Lets talk oophrectomy...

Hi AJ- you don’t say how old you are, but if you aren’t comfortable with the decision, don’t do it. Get a second opinion, maybe a third. Ask them what is the absolute benefit you gain from it. If Tamoxifen is an option for you, that alone is supposed to provide 50% reduction in risk. AI gets you maybe another 5%. OS/ooph maybe another 5. That wasn’t worth it for me. My MO strongly recommended ooph when I had to come off Lupron shots. My second opinion said No Way. She Suggested I try Zoladex instead and if I can’t tolerate that to just stick with the Tamoxifen.

Above all, It is YOUR body, your decision. Having ovaries out before 45 increases your risk of dying from several other things. I can find these studies if you want, because I did a ton of research to help make my decision.

I hope you find some way to celebrate tomorrow! I wish you a happy birthday. 🎉 🎈Funny how having cancer changed my own perspective on birthdays. Now they mean more to me.

Can I ask how long you did OS and which one? Lupron messed with my blood sugar, was on that for 10 months. My blood pressure has been steadily rising since I’ve been on Zoladex. It was 158/105 in the ER a few weeks ago. I may be coming off that soon too.

Good luck with your decision.

hello!

I had an ooph January 24. I was diagnosed June 2017 at 39 years old. My oncotype was 12 so no chemo, clear nodes. Recurrence 8% I asked my MO about the ooph at our first meeting and he felt I was low risk based on oncotype and didn't feel I need it. So I started on tamoxifen. Fast forward a year later, my MO moved and the new one asked at our first meet meeting if I had ever considered ooph. I let her know I specifically asked prior MO and he didn't feel I needed it. She said she felt at my age, it would provide some additional benefit plus switching to AI from tamoxifen afterwards.

I am not an optimistic thinker by nature. I worry about everything. I made my decision to have it done because I wanted to feel like I was doing everything I could and not question myself later. I have two kids 7 and 9 years old and I if that few extra percent benefit helps me to see them grow up, I'll take it.

The surgery itself was fairly simple. I was done in less than two hours and home before the kids got home from school. Sore for a few days. I have had some hot flashes at night but not totally awful like I'm soaking the bed or anything. The dr said if they're bothersome she can put me on an anti anxiety medication which can help with that. I'll see her in two weeks for follow up and I'll decide on that then. I'm comfortable with my decision and feel at peace with it. I hope that helps in your decision. Good luck!

Well, there's no need to rush it. Surgery is surgery and you should want to do it. I had the Ooph four months after radiation ended.

Because my tubes were already tied, I could take Tamoxifen without any extra medication. The Ooph was my idea.

Chemotherapy brought me to menopause. I wanted to have a urethral sling and a total hysterectomy with the Ooph, so I fixed my leaking at the same time. Bonus. The gynecologist was VERY happy that ovarian and uterine cancer would never happen..

Note: The AI's could still give you HBP issues. It wasn't until the Oncologist adjusted the dosage that my BP went back to normal.

I hope that discussion here at breastcancer.org will help your anxiety calm down as you make your own health care decision.

Aj, can you try Tamoxifen first? If so, ask to start on 10mgs and work your way up to 20mgs. The slow into helps diminish side effects

Just got back home after a trip to UCSF to get my ovaries removed. The ovarian suppression shots were costing about $650 a month for the first half of the year, then about $400 until November, then $120.

I also really disliked the private onco group in Reno. Always a challenge to communicate with them. My onco laughed at me when I asked for an extra-sensitive estradiol test (like I get at UCSF). She had never heard of it!? I asked locally if I could change to the 3 month zoladex shot, and see how I reacted, go in for labs, etc, as there was a chance I was in menopause after chemo anyway. My UCSF onco said to give it a try. Reno Onco said no. 'No one has every heard of such a thing" I mean, really now.

So I made a date, met with a great Ob/gyn at UCSF who works with the cancer team, and had my laparoscopic bilateral salpingo-oophrecyomy. (Tubes and ovaries) removed Monday. We stayed in San Francisco for two days to have some piece and quiet, and just returned home. So happy to not have to shuffle to that local office every month. So happy that this was the last significant intervention. Starting up with a personal trainer for the spring and summer as a gift to myself. It will be 5 years in late July.

I was worried about the pain, it’s really not too bad.referred shoulder pain, huge bloat, painful gas that isn’t resolving too quickly, but so happy this is over. No more shots from dismissive docs. Yay