Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Personal Experiences => Topic started by: jedigirl on February 25, 2015, 05:12:14 PM
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Today at work I was chatting to a colleague about menopause and she said she would never take HRT (after learning I was on it) because her Mum took it ,25 years ago, and died of breast cancer which she says they linked to HRT. I feel so shaken and upset by her comment and can't get it out of my head. I know I'm in an overly anxious place at the moment though physically i feel better on HRT. Its made me seriously doubt being on it at all, though i know at 45 I probably need it and the thought of coming off and being as ill as last year fills me with horror. Does anyone else take everything so to heart, I wish I could run away from peoples thoughtless comments sometimes :'(
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OH for goodness sake! it was 25 years ago!
If you GP has prescribed it then you are OK ;) - you need something to protect your bones etc.. What her Mum went through is totally un-related to your situation. Also, only a few cancers are oestrogen dominant.
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There's a risk yes, but maybe her mum would have got cancer anyway. My brother's first wife got cancer in her early forties, nothing to do with anything other than genetic link.
I've been told of potential risks, but life quality is more important to me.
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Thanks CLKD, am so cross with myself for letting it upset me so much but I guess i was having a down day anyway. I guess HRT still has a bad reputation to some xxx
Of course you're right cubagirl x
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This is YOUR journey …… why do you need to tell anyone :-\ - I don't. I take medication as my GP suggests. Nowt to do with anyone else …….. especially my Mother ;)
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CLKD, I was sympathising with her as she is also going through menopause and she brought the subject up. Shes on ADs for hers after suffering panic attacks so I told her about me being on HRT. I wont make that mistake again! :)
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If she is also going through the menopause, then she will also be feeling sensitive and maybe also not thinking straight due to that menopausal fuzzy-brain. It sounds as if she was just reacting badly because of her mum's death and not thinking how her remarks might affect you.
Your GP wouldn't be advising HRT if they thought it would be a problem. Just enjoy the quality of life it is giving you.
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Dorothy, thanks, yes I should be enjoying my quality of life and try to , just find myself unexpectedly floored by instances like this. I used to be a tough cookie! Long for those days ::)
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we do get sensitive ……… HORMONES >:( + not understanding how this Journey will be ……. perhaps you can support your colleague now that the shock is over ;)
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I would feel exactly like you did: very anxious andrecurring thoughts on the subject. I think it is unwise that she said such a frightening thing and you have a right to be bothered.
We do not know what type of HRT her mum had, how high the dose was and what her other lifestyle and risk factors were. For example, if her mom did not exersize at all and you do, that isa big difference.
Still, I hate when people do this and it has happened to me and sometimes the doctors themselves say frightening things and this is so irresponsible. (((hugs)))
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When I had breast disease I was offered the chance to meet with other patients undergoing treatment but I decided not to; did't want negativity ;)
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Sorry you have been spooked by this encounter. Your decision is right for you. Her risk doesn't change your risk. I can understand it wobbling you though. She cannot take it and will have a risk because of it, you can and have accepted your risk, so maybe it's all equal ;) Every choice has an element of risk, hope you feel a bit better now and are back feeling positive about your choice.
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What really annoys me is when someone has breast cancer, and it is known that they also took HRT, the HRT always gets the blame. What about all those women who get breast cancer, but have never taken HRT? What gets the blame then? HRT and breast cancer are not mutually exclusive. The other thing I find interesting that there are still so many doctors and women who would rather take potent and addictive drugs, like ADs and benzos, for menopause rather than take a natural hormone. It just doesn't make sense to me.
Anyway, chances are she was going to get the cancer with or without the HRT. Even if the HRT did cause the cancer, I would be interested to know how bad her meno symptoms were and how long she actually took the HRT. As we often say, it always comes down to quality over quantity. If I knew that taking HRT was going to shorten my life by 10-20 years I would still take it because taking the HRT has made my life liveable, instead of suffering from insomnia, depression, anxiety and hot flashes. That in itself is worth taking HRT for.
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Thank you all for your common sense and advice. You all make valid points and I'm grateful for that. I do find myself overreacting to things in a way I would have scorned someone else doing a year ago. I'm not me I guess. Dana you are so right that Hrt often gets the blame when it may have happened anyway . I know her Mum was taking Hrt for fibroids and wasn't having any menopausal symptoms at all but didn't ask any details as I was trying to cover up being upset! Also I guess HRT has changed in 25 years. Its often easy for others to say they'd never take it but I wonder if their symptoms were severe enough they would reconsider? Thanks again all xxx
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Hi jedigirl - you don't say how old this woman's mum was but the risks from HRT don't appear to begin until after the normal age for menopause which is 50/51. Up to this time you are merely replacing what you should have been making naturally. It is the thought to be the total overall years of exposing the body to oestrogen which leads to the small risk of some cancers developing.
