Suzanne Somors hormone replacement???
Comments
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Thank Konakat--a nice recap.
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Msny of you dear ladies are very ill indeed and I have decided that I don't want to upset you anymore, no matter how concerned I am. I realize now you will not listen to me or try to give my information any credit, nor do you trust my motives. I am here on these boards in an effort to help my sisters through their fight with this dreadful disease. I have found some of the things I've learned some of you are doing beyond shocking. I apologize for caring too much, because that is really what the problem is.
So, go ahead and start the celebration because I have said all I am going to say on the subject of Suzanne Somers and her recommendations, and about HRT for women with breast cancer.
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Desdemona -- you are appreciated. If someone disagrees/is offended, they can block you or rebut your posting. I do believe you have the sincerest intentions in your postings.
Same goes for those who post the shocking treatments -- I think most do it with sincere hearts, but it is dangerous if there is no discussion. Again, block or rebut. I think rebutting and debating is the most useful activity we do here.
Re HRTs -- they are dangerous to many women. I'm not up on all the latest genetic testing, but if 1) there is a test to determine if someone may have or potential have a cancer that is sensitive to certain hormones and 2) one takes this test, isn't sensitive to these hormones and have unbearable menopausal symptoms, HRTs may be worth the risk. However, if such a test does not exist and so many BC types are hormonal sensitive, why risk it?
I do believe SOME women have benefited from HRTs. But there are safer alternative to treat menopausal SEs. Tamox is a life saver for SOME women. Absolutely. For those who say hormonal treatments are across the board safe and helpful, well, reality check here.
Sorry for the ugly truth ladies, but my tumor looooooves estrogen. Lots of BC types love our hormones. Tamox was also helping my cancer along -- in less than a year a few lesions showed up on my liver, in a matter of months, 7 lesions, in 1 month a lesion in my spine. I was on Zolodex but it was prudent to remove my ovaries. My own body was being used by cancer to attack it. My lovely estrogen, the essence of my chemical womanhood - that offends me, the cancer offends me. Yes it's terrible scary, but it's my (and many other women's) scary, damn awful truth. I'm only 46 and I'm up shit creek with a twig for a paddle!
If you can safely take HRTs and Tamox do it!!!! But know the risks. Don't end up like me.
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Oops -- In an earlier posting (approx 4.5 hrs ago) I meant Taxol was from tree bark, not Tamox. Sorry for my typo.
Elizabeth
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I saw my naturalpathic doctor today. The results of my blood work was interesting. She said that it is common for post menapause women to have a low thyroid. Mine is extremely low. Surprising I have no symptoms. She is putting me on thyroid medicine. She suspects a autoimune problem. After a little research the pieces of the puzzle are beginning to come together.
It is possible this might be the cause for my fibrocystic breast. I also asked about progesterone. She is going to do a little more research before answering this question. I also am very low for vitamin D. I wonder if taking the vitamin D and thyroid, with iodine will prevent furter bouts of bc.
Saw this written by a doctor...Jorge D. Flechas, M.D
Breast tissue has an affinity for iodine . Iodine deficiency causes fibrocystic breast disease (FBD) with nodules, cyst enlargement, pain and scar tissue . FBD can be characterized by a lumpy painful breast, generally in reproductive aged women. Initially, this syndrome occurs in the premenstrual phase of a cycle or involves the whole cycle. These symptoms can also occur in menopausal women on estrogen therapy. In 1928 an autopsy series reported a three percent incidence of FBD, whereas in 1973 an autopsy report quoted an 89% incidence . A review by the American Academy of Pathology gives a minimum incidence for FBD of 50% but suggests that 80% of North American women are afflicted with the syndrome during their reproductive lifetime .
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one more thing... I'm learning...that the healthy thyroid produces hormones..not estrogen or progesterone. It is not the hormones estrogen, or progesterone that I need...but a thyroid pill. The doc said a normal thyroid turns fat into muscle, gives more energy, healthy heart, and much more..is this what we're looking for? Below symptoms I read that might help you know if this is something you're struggling with.
Is hypothyroidism causing your symptoms?
The most common thyroid problem in women is hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:
- Severe fatigue, loss of energy, persistent sleepiness
- Weight gain, difficulty losing weight
- Depressed mood
- Joint and muscle pain
- Dry skin, brittle nails and hair, thinning hair
- Irregular periods
Other symptoms include intolerance to cold, fuzzy thinking or difficulty concentrating, loss of libido, and puffiness in the face or extremities.
