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[Discombobulated]

New here - Breast cancer risk so can't take HRT - help please!
« on: January 19, 2018, 01:15:23 PM »
ReplyQuote


Originally as Cordelia3 but posted in the wrong place, couldn't delete the post, panicked and deleted my profile.  Not rational or the workings of an otherwise generally up together type of person....

I'm 48 and for the last 2 years have been waking up several times a night with sweats and in the day am overly anxious yet my periods have ramped up rather than waned.  They are at least every 3 weeks and last for 5 days - exceptionally heavy for 3 days.   I am taking tranexamic acid which does work.  Also taking Prozac.  Not entirely sure why but since taking it have been able to cope with the anxiety better.  Recently I have started having hot flushes which make me feel incredibly ill, bright red and sweating.  Not a good look for the classroom (secondary).  My carpal tunnel (long term issue) is shocking right now and often I find it difficult to write on the board without pain (generally I use powerpoints pre-prepared but when the computers don't work there is no choice).   
Due to being in a high breast cancer risk group (surgery last year found a number of 'markers' - LCIS and ADH/ALH) HRT is not recommended.
I walk / run regularly and eat sensibly.  What else can I do?  I'm contemplating stopping teaching for a bit until symptoms subside as it is all overwhelming.    Suggestions welcomed.  Local clinic would be Nuffield so a bit costly.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM Discombobulated

Your post is tricky to respond to as the best option would naturally be HRT  - but you unfortunately have the cancer risk.

ADs/SSRIs are the ‘got to' alternatives for women who can't have HRT, so this may be why you are on the Prozac - it could help to reduce menopausal PMT, anxiety and will often reduce flushes. It's obviously not working for you now!

You are in the peri menopause stage so your hormones will be fluctuating and giving more extremes with mood.  Erratic, heavier or lighter periods are again typical for the peri meno stage. I'm afraid this stage can go on for some years and menopause symptoms can last many years into post meno - we are all different and experience the menopause differently but this site can really help those 40-60% of women that struggle with meno symptoms - this forum is for us to support one another. 

Do read up all the factual info on this site to get more clued up on what is happening during this time.  The TREATMENT section at the top of this page includes, not just info on HRT, but also alternatives.

You are clearly doing all you can to help yourself and sadly GPs are seldom up to speed when it comes to helping us with meno symptoms.

My thoughts:
I've had carpal tunnel and I know how painful this is - I simply couldn't lift my arm above waist level for quite some time. I'm afraid rest is the best cure with this - it took 6 months for mine to settle.

The flushes could possibly be helped with a different AD/SSRI - a gynae I saw privately, told me that many women do well on Citalopram or similar SSRIs, so I would suggest you discuss this with your GP and try something different to the Prozac. This might also help with sleep.
Amitriptyline(or somethings similar) is good for nerve pain, so might help with the shoulder pain( although you need to rest that shoudler) and it can also reduce flushes and help with sleeping.  All these drugs will give some side effects and it will be trial and error before you find the right one for you.
If you feel a break from teaching would give you some breathing space and you can afford to take this time off, then maybe it would be a good idea. Could you go part time or just do some private tutoring for a while? Give your body time to recover, find the treatment that allows you to get on with your life and not have the pressure of trying to be OK on a day to day basis.

I hope that helps.  DG x

[CLKD]

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can worse during pregnancy so stands to reason that it can be affected at The Change.   Surgical intervention can ease symptoms.

Who told you that you can't have HRT? 

[Discombobulated]

Thank you folks - so glad I've found this as I was getting desperate....

CLKD - I've had surgery already for carpal tunnel (when I was 20) and have been having steroid injections but they've stopped working now...   My breast consultant and GP have said that I shouldn't have HRT due to the abnormal breast tissue growths. 

Dancinggirl - thanks.  I've got a GP appointment next week and will ask about alternatives.  I'm also going to start running regularly again (currently mainly walking) and making sure I really am eating the right things.  I thought if I kept a diary that would help to actually quantify what is going on and when so I can talk about it with someone more sensibly. 

Given the preparation we give girls (and boys) for puberty, it seems ridiculous that all this is such a surprise.  I have asked a few people and apparently they  'sailed through'.  I guess their children probably slept all night too......

Appreciate the responses.

[Hurdity]

Hi Discombobulated (Cordelia3)

  Don't worry about posting in the wrong place - Emma (administrator/moderator) moves threads if necessary and did move yours (as Cordelia3) from Forum Guide to new members! Anyway you're back now which is the main thing!

Sorry to hear about your symptoms and also being in a high risk group re breast cancer and HRT. I presume a menopause specialist has advised you this? If you are a teacher I can understand that you need to feel as well as you can in such a demanding job.

Fairly recently there was a consensus statement produced on alternative - non-hormonal treatments for menopausal symptoms and it was specifically targeted at women who had either had breast cancer or unable to take HRT for this or others reasons.

You might like to have a look at it here:
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2053369117711646?hootPostID=6690d93930a10b86869c48433ab506e7&

Just had a quick look and paroxetine seems to be the AD with best efficacy for menopausal symptoms at fairly low dose - for women not taking Tamoxifen so might be worth thinking about changing to this one if there is really no possibility of HRT?

If your periods have increased in frequency then you are probably at the Late Reproductive Stage when ovaries are still pumping out eggs but hormones begin to go a bit awry, and the next stage will be peri-menopause when your periods start to become pretty irregular with variable gaps in between. Sadly you are one of the unfortunate women who start to get menopausal symptoms at a very early stage ie the flushes and sweats. I presume you have been to do the doctor to make sure there is no other reason for these in terms of thyroid function, sugar metabolism etc?

Like Dancinggirl says - it may be wsie to have a break from teaching if you can afford to - and just get yourself back on an even keel if you can, and find a way to feel better for more of the time than not. Trying to teach with inadequate sleep must be absolute hell!

Do come back to us if you have any more questions.

Hurdity x

[Taz2]

Hi Discombobulated

Just to say that some women have great success with a drug called Dixarit (Clonidine) for the treatment of hot flushes when they can't take HRT.  It might be worth asking your GP. I found the hot flushes made me feel horrible. Nothing prepares you for feeling ill with them does it?

Taz x 

[Discombobulated]

Thank you all - GP appointment booked for Wed so I'll see what can be worked out.   I seem to be SOOOOOOOOO tired and forgetful as well at the moment  so I'm going with a list as there is no way I'll remember what I'm meant to be talking about.   

[Dancinggirl]

It's great to write things down - helps to get the best out of the appointment. DG x