ovary removal instead of tamoxifen

I'm glad I found this site  I have decided to have a complete hysterectomy.  My reason was not to avoid the tamoxifen though.  I have been on it since April 2011.  Overall, I think I have been fortunate, SE are almost non existent.  My problem has been that I have had very irregular periods since I have been on it.  I have spotting most of the month, with intermittent cramping, and have had probably two normal periods in that time.  I have also started making cysts on both ovaries. So with my problems and my fears of recurrence or any new CAs on the other side, my GYN and I have decided that surgery is a good option for me.  When I talked to my MO, the plan is for me to finish my current tamoxifen then he will start me on an AI.  My surgery is scheduled for Dec 7th.  I have researched the negative issues that come along with surgery (and quite honestly some of them are really scarring me, especially sexuality issues), I still think that for some of us surgery is worth it.  .  Reading what others have to say has both given me reassurance that I have made the right decision and more food for thought to ask questions as I proceed in the next few weeks.

Hi, All. Recovering from ooph a week ago after having been on lupron shots for six months. Doing ok so far although I had my first real crying session this morning. Not fun, but maybe I just need some sleep. No bad hot flashes yet, but I'm betting they'll be back. I had them fiercely on the shots, and I'm 50, so why not? 

One thing I'd like to add to the chorus above, is that this is all such complex chemical science. Hormonal balances, menopause, chemopause, etc. I know that my onc/gyn team finds this quite complex, no sure answers which is frustrating. In the end, having the ooph was my decision, based on reasons that were as much personal as medical. Though we can all benefit from each other's experiences, I hope we don't scare each other with bits of info. All of our situations are different, and what is good for one might be subtley off for another. I know we all know this, just also know how fragile we are psychically since dx.

 Wishing everyone the best, Sgreenarch 

Posting here since the general topic is ovary removal.  Mine are scheduled to go on December 16.  It has nothing to do with tamoxifen---tamoxifen has been fine.  Hot flashes annoying but eased up when I split my dosage.

Nope, it was the tentative diagnosis of my 83 mother with ovarian cancer that sent me screaming for the surgeon.  Because she is in bad shape, they have yet to do a biopsy but her CA125 came back at 7500+.  Mine came back as normal (9.9) but the little buggers are still so very OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sigh.  I never even thought this was something I had to worry about.

stupid f-ing cancer.

Anyrate, the question is for those who had the ooph, what was recovery like?  My monsters are all thinking we will be having our annual family holiday party the Sunday after the procedure.  I am thinking since its the robot thing---with the little slits in the tummy, I should be fine but wanted to make sure I wasn't totally insane.

I recovered super fast.  I had the robot thing and three band aids on the belly. As a matter of fact, they told me to take it easy, eat light, and chill for a few days at least. Well, it didn't stop my appetite AT ALL.  As soon as I got home from the day surgery, I ate a huge sandwich, some ice cream, and some oreos.  I laid around for two days then got bored so started getting back into my life.

After reading all of your posts on here, I decided to tell my story. I am so glad to hear all of your opinions and feel much better now with my decision, especially after my cousin said to me today that I should listen to my doctor!  I am 51 years old and was diagnosed with ER/PR Positive BC in March, 2012; the lump was discovered by me mid January, 2012. It was a 9mm tumor, lymph nodes good, Grade 2.  IDC with DCIS surrounding the IDC. Radiation only; no chemo; Oncotype Dx Test score was 11. I had a lumpectomy late April, started radiation at the beginning of June, finished a month later and started tamoxifen on Labor Day.  Five weeks later I started to experience discomfort during orgasm on my right side say where your ovary resides.  My first thoughts were the tamox; then I thought maybe it was muscle related as it started to feel better during those moments, but I then aggravated it at the gym. Finally, I got an Ultrasound (US) in December which showed a 6 CM cyst on my left ovary and cystic changes of the endometrium (my uterus; 2 to 3 mm cysts are present).  I then had an MRI which showed it is a hemorrhagic cyst and I read online that this type of cyst will cause abdominal pain, mostly on the right side. So I spoke with a gyno oncol and right away he thought it best to get both ovaries out to help reduce BC (that is only for pre-menopausal) and ovarian cancer and may want to consider my uterus as well to avoid the endometrial cancer which the tamox may bring on!! I thought just like a few of you on here -- how would you like to be castrated yourself Doctor?  I even presented that to him and he understood.  I struggled with this decision.  I did not want to deal with full blown menopause from the surgery.  I know how I am. I work out regularly to avoid weight gain which, for me, would cause depression.  So if I were to gain weight from both ovaries being removed, I would get depressed.  I already have moments of depression. I don't need ovary removal to add to it. I have to admit, the tamox isn't causing me any other issues, except the first few weeks after taking it, I did experience leg cramps a few times waking up in the morning and maybe a hot flash in a certain part of my leg, etc.  But no real bad hot flashes experienced with menopause.  Maybe working out helps with those type symptoms. I found out right before Christmas about the cyst and was so upset when the MRI said it may possibly be related to the tamoxifen (uterus stuff said it was expected from the tamox); the gyno oncol and my Rad Oncol both said it is most likely not from the tamox.  Funny though, my BC surgeon said it may be. Thank you doc for being honest! So the US and MRI show the cyst is 99% benign and I am scheduled for a laparoscopy on February 19th, 2013. They claim that the left ovary will not be salvagable since the cyst is so big. So I am having my left ovary removed, unless something else is found and then it all comes out.  I am so glad to hear a lot of you say on here about not jumping to have ovaries removed. One of the other reasons given by the doc is to avoid another surgery in the event the right ovary gives me problem. Right now, the MRI showed physiologic (normal) cysts and the gyno oncol did say from what the MRI states, this should not be why I am having the discomfort on the right side. He didn't agree with my online findings about the abdominal pain being mostly on the right side -- he said that would be for a cyst on the right ovary and I said no, it does not say which side, it just says that type of cyst will cause ab pain mostly on right side.  I heard my surgeon is a very good doc, and even he suggested two times I get a 2nd opinion.  Well, I feel that my Rad Oncol, BC Surgeon as well as my gyno were my 2nd, 3rd and 4th opinion and I decided to keep my right ovary. I am so glad that this blog exists on breastcancer.org!! Thank you all!!

Hello just2703, and welcome to Breastcancer.org. If you'd like to read more about Arimidex, you can check out our page on our main site:  Arimidex. We hope that's helpful.

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