Forum Discussion

_Anna's avatar
_Anna
Member
6 years ago

Looking for women with endometriosis/adenomyosis who have had breast cancer

Hi there

I'm 35 years old and was successfully treated for an early-stage ER+/PR+ breast cancer with lumpectomy + radiation earlier this year I'm currently in the post-treatment monitoring phase and taking tamoxifen. 

I also have endometriosis & adenomyosis (suspected via MRI) and am really struggling to manage my endometriosis pain now that I've been taken off the contraceptive pill despite my laundry list of helpful tools & helpers (family & friends, yoga, mindfulness, feldenkrais, an established exercise routine, balanced nutrition and sleep, botox, TENS, hot water bottles, heat packs, singing, journalling, doing things that bring me joy:). 

With such a high prevalence rate for endometriosis I feel like there is going to be someone else out there who has also had breast cancer. How have you managed without one of the critical endo treatment tools, namely hormonal contraception? 

coping
young-women
  • lrb_03's avatar
    lrb_03
    Member
    6 years ago
    Just jumping on to say hi and welcome @_Anna. I haven't had either of those conditions, but as you say, with the prevalence of endometriosis, particularly,  I would think tgat there will be someone on here to discuss this with
  • RozMoz's avatar
    RozMoz
    Member
    6 years ago
    Hi @_Anna hope that you are doing ok. I have endometriosis, now aged 50 and am still going through bc treatment. Had my last chemo on 24/12 and will be starting radiotherapy early next year. My oncologist has recommended that I see a gynaecologist for advice before I start tamoxifen, due to endo and other uterine issues.
     I haven’t  taken the contraceptive pill since about 6 months after I had surgery for my endo aged 35 due to pill side effects. I have been mostly pain free until about 5 years ago and have been able to manage (just) with since then hoping for menopause to kick in. Not sure if you have gone down the surgery route for your endo but was a life saver for me having it surgically removed. I felt like I got my life back. I had put it off for years.  
    Happy to talk if you want to.
  • primek's avatar
    primek
    Member
    6 years ago
    There could be an alternative such as zolodex. Which will stop your ovary production whilst on it and you take an aramatose  inhibitor instead of tamoxifen. Apparently it is also a treatment for endometriosis . Worth the discussion.
    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goserelin
  • StarGirl's avatar
    StarGirl
    Member
    6 years ago
    Hi @_Anna, I was diagnosed at 40 and in the same boat as you. I had my endo treated (cauterised I think) surgically about 5 months after finishing chemo. That did the trick. Maybe speak to your gynaecologist about what can be done. All the best xx