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  • Menopause question after RC

    Posted by Maria on August 9, 2008 at 7:03 pm

    I did not experience a surgical menopause after RC, this was due to the fact I already had an early menopause and was having very few problems before RC.

    I asked a doc about hormone changes after RC and should I see a gyn for advice. I was informed to take multi vitamins and calcium daily, this doc believes prescribing hormone replacements (which I had already been on HRT 7 years and stopped 2 years ago)can cause more problems than help.
    What are your thoughts.
    Also, vaginal discharge after RC, stopped, very small amount of discharge with blood this morning, is this normal after RC?

    thanks
    Maria xx

    Sarah replied 16 years, 5 months ago 5 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • sarah's avatar

    sarah

    Member
    September 10, 2008 at 1:58 pm

    Hi Maria

    Sorry for the late contribution, just accessed the forum for the first time in a while.
    I had my RC two years ago, and had a surgical menopause. I think I have had as many hysterectomy related issues as neobladder surgery ones. After a number of minor problems (in relation to having been treated for bladder cancer) my wonderfully caring GP sent me to see a (female) oncologist 6 weeks post surgery to discuss the possibility of HRT. She said very much what has already been mentioned that as a premenopausal woman before surgey it was entirely right that I take oestrogen only HRT until I was about 55 (in my case that would be 6 years) as that’s what would be happening naturally. I was put on a very low dose to begin with to see how I got on.
    Subsequently the dose has been raised as I continued to have menopause related problems. I am also using a vaginally applied oestrogen cream which has helped enormously with vaginal dryness and soreness. I saw a consultant gynaecologist regarding these issues and he was again wonderfully supportive and said that there were no valid reasons for not having these issues treated, there is no oncological reason and a woman’s quality of life post RC is fundamentally bound up with the loss of oestrogen if she was premenopausal before surgery.
    The bloody discharge you mention – I’m sure you will want to talk to your doctor about that.
    Kind regards
    Sarah

  • lisaloo's avatar

    lisaloo

    Member
    August 12, 2008 at 5:15 pm

    Hi Maria
    I saw a gynae after my RC and he was very insistant that any women who has a premature menopause either due to surgery or any other reason should have hrt preferably upto 52 but certainly to 48.As long as they had no contra indications it does not have extra risks because all thats happening is that oestrogen that should be being produced naturally is being replaced.I would have been stark raving mad by now without it.
    I cant comment on the bleeding and discharge I has some for a few days as things healed but it was just a few days
    HTH
    Lisa

  • julie's avatar

    julie

    Member
    August 10, 2008 at 5:40 am

    Maria, I was HRT for several years but I stopped them before my hysterectomy. After reading the research results regarding HRT I decided the benefits were not worth the risks. I have been off HRT for 8 years now. If you would be more comfortable consult a Gynecologist I don’t know that surgeon’s keep up that much with medicine outside their specialty. Julie


    Volunteer Coordinator
    ABLSC
  • 's avatar

    Guest
    August 9, 2008 at 7:32 pm

    Maria i have not heard of bloody vaginal discharge after radical cystectomy…are you sure it is not coming from the urethra? I had discharge from that area for quite some time but it was cultured and they found nothing. I would check with your surgeon and your gyn.
    As for HRT…if you’re not having problems why bother with it. I still wear a patch with estrogen only which bypasses the liver and directly into the blood stream……they keep changing thier minds about this……Pat

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