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According to Dr. John R. Lee, estrogen dominance inhibits thyroid activity, stress, toxins, nutritional deficiencies, hormone imbalance, depletion of follicles and contraceptive pills are the major causes of thyroid dysfunction. Progesterone is the hormone that helps the thyroid have a normal activity.
Medications that may weaken the thyroid include Premarin and Provera, two synthetic, chemicalized hormone products that are commonly prescribed as hormone replacement therapy for perimenopause, menopausal and postmenopausal women. Birth control pills are also harmful to the thyroid.
Too much estrogen is not good for the thyroid, because it inhibits the gland's activity. Estrogen and progesterone have opposing actions in the body, and in this case, only progesterone can help the thyroid.
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Konakat--I'm confused--Tamoxifen helped feed your cancer?? Pls clarify. thanks.
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barry, you're very fortunate to have a doctor on top of a thyroid deficiency. Another symptom of hypothyroidism is below-normal temperature. I feel certain that I am hypothyroid, but my internist is not acknowledging it, won't bring himself up to date on the 'new normal' TSH range that went into effect seven years ago. And not only did that revision reduce the upper limit of normal from 5.5 down to 3.0, but most women feel their best when TSH is at 1.0.
Discussing thyroid issues will lead to discussions about iodine, which is a whole new learning curve of its own. If you want me to bump up previous discussions on this, just say the word.
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Hi Ladies,
I was dx with mets on my 5th lumbar in dec 2006. I am 90% estrogen positive ILC. The tumor was the size of a large marshmallow. After 9 months on Aromasin the tumor was no longer visible on scans. Moral of the story...while estrogen was running free it fed my cancer...stopped estrogen..tumor starved. The jury is out on the many theories including flax. Flax is considered a phytoestrogen. Until I see concrete evidence that some supplement or some other theory has been proven, I will not take chances on it. I strongly suggest that you take no supplements without first asking your oncologist about it. If your oncologist has you on Tamox, Aromasin, Arimidex etc...he for sure does not want you to take hormone supplements. Hugs, Mazy
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Kona,
Hi....I am also strongly ER PR Positive....Tamoxifen also failed me after 2 yrs. I was then dx'd with mets to my 6th rib on the left side &1 lesion to the liver. I am now on Femara, Zometa and Lupron. What treatment are you now on?
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Oh Des....By the way your posts are right on the money... When I first started my journey with this horrible disease, I was very naive about hormones, mets..blah ..blah...blah. ....we really need to know what feeds our cancers. It is refreshing to see someone so knowledgeable and caring. Do not stop posting! We need more people like you !
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Barry, my thyroid test showed mine is low too, which explains some of my symptoms. Rads can also lower thyroid activity. That is why I am so glad to have found a doctor with experience in hormone treatment who can finally answer some of my questions.
Anom, It is interesting that you found European research on this subject. My doctor says she goes there often to learn about the latest research because it is not being done here. Again, it all goes back to the FDA being so controlled by drug companies.
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Vivre,
Yes, the Europeans have used bioidenticals safely for 30 years. I posted that article to show that taking estrogen thru the skin (via creams, gels and pellets) is safer than the oral methods.
Most all the testing in this country has been done with ORAL estrogens and that Frankenstein progesterone (Provera) which suppresses natural progesterone.
There is a saying in the bioidentical community: Don't put anything in your mouth!
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I see the connection. Vivre didn't uptake any PR, I uptook only 10% PR. This could mean our ER was too high in our bodies which could have caused the tumor. Had we had more natural PR would that have offset having a tumor? If we were in balance would we be here? And the bigger question: were we out of balance in the first place?
For those of us suppressing estrogen, we should be high in PR now, or should we? Maybe by suppressing the ER, we are in balance if we didn't have much PR in the first place running around.
When we go off our drug things can possibly go amok again and we'll be back because they don't look at the role hormones play in getting us here in the first place. Our ER could begin to rise and not the PR. If only they would test us when we're first dx'd to see what was going on with our hormones at that time.
