Estratest

[shel]

I had a hysterectomy 15 years ago. Everything out including ovaries and appendix. It was the BEST thing I have ever done!! No more cramps (until IC) or worrying about getting pregnant. I have taken hormones ever since and they have never bothered me.
With all the talk about IC and hormones--now that I have IC I wonder if I should change. I take Estratest and my dr said to stay on my hormones because the benefit is more important. Any one else take hormones after a hysterectomy?? I didn't get IC until 14 years after mine so I don't think the hysterectomy caused my IC.
shel

[Ruth N]

I had a total hysterectomy including ovaries almost a year ago and I take 1 mg of estrace a day. It does not bother my IC at all. For many people it is progesterone that causes IC flares and those of us without uteruses don't need the progesterone. I had IC before I had my hysterectomy so I know the surgery didn't cause my IC.

[Teri]

I take estratest too and it doesn't effect my bladder....GOOD LUCK teri

[Sally C]

Shel,
I also had a total hysterectomy 20 years ago (at 34!) and was not diagnosed with IC until 2 years ago. I have taken estratest for about 10 years with no problems and no menopause symptoms. It has been a wonder drug for me. It has had no effect whatsoever on my IC, thank goodness!

Good luck!

Sally

[louise]

Shel,

My story is that I had a hysterectomy at the age of 31 due to endometriosis. I got my first UTI while in the hospital. I had one ovary removed at the age of 16 because of a large cyst. My second ovary stopped functioning right after I had the hysterectomy so I went directly into a surgical menopause which went "undiagnosed" for six months so I was estrogen depleted for that length of time. I think that caused a lot of my health problems. I continued to have bladder problems which at the time were called "urethritis". I also developed osteoporosis at the age of 34 due to the estrogen factor and a strong family history of osteoporosis. I was finally put on Premarin six months after the hysterectomy but never have felt the same since and that was 25 years ago. For the last three years I have been on 1 mg. of Estrace a day. As for the IC I was finally diagnosed with it about three years ago and was told that it got progressively worse over the years as I was not being treated for IC. I have had numerous other pelvic surgeries which always seemed to worsen the IC. I have been particularly worse since my last surgery in 1997 when I had plates and screws in my pelvis removed (due to a car accident). So I do feel in my case my bladder problems and eventually the IC were a result of the hysterectomy and especially at such a young age where the hormone component was not properly addressed. So now I have severe IC and severe osteoporosis where I have had vertebral compression fractures and am at great risk for further fractures.

I hope this is of some help.

Louise