How long do you take hrt after total hysterectomy?

[amberbrown]

I am 65 and just had a total hysterectomy, the consultant told me that my ovaries stopped producing ostregon when we are about 52 so that would not affect me, but weeks later I have severe joint pain, heachaches, itching, fatigue, weak muscles, insomnia, depression, anxiety, bad memory and frequent urination all suddenly come on, never had these before and no other problems or changes. If I take something to help with this do I need to take it for the rest of my life or until it settles? Will be trying soy. Thank you.

[Heloo85]

Did you have your ovaries removed with your hysterectomy!

Those are signs of high estrogen, not low! In fact, more to do with low testosterone, than low estrogen!

If I was you I’d take fish oil instead! Xx

[amberbrown in reply to Heloo85]

Doctor and I discussed it and they put me on estrogen patches. I already take a lot of fish oil and have done for years.

[Bing73 in reply to Heloo85]

These are not symptoms of high oestrogen- unless you are medically qualified please do not give out clinical advice. And if you are medically qualified please update your menopause cpd.

Getting the correct balance of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone post hysterectomy is something that should be done in conjunction with menopause specialists who can adjust your dosages inline with your symptoms.

[Puffling1]

We continue to produce small amounts of oestrogen post menopause which is why many women who are already on HRT find they need to increase their dose after hysterectomy. I’ve had to increase mine to relieve the return of symptoms. Dr Louise Newson's website called Balance has lots of good information

[Bing73]

The advice is to take forever one you start - HRT provides the protection you need against dementia, osteoporosis, uti’s into old age - consider it your wd40. Many Medical professionals are out of date with their knowledge on HRT and are not aware of the recent research - many are still stuck in the 1990’s when the false HRT scare struck and are giving advice based on that false information - this has resulted in three generations of women suffering from menopause symptoms when they do not need to. Dr Louise Newson’s information pages are very helpful and enable you to arm yourself with the knowledge you need to support your body into older age. Your natural hormone production has stopped and nothing except HRT will support your systems to function as they used to. The only reason to stop or not take HRT is if you are unable to tolerate it.

[Bing73]

I’m only going to reply once to you for the sake of other women who may be reading your response to me as the information you are giving is INCORRECT and DANGEROUS.

Anxiety in menopause is caused by the drop in serotonin and your neural transmitters no longer working correctly. You need progesterone to rebalance this - ANXIETY IS NOT A SYMPTOM OF HIGH OESTROGEN.

Sore joints in menopause are caused by the drop in oestrogen levels - oestrogen is the lubricant in your joints and when this drops the surrounding tissue weakens and can no longer give the supporting strength your joints need - hence they ache. You need replacement oestrogen to address this - ACHING JOINTS ARE NOT CURED WITH OMEGA-3.

HRT does not cause cancer and actually provides you with the protection you need against female cancers reducing the risk in later years of these developing.

I am a clinician in this field but I still would not give advice within this forum but instead seek to direct women who are struggling to find answers to the menopause issues they face from the qualified specialists.

Please cite your gynaecological / neurological or Cancer medical qualifications otherwise all readers should disregard any advice you are giving out as INCORRECT AND DANGEROUS.

[Tranquilwaters]

I am absolutely appalled by your reply - there is no basis for what you're saying whatsoever. Of course the poster doesn't have high estrogen! How ridiculous. The ovaries are the primary source of estrogen - once removed, only a very small amount is produced by aromatisation from the adrenal gland. I can categorically tell you that the poster is experiencing symptoms of very low estrogen, as I myself had exactly the same after the same surgery. The poster is also entitled to take HRT for as long as she feels the need to help these symptoms - there is no arbitrary time limit under the new guidelines. May I suggest that you refrain from posting about health matters of which you obviously have no knowledge.