Hysterectomy questions following ER+ BC

lala1

Glennie19---Checking in to see how you're doing post surgery. Hope the healing is going well.

glennie19

hi lala,,, I'm doing really well!  Had first post op appt today, and doctor is very pleased.  Wants me out walking and says I can slowly get back to gym too. I'm still a little sore, which is to be expected, but overall, it has not been too bad. Really much better than I thought I would be.

lala1

glennie19---You had your cervix removed also? I know you had the 4 small incisions but wasn't sure if all removed vaginally. That's the way my doc wants to do it. He told me that I would feel really good at about day 10 which is the biggest problem because then you overdo it. He said if around day 10 you would pretend that you are at day 2 and start over, you'll get through this with likely no problems. So be sure and rest! How are the gas pains? I hear waiting to poop is the worst!!

glennie19

lala, yes,, all came out thru vagina, cervix and all!  She did it with only 3 small incisions.  The gas pains were horrible on day 1, but then improved. I expected gas pain in right shoulder, but mine was worst around the rib cage. Better now. (day 3)  working on the pooping!  Passing gas, so bowel is working, but she said it could take a week to get back to "normal". 

word of warning:  everything came out the vagina,, so I have like 'abrasions' there from MD pulling it all out. Apparently that is normal,, but it doesn't feel very good. I did not have warning about that part!

I'm napping every afternoon. I do get tired. But I'm walking a bit more now, and tomorrow I'll walk a block or so and see how that goes.

thirdgenerationmomof2

Glennie glad to hear you're doing so well. Rest as much as possible and listen to your body. It's been over 2 weeks for me (removed everything through the vagina too) and I'm starting to feel back to normal. You will bounce back too. Happy healing to you!

glennie19

Thanks, thirdgen,,,, I woke up feeling really tired today. Didn't think I did too much yesterday, but who knows?  I do have a tendency to do too much, so I better curb it down!  Glad you are feeling good after 2 weeks!  YAY!!

lala1

glennie19--glad you're doing better every day! Your reports help me get in a better frame of mind about the my surgery, whenever that may be!

thirdgeneration---didn't realize you had one so recently! Glad you are doing well too!

Keep us updated on ya'lls progress. It really does help!

thirdgenerationmomof2

Glennie I felt that way a few days post op too. Wouldn't do much but would get so exhausted! Each day gets a little better. I'm the worst when it comes to taking it easy. I don't like others doing for me, even though I know I should. I also have a really hard time sitting still when I feel well so I have a tendency to do too much, especially when I'm left to myself. My doctor cleared me Monday to return to work and said I could lift my grandson again (he's 24 lbs). Been fine, but today l carried a box to my trunk (not too heavy but a little bit heavy) and now my spotting that was almost gone is bright red again. Ugh! Lesson learned....just because I feel like I'm back to normal doesn't mean I am! 😣

thirdgenerationmomof2

Hi Lala,

Thanks! Yes I had a total laproscopic hysterectomy with bilateral ovary removal on 09/15. Are you due to have surgery soon as well? 

glennie19

I have issues with others doing stuff for me too. I did get my neighbor to run to the grocery store for me.  Just couldn't face up to that yet. But I did walk the dog myself this afternoon.   Think I'm up to that again.

lala1

thirdgeneration----After a TVUS in April that showed thickened lining, ovarian cysts, enlarged uterus and fibroids, I was supposed to have surgery this fall sometime. But at my last TVUS he found that my lining was only slightly thickened, my ovarian cysts were gone and my uterus was no longer enlarged. I still have some fibroids but he said they are very small and haven't changed in size at all. I don't have any pain or heavy bleeding (Heck, I only have a period about every 3 months!) so he said let's wait and watch. We are doing another TVUS in Dec and will re-evaluate and go from there. I'd like to push it to later and hope I get thru menopause naturally. He just wants to make sure the Tamoxifen isn't causing uterine/endometrial problems. But when I do have it, he said he'd do a total lap with BSO, just like what you did. He basically feels that I don't need my "lady bits" since I'm 51 and all they are good for is giving me cancer. I don't have a problem with that idea, but have convinced myself (thank you, Google) that I will be hurled into surgical menopause. That scares me more that having a mastectomy!! I would actually like the idea of not being afraid of endo or ovarian cancer. But I also haven't had a hot flash yet. And I just KNOW they will be horrible. I've really got to stop being such a drama queen and I really really need to stay off Google!

glennie19

Stay away from Dr Google!  

I was always terrified of getting ovarian cancer. I had a great-aunt with it, and I remember Gilda Radner dying of it.  **I loved Gilda**  So I have to say it is fantastic to not have to worry about that anymore.

