When you have hormone positive breast cancer, how to manage menopause?

Posted by sue417 @sue417, Apr 10 8:49am

Hi
I just finished breast cancer surgery and radiation I was taken off my HRT last October. I am 65 I have major menopause symptoms and wondered what women do that have had a breast cancer and are not allowed to take estrogen to get through this phase of life. I cannot sleep because of the hot flashes all night and now I have to start tamoxifen 5 mg which I'm hoping does not increase my night sweats I miss my estrogen/Progesterone and I'm at a loss. Is there anything you can take to help I just feel ill all the time. Anyone else have this kind of experience. I was on bioidentical hormones my cancer is estrogen progesterone positive HRT negative. My oncologist did put me on vagifem thank god for my bladder issues

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@sue417

Hi
Well that all sounds good. So are you doing g 5wks of treatment. My radiologist gave me the option of doing 20 treatments in 10 days or 4 wks I chose 10 days since I had to go out of town for my radiation

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Yes, 5 weeks. My radiologist just asked me if I could come everyday for that amount of time and I said yes. I just do half work days. I work part time anyway. So some days I am off completely. Those days I am not really tired at all ..lol
Are you going to be getting a mammogram every 6 months now , followed by an MRI? They told me I need to do
One mammogram a year plus one MRI a year.

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@christylv

Yes, 5 weeks. My radiologist just asked me if I could come everyday for that amount of time and I said yes. I just do half work days. I work part time anyway. So some days I am off completely. Those days I am not really tired at all ..lol
Are you going to be getting a mammogram every 6 months now , followed by an MRI? They told me I need to do
One mammogram a year plus one MRI a year.

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Hi
Yes for 5 yrs I have a mammogram once a yr, I don't know about an mri I will have to ask my oncologist this week when I see him

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@queenofjacks

I too had IDC & hormone positive & had to give up my HRT which I loved. If you are looking for something for hot flashes/sweat, VEOZAH is the bomb. It works & no side effects. The only problem is it’s $600 a month. You can get a card that will cut the cost from your oncologist or go online & sign up or see if your insurance will pay for it, Medicare won’t. Wishing you & all of us on this journey strength & love.

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The drug company may have a coupon or an assistance program. Check out. https://www.veozahsupportsolutions.com/patient-support

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@sue417

Hi
Thanks for the info but seriously are you kidding why can they not cover a medication for women when you are going through such a horrific experience in life cancer that's insane I will take the road of my naturopath. Again big pharma controlling.

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Please let us know what you found on naturopath that helps.

Thanks! Best wishes to all:)

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Hi
Wondering how people deal with their menopause symptoms when you have er/pr +bc. I was on HR T for 10 years. I am 66 I was taken off HR T last October when diagnosed with breast cancer period I am now having severe menopause symptoms headaches. Wicked hot. Flashes, depression, feeling like I want to cry all the time. Brain fog .Just wondering what others do for their symptoms when you cannot take HRT. I do not want to go on an anti Depressant. I am trying a tincture from my naturopath to balance My hormones not sure how long it will take to work

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@sue417

Hi
Wondering how people deal with their menopause symptoms when you have er/pr +bc. I was on HR T for 10 years. I am 66 I was taken off HR T last October when diagnosed with breast cancer period I am now having severe menopause symptoms headaches. Wicked hot. Flashes, depression, feeling like I want to cry all the time. Brain fog .Just wondering what others do for their symptoms when you cannot take HRT. I do not want to go on an anti Depressant. I am trying a tincture from my naturopath to balance My hormones not sure how long it will take to work

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I wish I had an answer for you. I am 58, been on HRT for 3 years. Just dx with same as you.
I've been off hormones for 4 weeks now. The hot flashed and night sweats are insane.

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@meeshodge

I wish I had an answer for you. I am 58, been on HRT for 3 years. Just dx with same as you.
I've been off hormones for 4 weeks now. The hot flashed and night sweats are insane.

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Hi
Have you had surgery or radiation yet?I did tamoxifen for 6 days it totally screwed up my system. I am not doing any other treatment.its horrid what these hormone blockers do to the body. I went to my naturopath so she put me on some drops to help clear out the effects of the radiation and reset my hormones. Will see how it goes. I am going on 9 weeks out from completing treatment.

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I was not on HRT but the aromatase inhibitors cause super menopause, even for those of us who had gotten through actual menopause. In my experience things eased up over time (months) but I realize that is not true for everyone. A naturopath recently suggested I take CBD and Curcumin for other ailments and I wonder if either would help. It sounds like a naturopath or functional medicine doctor could help. I personally felt committed to the full course of aromatase inhibitors but I was not coming off long term HRT which would mean a double whammy for you.

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@windyshores

I was not on HRT but the aromatase inhibitors cause super menopause, even for those of us who had gotten through actual menopause. In my experience things eased up over time (months) but I realize that is not true for everyone. A naturopath recently suggested I take CBD and Curcumin for other ailments and I wonder if either would help. It sounds like a naturopath or functional medicine doctor could help. I personally felt committed to the full course of aromatase inhibitors but I was not coming off long term HRT which would mean a double whammy for you.

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Hi
I do take cbd/cbn oil which is for sleep and helps my fibromyalgia and pain. The aromatase inhibitors also cause osteoporosis bladder issues liver issues . I know a lady on one of them. She's been on it 4 years now. Her rib cage is collapsing, Her hips have horrible Osteoporosis caused by the drug.
I already have osteopenia and osteoporosis in my spine with a compression fracture, plus tinnitus from going off hrt which helped it alot. So no my oncologist agreed not worth the risk. I am praying raduation and my surgeries are enough.

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@sue417

Hi
I do take cbd/cbn oil which is for sleep and helps my fibromyalgia and pain. The aromatase inhibitors also cause osteoporosis bladder issues liver issues . I know a lady on one of them. She's been on it 4 years now. Her rib cage is collapsing, Her hips have horrible Osteoporosis caused by the drug.
I already have osteopenia and osteoporosis in my spine with a compression fracture, plus tinnitus from going off hrt which helped it alot. So no my oncologist agreed not worth the risk. I am praying raduation and my surgeries are enough.

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@sue417 I had osteoporosis, pretty severe, and 3 spinal fractures when I went on letrozole. Most patients also go on Reclast but my doctor did not want to do that due to my afib (a risk that has since been debunked). I did letrozole for 5 years. Then Tymlos restored my bone density to a level better than before cancer treatment.

Some people with osteoporosis do tamoxifen, which doesn't affect bones and SERMS like that may help to maintain density at least.

I wonder why your friend's rib cage is collapsing on an aromatase inhibitor. Is she not on Reclast?

Tinnitus comes from the brain. I wonder why HRT helped. I am curious. I thought I would go crazy with new tinnitus a few years ago but my brain had adapted. Hope that helps you too.

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