HRT after Breast Cancer? Maybe!

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mpetago
mpetago Member Posts: 92
edited July 2022 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

I just wanted to share this information I've found. The first is a book cowritten by an oncologist, Dr Bluming, called Estrogen Matters. The second is an article he just had published in Cancer Journal entitled 'HRT after Breast Cancer - It Is Time.' I would be happy to send a copy of the article to anyone as he was kind enough to send it to me after I contacted him with questions. The last is a link to a podcast about the book, where the authors both argue that the alleged dangers of HRT after menopause desperately need to be reexamined and reconsidered, and they do discuss that for breast cancer survivors as well at the end. https://peterattiamd.com/caroltavris-avrumbluming/

I know, it's everything we've been told to fear and avoid like the plague, and I am certainly much less sure about that now, especially since I'm currently suffering through abject misery related to onset of menopause. The research is cited throughout and it is an academic work, not some sketchy quack nonsense. Believe me, I'm the last person to go against science and medical treatment, but that's the point of his work, pushing for scientific questioning of current (but likely incomplete and outdated) thought and practice related to menopause. And encouraging women to continue advocating for better research and quality of life / health / treatment options, which I think we are definitely all about and experienced in by now.

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  • Fukcancer
    Fukcancer Member Posts: 32
    edited July 2022

    I was 36 when I was diagnosed. I had a lumpectomy, chemo 6 rounds of CMF, and radiation. I was really hesitant about doing chemo because I knew deep down inside it would cause a permanent problem. Well, despite taking lupron during treatment to protect my ovaries, I am now in menopause at 40 years old and have most of the bad side effects from it. I regret doing chemo every day. I refused hormone therapy due to the awful side effects of menopause alone. None of my oncologists were up front about the high risk of premature ovarian failure with chemo. What a joke.

    I just started taking bio identical hormones and am finally feeling some relief. It's not perfect and I still feel older beyond my years but I hope my body will improve with more treatment.

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  • mpetago
    mpetago Member Posts: 92
    edited July 2022

    I was 35 at diagnosis, ER+, PR-, Her2Neu-, and also had surgery, chemo and radiation, then five years of tamoxifen with lupron. I was told the lupron had to be added because nothing could seem to stop my ovaries. That finally stopped my periods, but as soon as I was done with tamoxifen, they were back like clockwork. Quality of life was diminished on tamoxifen but not intolerable for me, however, I felt AMAZING within about a month after finishing, and I now realize that was my body responding to the return of my hormones. I refused oophorectomy because I had heard too many horror stories, and so glad I did now that I'm at the tail end of perimenopause because it has been unbearable.

    All this time, I've been thinking my dropping hormones was just happening gradually and it was all good. Now I understand that's not how it works, even in natural menopause transition you fall off a cliff one day and the effects of menopause are many and can be profoundly disabling. After I entered a suicidal depression last April after about five years of gradually having little interest in anything and having numerous health problems develop, I was given various psychotropic meds that did absolutely nothing except make anxiety worse. I started researching perimenopause and menopause and was STUNNED. I've always thought the idea of insisting we live in a zero-hormone state for life to possibly, but not definitely prevent recurrence, seems heavy handed, and now I know this is true. I believe the thinking will evolve to provide people who've had breast cancer with HRT, as losing the protective benefits of estrogen substantially increase our risk of dying from heart disease, bone fractures and dementia, the top three killers of women. We've been taught to think of our hormones as the enemy, I think it's more of a frenemy, too much is a problem but so is too little. I'm also using hrt for about a month and the improvement has been dramatic. I tried to find a clinical trial first in the hopes of contributing to medical knowledge about this, but no surprise there are none going. For me, quality of life matters more than quantity at this point, and I am completely at peace with my decision and only wish I had started much sooner.

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  • 5kmc
    5kmc Member Posts: 11
    edited July 2022

    Hi mpetago and fukcancer

    Was so happy to read this today!! Diagnosed 8/21, 66 yrs old, so already menopausal. Did HRT for 10 yrs and was of course HR+ HER2 -. Stopped hrt a yr ago and omg I felt so much worse. No sleep, sweating all the time and that list goes on and on. Then was a good girl and did AI for 5 weeks, it was all I could stand. This is not the first time I'm reading about estrogen after cancer, so there must be something to it. I will definitely be getting Dr Bluming book. Thanks for this info, I need some ammo to maybe get my dr to listen to something other than standard of care or maybe I just need a new crew!!

    Karen

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  • mpetago
    mpetago Member Posts: 92
    edited July 2022

    I haven't figured out a way to post Dr Bluming's article about this in Cancer Journal last month, but will email if interested, just message me 👍

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