1. Understand Surgical Menopause
Surgical menopause is the removal of a woman's ovaries during surgery. Only the ovaries may be removed, or the woman may have a partial or total hysterectomy. Removing the uterus and fallopian tubes will not cause surgical menopause, only the removal of the ovaries will. The ovaries are the source of hormones used by the body for menstruation and pregnancy. Removing the ovaries causes the body to go into menopause right after surgery. If only one ovary is removed, the woman will not go through surgical menopause because there is still another ovary producing hormones.
2. Know Who Needs Surgical Menopause
Women who have ovarian cancer may have their ovaries removed during surgery. Women who suffer from painful fibroid tumors may also opt to have the ovaries surgically removed. Some women who are genetically predisposed to breast and ovarian cancer opt to have their ovaries removed, especially if their sisters or mother have developed breast or ovarian cancer. Mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene have a high risk for breast or ovarian cancer. If there is a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer, get genetic testing to find out if you have the mutation.
3. Undertand the Complications
All surgeries have risks that are serious considerations for you. Excessive blood loss, infection and complications from anesthesia are just some of the risks of all surgery. Other complications for removal of the ovaries (oophorectomy) include unintentional injury to other internal organs during surgery and intestinal blockages.
4. Predicting Hot Flashes
Yes! You will have all the symptoms of natural menopause after surgery to remove the ovaries. You may experience one or all of these symptoms immediately after surgery inclduing hot flashes, mood swings, difficulty sleeping, night sweats, vaginal dryness, diminished sex drive and fatigue, unless you start on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) right away. HRT can be in the form of a pill, gel or a patch prescribed in the lowest possible dosage.
5. Understand Hormone Replacement Therapy
Estrogen Therapy alone does increase the risk of uterine cancer, so most women are given a combination of estrogen and progestin, called Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or Hormone Therapy. If you've had a total hysterectomy and the uterus has been removed, you no longer have to worry about uterine cancer. Progestin protects the uterus from cancer, which is why it's combined with estrogen to provide protection against cancer in HRT. Most doctors agree that women should remain on HRT for no more than 5 years. Side effects of HRT can include headaches and breast pain. Some women temporarily gain water weight. More serious side effects of HRT include bleeding, cancer, stroke, heart disease, pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis. Go for regular check ups while you're on HRT, and contact your doctor if you experience any unusual side effects.
