Other Gyn Cancers

TenderIsOurMight

Generalized enlargement of the uterus can occur too, and is felt typically as an enlarged and somewhat softer or "boggy" uterus on pelvic exam. If removed, often the pathologist notes "endometrial" islands having migrated or developed in the uterine muscle itself. They should have measured your uterus, cervix to top of uterus and compared it with norms at your last sonogram to address size.

Tamoxifen is generally considered a pro-drug, meaning it must be broken down, or metaboized for it's anti-estrgoen effect. Once in active form (metabolite form) however, the question in fatty liver is does it persistently circulate and thus create problems with the uterus lining etc. If the liver doesnt' further metabolize the "active" Tamoxifen to a final "non-active" form, then the body can have trouble ridding itself of the drug, i.e. sluggish situation. 

jmo,

Tender

lynnea

Hi Ladies-well I saw my gyn today and I'm not a happy camper. She said she strongly recommended progesterone to counter the effects of un- opposed estrogen. At first she said she'd check with the insurance company and see if they'd approve a shot of depo-provera. She recommended this because it lasts for 3 months and then I would'nt need to take pills. I told her I didn't have a problem with the pills. Besides if I have any ill effects, I can stop the pills. Once I get the depo shot there's no reversing that! So she gave me a script for prometrium. The reason I'm not too happy is because these drugs are not progesterone, they are synthetic progestins that do not work the same way as natural progesterone. And therefore carry all the associated risks, including blood clots, stoke, & inc risk of breast CA.



She said if I didn't take the "progesterone" then my risk of endometrial cancer from the unopposed estrogen was really high, as was my risk of breast cancer. I again asked if I could just have a hysterectomy, she said with no abnormal pathology the insurance would not cover it. So right now I'm feeling a little dammed if I do and dammed if I don't. I'm not happy with the idea of taking a synthetic hormone the rest of my life!! I felt so frustrated in her office, and I admit I was a little beligerant, I never even thought about asking her about using natural progesterone cream. I'll try calling her tommorrow and see if she'll talk about it.



This was a useless organ for me as I never had children, nor did I want them, and this is all kind of a cruel cosmic joke. I can't have a hysterectomy unless I have cancer, and if I don't have a hysterectomy I probably will get uterine cancer if I do nothing. Life's a beach!! Lynne

lynnea

Hi Hopefor30-I'm sorry if something I said offended you and I'm sorry for what you also are going through. This is a forum for High Risk people and I felt safe to express my fears and frustrations. Please don't assume that just because I did not get a diagnosis of CA that I'm "free" of it. I have a strong family history and for the past 2 years I have been through multiple biopsies with all the fear and anxiety of waiting for pathology results. And now I'm on 6 month watches for BOTH breast and uterine cancer and all the stinking testing that entails. So no, I'm not free of it, and I'm not 100 % sure I don't have cancer. That's the whole point of this forum-we are ticking time bombs and all we can do is wait and worry.  

I know that some people think that cancer is the worst thing that could ever happen to them, but  for me I'd rather have a known "enemy" than to have to  constantly wonder when the axe will fall and will I be in a place where I can "deal" with it. I'm sorry if this sounds like a rant..........it is!  I'm tired, I'm tired of all this worry, I'm tired of having RA and autoimmune hypothyroidism, I'm tired of working full time and being the sole caregiver to my 80 year old bedridden mother, I'm tired of having no life.......and worring about cancer is just one more thing I'm tired of.

I'm hanging in there.....Lynne

lynnea

Well I'm in a better place mentally at least today. Sorry for the rant. Since tues I have done some research and I found out that Prometrium is natural progesterone and that makes me a little more comfortable with the idea of trying it. You still have to make it through the first two weeks, which I'm told is very much like having bad PMS. I'm still waiting for the meds because my insurance goes through a mail order pharmacy, and I'm hoping they do not substitute the Prometrium for the synthetic Provera.

KLE-did you get to talk to your gyn yet? I reread my Dr Lee's book and he says that natural progesterone has a protective effect on breast tissue and even though you have receptors for progesterone (ie PR+) it does not increase the risk of breast cancer.  So maybe your doc might let you try natural progesterone and stay on the tamoxifin.

Let me know what they say.  Lynne

kle

Hi Lynne,

Sorry to hear you've still got decisions to make.  I saw the gyn, he said that the polyp I had was so big, it had to be growing for longer  than the 13 months I've been on the Tamoxifen.  The Tamoxifen may have caused it to grow quicker. So I stay on the Tamoxifen, and he monitors, and it may or may not happen again.  The oncologist concurs..stay on it. So my case is kinda closed for now.

I'll have to read up on the progesterone, I'm not that familiar with that.   

kle