Picking up the pieces

Judging by the small sample of emails we publish below - and we have hundreds more like these - you cannot help but feel overwhelmed by the hard choices these women face.

More troubling still is the fact these poor ladies are forced to make life-altering judgement calls concerning their health without any suggestion of support, particularly should they challenge, and refuse to comply with their treating physician’s recommendation of synthetic HRT.

Some, you will read, have been set totally adrift without even the basic understanding of what’s happening to their bodies post hysterectomy … while their life spirals out of control.

Hi, I need your help!!! I am 39 years old. I had a surgical hysterectomy July 1, 2002. Both ovaries were removed. I am scared to death to take the HRT my Dr. has prescribed. The many instant menopause symptoms have started to really hit me hard. I am concerned that I can not indure all of them. I tried the estra ring to reduce the vaginal atrophy. I had an awful reaction. I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I went to the Dr. had a yeast infection and removed the ring. The Dr. wants to try me on estrogen and testoterone combination pill. I am afraid to start them. The Dr. wants me to take them for 4 weeks and return for a visit to evaluate. At that time he said he might add the natural progesterone cream. Can I take the progesterone cream without the estrogen pill he wants to give me? I was estrogen dominant prior to surgery. I wish I had found your site before July 1. Can you advise me on how to feel good again? I have started to gain weight, I can’t think clearly, Hot flashes hit me about 2 - 3 times an hour, insomnia, vaginal atrophy, moody, the list goes on. I am truly afarid of breast cancer. I had no idea that the body has estrogen receptors and how important they are. Please help me soon! ~Judy~

Hi, I am writing in on behalf of a close friend who is absolutlly desperate and in need of help. After a lifetime of painful periods and enemetriosis (she is 45 and perhaps perimenopausal) she has been advised that the only solution for her is a hysterectomy. She cannot bear this and is currently on her 3rd set of synthetic prosesterone to stop a bleed (due to the endometriosis) and is in constant pelvic and lower back pain. I really need to get her to see a sympathetic doctor who is willing to try natural progesterone as a solution before she takes this major step. I don’t know if this comes into what you do but I would really appreciate any suggestions as to someone in the Sydney area if at all possible before she takes this drastic step. ~Libnan~

I am 43 years of age. When I was 40, I had a complete hysterectomy including removing both of my ovaries due to endometriosis on both ovaries and in uterus. We have one daughter. I was 30 when she was born. When I was 32 my husband and I decided to try for another child, but it never happened. I guess you could say that was the beginning of my ordeal. I had two laporoscopies, took depolupron shots, fertility drugs (clomid)… and so lot’s of pain, lot’s of disappointments. We tried for 6 years to get pregnant and it never happened. The Dr.s wanted me to have a hysterectomy when I was 38 due to the pain I was having … however, I was hoping for a miracle. (Another child)… but that never happened. So… here I am at 43 years of age… having had both ovaries out and my uterus… I have not been able to take the traditional hormone replacement therapy such as premarin, or any of the other pills… and that took a year to figure out… I finally started with shots of estradiol however could not seem to get that regulated… I was having to get shots all the time… so I am now on the estrogen patch… .05 strength. I have supplemented with testosterone cream for libido…but I have had palpitations, mood swings, and no energy… sometimes I feel like I am at my wits end. I am beginning to wonder what happened to the joy in my life… I have always been really a happy person. A friend recommended that I try the progesterone cream which I bought the strongest brand that the drugstore makes that they can sell over the counter.. and it just gave me headaches… can progesterone help a person in my situation with no ovaries and cycle? ~Steph~

Please help. I have been reading about natural progesterone and need to know if I can use this product. I had a bilateral mastectomy in August, 1999 because of pre-cancer condition in both my beasts. In January of 2003 I had a total hysterectomy. Now I am suffering from night sweat, hot flashes, no sexual desire at all and I’m only 51 and need help badly. I need to know if natural progesterone is like estrogen. I can’t take any product with estrogen, but I truly need help. So can you tell me if there is any estrogen in your product. I would truly like to try natural progesterone to see if can help me. All my doctors say take estrogen, but going through what I have with my mastectormies I can’t even think about taking any product that might help my body to develop any form of cancer. ~Lois~

After visiting my doctor, he took me off of the progesterone and has kept me just on estrogen. I had a total hysterectomy 4 years ago and my doctor slapped a patch on me while I was in the hospital. After many talks with my GP, (telling him I felt in a fog, etc) I went to my pharmacist who filled a prescription for a natural hormone. My doctor insists that I don’t need the progesterone part of my prescription. He sites that “since I don’t have a uterus, I don’t need the progesterone”, he also felt it would increase breast cancer and heart disease. I’ve gained weight even though I watch my diet, I exercise but find myself tearing up at stupid things. Could this be attributed to my lack of progesterone? My pharmacist says yes, my doctor doesn’t want me to be back on progesterone. Any suggestions? I’m seeing my doctor today to discuss this. ~Mary Lou~

I had a partial hysterectomy 1 and 1/2 years ago. I am 35 and still have one ovary. I am confused about how the cream would work for me because I don’t know what my cycle is because I don’t have a period, but I am not menopausal????? I check off almost every symptom on the list of symptoms that can be helped with the cream so I am excited to try it if it will work with someone like me. ~Rebecca~