I had my ovaries removed as part of the procedure. How often should I have my estrogen levels tested, and how long will I need to continue hormone replacement? ANSWER: For a woman in your situation, estrogen replacement therapy typically is recommended assuming there is no medical reason not to use estrogen until the average age of natural menopause — usually around This is done mainly to reduce the risk of long-term health problems associated with removal of the ovaries.
A hysterectomy is surgical removal of the uterus. As in your case, the procedure often is combined with removal of the ovaries — a surgery known as an oophorectomy. When both ovaries are removed before a woman goes through menopause naturally, there is an increase in the risk of a number of serious long-term health problems.
They include heart disease , cognitive dysfunction and dementia, mood disorders, bone thinning, and early death. Many women are concerned that removing the cervix will lead to a loss in sexual function, but there's no evidence to support this. Some women are reluctant to have their cervix removed because they want to retain as much of their reproductive system as possible. If you feel this way, ask your surgeon whether there are any risks associated with keeping your cervix.
If you have your cervix removed, you'll no longer need to have cervical screening tests. If you do not have your cervix removed, you'll need to continue having regular cervical screening.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence NICE recommends that a woman's ovaries should only be removed if there's a significant risk of associated disease, such as ovarian cancer. If you have a family history of ovarian or breast cancer , removing your ovaries may be recommended to prevent you getting cancer in the future.
Your surgeon can discuss the pros and cons of removing your ovaries with you. If your ovaries are removed, your fallopian tubes will also be removed. If you have already gone through the menopause or you're close to it, removing your ovaries may be recommended regardless of the reason for having a hysterectomy. Some surgeons feel it's best to leave healthy ovaries in place if the risk of ovarian cancer is small — for example, if there's no family history of the condition.
This is because the ovaries produce several female hormones that can help protect against health problems such as weak bones osteoporosis. They also play a part in feelings of sexual desire and pleasure. If you'd prefer to keep your ovaries, make sure you have made this clear to your surgeon before your operation. You may still be asked to give consent to treatment for having your ovaries removed if an abnormality is found during the operation.
This means that stopping estrogen-only HRT removed the increase in risk of health problems caused by estrogen-only HRT. Menopausal side effects can dramatically reduce quality of life for some women.
These women have to weigh the benefits of HRT against the risks. If you're having severe hot flashes or other menopausal side effects and are considering HRT, talk to your doctor about all of your options.
Ask how you can minimize your breast cancer risk AND relieve your symptoms. Be sure to discuss the pros and cons of different types and doses of HRT. This study suggests that breast cancer risk actually may go down with estrogen-only HRT. Still, other serious health risks went up a lot when women took estrogen-only HRT. It's reassuring that those risks went down after HRT was stopped. If you do decide to take HRT, try to take it for the shortest time possible.
You also may want to ask your doctor about vaginal or transdermal HRT. Learn more about menopause and ways to manage side effects on the Breastcancer.
0コメント