Decisions for our daughters

rc778
rc778 Member Posts: 56
edited June 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)

I'm not sure if this post belongs in this forum, but I visit here most often.  My mom was diagnosed with IDC at age 51.  I was diagnosed with DCIS, ER/PR+ at 41.  I have a 19 year old daughter who I constantly worry about.  I feel so guilty about passing on this family history to her (silly I know).  Anyway....she wants to go on birth control pills. She has very heavy periods and I've been putting her off for 2 years.  My breast surgeon and her Gyn both say it would increase her risk slightly, but if she does go on them, don't let it be for an extended period of time (I was on them for about 18 years).  They would be the low ER dose. I hate the thought of anything increasing her risk, but she's 19 and she's thinking like a 19 year old.  Anyone else have similar worries?  Thanks so much.  

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  • gumshoe
    gumshoe Member Posts: 248
    edited May 2012

    Hi rc778:



    I have a 21-year-old daughter who takes birth control pills. And while I do worry about her risk in general down the road, I don't really worry about the birth control pills specifically. Our physician didn't seem to think it was an issue, and all I can do is make sure she educates herself. Heavy periods are miserable enough :)

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  • stephN
    stephN Member Posts: 284
    edited June 2012

    I asked my oncologist about this exact thing (I have a 15yo).  Before the question ever got out of my mouth, she was shaking her head.  She told me that birth control pills, even low dose, would increase my daughter's risk, which is already elevated because of my cancer.  

    My daughter is very annoyed with me about this, but I won't waver.  I will take her to talk to my oncologist if it comes to that.  My periods were horrible too, so I understand (I had a hysterectomy/ooph this year at 43).  The thing is that at 15 (or 19 for that matter) even though my daughter was the one who went with me to my doctor appointments and was the one who really was with me through all my treatment, she doesn't get how bad cancer really is.  She still has that teenage idea that she's invincible.  

    I don't want to scare anyone.  Obviously plenty of people take BCPs, but there are also plenty of people getting breast cancer these days, too.  I think this is an issue worth talking about. 

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  • Shayne
    Shayne Member Posts: 1,500
    edited June 2012

    Both my sister and I took BCP in the mid 70s when it was high dose.  That is our common denominator as we have no other BC in our family, and lots of women.  My daughter will never be on bcps if I have anything to say about it - and i will.  

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