I had a hysterctomy almost 3 years ago at the age of 35 for a borderline serous tumor. My oncologist put me on an estrogen replacement patch and I have been using them ever since. With all the stuff in the news lately about HRT and their new findings, I would love to know your opinion. Are these studies only on women who have gone through natural menopause or do they also include women who were put into surgical menopause at a young age?
I am also worried bc I read with estrogen patches there is a higher chance to develop breast cancer. My mom and aunt both passed away from breast cancer within 8 months of each other in 2011 and 2012. My grandmother also had it. That really scares me. My doctor tells me nothing to worry about. I'm starting to think I need a new doctor. If anybody has any experience with any of this please share!
Hi there,
While on Birth control patch few women may experience breast discomfort, breast pain and enlargement of the breasts. This patch contains approximately 60 percent more estrogen compared to other hormonal contraceptive. Estrogen causes some of the glands in the breast tissue to swell .Birth control patch causes consistent release of estrogen which causes elevated estrogen levels throughout the body making the breasts become larger.
When I mentioned this to him at my last exam he basically told me unfortunately I am on the highest patch dose and he does not want me to take oral estrogen since there are higher risks so nothing he could do. I feel like I should get a second opinion because I feel like there may be other options for me. At the age of 41, I can't stand these hot flashes not to mention the depression and anxiety I am now experiencing. Can you tell me what kind of doctor would be best for me to see?
My question is, I realize that once the ovaries are removed women go into surgical menopause so to speak, but I have been on tamoxifen since November and having some symptoms of menopause. Tamoxifen works on estrogen so I am wondering if you think symptoms of menopause will change or stay pretty close to what I am having now. Thank you for any info.
Im reading a lot of advice against the use of hormone replacement therapy, but the studies I have researched report that its the combination of progesterone and estrogen that is bad for you, and that estrogen alone may actually decrease the risk of breast cancer. My question then is has anybody else read any studies similar?
I was on a bio-identical form of estrogen (the patch) until recently when they found some breast masses. I had a total hysterectomy at 43.
I used to have a lots of breast tenderness even on birth control... So I would work with your doc both on form and dose to use the least amount and the most most bio-identical you can to reduce risk and side effects.
Once the entire area of concern is removed,then regular screening and careful consideration of medications and other strategies to reduce breast cancer risk could be recommended.
Because you were diagnosed with ADH,please make sure you discuss with your doctor,if you are on any kind of HRT,because this therapy could be a risk factor for breast cancer.
Best wishes and hoping that all goes well for you....
Congratulations on your eight years! I hate to be the one to say this but there is no such thing as "out of the woods" with cancer, I wish there was.
What you've done is reduced your risk for another estrogen positive breast cancer and ovarian cancer. But that doesn't mean you won't get a different type of breast cancer in the remaining breast tissue or another part of your body.
But you know as well as I do that each year we are NED with cancer is better for our odds.
t work) and then went for another opinion after the recurrence trying to prevent breast cancer (my mother died of that, my sister of ovarian) -- she put me on evista as the tamoxifen didn't work. When I went for another opinion the doctor said that tamoxifen, evista, and a couple other drugs were all serms and that it was six of one half a dozen of the other --- I don't know that you should be taking evista and tamoxifen together , but the evista is definitely not a estrogen receptor.
Hi Paulio,
I too am experiencing changes in my breast and noticed that I'd never had pain before in the lumpy structures that are new to the breast. I'm 48 yrs old, am in surgical menopause since 2005, not due to cancer but due to other chronic conditions that were adding up to trouble. My uterus, ovaries, tubes and cervix were removed. I could not for the life of me handle the sudden menopause. so my gyno put me on the estrogen patch. I've been on this now since 2005 mind you.
I had breast cancer and was treated and am 3 years out. With no estrogen in my body, I am noticing pain in my spine especially in my hips, lower back and knees. I believe this is artritist as a result of no estrogen because I had none of this before. Some kind of very low dose of estrogen or use of estrogen creme should be allowed to stop this pain. I know the doctors say NO ESTROGEN as the cancer will return. Well it may return on its own and I do not like to take this pain medication.
I have been in surgical menopause since 1996, I took estrogen for 10 years and then quit because of the increased chance of breast cancer after taking estrogen so many years. I finished treatment (without taking estrogen since 2006) and I achieved SVR. There is so much that's confusing about HCV and all the suggested factors.
Estrogen doesn't cause breast cancer but it does feed it. If estrogen was the cause of breast cancer more young women would be being diagnosed with it when their estrogen levels are at their highest. Most diagnosis are made in post menopausal woman. There is one theory of thought that it may be estrone that really feeds breast cancer. Estrone is what our fat cells produce after menopause. Estradiol is what our ovaries made in our 20's and 30's.
I had grade 3 dcis &idc, er and pr postive breast cancer last year. I have tried Arimidex, Tamoxifen, and Femera with no luck. Now the dr would like to do a total hysterectomy. I am 45 and stopped having periods 3 years ago. Is this beneficial or not?
I was diagnosed with breast cancer 3 years ago and has been on Tamoxifan. A month ago, I had an uterus ultrasound and it showed that my fibryo has grown 3 inches from last year. My ob/gyn had me to do some additional blood work which shows that my estrogen level is very high regardless I'm taking the estrogen blocker med Tamoxifan. Therefore, she recommended me I should consider a surgery to take out both of my ovaries and uterus at the same time.
Is there a right or wrong answer to using estrogen blockers for ADH? I realize that ADH isn't cancer just a disorder that puts me at a higher risk to develop breast cancer. Has the research shown that it is better one way than the other? Estrogen blockers vs. monthly breast self-exams, MRI's of the breast and noting any type of changes in the breast? I'm only 54 years old and not really sure what to do from here?
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