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[Ljp]

Hi,
I've had Mirena coil for a year now, using as progestogen part of HRT along with oestrogel.
I typed in Mirena and breast cancer on google and there awful stories on the breast cancer forum.
Does anyone know of any links to breast cancer when using Mirena fir HRT?
I've booked to see my GP on 3rd Jan, and am wondering whether to have it removed? Either try without any HRT or see if I can have utrogestan instead?
Thoughts please, I'm feeling scared.

[Tinkerbell]

I think that risk is with any progesterone isn't it? I read that any link with BC and progesterone is possibly less with the Mirena because it is a smaller dose.
I shall not be getting mine removed as I couldn't function with utrogestan and my life would be in unbearable without my HRT.

[CLKD]

What have you read that worries you?  If there was an increased recent alert then your prescribing Doctor would have been in touch!

Do you really want to return to symptoms?

[Tinkerbell]

Trouble is a lot of women use the Mirena and sadly BC is not rare. When people suffer with any illness you obviously look for a link.

[CLKD]

Better to ask your GP or Consultant who should have up to date info. to hand ;-).  I never read anything whislt under-going radiation etc..

[Ljp]

I got worried as someone on a menopause Facebook group I am on was asking about mirena as her gynaecologist has suggested it for her heavy periods, and someone said they would never have it due to increased breast cancer risk, so I googled breast cancer and mirena coil and read some scary stories on the breast cancer forum which have frightened me

[CLKD]

That 'someone' could be a troll intending on upsetting people?  What have you decided.  There are risks in everything we do or take ………. are you able to make an appt. on line to speak with your Practice Nurse or GP in the New Year?

[Ljp]

I have appointment with my GP in 3rd January

[CLKD]

I didn't read it properly, sorry  ……. how do you feel this evening?

[Dancinggirl]

Ljp - The risks for Breast cancer with any HRT is actually very, very small.  The Mirena may in fact be even less of a risk than other HRTs which are taken orally, as less progesterone is circulated around the body. 
Please, please, please don't worry about any risks -  if you are using HRT past the age of 60 then the risk factors do increase slightly. 
If you are getting on with The Mirena OK then that's great -  it is often the best way to control problematic bleeding and as part of a bleed free HRT regime.  DG x

[Ljp]

From my understanding the majority of cases re Mirena and bc, it's when the Mirena is used alone for heavy periods, not as part of HRT.
But still worrying to read

[Dana]

What's happened here is that you've got a fear and then you've used Dr Google to confirm that fear. Basically if you wanted to confirm that the sky was purple you'd probably find sites that would confirm it.

There are people who will find a reason to blame hrt for everything, and that's what this person sounds like. If hrt was such a cancer culprit why do women who have never taken hrt get it?

What you do is make decisions to make your life better now. We have no control over the future.  If you feel your life would be okay without hrt, fine, but my life would be sh**, so I'm staying on it as long as I can, even though I also have to deal with progesterone.

[matildamouse]

I agree with many of the others. I am willing to take the risks of HRT in order to have a quality of life. Life without HRT was hell. My GP who is very pro-HRT and uses it herself made a comment regards the fears of breast cancer and HRT in the line of " I am more scared of dementia due to a lack of estrogen than breast cancer. Breast cancer can be treated but what do you do about dementia"...

[Ljp]

Thank you fir the replies, it's just my overthinking and anxiety that takes hold occasionally, and spirals out of control, and I feel guilty for using HRT and not just weathering the storm.
Your replies do help bring perspective and rational thought 😊

Christmas is never a great time as I lost my mum 9 years ago today, to cancer, not breast cancer, she had non Hodgkin lymphoma, but still doesn't help my over anxious thinking

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas xx

[Dancinggirl]

Ljp - your anxiety is your biggest enemy.  Dr Currie actually posted that it's not necessarily HRT that causes breast cancer, it's just that if you develop BC then HRT may make it develop faster.  There are so many fundamental flaws with the major study on HRT and indeed with most studies - most set out to find certain things which doctors suspect and naturally the outcome may prove them right because that's what they are looking.  The problem with any study is that they don't often look at the total picture, as lifestyle and genetics have such big parts to play and this part of any study is anecdotal e.g. people taking part in studies won't necessarily admit they drink too much alcohol or rarely take exercise.  Unless you have a close relative e.g. mother/sister, who have had oestrogen receptive BC the risks are very small.  BC is also very treatable, particularly if caught early whereas oesteoporosis is more challenging to treat and can have devastating effects on quality of life longterm  - think of the benefits for your bones you get from HRT ??!!
As for feeling guilty about using HRT and not riding the storm -  you have simply got to get over this - I believe it is a weakness to feel guilty  - I get very angry with people who won't use atreatment for any condition that is treatable as it's simply not fair to those around them .
Have a good Christmas and stop browsing the internet or listening to women who don't have meno symptoms that tell you all the scary stuff.  I am 60 and I now just use local oestrogen but when I mentioned to a friend I had decided to stop the systemic HRT a few months ago she said “I am so relieved to hear that, you don't want to be taking that poison” - I didn't try to put her right, as for some people the menopause isn't a problem. DG x