It's Letrozole For Me

It often amuses me when you see the list of what "may"  cause it.  For example breast cancer.org.  My personal favourite,
Number one...Being a woman.  Well duh. 

Through to number 19. Light exposure at night and  number 28 Grilling your food with toxic chemicals.  

 Oh and don't use sunscreen either..............how bout they just say we have no f*****g idea.....YET

If I had to lay money on it I would go with the hormones, antibiotics etc they feed the animals, sprays and chemicals/fertilisers that go on the crops.  Based on no particular evidence and not much thought other than a hunch. :smile:

I think this is the hardest thing of all, trying to unravel the mystery but as my Oncologist only explained a few days ago, and an expert in his field, that unfortunately it is OVERDONE in terms of what 'may' cause it and then what may prevent a recurrence. His answer simply was it's genetic...he can look at anyones diagnosis and have a good idea if they will relapse or not and nothing you do will prevent it. 

He said that all studies are only minority and that is why constantly there is something new that crops up that causes it. We both agreed exercise makes us feel good and helps many things but he was adamant it wont stop if I relapse again. If anything its great for mental health too :) 

He said the wrong messages are being sent unfortunately...and YES I eat incredibly healthy, I rarely have a glass of wine anymore thanks to chemo only lol, and I am very active, but I also was too prior to two diagnosis... 

Lets just live and be happy right here and now ladies...however that looks for you...do it :) xx

I've always wondered about the Pill.  It never agreed with me (my body always seemed to try to fight back) but I tried it again for a couple of months about 20 years ago - instant lump which turned out to be a cyst - suspiciously close to where my cancer later grew.  My sister, who died from bc, took the early high oestregen variety so have wondered about that, too.  And of course, there's IVF - I had a number of those treatments to get my second child (who I would not be without for anything).

I truly think it's the luck of the draw, or bad luck, I never used oral contraception or HRT during menopause but still here I am, there is no rhyme or reason as to who gets this crap disease.

@arpie there is a lot online about HRT and breast cancer esp lobular. I wonder whether they'll find a link between breast cancer and the hormones women also  take in oral contraceptives .

Some of my answer here I have pm you ie about my HRT details .
Hoping this link gets you to the new clinical guidelines in Australia for osteoporosis.

https://www.osteoporosis.org.au/sites/default/files/files/20439%20Osteoporosis%20guidelines.pdf
Sorry too tired and too late to find the pages you need - check the summary and then table of contents to find what interests you eg concerns about calcium supplements and heart as well as breast cancer patients 

Interesting, @Romla  .... I was 45 when I started menopause (no kids) & had it for 10 years (I am 65 now.)  I had all the symptoms that you had AND some!  Depression, rage, vaginal atrophy, as well as the most horrible hot flushes, lack of sleep, and god knows what else!!  I tried HRT cream for about 6 months - but had an abnormal mammogram result. I was called to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle for further tests ...... I stopped using it as soon as I got the letter & by the time I was at the hospital everything had settled down.  I wasn't aware of the link to lobular BC (which is what I also had.)  Were you on tablets or cream?

Yes - the dreaded Osteoporosis ..... I have a small bump at the top of my neck - one of my aunts had quite  a pronounced one - not 'quite' a Widow's Hump .... my sister's 'lump' is larger than mine - but she spends hours at a sewing machine so that could contribute to it .... Still trying to find that link re caltrate & heart problems!!
Here's one from Harvard:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/calcium-and-heart-disease-what-is-the-connection

another one
https://saveourbones.com/calcium-heart-attack/

I went thru a natural menopause at40 some 20 odd years ago.I found it hard at the time - I had just had my daughter and there was very little information at the time available on menopause and what made it especiallyhard  was the women I knew who must have been also going  thru it would not discuss it as there was a culture of enduring it in silence.

Yes the symptoms were horrible hot flushes , lack of sleep all causing addled brain but made worse by feeling I was the only one - mercifully that is no longer the case as women talk about it openly .You do get used to it once you realise you are normal and you know what to expect.It does get easier and abates over time.Whilst a variety of treatments were coming on the market 20 years ago to alleviate side effects - I tried 3 - HRT , Remifen and Soy Milk - and all did help they all had oestrogenic qualities and I have read HRT in particular is linked to Lobular breast cancer which is the type I was diagnosed with.

On a small joyous matter after my last round of HRT and drinking soy milk daily I ovulated one more time at 47 resulting in twin boys.And yep a few months after their birth Menopause resumed and gradually abated until last year when I started Letrozole hot flushes returned but again is abating and bearable.

I think the bigger issue in Menopause  for me now is Osteoporosis .Make sure you do some weight bearing exercise and get a bit of vitamin D either thru sunshine or a tablet as bone density declines with menopause.This need is doubly important for those on Aromatase Inhibitors which thins bones.

Believe me. .. a lot of us ladies who went through natural menopause felt the symptoms very intensely but your body does adjust overtime to lack of estrogen.  It would be the same for ladies who have a full hysterectomy with ovary removal also.
During that process of peri-menopause and then menopause it took me around 2 years to start to feel normal again then breast cancer struck. (Menopause finally at 49, bc 51) I was worried the AI would result in return of symptoms but it hasn't made it any different than it was...which is for life....some hot flushes...but mostly less intense than they were in the beginning (which was flush after flush particularly at night) things to be aware of...coffee, alcohol and spices can bring on a hot flush fairly rapidly. I decided I'll put up with that to enjoy those things. 
So it will get better. The hand and ankle pain in the small boneswhich mimics arthritic pain is a medication side  effect which for me improved over 6 months and with regular exercise. I initially was on panadol and fish oil but mostly don't require it now. The cold weather has increased it somewhat but it's liveable.

Small win for me then? I officially tipped into menopause just after surgery!