Ovaries produce most of the estrogen in a woman's body and are also the main source of androgen, the male hormone. Ovaries are composed of follicles, small sacs containing eggs, and stroma, the supporting tissue. The ovaries convert these androgens into estrogen to make up close to 60 percent of the body's total estrogen. The rest of the estrogen comes from androgen produced in the adrenal gland which is converted in our fat stores to make estrogen. So when the ovaries shut down or are removed, we still make about 40 percent of our estrogen but have symptoms as we try to adjust to the lower levels.
Surgical menopause is much more intense than natural menopause.
Within two to three days of removing the ovaries, there is a dramatic fall in estrogen which may trigger mood swings, hot flashes and night sweats. In addition, the rapid loss of androgens can lead to depression, lack of energy, insomnia, nervousness and a decreased sense of well being. Surgical menopause is treated much like natural menopause. Taking estrogen can be especially important for women with surgical menopause as they often have many more years of estrogen deprivation. Women with surgical menopause are also more likely to suffer from androgen deprivation, which can be treated with testosterone.