I'd be interested to know whether the woman ever drinks alcohol? This carries a risk factor for breast cancer.
Try not to let it get to you any further.
Taz x :hug:
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Jedigirl
Don't let this get to you, we can all tell a story of someone who....
I will lol my twin aunts are both 60, one is clean living proper lady wouldn't even stand next to you if you had took a painkiller! the other a party girl smoking drinking meds anything to enjoy life. They both had breast cancer and saw same consultants. Of course the proper one they couldn't put the blame on anything and with the party girls lifestyle got the blame of it and she was on HRT. They gave her a hard time. Same type of cancer so when the consultant found out they were twins it was a bit confusing after being so adamant it was lifestyle choice that didn't help
X
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Thanks Taz, I know her Mum was 55 when she died but don't know about the alcohol. I know she wasn't menopausal but was taking HRT for fibroids which i never heard of before. Maybe thats changed somewhere over time.
Having said that my friend had breast cancer at 45 and never taken HRT. She is doing well 4 years down the line.
I guess I'm upset she was so insensitive as i would never say that to someone. Shes not known for her tact though!!
I'm trying to forget it but my anxiety is troublesome this week anyway. Hey ho! Will keep busy today. Hope your day is good too.
Interesting Millykin, thanks xxx
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Hope you feel better soon. Just a blip xx
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Generally I have been feeling much better Millykin, new regime of Utrogestan/Oestrogel suits me, I dont have that horrible nauseous dip or dizzy feeling. Anxiety is going to take more work i guess. How are you?
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I think that once the nauseous dip and dizziness goes you will have less anxiety because 1 can trigger the other ;)
I am sensitive 2-day - sorting through jewellery, I have far TOO MUCH ::)
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CLKD, I'm not having that dip since starting this HRT but the anxiety is falling at the same time I did feel like that previously. I can tell myself its hormonal but my anxiety remains.
Re jewellery;That's a nice problem to have!I've never really been a collector of jewellery myself, just my engagement, wedding and eternity ring to my name really. What will you do with your unwanted jewellery?!
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Sell it ……. we have a thread about antiques on here somewhere ::) ;)
How does your anxiety affect you?
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Hi JediGirl
this is the problems we all have with even mentioning peri (Whats That?) or Meno (Oooh dont mention that). I've chosen like CKLD not too due to this sort of insensitive nonsense comments.
It would be interesting if you found out if her mum smoked or drank alcohol as both are many times more dangerous to our Breast health. Most people don't think twice about doing these things but then raise an alarm at the mention of HRT!
Its just Nuts frankly.
Lets look at some of the details.
That long ago there was not the same ability to test for ER, PR, and Her2 types of Breast Cancer as they do now.
The Her2 was only being talked about at an academic level at the time your friend mentioned.
It is more likely that a doctor had alluded to the HRT somehow being the cause of her BC and that stuck.
Without knowing her mums lifestyle then its totally useless information.
I'm sorry that was the case for your friend but it sounds very much like looking for something to blame rather than a definite test was carried out and result received. This we can all understand but its not your fault.
To compare the risks as they understand them (lifestyle is not factored in also btw).
Out of every 1000 ladies smoking 500 will die from doing this. This is fact.
Out of every 1000 ladies using HRT 1 may get BC due to HRT (but this could be also be due to interactions with lifestyle also)
Unless they did a huge study of teetotal, non smoking, hrt using ladies then there is never a clear picture.
So tonight relax, enjoy a drink of choice and settle down to have a lovely evening and weekend.
Keep enjoying your renewed quality of life :)
:-*
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Take half a day at a time. For me quality of Life is important, after all I might get run over by that bus 2-morrow ;) so the effect of HRT etc. will never be known. We have to make informed choices and remember that other ladies are vulnerable ……….
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now we'll all being worrying about that bloomin bus CKLD ;D
:-*
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:rofl: ……….
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;D
Jedigirl I'm doing ok thanks for asking. I took a bleed this week and feel now I'm at end of it a little background anxiety first in a wee while I know it will pass though.
Fingers crossed x