Hi Ladies, Im taking estrogen only hrt after a full hysterectomy for endometriosis. I

[jandfi]

have been advised as all my endo has been removed it is the best hrt to take.Is any one else taking estrogen only and have you had any issues at all with endo returning,etc? Many thanks

[worth71]

Hi

hope you don't mind me asking you a few questions but i feel i'm about to go down this same route. i was diagnosed two weeks ago, they said too much to treat at time of lap, and suggested hysterectomy and ovaries. i'm 41, grown up/teenage kids so no issues of having this op, i have a consultant appointment next week and just really don't know what to ask. i know i want to know if they will attempt to remove the endo at the time of op, otherwise it could be pointless having that op.

how old are you and how long ago did you have your hyster, and how long have you been taking the hrt? are you worried your endo may return with the hrt?

xxx

[jandfi]

Hi, yeah I had my op last year and have had both ovaries removed I was 44 at the time so needed the hrt as well. I seem to be in the minority as I take estrogen only but my consultant says he has removed all of the endo?? so I should be ok. He also says what you take with hrt is actually less than your own body would make and it is at a consistent level so you dont get any fluctuations which is better. I worry very much about the endo returning as I had a very severe case of endo and also had to have a bowel and bladder resection but I didnt have symptoms which releated to the amount of endo. In fact I was diagnosed when I had a bowel obstruction, my only real symptoms was pains around my period time. I worry that if it does come back I may not even know about it until it gets really bad!! They dont advise progesterone as it is supposed to be the nastier hormone although a lot of people with endo diagnosis do take combined hrt. Apart from the worry of it coming back I am happy on my estrogen only and I did go with out for a couple of weeks but felt like an old women so I know I need it! I try to eat healther now to compensate and I did vist a hormone specialise and she had also had endo but had been on estrogen gel for 17 years and was still doing fine, so that made me feel better. My only advice to you is to go to an endometrisos clinic or have someone who specialises in endo to do the op so they can remove as much of it as possible if not all of it, as from what I have read a lot of the recurrences come from people who have not had all the endo removed. I know you cant guarantee this but you just have to do the best you can in these situations. Good luck and hope I've helped somwhat xx

[worth71 in reply to jandfi]

hi yes you have helped - so often consultants or doctors just do not explain things fully, they only give the bare minimum of info, i have learnt so much more from this site - will let you know how i get on next week xx