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Breast Cancer Survivor Looking for Pearls of Wisdom
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05-18-2005, 09:39 PM
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Guest
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Breast Cancer Survivor Looking for Pearls of Wisdom
My story is a bit long, even though everything has happened in the last 2.5 years. In a nut shell, I am a 40 yr old woman who has undergone 2 mastectomies. I have been diagnosed with something called Cowdens Syndrome, which is a chink in my DNA that makes me suseptable to cancer, my body won't fight it off. Because of Cowdens and my family history (mother, aunt, and uncle) all had breast cancer, I am scheduled to have my uterus and ovaries removed July 11th. I am very nervous of what menopause may bring. For four months I was on Tamoxifen, which I call the Drug from Hell! I held out as long as I could, then had to stop taking it. I became very emotional, couldn't do basic math, didn't trust any decisions I was making, avoided left hand turns, was the ***** from hell to my partner, and the icing on the cake, became suicidal. I am hoping that all of those things were due to a bad reaction to the Tamoxifen and not the so-called menopause state the drug kicked me into.
Soooo, I am nervous about my mood after surgery, so nervous that I am starting to take Prozac now. It was recomended to start a month prior to surgery. Since I can not do hormone replacement, I need to know about other drugs or herbs that I could take that wouldn't make my body produce estrogen.
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05-19-2005, 12:04 AM
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HysterSister
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Posts: 263
Hysterectomy: January 24th, 2019
Surgery Type: LAVH
Ovaries: Kept 1 or both
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Breast Cancer Survivor Looking for Pearls of Wisdom
Wow. I don't really have anything specific to recommend re. estrogen, but have to wonder why you say you can't do hormone replacement. Given all the other drugs your dr(s) put you on. Did your doctor tell you HRT is not an option, and if so, why?
Have you tried other methods of controlling your understandable nervousness -- acupuncture, biofeedback, focused relaxation, etc. (I know, I know, Oh So New Age, but maybe worth a shot?) I remember reading about studies done awhile ago that found that women in Third World countries don't experience symptoms of menopause anything like those of us in the more developed areas of the world do. I always chalked it up to the same symptoms self-diagnosed as either, "I'm having horrible recurrent blackwater fevers!" vs. "I'm having horrible recurrent menopausal hot flashes!" That is, what you expect to have, you have, and if the doctors don't expect you to have That, then you don't.
P.S. Several years ago my doctor considered putting me on Tamoxifen because of family history of breast cancer. At the time it was more of a drug trial. My stats fell just under what they were looking for so she backed off, and in any event I wasn't interested in taking experimental drugs "just in case". Thanks for backing me up!!
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05-19-2005, 12:53 AM
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Guest
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Posts: 584
Hysterectomy: June 21st, 2005
Surgery Type: TAH/SAH
Ovaries: Removed both
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Breast Cancer Survivor Looking for Pearls of Wisdom
HI Seattle;
Another gene mess here... add in a stroke. My family history is sister (bc/oc passed away), aunt (bc passed away), grandmother (stomach cancer) I can go back to about 1895 with it. What fun. I am in a very similair situation with the exception of the mastectomies. I however could not get the DNA testing to find out if I indeed inherited the genetic mutation.
Due to the stroke estrogen therapy is not recommended. And the genetic component doesn't help either. However, I was with my doctor (just today) and she recommended "FOR ME" to be put on a low dose estrogen patch and wean off of it. This is mainly to slow the menopause symptoms.
You may want to check the No-Hormone Desert Oasis for Menopause Management Board for more information on what you can use to help you. As well as the Hormone Jungle Menopause Message Board.
Hope they are of some help. I am finding them helpful.
Ces
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