Do I need to remove both ovaries?

Dear Dr DELJUNCO and staff,
I’m 51 years old,single,no longer have period couple years ago.I have been diagnosed as having a cyst on the left ovary around 4cm since 1994.The pain is somehow on/off:not everyday,sometimes week and sometimes comeback a month later.The ob/gyn keeps tracking every year and gave me TRIFASIL to help shrink it but I had side effects(dark spots all over my face).Lately I use Prempro and do ultrasound every year but the pain still sometimes comes back ,and the cyst is still around 2-3cm.Now she recommends me to do laparoscopy to remove the cyst but she said the cyst may be come back after removing. I ask a 2nd op/gyn who recommends me to remove my both ovaries because of my age and prevent the cancer in the future and even my blood test on CA 125 is not cancereous.
I want to do laparoscopy but it confuses me 1 thing:Do I need to remove both ovaries or not with my age? If they remove only the cyst ,does it come back in the future?
certainly I can’t have baby.But is it changing something for the rest of my life?.
What are the side effects if I remove both ovaries?
Please give me your advice .
Thank you for your time.

Der Tina-
There is absolutely no reason to remove both your ovaries. The chance of ovarian malignancy is rare, especially if you have been following this cyst for several years. Your original gyn was very correct in her recommendation-I think the laparoscopy will be very adequate. Recurrence rates of ovarian cysts can depend on several different things, but one most critical is the ability of the surgeon to remove the entire cyst with its lining. Leave nothing behind…and regrowth is less likely.
Removing both your ovaries will probably require some form of immediate hormone replacement therapy.I would stick the your first doctors opinion. Good Luck