Is HRT working for anyone who has had Ovarian Cancer

[Elizabeth]

I was told by two Consultants and my GP that no way was I to be

precribed HRT after my Cancer, I am 54 and now suffering like mad with the sleepless nights, hot flushes and bad mood swings.

Anyone got any ideas.

[Irene]

Elizabeth, I had a hysterectomy and ovaries removed due to cancerous cysts. This was just after my 40th b'day. The hospital relayed the news that I would have to undergo 6mths chemo and sent me home for xmas with the treatment to start in the new year. I did tentatively ask, whilst in the hospital, whether I should be receiving a supplement for the hormones which would be missing but this wasn't really answered. Anyway I went home and had a nightmare time. What with recovering from major surgery and with the prospect o 6mths unpleasant treatment what I didn't need were the symptoms which you describe in your question. I thought I was going crazy. I visited my gp but they declined to get involved as I 'was under the hospital'. I hung it out until my New Year appt and mentioned it straight away and it was then apparent that they'd forgotten to give me anything. So I started my Premarin which I've now been taking for 17yrs. My difficulty is that the docs read something new in the BMJ and try to stop the HRT. My GP is always carrying out a review and the gynae follow up at the hospital is alway a full blown discussions on my risk of breast cancer etc. I did, of my own accord, reduce and semi stop the tabs about 7yrs ago but the symptoms came back with a vengence so I started up again. As I understand it whenever I stop the tablets the symptoms will return and disappear as your body gets used to being without. This will happen whether I was 50, 60 or 70. As I had a busy job I decided that I needed to be symptom free. I've now taken myself out of the workplace but still continue with HRT. I have regular mamograms and carry out my own regular breast exams. I've got fed up with conflicting advice and go by what I feel is good for me. I have been told that mamograms are no good whilst you are on HRT as the HRT makes for dense breast tissue. I've then been told the complete opposite. I had an in depth discussion with the Professor in charge of my op/case and he said to me that his wife is on HRT and if he tried to take them off her she'd fight him for them! That's good enough for me.

It's difficult but I think you will have to try again with your GP. Ask the reasons why they won't prescribe HRT. If it doesn't convince you then ask for a second opinion. The way I viewed it was that there is a wide age band for menopause to commence. If I hadn't had the op I could have started the menopause naturally at 50 or 60. The docs don't know what age was appropriate for me. It was also a battle for me as I had previously suffered a large pulmonary embolism following the birth of my second daughter via emergency caesarian.

At some stage I'll no doubt be ready for the hot flushes and all goes with that but I'm dealing with my long term Hashimotos thyroid disease at present and giving up HRT is not on the cards for me yet. Hope this helps.

[AnneS]

Elizabeth, I'm also 54. I had a radical hysterectomy and ovaries removed 12 years ago as part of my treatment for ovarian cancer. I had my first hot flush less than 24 hours after surgery and was immediately started on oestrogen only HRT.

Over the years I've reduced my dose and treid coming off it a couple of times. However, although I'm now down to the lowest daily dose I'm still on it. my latest atempt to stop was last year but after a few weeeks symptoms returned (although milder). My GP is relaxed about me staying on until I'm 55 (at least). She feels that a natural menopause would have occured around 50 (it's just a guess) - and the wisdom is that you're no more at risk on HRT until 5 years after you'd have had menopause naturally. And even then it's a risk not a fact. Also single hormone HRT for those of us without wombs is much less risky(as I understand it no additional risk for breast cancer) than the double hormone that other women take.

HRT suits me well and makes life much more comfortable - it also has some protective benefits - e.g for bones. I'll continue to try cold turkey from time to time - but until then it's a calculated risk for quality of life.

All the best.

[pixie]

Hi Elizabeth

I had my surgery 10 months ago. I was just turned 46. The hospital barely addressed my menopause. The Nurse Specialist said to me, "We wouldn't usually consider HRT for a woman of your age." (So at what age would they consider it, given that I could have reasonably expected to go another 5 years or so before a natural menopause?) She vaguely & briefly mentioned that Evening Primrose Oil is useful, and that there are lubricants available at Boots should I need them. And that was it.

I started with night sweats straight after my surgery, so I tried the Evening Primrose and found that really helped. I haven't been bothered much by hot flushes since, although I'm not sleeping as well as I used to. I wake in the early hours and justdoze after that til it's time to get up. I haven't had any problems with mood swings (in fact I'm much calmer that I used to be!) but my memory and brain function feel really rubbish (although that could as easily be chemo after effects).

So i might just be quite lucky - some women do have a fairly trouble free menopause. But I do think the Evening Primrose has helped (Holland & Barrett or Boots).

Good luck.

Gael

[Kerry]

Hi Elizabeth

As you may well know the consultants base their decision on a few things - first whether your cancer was hormone receptive - if it was forget HRT and your age. I think they consider age 52 to be the mean average age of the menopause so there is the other major reason they haven't put you on it. I was 37 when I went through surgical menopause and believe me it hit with a vengence - I was advised red clover as another natural remedy by the hospital while I was waiting to be put on HRT. You can also get natural estrogen through foods. There's a great website you can refer to called surmeno.blogspot.com/ it's written by intelligent women who have done LOADS of research so you'll find all the info you could ever possibly need there - I hope - including how to protect bones etc as a drop in estrogen etc isn't just about hot flushes and night sweats there are other factors to consider and things you can do about it too. Hope this helps.

love

Kerryxx

[pixie in reply to Kerry]

Kerry - thank you so much for posting the link to the surgical menopause blog. Just a quick scan of it has highlighted for me problems that I hadn't realised were menopause related. Why didn't they tell me any of this at the hospital? Why didn't my GP pick up on this when I've talked to her about joint aches? I'm really quite flabberghasted!

Gael x

[Lupatria]

hi there

i'm now 63 and had a total hysterectomy in 1995 when i was 48 owing to ovarian cancer.

i went into menopausal symptoms almost immediately and was put on to hrt - patches at first but as i'm allergic to them, i had my first implant in 1996. i'm still having implants every six months even now and there's been no talk of stopping it.

i decided that the benefits of hrt outweighed the bad things - while there's a small risk of me developing breast cancer, i am protected against osteoporosis which is something i don't want to have.

perhaps another conversation with your consultants and gp might reverse their decision. i was only discharged from the hospital in 2005 after ten years of blood tests and scans on an annual basis.

good luck - the hrt is well worth fighting for. and i'd recommend the implant as the least "bothersome" of methods.

best wishes.

pat

[beckyh]

Before you make a decision about HRT you should find out whether your tumour is progesterone or oestrogen receptive. They test your tumour to see if either or both of these hormones make your tumour grow. If you don't know ask your consultant. My consultant gynea/onc advised against me taking any HRT because my tumour is strongly receptive to both. I was 46 when diagnosed and like many of you have had a tough time with the menopause and it's symptoms. For me, however, it is a no brainer - I'd rather put up with the symptoms than risk a recurrence by taking HRT. Each of us has to make our decisions but please make sure the choice you make is informed and you clearly understand risk over benefit.

Beckyxx