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Post by msheathieliz on Jun 19, 2011 1:01:12 GMT -5
I had one ovary taken out 3 1/2 years ago. It had been attacked by endometriosis so severely there was no chance it could be saved. After the surgery I felt better physically so that was great, but I just don't really feel right inside.
If there's anyone else out there who has had one ovary removed but still has one left, please speak up. I'd love to meet you.
Heather
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Post by JC on Jun 19, 2011 8:05:08 GMT -5
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Post by msheathieliz on Jun 19, 2011 13:01:21 GMT -5
Thanks!
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lisac
New Member
Posts: 16
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Post by lisac on Jun 21, 2011 14:05:52 GMT -5
Hi Heather, I had my left ovary removed last year with my third Cyst. They took the tube too as it was full of Cysts. Physically I Also felt better after the surgery, but then the endo came back anyway. I'm now on progestin injections to keep it at bay but that only lasts 6 months. Not sure what will happen next. For me having one ovary removed was a relief as I was in so much pain. I worry all the time for the other one and when I got a Cyst on that too I really worried. But it cleared up. I think I have endo around the scar area where the old one was. I think I am so caught up in trying to be okay and not have endo in the last ovary that I don't think about the old one. It's gone. The disappointment was I really hoped the endo would go with it, but it didn't. I had this idea that it was a 'dud' ovary and when it was gone the root of the endo would stop. I'm not sure if that helps you. I think you just have to push on and cross fingers for the one you have left.
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Post by msheathieliz on Jun 21, 2011 23:59:40 GMT -5
lisac, I really appreciate your words. I feel like you and I are in the same boat. My left ovary was full of cysts, too, and I sort of consider it to be a "dud" because by the time we realized what was going on there was no chance of saving it. There was no "wait and see" period, it was just done for. And like you, I was hoping once that was taken care of I'd be okay.
I guess there's three major things going on with me right now.
#1 I'm concerned about my body physically. Of course, I don't want to lose the ovary and every time I feel a pain or get a cramp I wonder if it's something more serious. So I just try to remain calm and look for repeated instances of symptoms instead of just random ones.
#2 I almost feel less female. I know that being a woman is more than what is inside your body and what you have had removed (I don't consider women with hysterectomies to be any less female than me), but I can't help but feel like I'm disconnected from the female-ness of myself. It's weird, hard to explain.
#3) I'm really having problems balancing hormones. I'm not producing estrogen in the remaining ovary like I should, and I'm scared that ovary isn't even working right. I don't know anybody else who has had hormone issues after an ovary removal, so I have no one to turn to for advice.
Thanks again for speaking up. Wishing you the best in your recovery!
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Post by omaklackey on Jun 22, 2011 1:29:58 GMT -5
Hi, I had one ovary removed myself. Later they went and removed the other. I know what you are struggling with as far as the emotional side. They call it female castration (not to be confused with the horrible mutilation called female circumcision) medically it literally means to remove the female organs. Hard to kind of wrap the brain around that sometimes and to keep myself from not feeling like I'm less of a woman. I don't regret it per say but I sometimes just get incredible sad and confused emotionally. I tell everyone its great not being tied to the emotional upheaval that is our hormones but... I researched the effects of premature menopause in my lifespan psychology class. It does have some long lasting effects on your psychy. That's not to say you can't still have a great and wonderfully womanly life. I still have amazing sex with my hubby, I just use my brain (the most important sex organ) to remind myself to do it, even if I'm not feeling as "sexy" as I sometimes should. I would highly recommend checking out hyster sisters. There are many posts on there about dealing with one or no ovaries. Lots more information there about this topic then we have here. I had a big long sad tale about the way I feel but its no longer here on the board, because I just keep trying to focus on the positive side of menopause. Physically living with one ovary and then with none... there will be some issues. The biggest complaint most woman with only one ovary have is that the remaining ovary often times "goes to sleep" after the surgery and never wakes up. Its a very common problem.I have lots of the menopausal symptoms on the menopause section if you want to look through that? I also found myself talking to a lot of older woman about menopause. I get a lot of "your to young for hot flashes" when I turn bright red and start complaining. Its followed by "what's endometriosis" when I explain why I'm not to young. I consider it my opportunity to educate other people. So there is always a good side, even to this. If you have other questions, I can try my best to tell you my story and experiences?
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Post by msheathieliz on Jun 23, 2011 14:57:13 GMT -5
omaklackey, what you said makes perfect sense to me. I know the symptoms of menopause and certainly identify with many of them. I'm sorry you have had so many problems but I feel comforted by the fact that you know what it's like to have your psyche affected (I like how you said that.) I'm not really sure what questions I have, I just want to know there's someone else out there who knows what I'm going through. It's kind of isolating and scary when something is wrong and nobody else can say, "Oh yeah, I had that, this is what I did to fix it." I need to remember what you said and realize that I can have a long fulfilling and womanly life even though I have this medical problem.
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Post by hatten on Jun 24, 2011 11:10:01 GMT -5
i have one ovary, my left ovary was consumed by a growing teratoma, it had to be removed, now i am having hot flashes and somewhere in the last year endo popped up, i beleive it was soon after the surgery. this page is the best support i have ever found.
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Post by omaklackey on Jun 27, 2011 19:58:52 GMT -5
It is definetely isolating and scary! But we aren't alone here and that's the best part of having others to share with. When you start wondering "is this normal?" you can ask someone who has done it before.
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