I too, wanted to get to menopause naturally. And I thought I was finally hitting it earlier this year. No periods for 6 months, some hot flashes, so I thought it was finally here. Nope. My estrogen level shot back up and the periods came bad, worse than ever before. So we decided to get rid of everything, and I'm glad i did.  So I'm in surgical menopause,, LOL,,, I think I had a couple of minor hot flashes so far, but not too bad yet. We'll see how it goes. I get my estrogen level checked the end of the month.   I'll just deal with the symptoms as they develop. I gave my body a shot to do it naturally and it refused,,,,, so I got "spayed" !!

lala1

thanks, glennie---I really appreciate hearing everyone's story. Isn't it funny that I'm more worried about surgical menopause than I am about ovarian or endometrial cancer! Heck I'm more worried about hot flashes than BC returning/showing up in my other boob!! My dad tells me I'm a grade A worrier...that I worry for other people if I can't find something to worry about for myself! And he's right, of course. I just can't seem to make my brain remember that if I can make it through cancer, mastectomy and reconstruction, I can make it through anything!! Stupid brain......

Keep the info flowing. It definitely helps!!

thirdgenerationmomof2

Lala trust me I'm right there with you! I told my surgeon I was more terrified of being in surgical menopause and all the possible symptoms than the surgery itself. I told him I'm only 42 and I don't want life as I know it to end. I'm terrified of the hot flashes, night sweats, moodiness, vaginal dryness, lack of sex drive, weight gain, etc! He told me that not ALL women who go through menopause (whether natural or surgical) have symptoms. He said most women only have mild symptoms, while 20% have severe symptoms. I'm 3 weeks post op tomorrow and so far I feel great. It's kind of weird but I actually feel "more calm and less stressed about life" since my surgery, almost like I'm happier and more well balanced. My mom always produced too much estrogen so maybe I followed in her footsteps. She had surgical menopause at 48, and never had one hot flash or any issues. I'm hoping I'll get lucky like mom! 

thirdgenerationmomof2

Glennie ovarian cancer scares me too. I had two family members on my mom's side that both died from it. After I had my genetic testing and was found to have a 80% chance of getting ovarian cancer, there was really no question on if I was getting my ovaries removed. It was just a matter of when they would be removed. I opted for sooner than later and agreed with my doctor to remove everything since I'll be on the tamoxifen for another 9 years. At least I know my risk for the cancer coming back is now down to less than 1%! That's peace of mind. 

How are you feeling? Are you able to rest up and take things easy?

Is it standard procedure to have your estrogen levels checked? My doctor didn't mention that at my 2 week check, but I go back at 5 weeks for an internal check so I'll be sure to ask too.

glennie19

Not sure if it is standard procedure of not,,, but my last level in July was over 500.  My body thought it was pregnant. So I specifically asked my MO when I should get it checked after surgery, and he said 3 weeks, so that's what my GYN ordered.

I had high estrogen levels for years,,, most likely due to the fibroids,,, but right after my MX last year, they started dropping so we thought I was finally going into natural menopause,, then we had the July level! That's when we decided to get rid of everything.

For the last couple of nights, I've had one night sweat episode. Hasn't been too bad, not soaking the sheets or anything. Just enough to wake me up. Had those back in Jan, when I thought I was going thru natural menopause and then they stopped. Probably my estrogen level rose back up again!  So we will see what happens this time.  I'm 55, so I *should* be in menopause now anyway! 

thirdgenerationmomof2

Thanks glennie for that info, I'm going to ask my doctor when I go back to see him in 2 weeks if they can test my estrogen levels. My mom said hers were always high (even after surgical menopause, she still produced a good amount of estrogen). Maybe that's why she never had any menopausal symptoms? My doctor said being on the Tamoxifen will help with estrogen as well (said the medication puts low levels of estrogen in your body). I've been like you and had a few days of very mild night sweats, not soaked or wet. Just a little clammy on some parts of my body that I notice when I wake up. I can certainly deal with that! I'm just hoping and praying my sex drive didn't go down the toilet! Still on restrictions so I don't know yet. 

lala1

I, too, have very high levels. My estrodial level was over 700 back in the spring when they first started talking hysterectomy. That was my original OB/GYN. Then I got a second opinion and the doc I have now says don't really worry about those numbers. He said Tamoxifen raises those numbers just like it can thicken your endometrial lining. It's just a matter of how much.

I thought I was going through menopause back in the spring with night sweats, nausea, dizziness,weight gain, etc. But then along would come a period and I'd think...what now? But now that I've gone off the multivitamin causing most of my issues it's like night and day. Still have sporadic periods but no more nausea, dizziness, very few warm flushes...maybe 1 or 2 every other night, and best of all, I've already lost 4 pounds just from not being bloated and such! I'm sure my high estrogen levels probably helped cause my breast cancer, but I'm hoping that in return they will ease my menopause symptoms. Seems it's the least all that estrogen can do!!