Removal of ovaries

MCS · 01-11-2007, 05:09 PM

I have been reading other threads on the removal of ovaries and had a few questions. Becky had a good one on after effects.

I am er-/pr-. also tested brac1 and 2 negative. I had a prof mastectomey on the other breast. my ob gyn, who i have known for a long time suggested removing the ovaries as well. i'm post menopausal.

so will i have more loss of libido that i already have?

and potential for bladder infections and weight gain?

my docs are of the opinion that I could get a new primary there if i'm her2 + and the only other thing I can do are colonoscopies and scans. what do you think?

thank you

mcs ( maria)

KellyA · 01-11-2007, 05:17 PM

Maria,

I'm not sure if this is correct or not, but I am er/pr -, - on genetics testing and had a double mast., and when I went to a genetics specialist (a gyn oncologist was present too), I was told that I was at no higher risk for ovarian cancer. They did not feel that I needed to have them removed. They said that it would have been different if I was er/pr+ or tested + on the genetics. I would be interested in knowing if there was an increased risk-

Love, Kelly

MCS · 01-11-2007, 05:32 PM

No. I'm not at an increased risk from the genetic testing. I am not er/pr+.

I'll tell you honestly, I'm very scared of other primaries that can occur and the ovaries and colon are there so I guess i'm trying to be a bit on the cautious side. I'm also post meno so it's not like i would be losing much. I do hope I get some answers back on the effects.

I guess it depends on our own comfort zone.

Nice to meet you

XOXO

MCS ( maria)

Kimberly Lewis · 01-12-2007, 06:26 AM

me again- I had the ovaries and uterous out in September and have not suffered any really bad effects. It took a while to feel more normal - lack of pain is important. I do not have the sex drive I once did but I think that it can be a choice too - meaning that once you put things in motion the body comes in line, know what I mean? If you love him it works. Thats it in a nutshell. you can email me if you have any specifics... and there is a link to another chat site re:libido I think a lot of folks enjoyed.

SusanV · 01-12-2007, 08:57 AM

Hello all,

Couldn't resist posting to this thread. I have been weighing the options regarding ovaries also. My radiation oncologist seems to lean that it would be a GOOD idea, my regular oncologist seems to think that it would be a BAD idea. In fact on Monday of this week before I received herceptin my oncologist badgered me about the subject citing that since I was BRAC1 & BRAC2 - (Negative) that my calculated risk was not much higher than the general population. For me, and I am ER/PR +, I worry that in my family tree, my grandmother who also had early on set breast cancer SURVIVED it by the way...Lived to be 87. At 87 pathology reports showed cancer in many places, with the second primary most likely being cited as ovarian. Scary stuff. I get so incredibly frustrated sometimes by the fact that there really isn't always a "right" answer with this dreaded cancer stuff. You have to make informed decisions, cross your fingers and pray to God that you have made the correct one. I was angry on Monday (waited 3 hours to see my onc ) so when the badgering began I said "Look...I have enough on my plate right now, I am in the middle of my radiation treatements, and receiving herceptin every 3 weeks, I am leaning towards an oopherectomy, but not right now." That shut him up at least for now !

Damn hormones...they seem to serve many purposes that effect quality of life, and on the other hand they drive my ER/PR + cancer...Sigh

Ok Venting over for now !

Love to All

MCS · 01-13-2007, 11:34 AM

timely and informed decisions are so pivotal with cancer. I fell that they would be one less thing to worry about where it could spread.

for instance, i decided on a prophe mast this december after seeing my mammo on my remaining breast full of calcifications, which showed benign. after the pahology report on the mastectomy, the surgeon agreed that it was a good decision that we would have ended up searching for these critters every six months till they go bad

so that's why the ovaries issue. frankly if i could hollow myself out and fill myself with styrofoam ( laugh!) to avoid new primary, mets, recurrence etc etc, i would gladly do it.

re weight, i fell that since i'm, meno, any weight to ge gained, maybe it has already. my middle is out there!. i'm a tiny persn, short and light in weight, but after menoed early due to an endometrial ablation, i rounded out

re libido, well my mojo is not back and have read the libido thread. dessert dry is me and lack of interest is me. george Clooney could not light my fire. i'm er/pr- but the obgyn and onc said no to estrogen cream. they keep saying to use the gels, well, i guess will have to put a bucket underneath because it requires a LOT. i have a friend survivor of ibc and she has the same issues and she swears she has shrunk. does anyone have " book" to read on this. we are so ignored when it come to these needs. Yeah I read Al's post also

i'll let you know what the docs say about the weight gain, get the med scoop on this.

XOXO

mcs ( maria)

AlaskaAngel · 01-13-2007, 12:10 PM

This is where I think we need more coordinated research on the endocrine system as a whole in applying knowledge about it to breast cancer. We already know there are feedback loops involved in keeping a healthy balance in the endocrine system. But when it comes to breast cancer, diagnosis and treatment is divided up among specialists who don't have a lot of knowledge or experience with endocrinology, and who are focused on their own area of expertise. At best they might offer something like the Estring or Vagifem and gobs of goop, and then they feel they have done their best and they move on. Without any input from someone with an educated and disciplined bodywide focus on endocrine balance, treatment for bc will remain primitive.

AlaskaAngel

R.B. · 01-13-2007, 02:35 PM

Cancerlynx has some interesting and though provoking content.

Alaska Angel raises some thought provoking points.

So much is unknown but are those presented with treatment options aware of the uncertainties and possible reality of the effects of some treatments particularly on younger patients?

This is one particualry poingant post. You can find the poem on the site using the link. The ask that it is not reposted to other web sites without permission so I have just given the link and a small abstract.

RB

http://www.cancerlynx.com/bonedry.html

December 9, 2000

Bone Dry
Angela M. Sissons, PhD
In Memorium
August 5, 2005

BONE DRY

I'm not satisfied with the explanation.
I didn't come this far in life,
my once-fantastic sex life, to
have it stop bam!
just like that.......

...... Because I'm bonedry, bone dry, dry bones.

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