Menopause for TNs

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Meece
Meece Member Posts: 19,483
edited June 2014 in Middle Age 40-60(ish) Years Old With Breast Cancer

This topic seems to fit our age group, but may only be of interest to my triple negative BC Sisters.  I was wondering, when the time comes for the change of life, how do you handle it if you can have no hormones or synthetic hormones?  I have been told by doctors within the Cancer treatment field, that as a TN,, I should abdolutely not take any type of hormones, I have talked to a Gyno, and he said sure, your could take them. 

What is the consensus here?  I am the type of person who likes to be prepared in advance for the "what ifs".

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  • queenlurker
    queenlurker Member Posts: 42
    edited November 2009

    great question.  I will count myself lucky as I have occ. warm flushes. ( Not anything I would want to take another pill for. )  Thought the hormones caused an increase in hormone pos lobular cancers.  Guess I wouldn't want to get that too!   

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  • wrsmith2x
    wrsmith2x Member Posts: 410
    edited November 2009

    I had a hysterectomy at age 41 and started on hormone therapy shortly thereafter after much discussion with my gyno - whom I love and trust.  Got breast cancer at age 44 and as soon as I found out I called him and he said "Stop the hormones immediately".  If they didn't contribute then why stop them? 

    I can't tell you what to do but I can tell you if I had to do it over then I wouldn't have taken them.  I have a hard time believing that they didn't contribute to my cancer.  Hot flashes can be controlled in other ways.  I have them, a few a day, but the mood swings were my big thing.  I do take Lexapro to deal with those and both my husband and me are happier for it.  Hope this helps.  Good luck to you.

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited November 2009

    I think I will check with my onc next visit and have her do the blood test to see if I am nearing the change.  I had surgery last week, and wake up too warm frequently since.  Could just be part of the healing, or not.  Thanks for your support. 

    Meece

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  • Morgan513
    Morgan513 Member Posts: 664
    edited November 2009

    I went into chemopause (actually permanent menopause) during chemo.  I have not had any real problems from it.  I do get hot flashes.  They were worse in the beginning but that was over a year ago.  I get them occasionally now but nothing that's life altering.  I have a little dryness (you know where)  but that is taken care of with some proper moisturizers.  Otherwise, I feel great.  My skin is beautiful (no more hormonal puffiness or breakouts).  

    I wouldn't fret too much about it and I know that I would never do hormones.

    Lorrie 

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited November 2009

    I still have breakouts, so I am not 100% there yet.

    I went through chemopause which came ended with a vengence within weeks of ending chemo.  I ended up having Novasure procedure because I went over a year with heavy frequent periods after chemo.  That;s why I won't have the most common sign that menopause is on it's way. 

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited November 2009

    I still have breakouts, so I am not 100% there yet.

    I went through chemopause which came ended with a vengence within weeks of ending chemo.  I ended up having Novasure procedure because I went over a year with heavy frequent periods after chemo.  That;s why I won't have the most common sign that menopause is on it's way. 

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  • carolynf
    carolynf Member Posts: 262
    edited December 2009

    Meece,

    I also went straight into menopause after I started chemo and have been there since!  I dealt w/major hot flashes that I finally told my onc. I needed to do something.  He put me on Effexor which has been a blessing for me.  Hopefully if chemo didn't send you to this point, that you may go thru the change with little side effects!

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited February 2010

    No, I went through temporary menopause during chemo but it came back soon after chemo was finished.  I had such heavy and irregular periods after chemo.  I let it go for over a year hoping it would settle down, but it didn't.  So, I had the Novasure procedure done which cauterizes the endometrial lining, and reduces or removes our period.  In my case I have no periods, but I know I still have the hormonal swings.  I had surgery for breast recon. 4 weeks ago and have had many times since, that during the night (not every night) that I wake up very hot.  This is not usual for me, so I suppose I need my onc to do the blood test to see if my hormones are in line with menopause.  I will also ask about Effexor.  Thank you for the information, that is what I am looking for.

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  • carolynf
    carolynf Member Posts: 262
    edited December 2009

    No problem.  I hope they can do something to help.  They say to cut down on caffeine and I only drink 1 or 2 cups of coffee in the morning and that can trigger a hot flash.  When I drink tea, it doesn't happen.  Alcohol will also do it.  I will stick to the Effexor until they hopefully go away completely!

