When I was 31, my uterus was removed leaving my ovaries intact.

In 1998 my doctor, not really explaining himself, wanted to begin estrogen therapy because my FSH levels were high. Not knowing much about menopause, and not thinking much about menopause as I was feeling just fine, I did not do the HRT.

Later that year my doctor left practice. I wasn't too concerned in finding another doctor as physically I was in fairly good shape. In 2002 I began to have problems. I knew something was wrong. The doctor I was seeing said there was nothing wrong with me. I found another doctor who said I was diabetic, so I switched.

He prescribed oral medications which made me feel worse. I told him I would control my blood sugar levels with diet. This doctor who supposedly specialized in diabetes did not even schedule quarterly AC1 level checks till I mentioned it. All of my tests have come back normal, so I was told I was doing a great job of managing my diabetes.

Symptoms changed. I was told it was all in my head and he prescribed Antavan. Found another doctor. This one focused on my gastro problems and a couple years of tests... and so forth and so forth...

Which brings me to the point I found Power-surge. the present. Hopefully there are other women who are like me. Maybe together we can find out information which will help others who come later.

I have found very little information on menopause and women who have had partial hysterectomy - it is more for the total hysterectomy aspect.

If I had a competent doctor or gyn I might know more, but have yet to find one!

I'd be interested in hearing from others.

Hazel

Hi Hazel,

It seems like you need to find a competant Dr...Why would you need estrogen? My understanding is that the ovaries have estrogen. Why would you need diabetic medication if you're level is normal? And why the heck would he put you on Antavan - isn't that an anti-depressant? Are you depressed?

I had a partial hysterectomy about 8 year ago. No uterus - but I have both my ovaries. During peri-meno. you will ovulate each month - or you should during the peri-meno. time period...after you no longer ovulate - you'll be considered menopausal...after one full year that you no longer ovulate - you'll be considered post menopausal. So when your in the peri-meno. time period - you'll have all the symptoms (each woman is different - it may not be the exact same symptoms) of your meno. sisters who receive their monthly periods (or some get their periods 2 times a month or get a period every other month, etc...each woman is different) - the only difference Hazel is that you don't recieve your monthly period.

It is difficult to track our cycles because we don't have a period but - how I track it is according to the breast soreness, aggitated, angry, cry easy, etc... Hazel, try and keep track of your own cycles. That will make it easier to discover if the symptoms are going further and further away as time goes on... And once again - try and find a Dr. your comfortable with and he/she answers your question - totally.

Hazel -does any of that info. help you a little bit? Keep going thru the boards - lots of knowledge are there too.

Blessings,
Stacy

Stacy - thanks for the insights. Key word competent doctor! It has been a rough three years, power surge has been a god send.

Most recently dr told me I had oral cancer, no ifs ands or buts... talk about butts! Fortunately he scheduled an appt with an oral surgeon the next day and I was told no you do NOT have cancer. My dear husband told me don't worry this guy hasn't been right in a diagnosis in three years why should he be now!

My long time doctor left practice 1998 or so and since then I have tried to find a doctor - six to mention - first one ran a residency program and you never saw the same dr twice always a new intern - next one seemed better, but when I developed a lump on the side of my rib cage he told me it was my rib muscles had moved - duh huh and then he was my moms same dr and he told her she needed gall bladder surgery which she had removed four years prior, then he said her problem was her uterus which she had removed in the 1960s... she still goes to him - I changed drs.

I did find a woman doctor I liked but she just told me I had fibromyalgia, prescribed prosac. During office visits they never took vitals etc and when I asked her nurse why she said well you are here for depression right? Good grief...

Next dr I scheduled with after I explained my problems he said well I don't do unecessary tests... I don't think anything is wrong with you it is mental.

My current dr seemed to listen and tested me for gastro problems, heart, etc. nothing. When my problems seemed to continue he wanted to re-do all the same tests this year which I thought was unecessary, I asked him to refer me to an endrocinologist but he continued to say I had gerd when the specialist said I didn't and that he wanted me to see the gastro specialist again before he would refer me.

Then I found this website. Menopause! what a relief. Of course by this point I realized I wasn't dying and what ever symptom appeared I'd live through another night most likely.

Made an appt with a gyno who had a decent reputation. He said we will run the blood work and go from there. As I waited for lab he came and gave me a months supply of premarine 1.25 said to take these in the mean time... Good grief!

Honestly lately I have been totally frustrated and brain dead!

One thing I wanted to mention was how do I figure out my cycle! I have a journal which I can refer back... there are those days when I am more emotional, achey, etc. A week or so that I really feel badly. Will keep on learning and trying to apply what I learn!

At this point my symptoms have changed. Waking up nightly, heart palpitations have become much less frequent, other things come and go.

Thanks again, Hazel who is usually Hazey these daze

One suggestion I have for finding a doctor who will listen is to go to the locator service for compounding pharmacies. (www.iacprx.org) They don't sell anything. Locate a compounding pharmacy in your area, then call the pharmacy and ask about doctors in your area that they work with. It stands to reason, if a doctor works with a compounding pharmacy, then he should be open to working with you on correcting your hormone balance.

From the information I've read in the past month, and I'm doing my homework for similar symptoms, a high FSH level indicates that your ovaries may not be functioning properly. That would explain the doctor advising estrogen, but from what I've read, it's apparently not good to take only estrogen, without progesterone.

