What is going on with my hormones?! Postmenopausal but...

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ShetlandPony
ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
edited June 2019 in Stage IV/Metastatic Breast Cancer ONLY

I’m flummoxed. Has anyone had a similar experience to this? In the past couple weeks my breasts feel sore like they used to before my period, and the nipples are sensitive. What the heck? This has not happened since I started Tamoxifen in 2011, then stopped that and got punted into menopause by Taxol almost five years ago. I am no longer of an age to be premenopausal. This is scaring me because of the risk of progression or a new primary if my estrogen levels are high. I thought it might be a rare side effect from an acid-reducing drug I took for about a week, but I stopped that several days ago. Now I wonder if my new pex plumbing is leaching hormone disruptors into my drinking water, or if the water in my new neighborhood is contaminated with estrogen. How can I tell and what can I do about it? Any other ideas? I’m worried.

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited April 2019
    Bump.
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  • LoveFromPhilly
    LoveFromPhilly Member Posts: 1,308
    edited April 2019

    hi Shetland,

    I’m sorry for the worry you are experiencing. I don’t know why you would be having estrogen-like symptoms but perhaps since you aren’t currently on any type of estrogen suppression (I hope I’m understanding correctly) that you are having an estrogen/hormonal flare?

    Our bodies are not totally rid of estrogen after menopause. We still make some amount of estrogen in our adrenal glands and fatty tissues.

    Maybe make a call to your MOs office tomorrow? I think that we really have to be proactive in our care. Our bodies are our indicators. If something seems odd, then let the MOs know so they can evaluate and decide if something needs tweaking.

    Keeping you in my thoughts

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited April 2019

    Thank you, IchangedMyName. (Great name!) Yes, I told my onc that I was going off the temporary acid reducer and why. But you are right, I should tell her my estrogen symptoms have not gone away. Maybe I should check in with my gynecologist as well. I have lost several pounds lately (moving house) so I have even less fat on me than before. Now that I think about it, no hot flashes in the evening these days, either. I wonder if slowing down after the grueling six-month process of house selling and buying, and moving, could be causing an estrogen flare. Crisis over, let’s make happy hormones! You are correct, I am not on endocrine therapy. The cancer seems resistant to it at this point. But it seems to me that could change, or a new tumor with different biology could develop.

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  • JFL
    JFL Member Posts: 1,947
    edited April 2019

    Shetland, I do find myself having a mini estrogen surge when I go off hormone therapy and also more recently when I went off chemo and onto a targeted therapy. I had my ovaries removed at dx so do not produce any estrogen from ovaries. I recall there was a woman on these boards once that had very high estrogen levels despite no ovarian function and her doctors determined it is from her adrenals. I have never had my levels tested since I had ovaries removed but wonder if that may play a part in some of the occasional hormonal symptoms I experience.

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  • SandiBeach57
    SandiBeach57 Member Posts: 1,617
    edited April 2019

    Shetland, you start the most interesting topics.

    I am on Letrozole (stops estrogen from forming) and I get occasionally hot flashes like when I was dealing with chemical menopause 10 years ago..thank you Tamoxifen). I just think it is odd since I have NO estrogen production. I have to research to see if other hormones are still being produced..hmm.

    I had bilat mastectomy, so can't compare on the breast/nipple sensitivity issue. But you are on Xeloda, so aren't you producing tiny amounts of estrogen? Is that causing it?

    Let us know what your MO says.

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  • Daniel86
    Daniel86 Member Posts: 271
    edited April 2019

    I am no expert but if I dont recall incorrectly estrogens are produced by fat tissue and in minor quantities by other glands other than ovaries (adrenal glands and liver too).

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  • Frisky
    Frisky Member Posts: 1,718
    edited April 2019

    Shetland...as far as the quality of water is concerned, I use a distiller and then carbon filter that water with a brita filter to remove the chlorine. Its the only way to make sure the water is clean of all chemicals, and since I supplement all the minerals daily, I'm not concerned about the loss of minerals due to distillation.

    I use that water For everything short of showering

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  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited April 2019

    Shetland, what about asking one of your doctors to test for the level of estrogen in your body? Then at least you'll know if your symptoms are from that cause or from something else.

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited April 2019

    That's a good idea, pajim. I emailed my onc and will try to call my gyn soon. Miao, setting up our water filter is on the post-move to-do list. I don't know whether it works for hormones in the water or for BPA etc. I hope so. Daniel and Sandi, you are correct that there are a few ways estrogen gets produced in the absence of ovarian function. When I went off letrozole I really appreciated having a small amount of estrogen back. I no longer felt I was so injury-prone and achy. But the question is why do I feel the estrogen has recently gotten higher? JFL, when you say adrenals it makes me think of reaction to stress. It would be interesting to learn more about that.

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited June 2019

    Update: My breast soreness gradually went away. It's a mystery. If it happens again, I will request blood tests.

    Regarding drinking water, if what I read is correct, carbon filters do a pretty good job, getting rid of maybe 80% of estradiol from tap water. DH got the three filters installed, and we got a lead-free faucet.

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