DCIS and endometriosis- HELP!!

Hi @Newymum

Have you read up on Hormone therapy - link to BCNA website

Hormone therapy and breast cancer (bcna.org.au)

I had bleeding issues when I started on Tamoxifen and ended up under a  Gynaecology Oncologist.  

My Medical Oncologist put me on Tamoxifen and Zoladex - Zoladex injection, total of 24 to shut down ovaries.  My Zoladex was able to be administered by my local GP.

It's a little daunting but certainly doable

Another link

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) | Breast Cancer Network Australia (bcna.org.au)


Best wishes as you read up and get a better understanding of your situation

No problem at all darl @Newymum.
Tbh, in your position, I’d ask to be put on an Aromatase Inhibitor, such as Letrozole or Arimidex. That will put you in menopause, well the Zoladex that you’ll take with it will, and that’s more effective at preventing recurrence. You can also avoid more surgery that way, and I think your uterus etc will have a break. 

Sounds like May have had endo @FLClover ! And your poor friend! Have have had a few of those surgeries over time and some are worse than others as they always find more. 

Thanks for commenting @MicheleR 😊

basically a hysterectomy would massively help my endo, and I was looking at that before I found the lump. But the gyno wanted to leave the ovaries in, but now - who knows. 

Hi,

Im not as young as you. 49. I wasnt in menopause though i was kindof praying for it due to 2 migraines a month and heavyish periods. No endo. By all accounts /family history i wouldnt have gone through menopause till i was 55.

Im now in chemical menopause from chemo and maintained by monthly injection. I guess i could opt for my ovaries out although i havent been offered it and dont want it at the present time. I had a large hormone positive tumour so im on an AI called aromisin to remove the remaining oestrogen from my body. You can only have these if menopausal. Im not sure what the difference between tamoxifin and ais is. I think i read somewhere that tamoxifin increases bone density which is opposite of ais.  Is it because they dont want you to be in menopause due to your age and stage of your breast cancer? Is it less brutal? Oestrogen is something that protects your joints and ligaments.  Dcis i believe is noninvasive so early detected which is great.  If you dont have a cycle does it stop endo? 

Sorry more questions than answers. 

Maybe discuss with your team. Removing your ovaries might give you more options but there are side effects youd need to consider. 

Great to hear surgery went well. 
Michele

Hello 🙂. Sorry to see you here, in the bc forum. A lovely place nevertheless cos of all the ladies 😊.
I was diagnosed last year, also 39, and also with one child. I had stage one multifocal and simultaneous bilateral, so I had a double mastectomy with the expanders inserted for further reconstruction. I did 5 weeks of radiation and skipped chemo. Cos of that, my oncologist put me on the strongest hormone suppresser, Letrozole, which is an aromatase inhibitor. To take that, you have to be post menopausal, and I wasn’t. So I also have to take monthly Zoladex injections to keep my ovaries suppressed as well, and am therefore in artificial menopause. I am happy with this, as I used to have very heavy periods and bad PMS. I also have adenomyosis  and possible endometriosis, so I definitely don’t want to go on Tamoxifen as it does cause heavy periods. The last thing I want is worse periods than what I used to have. A friend of mine has been on T for about 4 years, and has irregular and heavy periods. She now possibly needs a curettage to ease her symptoms.