Surgical Menopause: The Missing Piece Many Women Never Hear About

In this Ask Us Anything episode of Perimenopause the Podcast, Jamie Gallagher answers a heartfelt question from Tammy, a woman struggling to feel like herself after a total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries and fallopian tubes).

One and a half years after surgery, Tammy describes feeling like her hormones and body are "a wreck." Jamie explains the difference between natural menopause and surgical menopause, the health impacts of ovary removal, and why many women continue to struggle when the right hormone therapy has not been explored.

This conversation covers estrogen therapy, long-term health risks, surgical menopause recovery, and practical ways women in rural communities can access menopause specialists through telehealth and professional networks.

If you've experienced ovary removal, hysterectomy, surgical menopause, or persistent hormone symptoms, this episode offers education, validation, and hope.

00:00 – Welcome to Ask Us Anything

00:30 – Tammy's question: "My hormones are a wreck"

01:15 – What is a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy?

01:50 – Why the reason for ovary removal matters

02:30 – Understanding surgical menopause

03:00 – Long-term health effects of ovary removal

03:45 – Heart health, bone health, brain health, and libido

04:15 – Why estrogen therapy matters