HRT despite risk?

McClure77

I know this might sound crazy, but has anyone here gone on HRT after treatment despite the increased risk? I am sick and tired of all of the quality of life effects from the mack truck menopause after treatment and my subsequent radical hysterectomy. I am 43 but feel like I'm 83 and I want to actually get to feel like a person in their 40's. I am starting to think that maybe being miserable is far more scary and terrible than a recurrence ever could be.

Lula73

what symptoms are you experiencing? Many of us have found ways to alleviate the most bothersome symptoms and can share those with you. I would exhaust all non-hormonal efforts before I did HRT. Did you get an oncotype score?

Peacetoallcuzweneedit

Hi McClure -

I am on HRT - an estrogen patch 0.02mg/day - my BS prescribed it after my hyster + ooph and the resulting joint, hot flashes, etc. Did it resolve things - yes - am I second guessing it - yes. Are more and more docs prescribing it for women who have had double mx - yes...but I am not sure I still like it. I started it January - and I dont change the patches like I am supposed to. I am supposed to change them every 3 days - I change them every 7-8 days. I have my next appt with my onc in June, my PCP on Thurs, and my gyno in April. I am going to have discussions with all about it. My BS's plan is to keep me on it until 50, I am 48 now....and then ween me off to mimic menopause... My neighbor downstairs is also on HRT and she is a breast cancer survivor of 10 years...she just started HRT about 4 months ago because of same complaints most women have after having no estrogen for 10yrs. She had a hyster +ooph about 12yrs ago.... She was Stage 1 and I am Stage 1 and my BS said that was a consideration and if I was a later stage - she would not necessarily be quick to prescribe...but she states quality over quantity of life....

McClure77

Thanks for your responses! Sorry for the delay, I'm in law school and so things can get quite busy!

I have a number of symptoms that I'm frustrated with. I've gained 40lbs, I'm achey all the time, depressed, Moody, now it looks like I'm developing stress incontinence, etc. I feel angry a lot that my treatments and the long term effects were downplayed and now I'm stuck with the body of an older woman.

I have p450 syndrome and have a very difficult time finding drugs that work on me. I haven't been able to find an antidepressant that does.

I am already not doing the AI inhibitors because between not being able to tell if my body is using it properly, and possible side effects making my quality of life worse, it's not worth it to me.

Unfortunately, I am later stage than both of you, being stage 3 with lymph involvement. So far, none of my doctors will discuss HRT with me, like it's impossible. But it's getting to the point where I feel like it's MY body and should be my choice. No one acknowledges the vast differences in genetic metabolism and outcome variation so everyone applies a one size fits all approach. The irony is that they don't know if it will work, but they won't try other things because of possible adverse outcomes. In other words, I am not like most people, so I may not benefit from treatments that benefit others, but I can't try things that haven't worked for others, even if they might work for people like me. It's beyond frustrating, and I'm left regretting my treatment choices completely.

Peacetoallcuzweneedit

https://academic.oup.com/jnci/article/93/10/754/29...

ttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22892060

https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/Table56Postmeno...

ttps://www.mdedge.com/obgmanagement/article/61157/weighin...

There are a few more - one doc with the hereditary cancer group uses HRT - I need to find his info.

dtad

Hi everyone...have any of you looked into bioidentical hormones? They are more natural and focus on hormone balance. Just a thought. Good luck to all.