I saw my oncologist today. She is pressuring me to have my ovaries removed. I have the bracken 2 gene. I agree but....I have just finished a year of treatment. I may be going on to a trial with Peter Mac. I have hurt my shoulder and will be healed in a couple of months. The neuropathy in my feet makes it hard to walk long distances The thought of another operation......Recovery time...no driving ...Ughhh...I am running out of energy. I want to be normal again for just a little while. Anyone had just their ovaries removed?

Hiya. I tested negative but below is a link of a discussion of women who tested positive and what they did. Hope this helps. I understand how hard all this is. I thought I was headed down the same path and was getting anxious not having my results as I figured I wanted to have the surgery sooner rather than getting well, being back at work etc and then being off again. That was how I was thinking anyway. Ovary and fallopian tube removal is a much smaller procedure than a hysterectomy, but can ubderstand hiw it feels to much. Take care. Kath xhttp://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/comment/90111#Comment_90111

I had mine out just before Christmas. Wasn't a big deal. Well, the last step into menopause is a doozy, but the operation itself didn't knock me around. I had a bit of pain in my shoulder for a day (from the gas they use to inflate your abdomen during surgery) and the stitches in my navel gave me the irrits until we pulled them out but apart from that it was fine. I was driving in a couple of days. I'm 53 BTW..

I'm with @Zoffiel - I had both ovaries and fallopian tubes removed about a month ago (3 weeks before my DIEP Reconstruction). It was called a bilateral salpingo, oopherectomy, D&C and polypectomy! Kept my uterus....It was a day procedure, done laparoscopically (as described above) and I was fine within a week. I was up and walking around within a couple of hours. I also got an album of very unusual photos of my insides from the surgeon! She took my statement that "I like to stay as informed as I can" to the limit :) Funnily enough, I didn't get the sore shoulder - just felt like I'd been literally kicked in the guts while doing 1000 sit-ups! I had lots of bruising but it subsided within 2 weeks. TBH today I don't feel any different than I have whilst being on Tamoxifen.....so it's not been a big deal for me physically.(Whilst I don't have the gene, I had to have one ovary and tube removed anyway because of a hydrosalpinx - a strange fluid build up. The gynaecologist was brilliant but urged me to think about having both sides removed because of the link between ovaries and BC and the fact that I could then take that cancer off the list of worries. It also meant that I don't have to check that ovary each year from now on. Seeing as my days of having kids are over, I agreed.)Nikki

Thanks@ primeck..@Zoffitel@nikkid......It cheered me up. I am more upset that it is another reminder I need to take steps to prevent cancer coming back. I just want to escape anywhere. My oncologist recommended rehab program . Great I cannot drive at the moment. I asked about plane travel and said probably a compression sleeve would be good for me as due to lympth node removal I am prone to lymphodea....huh? I have yet to find out about the trial at Peter Mac. Then oncologist follow up appt....radiation appt follow up...breast surgeon follow up appt. Peter mac trial grrrrrrrrr .I am grateful for such a great team but I would love a year of no appointments. I know there are lovely ladies out there who are doing far worse then me. I send you my love and best wishes

So true @fairydust - going from someone who hardly ever had to see her GP (except for needles when going overseas or the regular smear tests) to having monthly GP visits...and then all the specialists! It's a different world these days isn't it?!

When to have your ovaries removed

LMK74
Member
8 years ago
Anne94, thanks so much. I've yet to have surgery, doing chemo first as my tumor was large and I'm small breasted. My onc said stage 3 and grade2 from biopsy report. That's all I know at this stage and I'm er positive, her negative.
Hope all goes well for you too.
Anne94
Member
8 years ago
Good morning @LMK74
I understand that there is a lot going on for you. Those first few months really throw you for a six. So many doctors appointments - Life changes and all the adaptations that go with it.
And everyone makes the best decision that is right at the time.
Ask the doctors what is your risk of reoccurrence. They can let you know by the pathology reports. Talking to a psychologist also helps put things into perspective. Living in fear is not really living at all.
I've just had my femur stabilised and then next week having my hysterectomy so I'm getting everything done so that I can go back to work.
I wish you all the best.
Anne xoxo
LMK74
Member
8 years ago
Anne94, I haven't yet found many side effects from zoladex either. I'm 43 so pre menopausal. It's so much to take in,but I really want to try and make the best decision regarding side effects and risks of recurrence.
Inkpetal, I love your thinking lol,makes sense to do it while feeling like shit .
InkPetal
Member
8 years ago
The plus side of having it done while you're still feeling run down is that when you finally start feeling normal again you won't have to face another healing process. It'll just be this on top of the rest and then done and dusted and you care really leave it behind you. Have you thought about it any more @fairydust?
Anne94
Member
8 years ago
Hi @LMK74
like @primek said you would still have to take an aramatose inhibitor. I didn't have much trouble with the zolodex after the first couple. Except my ovaries are still pre-menopausal, so they are being removed. And I'm on tamoxifen and have had no adverse effects from that (except hot flushes).
I'm also a public patient and have been looked after very well by all treating teams, from the oncologist, orthopaedic surgeons, & the gynaecologist.
You just need to ask. The doctors want to be able to help you. And we cannot be passive in our health care.
Kind regards
anne
LMK74
Member
8 years ago
Primal, I guess I will wait and see what my results from surgery say when I get to that point. I'm coming back as a man in my next life lol.
primek
Member
8 years ago
@LMK74 Even if ovaries removed they would most likely recommend an aramatose inhibitor...as we make estrogen in body fat ...so just like post menopausal women, that would be recommended.
LMK74
Member
8 years ago
Cate64 and zoffiel, I will definitely discuss my options after treatment. I'm not keen on taking zoladex or tamoxifen. It seems there are no easy answers on what the best thing to do is. The more I read about all these drugs they say you have to have the more scared I am. Have any of you refused hormone treatment.
Zoffiel
Member
8 years ago
I didn't want the plumbing and I certainly didn't want to faff around with Zolodex for years.
I'll admit to being a bit norty (No? Really?) I was on the point of refusing the chemo and my Onc was getting a bit aerated. He asked what it would take to persuade me and I told him I wanted a port in and the plumbing out, on the same day. By Christmas. This was in early December and he had me booked in by the 15th, despite me thinking, 'That's it, then. I'm not doing the envenomation."
The Gynae was a bit bemused by the rush but had a space so in I went. This was the public system, but as the latest CT had shown some lumps and bumps on my ovaries and given the nature of my cancer they conspired to get me in as a cat 1 patient. It was a sensible decision, even if I originally made it for rather suss reasons.
Cate64
Member
8 years ago
@LMK74 I was a public patient, the Oncologist was ok with it but I had quite a time convincing the gynae to do it she did though, after speaking with my Oncologist.
I waited on the list only about 45 days as well.