Hysterectomy in your 20's?

Jenna75
Jenna75 Member Posts: 2
in Young Cancer Survivors #1
I would like to talk with other young women who have had to deal with having hysterectomies at such a young age. I had my ovaries, cervix and uterus removed at 28. One year later, I am in menopausal HELL. I am trying to make a decision about HRT (hormone replacement drugs), wondering if what I'm feeling is normal, or what normal even IS anymore, etc.

Comments

  • Chemo_Princess
    Chemo_Princess Member Posts: 105
    #2
    I was thirty when I had my
    I was thirty when I had my hysterectomy. I too had menopausal symptoms, I still have occasional hot flashes two years later! I did not qualify for hormone replacement because of my ovarian cancer. I am on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds. Don't know if it's helped with menopause but it has definitely helped me to deal with having cancer.
    Blessings to you!
  • bellababy333
    bellababy333 Member Posts: 1
    #3
    Chemo_Princess said:

    I was thirty when I had my
    I was thirty when I had my hysterectomy. I too had menopausal symptoms, I still have occasional hot flashes two years later! I did not qualify for hormone replacement because of my ovarian cancer. I am on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds. Don't know if it's helped with menopause but it has definitely helped me to deal with having cancer.
    Blessings to you!

    I also was thirty when i had
    I also was thirty when i had full hysterectomy last year...i have hot flashes and am going to try some kind of hormone replacement on my next visit, but i need to get my insurance back before then...long story lol. i get phantom pains all over my body...i am very active still but occasionally get shortness of breathe and pounding pulse??? my joints hurt a lot...hmmm what else lol i have A LOT of bowl issues fromm the pelvic rads, my life is very different now but its still mine:) keep your chin up...
    Blessing to u as well
  • marycarmen01
    marycarmen01 Member Posts: 9 Member
    #4
    I was also 28 when I opt for
    I was also 28 when I opt for a complete hysterctomy cause their was a chance I had in my ovaries to I was diagnose with endometrial and pancriatic all on 2/2011 it was hard cause I never had a chance for a pregnancy we working on having a baby but everything just whent down the drain I am still fighting with depression so its hard
  • eyalvarez
    eyalvarez Member Posts: 8
    #5
    I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH OVARIAN
    I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH OVARIAN CANCER IN MARCH HAD A FULL HYSTERECTOMY THAT SAME MONTH. I HATE THE HOTFLASHES AND DO NOT ENJOY NOT BEING ABLE TO FEEL LIKE A WOMAN WHEN I AM WITH MY HUSBAND. I AM ONLY 26 AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR I WENT TO THE DOCTOR BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO GET PREGNANT NOW I CANT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT WITHOUT TEARING UP. I WAS IN SUCH SHOCK THAT ALL OF THIS WAS HAPPENING TO ME THAT WHEN THE DOCTOR TOLD ME I MIGHT HAVE A HYSTERECTOMY MY MIND DECIDED TO NOT PROCESS THIS INFORMATION. THE DAY AFTER MY SURGERY AND THE DOCTOR TOLD IT DIDNT HIT ME, I WAS IN DENIAL. I BEGAN CHEMO A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER SURGERY AND I KNEW I WOULD SURVIVE THIS BUT HOW DO YOU SURVIVE NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE KIDS. IT DIDNT HIT ME THAT I WASNT GOING TO HAVE KIDS UNTIL ABOUT A MONTH AND HALF AFTER SURGERY, MY SISTER AND MY NIECE WERE DOING LAUNDRY AND MY NIECE WAS HELPING MY SISTER FOLD AND PUT AWAY THE CLOTHES, AND THATS WHEN IT HIT ME I WILL NEVER HAVE THAT. I CRIED BUT THEN I BRUSHED IT OFF AND THOUGHT I NEED TO GET OVER CHEMO- THATS WHAT I HAD TO LOOK FORWARD TO. I JUST RECENTLY FINISHED CHEMO AND NOW I SEE MYSELF THINKING ABOUT IT MORE THAN BEFORE AND QUESTIONING WHY ME, WHY CANT I HAVE KIDS BUT THERE ARE SO MANY WOMEN OUT THERE WHO MISTREAT AND ABUSE OF THEIR KIDS AND CAN HAVE AS MANY AS THEY WISH? SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER MY HUSBAND. DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY ADVICE TO HELP ME GET THROUGH THIS?

