To ask if you had one ovary removed…

[Blutenblatt]

Did you start menopause ‘early’?

I had my right ovary and Fallopian tube removed when I was 23 due to a large previously unknown cyst that had caused an acute torsion and had completely cut off the blood supply to my ovary, effectively killing it. Since then I’ve been overwhelmingly fortunate to go on and have my DS as there was no damage to the other ovary.

I remember the surgeon and multiple other doctors since telling me that having one ovary removed could mean that I’d start menopause early. My mum naturally started when she was 40, same with my maternal auntie.

Does anyone have similar stories to share of their own? I've never met anyone in real life that has been through something similar to me so anything would be helpful.

I had an ovary removed due to a large cyst in my 20s. Had no problems conceiving afterwards. Had my last period at 49 following a couple of years of erratic cycles. I think it was slightly earlier than my mother, but not much and within the normal range.

Nope. Ovary excised at 45, menopause started bang on schedule at 50. It's the only thing my ovaries have ever got right!

I’ve had an ovary removed. Didn’t make any difference to the start of the menopause to me. I imagine it depends on how oestrogen and progesterone the other one is producing.

I had an ovary removed at 21 for similar reasons, the scarring from that is the most likely cause of two ectopic pregnancies, my third pregnancy (aged 38) was successful.

I had perimenopause symptoms from about the age of 47/48 but didn't stop having periods until 52.

I lost my right ovary and tube due to large twisted & necrotic cyst when I was 34.

Conceived surprise ds at 44, bf until I was almost 46. Periods became irregular & heavy at 52 and stopped completely at 55.

I lost an ovary age 36. Noticed changes in my periods and other symptoms of peri age 40 (used to be very regular then started getting a short cycle ever 5-6 months) I'm now nearly 42 and periods are becoming more erratic. I'm not sure when I will hit menopause or what age my mum did.

I lost my right ovary and tube at 41 due to a cyst. I’m nearly 51 and haven’t reached menopause yet. However I have had phases of irregularity and my mum was 56 so I could be earlier, it’s hard to say.

Wow thank you so much for all of your replies! I’m so pleased (and selfishly relieved) to see that many of you haven’t experienced abnormally early menopause as the doctors had led me to believe would happen! Of course there’s no certainty to when it will happen but just reading your own experiences has given me hope that it won’t be just yet.

@puckingfixies I’m so sorry to hear about your ectopic pregnancies but so pleased you got your little one in the end. Though I haven’t experienced an ectopic, my scar tissue has caused significant health issues in and out of pregnancy so I empathise entirely with that.

I’m afraid I did, but I was in my 30s when I had a unilateral oopherectomy due to a cancer scare. My period never settled down after the surgery, and went into perimenopause pretty much straight away. Took a couple of years to go on HRT (due to GP resistance) but it has really helped and I feel fine now.

I may have had an early menopause anyway, but I think losing an ovary probably brought it forward a couple of years at least. But I’d rather that than cancer any day!

@Notjustamum10 Thank you for your reply! I’m sorry that happened to you but glad that you are cancer free and got the HRT you needed. It seems so common that doctors are resisting giving HRT if the woman is deemed ‘young’ but we know our own bodies!

Really interesting thread, thank you - had a unilateral oophorectomy at 42 due to a fibroma and was told I wouldn't notice anything at all and could expect zero issues.... Cue 18 months or so of googling "symptoms of early dementia" till the penny dropped and I started HRT. Nice to hear some other people had better advice! To be fair, based on my mum and sister I probably would have started peri fairly soon afterwards anyway, but would have been nice to have a heads-up about the possibility! Does sound like there's a lot of variability though.

I had one removed early late 40s, there was a discussion about whether to remove it or to take medication to induce menopause.

My cycle went from monthly to three monthly and very light, then just stopped about two years later.

My mother had a hysterectomy when she was mid 40s because she wasn't coping well with the menopause so I was a bit older than she was.

Thank you everyone for your replies, it’s been very insightful to see the mixed experiences you’ve all had and has made me realise that it’s not a guarantee of very early menopause. I’ve never spoken to anyone who had similar circumstances (I.e one ovary removed) so it’s been very nice to feel not alone in my experience!