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited December 2009

    I only drink one cup of coffee in the morning and maybe a glass of Pepsi in the afternoon.  A glass of wine every couple of days.

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  • t9jorda
    t9jorda Member Posts: 39
    edited February 2010

    Hi there, I too am TN, had chemopause... then a year later I unpaused, then went for a year and repaused for 12 months, then unpaused for 2 months, and repausing again for 6 months... So yes I have had menopause  3 times now... fun, fun, fun...
     
    I have had no mediation to help the on and off hot flashes... but two things make it much, much better... high doses of vitamin D3 (4000 icu per day), and regular exercise.  Coffee has no effect on me at all, I drink as much as I want.... but what does have a noticeable impact is alcohol... I can have one glass of red wine and I pay for it all night long, but I can have a light beer and no issues.  I chatted with a microbiologists who later became a  cancer Dr. he said that made perfect sense, as the wine has more sulfites.  I also find that by taking a couple of tylenol at bed time it puts me into a "deeper" sleep and I don't wake up from the hot flashes then... if I forget too... there is a big difference in the quality of rest I have had.  So simple changes have had big impacts....
     
    Best wishes to you...  
     

     
     
     
     
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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited February 2010

    t9jorda, thank you for your response.  My GP said that I could try Evening primrose for the hot flashes I had post surgery in November.  As soon as I purchased some, the hot flashes stopped.

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  • waniyetu1025
    waniyetu1025 Member Posts: 19
    edited March 2010

    I went into menapause as soon as they started gving me Chemo, its been 2 years now and I still have Hot Flashes.  I sweat a lot at nite and still carry a fan with me. I am miserable also very moody can't stand myself sometimes. My Dr says there is nothing for it especially us TN's. How much of that Evening primrose do you take so I can try it.  Are you sure its safe for us?

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited March 2010

    I bought it but haven't tried it yet, because the flashes stopped.  But I spoke with my oncologist on Thursday.  She said that they never recommend hormones, but there are some TNs that take them anyway.  I said no way for me.  But she didn't think that Evening Primrose was a bad idea, and she also suggested Black Cohash as an alternative, when the flashes do come back.  Since the first option out of her mouth was Black Cohash, I think I would try it first.  My onc is quite active in trials and studies for TNs.

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  • waniyetu1025
    waniyetu1025 Member Posts: 19
    edited March 2010

    Meece,,,,thankyou I will try this. You are right about not using any hormones for us TN's.  You seem so young, what I worry about is what kind of birth control will you be using especially when your so young. I had a child 4 year ago a girl, 2 years later I get this Cancer.  I breast fed her which I thought was a good idea, now Im hearing cuz I was 46 at the time and breast feeding her COULD of caused this cancer.  No Breast Cancer in family.  Now I did not take the Brac1 or 2 test. They did not recomend it.  I do have an older Daughter to she is 24, scared for both of them. I keep telling her no birth control, now shes pregnant.  What do you do for birth control...gee what advice to give to my girls.

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited March 2010

    My 47th birthday is tomorrow.  Not feeling too young about now.  I had my tubes tied when I was finished with childbearing in 1991.  And had Novasure done in 2005.  Because of this, I have no periods so I don't know when menopause will actually set in.

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  • buccaneersdj
    buccaneersdj Member Posts: 241
    edited May 2010

    Question...I am TN and went into chemopause pretty quickly during treatment (TAC) hot flashes galore. About 4 month PFC I got my period back VERY heavy and lasted about 10 days...no warning sign it just showed up....so I waited....another 28 days go by ( my periods before chemopause were very consistant every 28 days) nothing, I have cramps really bad I know it's coming but it takes another 13 days to start and is heavy (super tampon with pad back up only last about 1.5 hours...period only 5 days this time. Then 18 days after that I just started again...bad cramps like when I was a teenager, what is going on has anyone else had this happen?? {{{HUGS}}}

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  • buccaneersdj
    buccaneersdj Member Posts: 241
    edited May 2010

    PS: I am 40 years old

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  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 19,483
    edited May 2010

    Once my periods came back after chemo ended, it was very heavy and very irregular.  More like every 21 days lasting 10.  I ended up having the Novasure procedure which is for Menorrhagia.  I went through over a year of the craziness before I made the decision to do this.  I am so happy I did.  I was 40 at dx, and had the procedure at 42.

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