    THANKS
    EVELIN
  • Orange31
    Orange31 Member Posts: 3
    #6
    when I was 27
    Hugs to you all!

    When I was 27 I had a complete hysterectomy. I was told that I shouldn't experience any symptoms of menopause because I was a larger person and therefor had lots of estrogen so wouldn't get hot flashes.

    WRONG! I don't have them all the time. I'll go for a couple months and have nothing, then I'll have them for a week, go for a month, get them again for a week. So annoying. They are spacing out farther now though (almost 4 years later)

    I've gained weight and am having a much harder time taking it off. Every inch of my skin is dry and I have a harder time concentrating as well. I can't say that's due to menopause cause I really don't know.... but things certainly changed after surgery. I feel "old"

    HRT wasn't recommended for me just because of the cancer history. I also am one who just doesn't like taking any kind of medication. I've just put up with it.

    I thought I had dealt with having a hysterectomy and as time goes on (and friends get married and have kids) I'm thinking I haven't. I'm finding myself thinking of it more. Letting it sink in that I will never have a baby. Dealing with that fact that anyone I meet wants to have children and I can't. My cancer is not a topic I ever discussed much with anyone and am finding it even harder to bring up now.
  • simplykayla
    simplykayla Member Posts: 12
    #7
    I just had my complete
    I just had my complete hysterectomy at the beginning of November (I'm 19). I had hot flashes almost as soon as I came home!! They are so terrible and seem to come at the wrong times! My doctor put me on some anti-depresant meds also. They have worked well so far. I try to take them in the morning, but sometimes they don't last for when I go to sleep at night.
    Good Luck to you!!
  • ccfighter
    ccfighter Member Posts: 476 Member
    #8
    I had a hysterectomy a few
    I had a hysterectomy a few months ago due to cervical cancer. I was 32. I have been experiencing hot flashes and night sweats as well, though am also under going Chemo so not sure if its the chemo or the hormones making me miserable. At the finish of treatments, I fully plan to use HRT. I think that the benefits outway the risks. Cardivascular disease and osteoperosis are major risks to forego HRT. My oncologist said that HRT before natural menopause is perfectly safe and recommended (provided you don't have a hormonally driven cancer). After Chemo and radiation, the least of my problems are the possibility of cancer from HRT. Hope that helps.
  • BeStill2010
    BeStill2010 Member Posts: 3
    #9
    ccfighter said:

    I had a hysterectomy a few
    I had a hysterectomy a few months ago due to cervical cancer. I was 32. I have been experiencing hot flashes and night sweats as well, though am also under going Chemo so not sure if its the chemo or the hormones making me miserable. At the finish of treatments, I fully plan to use HRT. I think that the benefits outway the risks. Cardivascular disease and osteoperosis are major risks to forego HRT. My oncologist said that HRT before natural menopause is perfectly safe and recommended (provided you don't have a hormonally driven cancer). After Chemo and radiation, the least of my problems are the possibility of cancer from HRT. Hope that helps.

    Premature Menopause
    Hi everyone. I' had my ovaries removed because I have a hormonally driven vaginal cancer. Night sweats were miserable so my Dr put me on Effexor. I took 37.5 mg for the first 30 days and then moved to 75 mg, which I've now been on for 1 year. It really helped with the night sweats and has tempered the hot flashes. I still tend to get hot flashes off and on, but they aren't too terrible. I went to see a dermatologist for my face because my skin didn't look good after chemo and all he hormone changes. They were able to give me a cream to put on in the morning and another cream at night that has worked great. I'm 35 and have actually just had a reoccurance of cancer and will have a Total Pelvic Exeneration soon. I can completely relate to the emotions about intimacy and can imagine how hard it is for those of you that have had to deal with the inability to concieve a child. I'm so very sorry, but if you have a good man he will work through your pain with you. Thereare other ways for intimacy and you could adopt. Not what your Plan A was, but sometimes Plan B can really bless you.
  • Felicia_205
    Felicia_205 Member Posts: 79 Member
    #10
    eyalvarez said:

    I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH OVARIAN
    I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH OVARIAN CANCER IN MARCH HAD A FULL HYSTERECTOMY THAT SAME MONTH. I HATE THE HOTFLASHES AND DO NOT ENJOY NOT BEING ABLE TO FEEL LIKE A WOMAN WHEN I AM WITH MY HUSBAND. I AM ONLY 26 AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR I WENT TO THE DOCTOR BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO GET PREGNANT NOW I CANT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT WITHOUT TEARING UP. I WAS IN SUCH SHOCK THAT ALL OF THIS WAS HAPPENING TO ME THAT WHEN THE DOCTOR TOLD ME I MIGHT HAVE A HYSTERECTOMY MY MIND DECIDED TO NOT PROCESS THIS INFORMATION. THE DAY AFTER MY SURGERY AND THE DOCTOR TOLD IT DIDNT HIT ME, I WAS IN DENIAL. I BEGAN CHEMO A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER SURGERY AND I KNEW I WOULD SURVIVE THIS BUT HOW DO YOU SURVIVE NOT BEING ABLE TO HAVE KIDS. IT DIDNT HIT ME THAT I WASNT GOING TO HAVE KIDS UNTIL ABOUT A MONTH AND HALF AFTER SURGERY, MY SISTER AND MY NIECE WERE DOING LAUNDRY AND MY NIECE WAS HELPING MY SISTER FOLD AND PUT AWAY THE CLOTHES, AND THATS WHEN IT HIT ME I WILL NEVER HAVE THAT. I CRIED BUT THEN I BRUSHED IT OFF AND THOUGHT I NEED TO GET OVER CHEMO- THATS WHAT I HAD TO LOOK FORWARD TO. I JUST RECENTLY FINISHED CHEMO AND NOW I SEE MYSELF THINKING ABOUT IT MORE THAN BEFORE AND QUESTIONING WHY ME, WHY CANT I HAVE KIDS BUT THERE ARE SO MANY WOMEN OUT THERE WHO MISTREAT AND ABUSE OF THEIR KIDS AND CAN HAVE AS MANY AS THEY WISH? SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER MY HUSBAND. DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY ADVICE TO HELP ME GET THROUGH THIS?

    THANKS
    EVELIN

    I know exactly how you feel.
    I know exactly how you feel. I was 19 when I had my left ovary removed. I tried so hard to hold on to my remaining ovary but I knew it was eventually going to be taken out. I just turned 22 and a couple days after my birthday sure enough I had to have surgery and they took it out. They hot flashes are horrible and because of the rare type of cancer I have I cannot receive HRT. It also tears me up inside when I see my sisters with there kids and I know I will never have that. Its so hard not being able to feel like a women its like and emptiness inside of you. But the more I think about it the more I am actually starting to look forward to adopting a child when I am ready. Its better for me that way because I can have a child and not have to worry if they are going to have cancer like I do. There are so many children waiting to be adopted from a horrible life and you can be that person that rescues them.
  • Jenniebean87
    Jenniebean87 Member Posts: 9
    #11
    I had a TAH when I was 23.
    I had a TAH when I was 23. I'm 25 now and bc of a new mass on my R. ovary, I'll probably have an oopherectomy soon, too.
  • jessyann
    jessyann Member Posts: 4
    #12
    Hi

    I had ovarian cancer 11 years. The last couple of months I have been having horrible mood changes, night sweats constant cramping and hot flashes. My oncologist believes I may be going through premature ovarian failure. I go next week for a transvaginal ultrasound to see if my remaining ovary is working or not, if i is not he wants to do a complete hysterectomy. I alread have 2 children but am still uneasy of having a surgery that cuts off my chances of ever getting pregnant again. what are the pros and cons to a hysterectomy and has anyone else went through this type of situation? thanks.

  • AngelM3
    AngelM3 Member Posts: 3
    #13
    @19

    I had my hysterectomy when i was 19. After 3-4months of surgery, hormone replacement started as my doctor said lack of estrogen may affect bone density. Now i am 27 and i am taking hormone replacement(, even though irregular).  i had breast tenderness when i took it daily. now as i am taking premarin .625 on alternative days, there are no side-effects (so far.)

  • lostinthefog
    lostinthefog Member Posts: 20
    #14
    HYSTER AT 26

    i was 25 when i got the news i had uterine cancer, a few months after celebrating my 26th birthday i had found out that i needed to have a surgery. at that point they took everything. during recovery it hit. the hot flashes that felt never ending. i know that they warned me that they would be bad but i never would have guessed. i have ended up with some what i find odd side affect i have started to lose my hair pretty badly after this. it has been a hard step in this journy . i have found it more diffcult since in my local area there are no support groups for what i have and none for young people my age. its alwasy hard to try and relate to someone who is diagnosed with uterine cancer since im a rare case and normally it affects people twice my age. the hormones do help to cope with the surgery. wish you the best in your journy

Discussion Boards