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Though some people seem to continually think that we may be exploring this topic because of Susanne Somers, I think we are intelligent enough women who would not do something just because a celebrity said so. I began to look into this long before I knew anything about SS interest in it. After my dx, I began reading everything I could on good health, because I do believe that cancer does not grow in healthy bodies unless it is overloaded with environmental toxins. Therefore I have been doing all I can to keep the toxins out of my body. The first book I read, and the one I credit with helping me to understand why I got cancer was by Dr. Christaine Northrup, "The Wisdom of Menopause". It was important for me to understand why I got cancer so that I could do all I could to keep it from coming back. I have eliminated as many carcinogens in my enviroment as I possibly can, changed my diet, lost the excess, estrogen producing weight, and learned to deal with emotional stress by exercising. The things that I have done have made me feel better than I have in many many years, but I am still looking in every direction I can so I will stay healthy. This includes hormone balance. If some people do not want to go this route, I totally respect that, but I am thankful that I have found others here who are like me, trying to make a decision that we feel is right for us and sharing what we have learned. I do not think any of us are out to tell anyone else what to do. We are all simply trying to share information and our experiences. Everyone has a total right to do what they feel is best for them.
Dr. Northrup has a lot of great wisdom in her book. Here is what she has to say about BHRT:
"Though it should be intuitively and scientifically obvious that bioidentical hormones in individualized doses would give the best results, many scientists and physicians have turned a blind eye to this concept. The answer is simple:economics.
Bioidentical hormones cannot be patented so there are no financial incentives for a pharmaceutical company to do the expensive research and development necessary. (Unique delivery systems can be patented, however,which is why patches such as Climara, estraderm, and vivelle, and the vaginal ring estring, all of which contain bioidentical estradiol,can be profitable).
Synthetic hormones, on the other hand are made by altering the molecular structure of a hormone enough so that it can be patented. These maintain some of the activity of the natural hormone, but any change, no matter how small, changes its biological effects on a cell in ways that are not completely understood. (Note: premarin is a bioidentical for a horse, not a human)."
The problem is that people still say that studies done with HRT should pertain to BHRT. As anom has shown us, we have to go out of the country to find studies on BHRT and those are showing very promising results. Dr. Northrup also says this:
"Breast cancer: Several randomized clinical trials and observational studies have shown that estrogen increases the risk of breast cancer. Once estrogen is discontinued, the risk quickly dissipates. The absolute risk of breast cancer with conventional HRT (estrogen plus synthetic progesterone) is very low(twenty additional cases over what would be expected per ten thousand women in five years). Note: Many well designed studies do not show an increased risk of breast cancer with HRT."
Then she goes on extensively about the differences between HRT and BHRT. I highly recommend anyone who wants to understand the difference read her book.
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Does anyone know of Suzanne Somers hormone status? After skimming sections of her last book, it led me to believe that she was a triple negative in other words, hormonally negative. Does anyone have any input on this?
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I just found this interview with Suzanne Somers, done in 2001. I had never heard her talk about her bc in her words so I found this very informative:
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0103/28/lkl.00.html
Whether we agree with her or not, it is evident from this interview that she had many of the same ups and downs dealing with cancer that we all have. I know I can see myself in a lot of what she says. It also shows how hard it is for someone in the limelight to deal with an illness because the press will jump on you and start rumors. I felt the same way she did about not telling people that I had bc for quite a while. I also felt that I wanted an integrative approach to my treatments. She does a good job of emphasizing that she made these choices because she felt it is right for her and is not telling others they should do as she does. I feel the same way. Even if you think that her choices are not something you would like to look into, it would be nice if people would respect her as a fellow survivor sister who, just like the rest of us is just trying tame the beast in her own personal way. It does not seem constructive to call her or anyone else names just because they do not agree.
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I posted the results of this study but I don't know if anyone looked at it so I'll post here--specifically speaks to results of a study with estrogen and PR used as HRT:
Postmenopausal women who take estrogen plus progesterone face a 75% increased risk for invasive ductal breast cancer and more than a doubling of the risk for lobular breast cancer compared with their peers who don't take hormones, according to Eugenia E. Calle, Ph.D., of the department of epidemiology and surveillance research at the American Cancer Society, and colleagues.The increased risks "attenuated two years after cessation," the researchers reported online in the March 1 issue of Cancer.They also found that among women who used unopposed estrogen, there was no overall increase in the risk of invasive ductal cancer, although there was an increased risk among lean women.There was also an increased risk for distant or regional ductal cancers among estrogen-only users, but the researchers cautioned that this might be a chance finding since it was not supported by evidence from other studies.And although estrogen-only formulations appeared to be a safer choice than estrogen-progesterone hormone replacement regimens, women who used estrogen for 10 years or longer had a 50% increase in risk of invasive lobular cancer, they wrote.
There is more on the study--worth looking at...so there are studies that show it does affect breast cancer odds.
