What Happens to My Body After My Ovaries Are Removed? (Ovarian Cancer Awareness Series, Part 6 of 9)

What actually happens to your body when your ovaries are removed before natural menopause?

In Episode 6 of the BRCA & Beyond Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month series, we’re talking about the part of preventive ovary removal that can sometimes get reduced to a few words: surgical menopause.

Removing functioning ovaries before natural menopause causes an abrupt hormonal change. And that change can affect much more than periods and hot flashes. Sleep, mood, concentration, bone health, cardiovascular health, sexual health, vaginal and urinary health, body composition, and overall quality of life can all become part of the conversation.

But this episode is not about assuming the worst.

It is about understanding what can happen, what may be manageable, what questions to ask before surgery, and why planning for life after ovary removal deserves just as much attention as planning for the surgery itself.

I’m also sharing what this decision looks like for me as a BRCA2 carrier who is now having these conversations with my own care team. Because reducing ovarian cancer risk is incredibly important, but so is understanding how we care for our bodies afterward.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What surgical menopause actually means and why it differs from natural menopause

• How ovary removal can affect hormones and symptoms throughout the body

• Bone, heart, sexual, vaginal and urinary health after early menopause

• Why surgical menopause experiences can vary so much from person to person

• Questions to ask your healthcare team before preventive ovary removal

• Why menopause care should be part of the surgical conversation before the operating room

RESOURCES:

The Menopause Society

Evidence based patient education about menopause, premature and induced menopause, hot flashes, sexual health, bone health, treatment options and finding qualified menopause care.

FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered

Hereditary cancer education and support for people with BRCA and other inherited cancer risks, including information about risk reducing ovary removal, surgical menopause and sexual health after preventive surgery.

OCRA: Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance

Ovarian and gynecologic cancer education, support and patient resources, including information related to menopause, sexual health, fertility and hereditary cancer.

Project COURAGE at Moffitt Cancer Center

Community Ovarian Cancer Understanding Through Risk Assessment and Genetic Education. Project COURAGE provides education about ovarian cancer risk, hereditary cancer, prevention, genetic counseling and genetic testing.

National Cancer Institute

Evidence based information about BRCA1 and BRCA2, risk reducing surgery and surgical menopause. The NCI also provides information about the physical and quality of life considerations that can follow premenopausal ovary removal.

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Decisions about hereditary cancer risk, preventive surgery, menopause management and hormone therapy should be discussed with qualified healthcare professionals who understand your individual medical history and cancer risk.

If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review. This helps us reach more people navigating previvorship, survivorship, and life after a diagnosis.

Medical Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational and inspirational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host.

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