HRT (Estrogen and Progesterone Hormone Replacement Therapy) After cancer for menopause?
Hi ladies, As the title states, is there any one of you who are menopausal (either due to chemo or ageing) doing HRT/MRT to manage your menopausal symptoms? I am researching into HRT. I had breast cancer in 2016 and these two years entering menopause and the symptoms are awful. The worst are not the hot flushes or night sweats but the irritability, low mood and brain fog that make it very hard for me to function. (There are many more symptoms which I will not list) I have got a family to take care of and that includes not only kids but my elderly parents too. My research so far has landed on the conclusion that estrogen is so important for normal functioning of our body. I know most breast cancers are estrogen positive but that does not mean estrogen caused the cancer but rather possibly making the cancer grow faster. In fact, my research reveals that the heart, brain, bones and uterus all have estrogen receptors, I guess for proper functioning of these areas, that's why low estrogen means higher risks of osteoporosis, Alzhemier's and heart attacks. No wonder the brain fog! Because of the lack of estrogen. I am interested in anybody sharing with me your thoughts. And if you are currently doing HRT, where or who can prescribe it. I know this is a very controversial topic and but I feel that this forum would be a great place to chat about it since most if not all of us have gone through breast cancer. Thank you xx #HRT #hormonereplacementtherapy #estrogen #estradiol
Confused & Overwhelmed
Hi everyone I'm brand new & so overwhelmed. My nurse has passed on theses details & I'm looking to share my story, offer my support & hope my new sisters can help & guide me please. I've got a small 11 x 8mm cancer. Grade 2, invasive ductal, ER 95%, PR 95%, Her negative & I'm booked for surgery 24 October. I've been told to have the Mirena removed & stop all HRT immediately. I'm 57, fit & in good health. I'm in menopause & have been on my HRT for a bit over 12months. I'm currently on Ovestin three x week & Sandrena & Androfeme daily as well as having the Mirena. From all I've read I'm really concerned about stopping the HRT as I feel that the risks I will expose myself will outweigh any benefit. I also wasn't sure about stopping "cold turkey". If anyone can offer any info about this type of cancer & has continued with their HRT etc I would be extremely grateful. Thanks.
New Upfront About Breast Cancer Podcast: Hormone Blocking Therapy
Good morning! Please find below information on BCNA's latest Upfront About Breast Cancer Podcast Episode 38: Hormone Blocking Therapy - Balancing Quality of Life and Risk of Recurrence We recommend that listeners exercise self-care when listening to this podcast, as some may find the content upsetting. Let’s be upfront about the side effects of hormone-blocking therapies for the treatment of hormone receptor positive breast cancer. About 70% of breast cancers are hormone receptor positive, meaning that the breast cancer cells use these hormones to grow. Hormone-blocking therapy is usually prescribed as part of the treatment as works by lowering the amount of oestrogen in the body or blocking the oestrogen receptors on the cancer cells, depriving them of the hormones they need to grow, with the aim of reducing the risk of breast cancer coming back, or new breast cancer developing. In this episode we’re joined by Debbie Packham who was diagnosed with early breast cancer in 2016 and 4 weeks later was diagnosed with oligometastatic breast cancer and has been on hormone-blocking therapy for 4 years, Ro Woods who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 and has been on hormone-blocking therapy for 5 months and Lisa Sheeran who has worked with breast cancer patients for over 21 years and has been a breast care nurse for 9 years. We’ll hear about the different types of hormone-blocking therapies, the common side effects and impacts on quality of life, the key benefits, effective strategies and the support available to help you manage your treatment. To help us continue to develop podcasts that are relevant to our members and their breast cancer diagnosis, we ask for your feedback via our online survey. Upfront About Breast Cancer is a production of Breast Cancer Network Australia. Our theme music is by the late Tara Simmons, and this episode is proudly brought to you by Dry July.
Hot Flushes
Would love to know if others have had this problem. I am 75yrs. old, but since about 50 the only time I have never had flushes was when I was on HRT. Now, off HRT. because of Breast Cancer and taking Tamoxifen I am having terrible flushing. The Doctor's have tried every medication, I even went to hospital to have a "Stella Ganglia Block" but nothing has worked. My Doctor's now want to put me back on to hormones, which worries me, as my cancer was aggressive and 3/3. Any advice or opinion, would be appreciated.
Controversial as it might be - is anyone currently taking HRT with ER Positive, HER 2 breast cancer
I hope someone can help me with this question. I am just over 3 years since my BC diagnosis plus 6 rounds of chemo and radiotherapy. I am now 55yrs and am suffering terribly with hot flushes 3 or 4 a night and between 5 and 13 each day. Initially I was on Arimidex but due to arthritis complications after about 5 months eventually agreed to try Tamoxifen although I was tempted to resist everything - but fear got the better of me. I am now taking Tamoxifen and Effexor (although Effexor only helps a tiny bit). Have tried, Catapress, Lyrica, Zoloft (all caused serious issues) and just weaned myself of 3 Gabapentin a day due to having had 2 serious falls for no real reason in the last 6 weeks (only been on for about 7 weeks). Both my surgeon and my oncologist have suggested taking HRT if the Gabapentin didn't work even though my breast cancer is Oestrogen positive. Their rationale is that they are now prescribing Tamoxifen to young women with a significant risk of BC and the way in which it works (in layman's terms) is the Tamoxifen binds to the oestrogen and therefore the oestrogen doesn't get the same opportunity to attach to BC cells or something similar. My risk of BC only increasingly slightly with the HRT. I am contemplating this and have been prescribed an Estalis patch to try. If it is assumed safe for young women to use with high levels of oestrogen in their bodies, surely it should be okay for someone at menopause as long as they are taking their Tamoxifen reilgously? Has anyone else gone down this road - I would welcome any feedback. Thanks
