Birth Control Pills to prevent endometrial cancer

Hello,

I am a new member and glad to be here. I am 43 now and was diagnosed in 2004 at 40 with hyperplasia without atypia. My ob said we'd try progesterone for 90 days and do another biopsy and if it was bad then he wanted to do a hysterectomy. The 2nd biopsy was clean and he started me on birth control pills to prevent endometrial cancer. I don't like being on the pill. I started getting migraines and just recently narrowed them down to the pill - I have a 3 day headache starting Friday on the week I am off the pill. I spoke to the doctor and he is leaning toward the hysterectomy. In fact, he's been overzealous about it in my opinion. I can keep my ovaries and I am not in menopause yet.

Has anyone had experience with hyperplasia treatment other than hormones?

Thank you for any advice or help you can give me!

Yes, I was diagnosed at the age of 45 with hyperplasia w/o atypia. I had a D&C, after which my Dr. put me on BC pills. I started having migraines during the "sugar"pill week. Dr. then put me on seasonal, where you only have a period every 3 months. My biopsies were clean while taking BC pills. When I turned 50 I figured I must be in menopause and took myself off of the BC pills. Was all happy because no period for six months, then BAM... same problems as before. This past biopsy showed complex hyperplasia w/atypia. I had a D&C, which came back complex hyperplasia w/o atypia... Dr. sent all tissue to pathology. She thinks they snagged a polyp during biopsy. Anyway, I'm back on BC pills and will be having a hysterectomy in June. I'm in school full time and want to finish the semester.
I'm close to 51 and don't want to take any more chances. I figure the surgery will be easier on me at 51 than if I wait until I'm dx again. Plus, I don't want to keep taking BC pills. Sorry for long post. Just wanted to let you know that it worked for me until I decided to stop taking the BC pills.

Oh, I haven't had any problems with migraines while on seasonal...I can't remember what BC pills I was on before.

Thank you, Boxerowned! I'm having a very similar situation. I did make an appointment today to talk to my gyn about alternatives. Just like you my headaches start on the "sugar" pill week and they are like clockwork. I didn't think of the Seasonale pill, but that's an alternative. I figured I would stay on the pills until menopause happened and then, like you, go off them and take it from there. It feels good just to have made an appt. Oh, and I made one for a 2nd opinion, too.

I wish you the best of luck in June. Funny, I'm in school, too, right now and should finish up this Fall. Feels good to finally finish something for me. I don't need the degree for work, but it was a personal journey and it has been great.

You are in my prayers. Thank you for your help! mclnrl aka Jane

You are very welcome, Jane. Good luck on finding what works for you. I feel good about the decision I made, though my Dr. seems intent on taking my ovaries. No history of Ov Ca in my family, though I've had a couple of cysts that resolved on their own. Maybe my Dr. has seen enough Ov Ca that she feels as long as she's in there, might as well take them at my age I need to talk to her more. I will say I have seen other posts on this board of women several years post-menopausal that have cancer issues of the uterus and ovaries, so that may be driving my decision a bit.

I LOVE school. I should be done next December. Now that my kids are grown I'm doing something I've always wanted to do. I will earn a bachelors in legal studies. I want to work as a paralegal/legal assistant. I figure I have another twenty years to contribute and legal issues have always intrigued me. What are you working on in school?
In fact, I'm at school now and need to get over to the library.
Take Care,
Sharron

Sharron,

I imagine your semester is over now. Good for you with the legal studies. I find the law and the way we apply it very intriguing, too. I have just a final project to present (not until December) and I'll have finished a Masters in IT Project Management. Not that I am upwardly ambitious, but like you as a personal journey.
Tomorrow I see the doctor about the headaches and to talk about alternatives. He did not do a D&C last time. I didn't start a new pack of pills yesterday so I'm leaning toward doing a wait-and-see. If the bleeding starts again we can look at alternatives. If he is unwilling to converse about alternatives (which he has been in the past) I am going to ask for a consult with a gyn-onc. I have a strong family history of all kinds of cancer and I don't want to fool around.

I hope all is well with you. Did you talk to your gyn about keeping your ovaries? How did the D&C go? Best of luck to you! Thanks again, Jane

Hi Jane,
YES! My semester is over as of last Thursday. I've been a total bum this week, but that needs to end soon. My hysterectomy is scheduled for June 11, so there is much that needs to be done around the house. I intend to discuss the ovary option with my Dr. at my pre-op on June 6. I'm actually leaning toward letting her take them, but am still on the fence a bit. I'm still taking seasonal, though I've had a couple of mild hot flashes during the night and my moods have been all over the place. I don't know what that means. My Dr. handed me a sample packet of seasonal so I wouldn't have to buy one more prescription, but the date is good.
If you're not happy with what you are hearing from your Dr. it's good you are going for a second opinion. The only way to make the best decision for you is to know all of your alternatives. Did you have side effects with the progesterone? Is that something you can do again? I've talked to a couple of people on the boards that have problems and didn't want to take it, but it sounds like it worked for you.
Good luck with your appointment tomorrow. I hope you get the answers to your questions. Good Luck!
Sharron