Consider reading _What Your Dr. May Not Tell You About Menopause_. I learned alot from this book, and I learned to ask lots of questions! Good luck in your search.

Dear June - thank you so very much for the information. The website was very easy to use and I was very fortunate locating a pharmacy within 15 miles of home! I know many others will appreciate your posting their website addy. thank you thank you thank you! Hazel

Hello all

I had a partial hysterectomy at 33 for fibroids. Have both ovaries. I am now 54 and have decided after about 8 years to start on Estradoil.(was using Black Cohosh/don quia? and vitimins before) It is working very good for me.

Now my question: I feel so good since taking estrdoil, better than I have felt in 20 years! After the hysterectomy for the first year, I had mild hot flashes..as the years went on (now that I look back) I had the rages, tears, depression and everything that seems to go with Menopause yet I had my ovaries! Is it possible that I should have been on some kind of hrt at that time and do women who have partials now use some kind of hrt?

Doctors that I had seen over the years said my hormones were fine but now I am not so sure because of the way I am now feeling, calm, happy, not much bugs me for the most part, all since starting Estradiol. I would be really ticked to find out that the last 20 years of anguish could have been avoided! I had always told the doctors that I just knew something was chemically wrong with me but they could never find the reason so gave me anti depressants..great!

Has anyone else had this kind of experience?

Dear Sue,

From what I have been reading and I have been all over the internet talking with other women ... the general consensus seems to be that YES some form of hormone therapy is usually beneficial regardless of the type of surgery. So happy to hear you are doing well. Hazel

Sue,

I've heard that 50% of the time ovaries stop functioning when we have a hysterectomy. That is probably what happen to you. Some doctors do not seem to be aware of this! I've heard of lots of women getting antidepressants instead of hormones being checked. It appears to be a side-effect of the medical field being male dominated!

Zelma

I had a Hysterectomy at age 37 due to fibroids (removal of uterus only). I had no symptoms that I was aware of until the age of 53 when I started with hot flushes, then anxiety, palpitations, sinusitus, dry skin, hyperventilation etc, etc. I really didn't know what to expect other than hot flushes and maybe mood swings. I'm now 57 and still have some of the symptoms but at the moment not quite as severely as they were. Won't hold my breath! (Excuse the pun!) Has anyone else had a hysterectomy early and then no symptoms for about 16 years? I'm not complaining but I don't know whether I'm pre or post menopause. Sure it must be post meno now. The doctors don't seem to want to check this out. I've had quite a bad time of it like many you since the age of 53.

Hey Sky Blue! I just discovered your post after doing a search on "hyperventilation"-- I am having a problem with breathing properly for some crazy reason-- just another crazy symptom of menopause I guess! Can you please describe your experience with hyperventilation? Does it ever cause you to have chest pains? I have them-- pinchy stabbing ones, in different spots in my chest. And a choking feeling in my throat. How about chest pressure and a feeling that there is something heavy there? Ironically, today, I am breathing much better and feel so much better!

Relating to your question about the hysterectomy, I have a good friend who is 49 and she had a hysterectomy (kept her ovaries) about 13 years ago. She is just now having hot flashes and night sweats and major irritability! I had a hysterectomy (kept my ovaries) 3 years ago, I am almost 51, and I am having the anxiety, palpitations, hyperventilation, etc. I guess we're all a bit different! Two weeks ago, I started on Premarin (estrogen) and I feel so much better- even the palps are almost all gone! But I still have the breathing problems, which I feel is due to anxiety (which has also lessened a bit). I know what you mean about the pre or post meno thing-- not sure what I'm in either! I just hope our symptoms lessen with each passing day!

Hello Blue Willow and everyone. I have just just discovered your reply to my post of a while ago. Please accept my apologies for the delay The hyperventilation that I was having started about 2 years ago never had it before even though I'm asthmatic - I started to wake up in the night gasping and not able to get my breath. The night time gasping was the worst I thought I was going to die and I knew it wasn't the asthma. I would also feel short of breath during the day and yes I had all sorts of funny pains and tightness around the chest area. Have had stabbing pains as well but not with the hyperventilation. I went to the doctor who put me on Paroxitine(Paxil I think) for about 6 months for anxiety. I managed to get myself off them and was feeling quite good until last September when the hyperventilation returned along with increased hot flushes and palpitiations. Hey Ho!! Started to take the Paroxitine again just half a tablet this time and went back to the doctor. A lady doctor who said that a lot of ladies were taking small doses of Paroxitine (Paxil) now to help with hot flushes. This is because of the scare with HRT. Anyway it has settled down again for the time being and at the moment I'm not taking anything!

Hope all your feelings and symptoms are lessening each day. What a roller coaster this meno has turned out to be. Who knows what symptom will turn up next! Why did nobody warn us about this.

I think I should have posted this on the Anxiety/Hyperventilation Board - Sorry

i had a partial hyter in 2001, and after that, everything went downhill. i only have 1 ovary, and i don't make enough hormones to feel well. i also have thyroid disease, which is probably why i had so many symptoms before the surgery. it is the one single thing i would take back if i could. kelly

I had a partial hysterectomy at age 26. 53 was the magic age for me, with only severe hot flashes. I was on the Climara patch for 1 year 4 months then stopped. Hot flashes have diminished greatly and only feel a little warmth from time to time. I think the severe hot flashes only last a year, and greatful I am. I have had no other symptoms mentioned above???