HRT users diagnosed with breast cancer

I was diagnosed at age 63 and had been on HRT 19 years. Of course I had heard about the risk of BC but always thought the benefits outweighed the risks. Wish I had tried some alternative natural treatments instead. Ah, hindsight!

My sister was on hrt before her diagnosis. Our mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer but my sister received no information from her gyn. regarding increased risk of breast cancer. In fact the Dr. told her she could stay on it the rest of her life as far as the she was concerned. When diagnosed, her tumor was 4.5 cm. I guess we'll never know if the hrt caused the cancer or if it caused it to grow faster... since I was also diagnosed and had never been on hrt. My gyn (unlike her Dr.) had warned me to never use any type of hrt and to even be careful with any over the counter products, foods with soy, etc.

I was on HRT for a few years—less than 5—when the big study came out in the news about the risks. I took myself off of it, but my gyn nurse practitioner at the time thought there was no reason for me to stop taking it and basically almost tried to talk me out of getting off the stuff. That was in my mid 50s, and I was 64 (now) at the time of DCIS dx. I don't know the latency period of HRT. But I have another little wrinkle in my medical history: as a young adolescent (maybe age 11-12), I was prescribed (by my pediatrician) large doses of estradiol (probably actually DES) for the purpose of limiting my adult height. It was kind of a thing at the time, because being a tall girl (I'm 5'9") was considered a severe social handicap back in those days. A little fact that I'd not really thought about for years until after my out-of-the-blue diagnosis with DCIS (no family history of BC). This is the same DES that has been linked to cancers in the daughters of women who were given it during pregnancy, and now also to breast cancers in women who took it, as well as a variety of reproductive problems. I have to wonder about the combination of that early, premature exposure to estrogen, along with a few years when I was also prescribed birth control bills in my late teens/early 20s, and then the HRT in my 50s, and then finally my pre-invasive breast cancer dx at 64.

On the other hand, my mother was prescribed HRT in much higher doses back in her day—at the time it was thought that HRT was actually beneficial to women's health in all kinds of ways—and took it for many, many years. She is now 93 and has never had breast cancer, or any cancer other than a few minor skin cancers.

I was on HRT for over 20 years. Am post menopausal now. Five years ago early stage uterine cancer Hysterectomy got it all -- and now IDC early stage. Waiting for MRI to be done tomorrow. It is mind boggling to see what everyone is putting into their bodies which can harm them and now I am convinced that this is one of those things.

Millions have benefited from HRT and will never get BC. I believe that I got BC because I have boobs.

A random mutation of stem cell division which can have contributing factors of age, environment, genetics, etc. will be studied for years more.

I would be doing my doctor a disservice if I tried to blame him for prescribing the HRT that helped me through some very physically challenging times.

I went on Premarin for about a year. Got a breast cyst. It was painful, was drained and tested. Benign. Went back on Premarin in Dec 2014. Several weeks later painful lump to right of where you think breast tissue end, under armpit. Everyone including Doc said "probably nothing, BC not painful usually". Sent for mammogram then ultrasound then biopsy. Cancer in the Axillary Tail of Spence. Breast tissue extends up towards armpit. Now awaiting surgery date and all the rest of treatment. Was is the Premarin? Whoknows?

Took birth control pills my whole life, from age 17 to around age 40.

I had HUGE fibroids, constant pain, and periods that lasted three weeks out of four. I wore tampons AND pads.

At 48, I started peri-menopause. The side effects were horrible. I had hot flashes every 20 minutes, and night sweats every 45 minutes. Finally, I lost my short-term memory.

Because my mom had BC, I was trying to avoid HRT, but my quality of life suffered so much, I decided to go on it. The minute I did, I got my "normal" life back. I stayed on HRT for ten years.

I was on a combination pill at first, then after my hysterectomy, went on estrogen only, til the age of 58.

I was dx'd with BC at age 60.

Cause and effect? Maybe. Crap shoot? Probably. Like SweetHope said, I think I got BC because I had boobs.

My mom took Premarin for probably 30 years before they recommended stopping it. So far the only person in our family who ever got BC was me.

I was just talking to someone the other day who had both Hodgekins and nonHodgekins lymphoma (sorry for slaughtering the name). She had stem cell therapy which sent her into menopause at 40. She is taking HRT. I don't know. I don't know if I could risk that given her background. I don't know if the other stuff makes any difference but having been through all of that, it would be hard to make a decision. I am still on the fence about Tamoxifen.

I was on BHRT for 3 years--2 years progesterone only (Progon and then added a bit of compounded estrogen cream (estradiol/estriol). I had horrible PMDD that started at age 40, and BHRT really "cured" me. After we added in estrogen, I started having tons of problems with cystic changes. That should have been a warning sign. My NP said it could not possibly be the estrogen, that it must be the progesterone. Then why was my breast tissue stable before we added it in--dense, but stable? I stopped it for a while and then tried very low dose--then "the lump" appeared. I stupidly thought it was another cyst, but in the back of my mind, it was nagging at me. Months later, finally diagnosed. TG it was a slow grower.

I was also on HRT for 15 years prior to my diagnosis.  I had a hysterectomy in my mid 30's.  I don't know if the HRT had anything to do with the cancer or not ... I just know it really sucked when I went cold turkey off the medication at age 51.

hugs,

Bren

My mom was 12 years on Prempro and premarin from the time she was 50 til 62.  At 58 she got ADH but no one told her to get off HRT.  At 66 she got full blown estrogen positive bc.  She passed of bc at 73.   I blame HRT.  Sometimes I think it's because I have to blame something or somebody.  Other times I really believe you just can't screw with Mother Nature.  What really irks me is that the drs. always told her HRT would protect her from arthritis (which her mom had in a debilitating form).  When my mom was first dxed with bc her oncologist told me "Your mom has the bones of a 30 year old!"  to which I replied "But my mom has cancer."  ((sigh))

mkkjd60, I am so sorry about your mom. I wish someone had warned me about dense breasts and HRT and the risk. Problem is with this disease--hindsight doesn't give a chance for a "do-over"! :-(

Deanna--oh, that is so upsetting! Esp. since your doctor knew about your sister. My doctor never even asked me about having dense breasts, so I was never told of the risk. Plus, she also claimed that bioidentical hormones are protective... uh, didn't protect me. I agree... grrrrrrrrrr.

I am not on HRT and never have been but I have been taking Xanax to sleep due to stress. I am trying not to take it more than 2 weeks at a time. So I am looking for other things to help me sleep. I tried this sleep meditation last night and it did seem to help a bit. I did wake up a few times but I was able to go back to sleep every time.

You need to practice it a few times. I think they key to this stuff if the deep breathing and focusing your mind on relaxing your body so you aren't thinking about your day and all that goes in it.

http://www.quietmindcafe.com/into-sleep.html