Surgical menopause help

[Shityshitybangbang]

Hi all. I had my ovaries and tubes removed 8 weeks ago due to a large tumor 2kg!! 😥 I knew I would go into menopause immediately. Trying to hold off HRT for as long as possible. Having hot flushes, sleeplessness, itchy bottom.
The doctor gave me gabapentin for the hot flushes, but they aren’t working. Any recommendations what else I could take for the menopause. If this continues I think I’ll give hrt a go.

Try Menopace.

I went through then menopause 14 years ago and wouldn't touch HRT with a barge pole.

www.hollandandbarrett.com/search/?query=Menopace

The most important thing you can do is not be overweight as obesity problems are often wrongly attributed to the menopause.

Attelina · Today 18:50
Thank you for that. I’ll look it up xx

Red clover tablets worked for a friend of mine.

how old are you? did they take your uterus as well?

SeaToSki · Today 18:57
Sorry I should have said this, I’m 52. Uterus still there. Just both ovaries and tubes taken out. I hadn’t started the menopause before my operation.
It was cancer but not ovarian and not hormonal. So it’s safe to take HRT. But a bit dubious about taking it.

Hi, I also had this op 4 months ago now at (age 42)…. I started on oestrogen patches after 5 weeks, by then I was getting pretty bad menopausal symptoms…. The oestrogen resolved all of the symptoms. Except for vaginal dryness which has just started now 😳….If you can take oestrogen then I recommend it.

@Shityshitybangbang if you can take HRT, I would because it's oestrogen you are lacking in, causing the symptoms.

I had a total hysterectomy last November, for a hormone driven sarcoma and secondary breast cancer. No HRT allowed and boy am
I suffering!

If you can have it, take it.

Sorry to hear that you have to deal with that. Hope you are able to take other medication to help with the symptoms.

@LLresident In truth, it's just one symptom after another and to make matters worse, I'm on hormone blockers and they are brutal!

@Shityshitybangbang best of luck going forward. Don't suffer if you don't have to.

I can imagine it is brutal. All the best to you, hopefully things will improve.

@LLresident do you know what I am
most angry about? I had a mastectomy AND chemo first time round. I took the poison which killed my hair and everything. And it STILL came back!

Unbelievable.

How awful, so much to go through and then this. Not surprised you are angry. Do you need further treatment for the sarcoma?

@LLresident I'm on permanent treatment for the breast cancer; until it decides not to work or I've had enough.

Sarcoma doesn't need any further treatment, as I've had the hysterectomy.

Good luck with ther rest of your breast cancer treatment.

Glad they got that sarcoma out.

I take a supplement called Femal, website: https://www.femal.co.uk/
Not sure if it works but can’t take HRT as was diagnosed with estrogen positive breast cancer in 2021 then had hysterectomy and ovaries removed last year plus on Tamoxifen so as well as going straight into surgical menopause, the Tamoxifen causes menopause symptoms too. Oh the joys. Have a look at the website. Hope you get some relief

It's very expensive though?

Enigma52 · Today 21:58
Thank you. I hope you are ok. Mines was colon spread to my ovary. Had colon cancer last year, all removed and had mop up chemotherapy. But they discovered the ovary tumor on
my one year scan. The chemotherapy I had dosent work for my kind of ovarian tumor.
They removed the tumor and ovaries and I’m clear. So regular check ups every 3 and 6 months.
The oncologist says because it wasn’t a hormone cancer HRT was safe. So I’m considering it seriously as these hot flushes are awful.

I pay £71.23 for 3 packets which is 3 months supply.

Quality of life is important and your oncologist is happy for you to take it.

Google Menopause and Cancer. It's set up by a woman called Dani, there's lots of support, podcasts, advice, help advocating for yourself around referral to a menopause specialist. It's grown quite rapidly since I discovered it but there's all sorts on there.

If you can take HRT, do. I had bilateral salpigo oophorectomy and total abdominal hysterectomy 10 years ago and struggled enormously over the years as I at first wasn't given HRT and then when I was, the dose was far too low.

The effect that this had on my quality of life and several health issues that I now have due to not getting HRT promptly has been significant, to say the least.

I'm not trying to scare you and fully appreciate that there are women here who can't take HRT.

@SebastianFlytesTrousers yes those of us blessed with continual cancer diagnosis, are pretty much left to rot. No one is remotely interested.

I’m on hormone blockers for breast cancer and have found acupuncture to be helpful. I was referred by my NHS team but it’s through the local hospice. I’ve found it’s really helped with the hot flushes and sweating.

@Enigma52 I absolutely feel for you and know personally several women who are are in the same position as yourself. I did reply a while back to one of your posts about the possibility of you consulting with Dr. Tina Peers?.Did you see my reply?

@SebastianFlytesTrousers yes I did see your reply and thankyou.

The trouble is, I have active cancer now, fed by hormones. There's no way on earth i can ever have any oestrogen again. I'm also on hormone blockers. This is it now, forever.