trudes

Hi - My name is Trudy and I am new to this site. I'm 36 years old and I was diagnosed with PCOS about 5 years ago following a period that lasted about a month. I had surgery at that time to have large cysts removed and lost my left ovary and about 2/3 of my right one. I had a couple of years with no problems (though the cysts did come back they weren't painful). Last year in august, I had a cyst rupture. It was a very sudden onset and very painful. The doctor put me on bc pills and within a month I had developed a blood clot in my leg and had to come off the bc pills. In April this year, I had another very violent episode with a ruptured cyst and just had another even this weekend. Since the first rupture last august, my periods are more painful and my ovary really hurts. The cyst ruptures are painful and scary.

Since I can no longer take bc pills to control this because of the blood clot, my treatment options are very limited - depo provera shots which cause significant weight gain (and I have very mixed feelings about a treatment that in the end will make my condition worse). I am starting to think about a hysterectomy. I am not married and do not have children and don't plan on having any unless I get married. I am very ok with adopting children. With menopause at least 10 or 12 years away, I don't think I can continue to live with these kinds of episodes. But if I choose to do a hysterectomy, I have to do it without HRT.

My questions are these: has anyone out there taken depo provera shots and can you tell me what it's like? Has anyone out there been in this same situation? Has anyone out there had to opt for this or know of other options? Has anyone out there had to have a hysterectomy without HRT and what is that like?

Thanks so much - I am trying to gather information. This is such a hard emotional decision and I don't feel like I can make it without more information.

Trudy