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← Return to HRT after total hysterectomy due to uterine cancer
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HRT after total hysterectomy due to uterine cancer
Gynecologic Cancers | Last Active: Nov 15 8:47am | Replies (13)Comment receiving replies
@sbryant This is a tough question. Did you share your misgivings about taking HRT? Is this your oncologist who told you she believes it is safe for you to take HRT?
Everyone is different and we have to enter into this conversations with our own oncologists. With this collaboration with our doctors we can figure out what feels like the right choice for ourselves.
I was using vaginal estradiol prior to my hysterectomy for endometrial cancer (endometroid adenocarcinoma, Stage 1 at diagnosis). There continues to be controversy about vaginal estradiol however at the time my doctors told me and the research literature was clear that the estrogen in this formulation used vaginal is safe. It’s a small amount of cream and very, very little enters the bloodstream since it’s basically being used “topically” as in on-the-skin and externally. The estradiol worked for vaginal atrophy for me.
After my hysterectomy my gyn-oncologist told me that I should not use vaginal estradiol anymore. I shouldn’t use any estrogen products. My cancer was ER+ (estrogen receptor positive). While the estradiol did not “cause” my endometrial cancer she did not think it safe to continue to use. The radiation oncologist told me the same thing.
I was post-menopausal when I had the hysterectomy. I’d had insomnia ever since peri-menopause. It hasn’t been any better and in fact my insomnia has been worse over time. What to do? I use OTC products like melatonin, I try to practice good sleep hygiene, and when I have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep I get up and read. Yes, this insomnia is distressing but I have learned to accept it over time. And it isn’t every night.
I’ve shared a rather long explanation on my own experiences. I will say if I were in your place I’d ask my oncologist more questions and I might get another opinion from my gynecologist.
What do you think you might do?
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@naturegirl5 hi. I fear I’m going right into the same boat as you. I was also using estrodial and testosterone compounded topical cream, I stopped the progesterone formulated capsules bc they were too strong. I was worried about radiation. Did you do chemo? How was the radiation? Silly question I know. Did the dilators work? Sex life?
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Thank you for your response and explanation of your experience. I started HRT in an estradiol patch form along with progesterone. I wasn’t completely through menopause as I still had random bleeding. I was on HRT for roughly a year when I started spotting I went to my gynecologist and had an ultrasound and they didn’t see anything alarming. I went off all HRT for seven days and restarted it with a higher dose of progesterone, which seemed to have stopped the bleeding for about a week I called the gynecologist back and explained to her the bleeding had returned. She said they wait six months to do a second ultrasound at the six month mark I went in and had the second ultrasound which they could see some spots in my uterus as well as some thickening. They scheduled me for a hysteroscopy and DNC, which is how they found the cancer eight weeks later I had a total hysterectomy test, confirmed there were no other signs of cancer even the uterus only had pre-cancerous cells left three weeks after the surgery. The menopause symptoms came back full force, and I haven’t slept since I reached out to the gynecologist and she discouraged me from using any estrogen. She called my oncologist and my oncologist said she thought it was safe for me to use the estradiol patch again for 6 to 24 months and then wean off of it. I’m so torn because of the cancer. I have my postop hysterectomy appointment on August 5, which will give me the opportunity to speak in more depth with the oncologist. Thanks again for reaching out. I really appreciate everybody and anybody’s input so that I can make a conscious well-thought-out decision.