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Maybe this was previously mentioned but I'm unclear as to which bc Suzanne had and if she had any positive nodes? IMO it's a different game if you have invasive bc versus not and it has spread to any nodes. (I don't mean the pscyhological trauma and fear nor the extensive surgery some ladies go through with mastecomies and reconstruction. I'm referring to chemo which I wish no one ever had to go through.)
"Don't let fear of tomorrow rob you of the joy of today."
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I am with many other who believe that HRT, whether bio-identical or otherwise, contributes to breast cancer. There are just too many studies out there that prove the point.
I saw Suzanne Somers on Oprah and was dismayed that there was NO discussion of the breast cancer risk.
It is easy to blame pharmaceutical companies for not testing bio-identical's because they can't make money off of it. The folks making money off them should be testing them to prove they are safe. Ms. Somers, compound pharmacies and physicians that prescribe them should be leading the way in setting up trials to prove the safety of bio-identicals instead of passing the buck to the drug companies. This is a billion dollar industry, they can surely afford it. I have to question why it hasn't been done.
I had a hysterectomy in 1999 and was put on HRT. I tried bio-identicals until I found a gyn that would actually sit and listen to me about all of my concerns. Her take on HRT and bio-identicals made sense to me. "You deal with the devil we know, or the devil we don't know." Bio-identicals are the devil we don't know, for sure. She put me on a hormone patch, which I used until I was diagnosed with BC in 04/08. She tried to get me to try to come off of all HRT, but I was resistant. What a dummy I was!!!
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All excellent points, Casey.
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Reading a book by Suzanne Somers would qualify as reading, but not really research, not by any stretch.
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Hi AllieM -- when my mets was confirmed I was on tamox and herceptin. I was told to stop taking tamox because studies showed that once tamox stops working, or doesn't work, it has the opposite desired effect and helps the tumors. Yikes!!
Hi Renee -- I'm now on Taxol and Carboplatin (3 weeks on, 1 week off), Herceptin (week 1 and 3) and Aridea (week 2). If and when the tumors shrink/stablize, I will be switched to Herceptin and an AI (Aromasin?). When you got mets, did your onc try Taxol? I'm always curious about the drugs that are prescribed.
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I have the most recent "Oprah" Magazine (February 2009 Issue). There is an article about hormones. Also, it sounds like Oprah herself is using BHRT.
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Kona,
My Onc went right to the A.I's she said that was protocol. I really do not know why some oncs start you off on chemo and some like my onc start with the A.I's. But thank the lord I am stable, praying for NED.
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LJ13, do you realize this is a thread about hormones and alternative medicine? do you realize that there are other threads where you might be more welcome? What is your intentions here? Are you purposely trying to savotage this and other alternative threads? Are you on a mission to try to push your view point? Do you hate the alternative approach? What is in your head?????
In the beginning I was open to conventional medicine. I believe conventional and naturalpathic medicine can work together. After reading the side affects of conventional medicine it was clear to me that there has to be a better way to fight bc. I am so so grateful for the research of the alternative ladies. It has helped me so much.
I am grateful for the bravery of Florilady, and others who have done their homework. They are brave to stand up to protect us newbies from unkind comments. We are given a site where we can comfortably look outside the box, ask questions, and find support.
It would be nice of you if you gave us us the freedom to do so.I don't hate you. I just feel sorry for you.
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Barry, perhaps you should read your own original post. You opened it up to views pro and con. That means for and against.
If you only want to hear viewpoints that agree with your own, you should state that clearly. That might convince some people to not offer dissenting views, but it is no guarantee. The only guarantee is to start your own web site where you call the shots.
See, you and the other alternative aficionados don't own this web site. It is an open forum. People can post at will provided they remain within the Terms of Service.You are not protected from facts here.
There are people who don't understand the difference between anecdotal evidence (so-and-so says it works great for her) and actual proof that something works (meaning, clinical data tested and proven in human trials). I intend to make it clear to anyone who is confused about these issues.
That's just how it's going to be. I have decided not to respond to personal attacks, attempts to scare me off, shun me off, or otherwise squelch dissent.
I have in no way prohibited you from expressing your viewpoint. I have put forth no unkind comments toward you.
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For those looking for research that has documented favorable outcomes with HRT and breast cancer go to: http://www.breastcancerchoices.org/hrt.html
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We don't need hall monitors we all are adults. Ladies please move forward with your own research and don't let these monitors stop you from keeping and open mind and seeing there may be other options.
Flalady
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