[RoseRodent]

Will having my ovaries out help with PCOS symptoms? I am having a total hysterectomy for other reasons, but never quite get around to asking if the PCOS will be helped. I can't remember if the ovaries are part of the cause or part of the symptoms. And then I remember things like hair growth being associated with menopause also because of the change in hormone balance, so maybe I won't get rid of that moustache after all. So, stupid as the question sounds, does having your ovaries removed help with PCOS?

[Ruthxxx]

Well, it didn't help me. That was 50 years ago so you'd think I'd know by now.

[Rana]

No, it doesn't help.

PCOS isn't caused by your ovaries, although it's impacted by/affected by the hormones in your female parts.

PCOS is an endocrine disorder.

What having a total hysterectomy may do is obviously stop any creation of the cysts that you might have on your ovaries, which will prevent any rupturing of those cysts, the pain associated with them, possible surgery, and all of that stuff.

But you'll still have PCOS.

[astrophe]

Yup. What she said. Here's the answer from the Inciid PCOS FAQ:

Will removing my ovaries cure my PCOS?

At present, there is no cure for PCOS. The endocrine upset characterized by polycystic ovaries does not go away just because the ovaries are removed. Attention must be focused on why the ovary acted that way, and what signals called it to make 30 pellet-sized follicles at the same instant? It is possible that it might lessen symptoms, but it is a rather extreme approach that will not prove to be a cure.

So you might have some lessening of symptoms if your PCOS affect your ovary area (ex: cysts) but you are still a PCOS patient and it won't cure the actual PCOS thing. Talk to your doc about the options in your case though, since you are scheduled for hysterectomy.

HTH!
A.

[RoseRodent]

TBH I can never quite be bothered* to discuss this with my doctor cos compared to all else that is going on the PCOS is such a minor inconvenience. It will be great not to have any more cysts, can't even remember if they concluded PCOS or they wrote that the appearance of the ovaries is consistent with PCOS... they are usually just so pleased to find I am not dying of cancer that what I DO have is pushed out the window, and I feel the same way too. Maybe once the bigger problems are gone I might get around to asking the doctor about this one, but already scheduled for 3 hours of surgery so I reckoned we had enough to talk about without going into the PCOS side of things. It doesn't bother me in as much as the cysts come, go, rupture and all in their own time and I just scarf down some morphine when they go. I'd just quite like not to have hair on my face.

* Not quite the right word, but I am tired!