Can I have HRT if I had to have a hysterectomy due to fibroids?

[SplinterSplit]

I kept my ovaries such as they are now at 49. I'm not sure I'd be allowed HRT due to fibroids being oestrogen-fed & the cancer risk? Anyone know?

Not HCP but I had advice on this when I had my subtotal hysterectomy (same reason).

My consultant advised that you can have HRT but the type you should have depends on whether you have retained any endometrial tissue. So if your whole uterus (including cervix) has been removed then you can safely have oestrogen-only HRT.

If you have retained your cervix and there is any remnant of endometrium in the lining of it, then it is not safe to have unopposed oestrogen (due to risk of endometrial cancer) so any HRT must be the combined type, i.e. oestrogen with progesterone.

Do you mean when you finally go into the menopause? I kept my ovaries when I had my hysterectomy. Didn't go into the menopause until about 5 years later, then I went on HRT.

Metheven if you don’t mind me asking, was it obvious when you went into menopause? I am 5 yrs post hysterectomy but don’t know (without periods as a clue) how obvious it will be when menopause hits.

Just bumping this as I am wondering the same thing as Lark.

I had a sub-total hysterectomy 4 years ago and was told I had a higher chance of entering the menopause within 5 years of the operation and that if it didn't happen within five years it would probably happen at around the 'normal' age. I don't think I am menopausal but I do have symptoms that make me wonder and I'm not sure if it would be really obvious if it was.

Stillinbed I am glad it is not just me - thought it might sound like a daft question!

I asked the same thing to a friend who had her subtotal hysterectomy about 15 years ago - she is now over 60 and said she can only assume (given her age) that her menopause has happened, but didn’t ever notice anything obvious.

@LarkDescending really it was just the hot flushes!! They started off where I would be a little bit warmer, but then the full on hot flush, sweating like a pig. Nice.

So I went to the doctors and got hrt patches. Wonderful things. I still run a bit warmer nowadays and do get sort of mini flushes, but nothing like the big ones I had.

I had my ovaries removed at the same time as my hysterectomy (age 45 and due to fibroids) as the consultant advised it. I had HRT straight away and started to come off it very gradually about 10 years later. I had a very trouble free menopause.

I had a sub total hysterectomy at 37 and was told I’d go into the menopause earlier than average. Obviously with no periods it wasn’t hard to tell but about 3 years ago at 50 I began to get terrible hot flushes. I’m now on HRT patches - I did have to fight for them as my GP was not following NICE guidelines.

Grateful for this thread! I thought it was just me being stupid! I had a sub-total hysterectomy at the age of 37. During the 1-2 years following it, I had terrible hot flushes and mood swings etc.. I had a really bad time of it but was led to believe that menopause wouldn't kick in for about 5 years as I kept my ovaries - the GP said my ovaries had just gone "into shock" following my hysterectomy. However, I've been fine since, it's been 8 years since my hysterectomy and not a peep.

I often wonder if I DID go into menopause after the surgery or if it's yet to come. I still tend to run on the warm side - I've always got a fan on the go etc... but I don't get the flushes like I used to. There's oddly very little info/guidance about going into menopause after a sub-total hysterectomy - the info always seems to relate to people who had everything removed and go into immediate menopause.