Hi - I have oestrogen receptive BC spread to my liver which is currently under control with herceptin. I am 43 and feel really good. I have a monthly zoladex injection which is fine. I’ve been on a waiting list for about a year to have my ovaries removed basically so I don’t have to have zoladex anymore and also to take away another cancer risk area. I have just had a call to say my operation is scheduled for next week! I’m a bit unsure about whether it is worth doing, partly as I am worried about recovery time just before Christmas with 4 children. Has anyone else had this op and can advise on why they had it and what recovery is like? I am currently feeling very for and healthy! Thanks
I came on here tonight to see if this happened for anyone else - I am also 43 and actually feel better without any estrogen and frankly wouldn’t mind giving the Zoladex the heave-ho. I don’t care so much about the size of the needle, its just the monthly component as everything else can be managed on a longer timeline. Currently bone only, which have recovered really well on I/L but I was de novo so the dumb breast tumor is lingering on and on and on.
I was under the impression it was laproscopic (little camera in through the belly button area) and a few clips here and there as they aren’t removing anything else that would require cutting through the abdomen. Guessing you wouldn’t be able to lift much but if its not as involved a surgery then perhaps a few weeks recovery.
How were you able to get on a waiting list? Did you just ask or did your MO suggest it? I was offered egg freezing and IVF when initially diagnosed which to this day continues to baffle me (I have no children and am childfree by choice).
Hi
I had my ovaries removed in 2018 when I was 37 along with hysterectomy after tamoxifen caused issues for me. Recovery was quick, I had 6 weeks off work but only because I was advised to, I felt like I could have returned after 3 weeks. I just needed someone home for the first week to do housework, cooking etc…so my husband took a week off. I wasn’t in any pain and when I did get the odd twinge, paracetamol was enough. Best wishes with whatever you decide
Hi peachy, I had my ovaries removed for the same reasons as you a few years ago and have never looked back or regretted it. If you search under oophorectomy on this site you can find what I posted and the helpful replies from when I was deliberating about this in 2015.
I had keyhole surgery so have no scars and the recovery was quick Or at least I can’t remember it being an issue.
Hope me this helps.Karen x
Hi Peachy,
Thanks for posting this and sharing your thoughts, I was glad to read it as I am 40 and have also been mulling over whether or not I should have my ovaries removed. I haven’t actually asked my Oncologist yet as its been a rollercoaster year since I was diagnosed with secondaries in January but now that things seem stable and I am feeling healthy and well again, I have been wondering if I should ask about this.
I also want it for similar reasons, eg. not to have to keep arranging monthly zoladex and I also have a family with various cancers running throughout both maternal and paternal sides. I also have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, so to me it seems like a no brainer just to have the op.
I had a healthcare assistant coming to take my bloods reguarly and she has had her ovaries removed via keyhole surgery. She told me that it was a fairly quick and simple procedure, she was out of hospital after one night and she was fine within one - two weeks, no pain. She told me she thought it was definitely worth doing.
One question I would like to ask ladies who have had their ovaries removed or a full hysterectomy - what were your menopausal symptoms like afterwards? How did those symptoms compare to having menopausal symptoms on Zoladex?