Surgical Menopause - How Does it happen?
Surgical menopause occurs when a woman has both of her ovaries removed and the early onset of menopause can occur quite abruptly. Unfortunately, women who experience this type of menopause typically have more severe symptoms when compared to women who enter this stage of their lives naturally. They will usually experience hot flashes more often and the hot flashes will typically be more difficult to deal with. Women who have experienced surgical menopause also have a higher possibility of acquiring osteoporosis as well as heart disease and the possibility of experiencing depression also increases.
Research has shown that when a woman has only one of her ovaries taken out she typically has a natural transition to menopause. If a women has a hysterectomy and the ovaries are not removed menopause typically occurs at a natural time. However, it has been reported that some women seemed to have entered menopause early after a hysterectomy was performed.
Symptoms
Estrogen, androgens as well as progesterone are produced in the ovaries and when the ovaries are removed, women experience a reduction in their hormone levels and the symptoms of menopause occur. The symptoms they have to deal with include hot flashes, dryness in the vagina, mood swings, night sweats, depression, feeling fatigued, palpitations as well as changes regarding their sexual desires.
Surgical menopause is quite different form natural menopause due to women becoming postmenopausal very suddenly such as the day after the surgery was performed. Typically women have a transition period to menopause that usually has a time frame of several years. Also women who experience surgical menopause are typically younger than women who enter menopause naturally.
Estrogen
To help women deal with the symptoms of surgical menopause, doctors typically recommend women take estrogen after the surgery has been done in order to prevent the difficult symptoms from occurring, especially the hot flashes. Some doctors do not recommend that women take estrogen, especially women who have been diagnosed as having cardiovascular disease or who have a higher than normal risk of acquiring cardiovascular disease.
Some experts suggest that if women choose to take estrogen to help diminish their surgical menopause symptoms they take the smallest dose possible and take it during a short time frame. To help diminish the affect of hot flashes, women might want to try taking antidepressants, eat a diet that contains a lot of soy or take an herbal supplement known as black cohosh. Experts suggest that women who have experienced surgical menopause do not use progestin. If you are having problems associated with menopause after surgery consult with your physician.
