i had to have sugery on april fool's day this year. i am only 33, and since the day after the surgery, i started getting fot flashes really bad and the night sweats r really bad 2, my doc had me on premerin wasn't working at all now am on estratest which is working on my moods and thats it, i can't take vitamins, or the calcium pills, does anyone have any advice that could help me. Thanks
- Resources
i am going thru surgical induced menopause
11/19/08 7:50pm
I am a nurse and have undergone similar trials too, here is what happened and what worked for me: I had a total hysterectomy with ovaries removed for endometriosis when I was 34 and boy did I have the sweats too! tried the hormone replacement route too with mixed results. the testosterone in estratest is important because WITHOUT this hormone in minute quantities several things happen: your skin stops producing any natural oils and your hair and skin will get VERY dry and brittle; a good moisturizer lotion helps but you have to be diligentant and it's a lifetime job; the other thing is if you enjoyed a healthy love life you will lose all interest in sex. Testosterone is responsible for libido, in men and women. no arousal and and no interest...you decide whats important. I didn't want to give up this part of my marriage so I plodded on with the down side of estratest as well: estratest if you don't get the dosing right will make you difficult to live with, I had unexplainable rages of temper, always felt like I was angry at everyone and had a very short fuse. Taking a pill everyday never felt like there was ever a "steady state" of medication on board but ups then downs as the medication released then wore off. Low estrogen makes you hungry and I would have cravings at the end of the day. And still what finally worked? Vivelle transdermal patch really helped with the steady state for the estrogen replacement;it was worth it. the patch stays on in really hot showers or on really hot summer days when your skin sweats. The patch is very thin and small making it discreet. For the testosterone I went to an endocrinologist ( I stopped seeing my ob-gyn because HE could solve the problem) but SHE did. She perscribed off-label use of male replacement testosterone topical gel. It is perscription AndroGel 1% 150 Gram gel applied as 1/4 of a pump topically twice a week did the job. she checked my testosterone levels several times over the 1st year to be sure the dose was within the nomal levels for a woman. Its the same replacement urologists Rx for men who undergo testiscular removal for cancer or some men who have abnormaly low testosterone. they take a much highter dose so you really have to be careful when you measure 1/2 or 1/4 pump (its a pump bottle dispenser) she showed me to use a indelible marker to make a line on the pump lever right at 1/2 way and then divide that in half to mark 1/4 then depress the pump only to the line you need for the dose you are perscribed; Androgel isn't covered by my health insurance because it is "off label" and they felt it was a "lifestyle" choice rather than a medical necessity. Estrogen because it does prevent osteoporosis is an approved medication on my insurance. I am now 51 years old and stopped taking the replacement hormones because after 50 its time for "natural" menopause... Thats when the hot flashes hit me with a vengence! What worked miracles is Effexsor extended release 75 mg once a day! I read some obscure data that as an unintended consequence some women found relief from hot flashes with the use of the drug. Its a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) an antidepressant as well as an effective medication for treatment for neuralgic pain for diabetics with diabetic neuropathy. It stopped the hot flashes within a week and 2 years later I havent had a problem with them again; as soon as I stop taking it, the hot flashes came back ( I was just checking) my doctor said that in her 20+ years of practice, she has found that the majority of women who experiance significant hot flashes during onset of menopause with never get over them. The ones that only have transient or mild hot flashes often will get over them after menopause is complete. I still slather myself in lotions to keep my skin from being so dry and a good conditioner to strengthen my dry hair so it doesn't break so much. the libido loss is still an issue but the my doctor said I could still take the AndroGel indefinitly if I wanted to but I decided to stop because I figured in menopause all of the hormones naturally fade so why wouldn't this? hope this helps; I tried all of those "herbal" estrogen suppliments like Estroven and yams but didn't find them helpful. the time release vivelle patch was god-sent! It comes in various strengths which your MD can help you figure out.good luck!
12/14/08 2:05pm
Good Luck!
Featuring Content From:
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2012 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hi Deeshook,
It sounds like you are getting hard with the after effects of your hysterectomy. Unfortunately, women often don't get much information at the time of surgery about what to expect and how to manage the symptoms that will follow. You didn't say if the hysterectomy was total, but i am going to assume that they did remove your ovaries since you started having symptoms so quickly. With no ovaries, your body went into immediate menopause and lost the primary production sites for estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. If you haven't read my posting on bioidentical hormones, I would recommend that you do so because this is the type of hormone that you want to be on. They are exactly like the hormones your body was producing and are much better at managing symptoms. They will also protect your heart, bones, brain, colon and a variety of other areas that suffer from the lack of hormones, especially estradiol (estrogen). Unfortunately, most providers do not put women on progesterone after surgery, because they hold to the old dogma that if you don't have a uterus, you don't need progesterone. This belief completely ignores the other actions of progesterone, namely as a sleep aid and mood stabilizer. Women NEED progesterone as part of returning to hormone balance. The testerone (estratest is estrogen and testosterone) you are on is synthetic, that is it is totally foreign to your body. It may help for awhile, but as your own body levels continue to decline over time I believe you will get much more benefit from switching to the bioidentical form.
As far as vitamins and Calcium, both are very important especially as your body starts to undergo the changes that accompany menopause. If you absolutely cannot take the pills/capsules, have you checked into liquid or chewable? You will need to be sure your diet is excellent, especially if you can't take a multivit/mineral to give you "some cushion". Finally, it's essential to your bones that you get at least 1200mg calcium (for women on estrogen), 600mg magnesium and 1000 international units of Vitamin D3, along with strengthening exercises at least 3 days a week. I hope this info is helpful to you, Deeshook. Congratulations on being proactive and looking for information to best help yourself! Sandy