Has anyone else been through surgical menopause?

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TraciInLA
TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
in Breast Cancer #1

Some of you know that I completed active treatment for breast cancer in 2009, and am 8 ½ years into my 10 years on Tamoxifen.  In 2013, I found out that I’m positive for the PALB2 genetic mutation.  Because of that result, I had a preventive bilateral mastectomy in 2015, and have now just had a preventive bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (i.e., they took my ovaries + fallopian tubes) 3 weeks ago.

(My partner, who has been heroically supportive through all this and is always looking for ways to make me laugh, thinks “salpingo-oophorectomy” sounds like a bad Starbucks order: “I’ll have a nonfat decaf salpingo-oophorectomy, please”)

I was still menstruating regularly, so the surgery has thrown me into abrupt, full-blown surgical menopause.  The last 3 weeks have been really, really tough. 

I couldn’t sleep more than an hour or 2 without waking up with night sweats, I woke up one day with a zit on my nose for the first time in years and cried for an hour, and I spend a lot of time wandering around the house having no idea why I walked into this room or why I’m carrying this or that with me.

When I saw my gynecologist last week, she immediately agreed that sleep was the #1 priority, and prescribed Ambien CR, which has helped.  And I’m trying to take walks every day, eat healthy, and watch funny shows on Netflix to keep my spirits up.

I guess what I could use is a little commisseration from anyone who’s been through surgical menopause.  I’m only 49 years old, and feel like I’ve turned into an old lady overnight.  But I’m not even old enough to get the senior discount at Denny’s, so what good is all this?

Traci

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  • caregiver wife
    caregiver wife Member Posts: 234
    #2
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    forced menopause

    Traci,

    Sorry you are going through this.  I had two seperate mastectomies, hysterectomy, oopherectomy in a three month time when I was 47.  That was in 2001, so I am looking at this from a pretty different perspective. The oopherectomy was absolutely the worst!  I found little folding fans at the dollar store and carried them with me everywhere for at least a year.  I was put on different medications over the next few years that resulted in me gaining 70 pounds.  I still have those 70 pounds.  I hate it.  I wanted my "old" me back.  That weight gain has been, and continues to be, my biggest obsticle.  In hind sight, watch your weight.  Exercise daily!  Look Good, Feel Good!  I do not regret any of my decisions.  I feel better today than in 2001.  I totally agree with "feeling like an old lady" over night, but that passed rather quickly.  Pretty soon, you too, can get a laugh from all the commercials for hormone therapy!

    Hugs,

    Crystal

  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    edited February 2018 #3
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    caregiver wife said:

    forced menopause

    Traci,

    Sorry you are going through this.  I had two seperate mastectomies, hysterectomy, oopherectomy in a three month time when I was 47.  That was in 2001, so I am looking at this from a pretty different perspective. The oopherectomy was absolutely the worst!  I found little folding fans at the dollar store and carried them with me everywhere for at least a year.  I was put on different medications over the next few years that resulted in me gaining 70 pounds.  I still have those 70 pounds.  I hate it.  I wanted my "old" me back.  That weight gain has been, and continues to be, my biggest obsticle.  In hind sight, watch your weight.  Exercise daily!  Look Good, Feel Good!  I do not regret any of my decisions.  I feel better today than in 2001.  I totally agree with "feeling like an old lady" over night, but that passed rather quickly.  Pretty soon, you too, can get a laugh from all the commercials for hormone therapy!

    Hugs,

    Crystal

    Thank you, Crystal

    Thank you so much for your reply Crystal.  FOUR surgeries in 3 months?!?  Okay, I just need to have some prespective about my 1 little "Starbucks order"! Laughing

    It really does help to hear that there's life (and laughter) after all this, and that you're glad you made the decisions you did.  Me too -- I hope!

    Thanks again so much for sharing your story, and big hug to you,

    Traci

  • Northwoodsgirl
    Northwoodsgirl Member Posts: 571
    #4
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    Surgical menopause

    I am from the uterine cancer forum. Many of us went into abrupt menopause from same surgery. Maybe you could read our board and get some good suggestions. Venaflexin or Effexor 37.5 mg is an antidepressant that as an “off label use” has been proven in the clinical literature to help resolve hot flashes. I took it for about 6 yrs with good relief. 

    Lori

  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #5
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    Northwoodsgirl said:

    Surgical menopause

    I am from the uterine cancer forum. Many of us went into abrupt menopause from same surgery. Maybe you could read our board and get some good suggestions. Venaflexin or Effexor 37.5 mg is an antidepressant that as an “off label use” has been proven in the clinical literature to help resolve hot flashes. I took it for about 6 yrs with good relief. 

