DCIS and birth control pills

At most, birth control pills are thought to "slightly" increase breast cancer risk. According to the information about risk factors on the Komen site, birth control pills increase risk by 10% - 30%.  After a bilateral mastectomy for DCIS, your risk of a recurrence or new BC is 1% - 2%.  A 30% increase would take your risk up to 1.3% - 2.6%.  Even if taking birth control pills doubled your risk, this would take your risk up to 2% - 4%.  If you can live with your risk at that level, then it seems reasonable to go ahead and take the birth control pills, if they will help your quaility of life. 

Edited to add the link to the Komen info about the BC risk associated with birth control pills:  http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/CurrentorRecentUseofBirthControlPills.html

Hi Gran,

I have very similar problem as you during period starting this Feb. So I went to see a Gyn and started on birth control pills on the 5th day and was taking Cyklokapron as needed. I also have a few fibroids that have made my uterus enlarged (3 months pregnancy size, did you have your size checked?). So I am thinking to have a complete hystere but you are trying to avoid that. I know there is a lot side effects to have a hystere but it seems we do not have other options, other than taking birth control pills.

In fact, I was blaming pills for my BC. After I started to take pills, I noticed i have bloody discharge from one breast then my BC was diagnosed. 

Could you share some of your thoughts not wanting to have hystere? Meg.

Gran

I understand your situation.  I had DCIS, too....and I was on the same birth control pill you are taking for 10 years.  My doctor told me no more (but I still have one breast).

In re to heavy periods, have  you thought about uterine ablation?  If you are not planning on any more pregnancies, this may be an option for you.

I had a total vaginal hysterectomy with bilateral oopherectomy 3 weeks prior to my unilateral mx (June 2 and then June 28).  Due to a prolapsed uterus that was causing many bowel/bladder problems and a strong family hx of cancer (my mom died of ovarian ca; aunts with breast cancer) and my age (51) and no periods.

I have NOT gained weight and my belly is as flat as ever (I had 2 c sections 20+ years ago and have a horizontal scar in the pubic area, but not fat flap there either).  Prior to surgery I was in great shape, but I am more physically active now than before and feel much lighter in the abdomen.  I was very scared of all the SEs you talked about and none came true for me.  I have taken a single progesterone shot to deal with hot flashes and that has been successful.  Yes, sex was painful at first, but it's fine now.  

I am not trying to convince  you to have a hysterectomy, but I wanted to share my experience with these surgeries.  I was shocked when I found out I had to have a hysterectomy, very apprehensive, but now I feel like I am 25 years old again!  I did not know how miserable I was.  I got alot of support from www.hystersisters.com, also.

I wish you the best in your desire to maintain an active and fulfilling lifestyle!   Your spearfishing and freediving sound exciting!!

Good input above; I would add that I don't buy the current statistics that the pill doesn't substantially increase risk. Anything that floods your body with synthetic hormones is going to screw your body up in ways that the industry will never admit to unless forced to. So, I personally will never, never, never again take birth control pills. I would have the fibroids surgically removed or uterine ablation etc. before I'd have a hysterectomy or (worse) take any type of synthetic hormones.

i was wondering this as well..my med onc said there was no evidence to support increased risk since i had bilat mastectomies.. i use primarily for birth control and to regulate my cycle..have been on them since i was 18..and was diagnosed at 40.. i had switched a few times due to migraines and for the past few years was taking aviane..its low dose i belueve...  lord knows i am second guessing everything now...so did u guys ask ob or med onc???

Hi Gran, I  had DCIS in the right breast and was estrogen and progesterone positive. The oncologist I saw and the breast surgeon told me that I shouldn't use birth control. But there will always be differing opionions among health professionals. I didn't want to take the chance. Even though there is very little chance that after having PURE DCIS and a bilateral mastecomy of getting cancer again, I didn't want to take the chance. I was 42 at the time of diagnoses and 43 at the time of my BMX with node removal.

I had my BMX and node removal on 1/11/11. I, too, had horrible periods like yours, but not even close to being that bad. I had more pain issues. I decided to have my ovaries, tubes removed as well as a total hysterectomy in November 2011, ten months later. I would absolutely never recommend getting them both at the same time. I found that after the BMX, I needed the belly and leg muscles to crawl out of bed, get out of the chair, etc. That would have been too much all at once. (The oncologist I saw told me to get it all done at the same time but he is not a surgeon.When I talked with the surgeon, she said that in no way did she recommend getting all that surgery done at once and I am so glad I listened).

I consulted with a good ob-gyn in my area, and he gave me information and totally left the decision up to me. I figured I would hit menopause someday anyway so why not get it all over with. There are some things to think of that I learned: hot flashes suck but I have found ways to deal with it and they are certainly not as intense over a year later. Having the worst hot flashes during the winter is much better than the summer (I didn't get immediate hot flashes, mine started when the estrogen I had left ran out, although there is some estrogen left in the body), my sex left went south (not that it was that good anyway, my partner has erectile dysfunction and after the cancer things changed with me, especially after the hysterectomy and ovaries and tubes removed. But we are both ok with the way things are.), my skin got drier but I just use lotions and moisturizers and make sure I stay hydrated, my hair changed (or it could be all the extra gray that came in lol), I need to get periodic bone density scans ( I am getting my first next week), and as with getting older etc etc it is harder to keep the weight off, although if I ate better it would probably help.

So I am glad I got mine out. When they biopsied my uterus, I remember the doctor telling me I had some kind of fibroid or something, I can't remember the name of it now, but that could have been raising havoc with my periods.

We each have to get the information we can, look at the facts, and try to decided what is the best course we want to take. For each one of us, we take our own path to get to the decision on what to do and make our own final decision. For some it easier, for some it is harder, and everything inbetween. It doesn't make any one better than anyone else. We are all just trying to get through the journey the best we can.

I wish you all the best. Let us know how you are doing.