Uh Oh, what?? Have to be off Hormone Replacement Therapy

 for 6 weeks before and 6 weeks after surgery?   Went for my consult today - loved the doctor, everythign sounded good until he said I have to be off my Vivelle Estrogen patch for for 3 months.  Hey - I'm menopausal - tried going off the hormones before and symptoms were unbearable.  I understand the reasoning - possible blood clots - but I've had the Lapband placed and removed while still on hormones and I had a kidney removed and stayed on the hormones.  No history of blood clots or family history.

Anyone else have to go off hormone replacement therapy before the sleeve?  For how long??

Paula

Did you discuss how unbearable the symptoms were with the surgeon? Maybe he can recommend some kind of alternative treatment during the time that he wants you off of the patch?

Sorry I can't be of more help. I did, however, stop my birth control pills just before my surgery and stayed off for a whole month. Now I'm irregular, and it sucks big time!

I take a estrogen pill and had to go off for 1 month before and 2 weeks after. I have been taken the estrogen for 3 weeks now and the hot flashes are just getting back under control. Good luck with everything and I feel for you...

 A friend of mine got acupuncture for back issues, and a wonderful side benefit is that her hot flashes have gone away.  Maybe you could consult with an acupuncturist? 

I'm on the patch too and my surgeon never mentioned stopping to me- I have seen other ladies posting the same as you and I understand the reasoning, but I had no issues- I was given Lovenox (a blood thinner) preop and while inpatient and the leg "pumps" the first couple of days to help with circulation. No problems for me- do you have other risk factors? smoker, heart disease? If so, that may be why/??

 No other risk factors - no smoking, family or personal history of clots - had other major surgeries without going off patch - omg - I need this patch to function.  Might be a deal breaker for having the surgery for me - I'll ******vous wreck before surgery and I'll need those hormones to help me out and after surgery - hormones are so out of whack anyway - I just dont know what I will do.  Never even considered ERT as an obstacle.

I understand the risk but I'd talk to your surgeon and ask if you could go home on blood thinners instead of stopping your patch. I can't imagine not having mine either!!

I am not menopausal, but I have a long history with hormones and birth control.  I'm extrodinarily sensitive to it and when I was pre-op they told me I need to be off my hormones (at the time, Aygestin (norethindrone)) I worked very closely with my GYN and was able to go off of them completely with out any complication, my hormones went INSANE after surgery though and what worked before, did not work after.  My doc was ok with me taking my hormones again 2 weeks after surgery.  

I would suggest carefully explaining your symptoms to your surgeon.  Maybe even have the doc who prescribes you HRT consult with your surgeon.  Mine was a matter of debilitating migraines and extraordinarly heavy periods.  My GYN called and consulted with my surgeon to see exactly what and when I could start taking it again.  

Good luck!

 I am not on Estrogen, or menopausal, but I am on oral hormone replacement therapy for progesterone. I wasn't required to stop taking it and continued taking it right up to 2 days before as my normal doses required. I'm not sure if this hormone could cause blood clots, but my surgeon wasn't concerned at all. Personally I couldn't sleep well without it, which would hinder my healing. Without it, I would go stir crazy on Estrogen alone and my temper gets way too short, and emotions run wild. I'd be miserable if I had to quit it for that long. 

Obviously you have had other surgeries and didn't have any blood clotting issues. Perhaps you can plead your case to use a different form of Estrogen, like the cream. Perhaps they are not all treated the same, like synthetic vs bio-identical? It's worth a try. Good luck.