    Lori

    Thank you, Lori

    Thanks so much, Lori, for the suggestion to visit your board.

    Because I've been premenopausal through this whole journey (until my recent surgery), I've been on Tamoxifen for the past 8+ years, and many/most antidepressants make Tamoxifen less effective, so both my oncologist and gynecologist have told me that most antidepressants are not an option for me.

    I'm seeing my oncologist in a couple of weeks to discuss my next steps -- because I'm now postmenopausal, we're considering whether or not I should switch to a different drug for postmenopausal women (called an aromatase inhibitor), which would open up antidepressant options for me, or stay with Tamoxifen to finish out my 10 years.  There are pros and cons to both options, so I don't know yet what my oncologist will recommend.

    Thanks again so much for responding,

    Traci

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    #6
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    Me too

    I too was a surgically forced menopause and yah, that was tough.  It seemed to take forever for my body to adjust.  Then I had to readjust when I got BC.  So we are flip flopped there.  The Al's were tough on my bones so because I was post meno I could go on Tomoxifen and it is better in that the bone pain and damage is not as severe.   Hot flashes, geez oh pete!, I dont know if they ever go away.  You have been through the mill and your going to come out on the other side because you have a great strength in you as a survivor.  Hang on to it, fight and roar on sister!

    Prayers and peace,

    Annie

  • Raysbabe
    Raysbabe Member Posts: 17
    #7
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    Stay Strong

    I'm not sure if surgical menopause is any different from chemo induced? I went through the crazy hot flashes, mood swings, and total OMG I'm instantly old LOL. I'm 40 so it was all a big change for me. I try to make humor out of everything myself Traci, it keeps us from breaking down right? I told my surgeon when I went in for my mastectomy he was "breast taking" lol...that helps me feel in control. It's been since October 2016 since I've had a cycle or any memory of being a fertile lady, but on a side note the hot flashes and misery have subsided. Once everything calms down, you'll be celebrating no more .... <-- Yea those dreaded periods! Stay strong and I'm so thankful I've found a site with others going through some of the same craziness I have.

    Tam

  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #8
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    Raysbabe said:

    Stay Strong

    I'm not sure if surgical menopause is any different from chemo induced? I went through the crazy hot flashes, mood swings, and total OMG I'm instantly old LOL. I'm 40 so it was all a big change for me. I try to make humor out of everything myself Traci, it keeps us from breaking down right? I told my surgeon when I went in for my mastectomy he was "breast taking" lol...that helps me feel in control. It's been since October 2016 since I've had a cycle or any memory of being a fertile lady, but on a side note the hot flashes and misery have subsided. Once everything calms down, you'll be celebrating no more .... <-- Yea those dreaded periods! Stay strong and I'm so thankful I've found a site with others going through some of the same craziness I have.

    Tam

    Finding little celebrations where I can...

    Thank you so much, Annie and Tam, for your encouragement.

    I would think that any medically-induced menopause -- whether through surgery or chemo -- is similar, in that our bodies say, "WTF?  I was busy menstruating here, what's going on?"

    I agree with you, Tam, that we have to find little celebrations where we can:  I started into perimenopause about 2 years ago, and my periods -- always regular like the moon my entire life -- got to be very irregular.  I just completely gave up on wearing anything other than black pants, because I never knew when my period would hit.  Now...woo-hoo!...I can wear light-colored pants any day I want!

    So...I may be sleep-deprived from the night sweats, and beet red from the daytime hot flashes, and I can't remember why I'm standing in the living room with a wedge of parmesan cheese from the fridge in my hand....but my butt looks good in these stretch khaki pants! Cool

    Traci

  • Raysbabe
    Raysbabe Member Posts: 17
    #9
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    Yay to Khaki!

    Those khaki pants probably feel awesome! I actually had them prescribe me effexor for the hot flashes, not to mention it's an antidepressant. It worked when I need it to, but if you decide to go off of it...be leery the side effects. I actually should have allowed them to taper my dose, but I'm not one for taking things slow lol. So quitting cold turkey wasn't the best method. I would definitely check about that though, may bring you some relief. Watch that parmesan cheese LOL Cool

    Tam

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    edited March 2018 #10
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    docs recomendations

    Yep, I had been on Lexpro for a long time but when they switched me to tomoxifen (due to bone problems) I had to go to effexor which was not an easy switch.  you dont just change over.  Also due to the horrid non stop hot flashes and nightsweats, I had to go back to taking Gabbapentin,  It has helped but I dont think there is a sure fired take away cure for them. 

    Oh how I miss my normal estrogen days. 

    Sleeps with fan blowing in at night,

    Annie

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