encouraging story of a lady who had TAH/BSO for PMDD and came out the other side successfully with HRT. I'll see if I can find a link......

There is no doubt about it that severe PMS and PMDD are DEVASTATING to women, and Professor Studd pioneered much research into treating women who suffer from these. He has written a great deal about this in various professional journals and on his own website, so that's well worth checking out too.

His usual 'add back' regime is 3 pumps of Estrogel with Testim testosterone gel, and this seems to work very well for a lot of ladies. You're entitled to receive replacement Testosterone therapy, so be sure that you're getting the right follow up at a menopause clinic as GP's aren't always as clued up as they should be about this despite it being clearly stated that it should be made available in the NICE guidelines for us women (Mer - this includes you too).

[Tempest]

https://msjekyllhyde.wordpress.com Here is the link to the blog,Yorkshire Girl. It's encouraging reading!

[Yorkshire Girl]

Hi Tempest
Funnily enough I read Professor Studd's research before I visited GP second time round so I had something to back up my wanting a hysterectomy. At the same time I did read Miss Jekyll and Hyde blog, it helped a lot
No not having any monitoring for the iron deficiency. As far as I'm aware I won't be referred to a menopause clinic, didn't realise they existed until I read this forum!
Don't know anything about testosterone therapy.

[Tempest]

I'm so glad you managed to tap into those resources before your surgery Yorkshire Girl!

Here is the Menopause Matters information on Testosterone therapy, and why it's useful for us post oopherectomy:

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/testosterone.php

If you have any questions having read this, please ask - also regarding a referral to a menopause clinic. I'll just do a wee check to see what's available (assuming you're in Yorkshire - which I guess you must be)! 

Ah - here we go! These are the menopause clinic's located nearest to York: http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/clinicsearchresults.php?region=northern

[Tempest]

Just a shout out to Mer  - how did you get on at the appointment  with your GP? Hope you received some good support! xxxx

[Yorkshire Girl]

Hi Tempest
Thanks for all that I will have a read, I expect I will have questions as to be fair I'm a bit confused by everything to do with menopause & hrt!! Yes I'm in Yorkshire, in the East Riding!

[Hurdity]

Hello everyone
Great idea Tempest, I was thinking a thread for surgical menopause would be useful!!

I had TAH with BSO on 6th Dec 2016 aged 44 due to severe PMS. My first appointment at the hospital in April 2016 I was given Zoladex to bring on the menopause, to make sure it would help & it did, I was a new woman. In Sept consultant gave go ahead for op. Lost most of my friends to PMS, moved house, fab new GP who made this happen, now on my own with a fantastic & very supportive hubby & my sister who has been great.
In hospital for 2 nights, went home with severe iron deficiency, being sick & barely eating or drinking. Had to have doctor out who gave me anti-sickness tablets, still taking iron tablets as I can only take one a day not three. Week after surgery night sweats started leaving me & bedding completely saturated, they stopped after 2 weeks, now just suffer with intense hot flushes which are frequent day & night.
GP insisted on HRT as I'm high risk for osteoporosis, started on Estradiol patches 25mg, too early to know if they are working yet.

Hi Yorkshire Girl - I might have spoken to you on another thread but 25 mcg is a very low dose so you should be eventually aiming for at least 50 mcg - I presume you are starting low because you are sensitive to small changes?

Also re the iron. I have never taken tableta! I became anaemic in first pregnancy and was prescribed some but didn't like the idea and used Floradix herbal iron tonic which is more natural and very gentle on the digestion! As I am still having bleeds in my  60's ( through choice) I still do take the odd spoonful once a week or so just to top up in case I get low (though probably don't need to!). I highly recommend this rather than iron tabs

Hurdity x