I am 49 and just in the last 2 years started having irreglar periods, skipping, heaving bleeding, one period of time with hot flashes, gone now. I have a mother and Aunt who had BC. Both had mastectomy, no chemo just radiation and have survived in good health 30 years later. I have no children and am considering having just my ovaries removed lapriscopically. ( out patient) I had a hysteroscopy and D&C last June to check the bleeding situation and all came back fine. My Gyno saud that if you have this surgery pre meno it reduces OC risk 80% and BC risk 50+ %. I think the pre meno is key though. Interruption of estrogen is playing a part here. I could have hot flashes and other Meno symptoms and can take Bio HRT if needed or he said I may not experience any side effects at all or very mild. He really thinks that if you don't need your ovaries , take them out if you are at risk. 1 in 53 women ( about that) get diagnosed with OC. Thats a high number to me.
His wife had this done and she was fine. no HRT.I am building my case with ultrasounds etc so insurance will cover this.
Any thoughts?

I can't comment about the surgery because I don't know how I would feel if I were in your situation.

But I will comment about the physician's claim that his wife is fine without HRT. If she had the surgery done well after menopause when her hormones were already low, maybe. But if she had it done during peri or shortly after reaching menopause, I can't imagine that she didn't suffer. The sudden loss of hormones would be abrupt after such a surgery.

If I had an oophrectomy, I would do HRT, no question.

Btw, I had 9 days of hot flashes in Jan 2007 and then I really didn't have them again until just recently. It's nice when you can get a break from them. I hope your break is very long. :-)

Is almost been 1 year since hot flashes, Thank Goodness.

Gez, Louisa...taking out a body part "just in case" seems kind of drastic to me. And I think that particular surgery would throw you into immediate and abrupt menopause, and you will suffer a lot. And what the heck is the difference between having your own natural hormones, or supplemented hormones? If the ovaries are being removed to reduce cancer risk, one assumes it is because it drastically reduces your estrogen??? So doesn't then TAKING hormones sort of make it a redundant move??!!
Please explain this to me, and clear it up for me as I am so confused!!!

The Dr. explained that the Estrogen in the HRT he would reccomend( Bio) is much less than what I am surging with now. When you said I would suffer what do you mean? The usual meno stuff I can anticipate anyway? I have another appointment but he is a very well respected physician and Is not for dramatic procedures.

I asked that very same question!

I guess it would be like having your breasts removed if you were high risk and carried the BC gene. I will be getting the gene test for BC soon. BC and OC are linked. There are 2 genes for BC and one is more of a link to OC than the other. That will be done before I make the decision.

If you are suffering with the heavy bleeding etc then ya why not take them out it to feel better. If however it is just because you might get cancer, then no I disagree with removing them. I say it all the time over on hystersisters, we don't cut our heads off because we might get brain cancer, we don't take our lungs out because we might get lung cancer. Just because an organ isn't totally necessary doesn't mean we should be hacking them out "just because we might get cancer".

Sure you may have them removed and suffer with no meno symptoms ever again. Other side you could have meno symptoms worse than ever. Nobody can say for sure which will happen. Have a read through hystersisters site I believe it is probably 50/50 on those that feel awesome and those that don't after surgical menopause.

I personally opted to have the cervix and uterus removed because of cancerous cells. I could have left them in and had check ups every three months for a year, but at my age I didn't want to go that route. I am cancer free after the surgery and now have less worry. The difference being I DID have nasty cells.

A lot to think about and of course only you can make this decision. Personally I would go have a second opinion before allowing one person to decide that you need this done.

Be very careful about this:

If you have your ovaries removed - more than likely you will go into strong, overnight menopause - which would make normally occuring, gradual menopause look like a spring day walk in the meadow picking daisies.

Since BC has been in your direct family, it could be deemed that HRT of any kind would be unhealthy.

Let us know what you end up deciding and how things go with you.

Then you would really be in a pickle. What you describe doesn't sound right. If you really think you need this surgury, get not only a second opinion, but also a third opinion. You owe it to yourself.

I'm 48 and I wouldn't do it based on what you describe. Do a lot more self education, don't depent on the doctors to edcuate you. Take good care of yourself with diet, excersize, supplements. Find a naturopath (or the like) to help you with natural supplements.