Surgical menopause is pretty abrupt, and certainly deserves hormone replacement therapy. And after hysterectomy, there's obviously no need to worry about endometrial cancer. So it's possible for these women to take exogenous estrogen for a lifetime, but tapering and eventual discontinuation is also possible. Taking estrogen has its risks and benefits, but so does doing without, and each woman (and her doctor) must weigh those risks and benefits carefully.They would get a prescription for hormone supplements from their gynecologist. It is up the Dr. to decide how low the patient would be on estrogen supplements.Usually, the ovaries are left when a hysterectomy is performed and they will continue producing estrogen.
If they have to be removed entirely, then surgical-induced menopause ensues and a mix of estrogen and progesterone medication must be given to protect the patient's bone density amongst other things.
It's entirely up to the gyn/ob how long they stay on estrogen - but I think there must be a limit as they could possibly become carcinogenic in ageing patients.Estrogen is produced primarily by developing follicles in the ovaries, the corpus luteum, and the placenta. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulate the production of estrogen in the ovaries. Some estrogens are also produced in smaller amounts by other tissues such as the liver, adrenal glands, and the breasts. These secondary sources of estrogen are especially important in postmenopausal women.