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2 years ago removal of benign microcalcification cluster
Two years ago I had a micro-calcification cluster removed. It was benign. Last mammogram this past winter was clear. I am about to have a total hysterectomy with removal of ovaries. I will be in surgical menopause. My doctor is saying that he wants me on Estrogen after the surgery. My maternal grandmother died from breast cancer in her 50's and my mother died of ovarian cancer at the age of 40.
Your thoughts....
Your thoughts....
Thank you for your help.
I'm not sure what my next step will be, but I will continue my research.
I know that I need to exercise and eat healthy, but may even need to be more vigilant if I enter surgical menopause.
I feel comfortable not following blindly my doctor's opinion, but will look at all things as they pertain to my history...
Thanks again.
I'm not sure what my next step will be, but I will continue my research.
I know that I need to exercise and eat healthy, but may even need to be more vigilant if I enter surgical menopause.
I feel comfortable not following blindly my doctor's opinion, but will look at all things as they pertain to my history...
Thanks again.
Hi again, and thanks for the additional information.
I thought perhaps your doctor was concerned about the acute symptoms of surgical menopause, which can be extremely severe in very young women. At your age, you are still likely to experience symptoms related to abrupt menopause, rather than the more gradual tapering off of hormones associated with natural menopause, but probably not as severe as they would be for a woman in her 30s. (This varies from person to person, however.)
As you are probably aware, there is an association of increased risk for BC in menopausal women using combination HRT (estrogen and progesterone), esp. for lobular cancer. (I don't believe there is as much information re a link to BC when estrogen alone is used, but I could be wrong.) In the recent years since the trend has changed to using the lowest doses of HRT for the shortest possible time, BC rates in this country have dropped. Given your family hx, I can understand why you are concerned about following your doctor's advice regarding estrogen use.
There are other ways of dealing with hotflashes, vaginal dryness and other symptoms that may occur. Many BC survivors taking tamoxifen and related drugs have to deal with such symptoms without the use of HRT. If you do end up using HRT, it would be even more important to contol for as many other risk factors for BC as possible: achieving or maintaining a normal weight, using little or no alcohol, not smoking, regular exercise, and making sure you have an adequate level of Vit. D, for example.
Have you considered seeking a second opinion with another GYN? Or even seeking genetic testing to see if you are a carrier of genes that might put you in the high risk category?
Best wishes...
I thought perhaps your doctor was concerned about the acute symptoms of surgical menopause, which can be extremely severe in very young women. At your age, you are still likely to experience symptoms related to abrupt menopause, rather than the more gradual tapering off of hormones associated with natural menopause, but probably not as severe as they would be for a woman in her 30s. (This varies from person to person, however.)
As you are probably aware, there is an association of increased risk for BC in menopausal women using combination HRT (estrogen and progesterone), esp. for lobular cancer. (I don't believe there is as much information re a link to BC when estrogen alone is used, but I could be wrong.) In the recent years since the trend has changed to using the lowest doses of HRT for the shortest possible time, BC rates in this country have dropped. Given your family hx, I can understand why you are concerned about following your doctor's advice regarding estrogen use.
There are other ways of dealing with hotflashes, vaginal dryness and other symptoms that may occur. Many BC survivors taking tamoxifen and related drugs have to deal with such symptoms without the use of HRT. If you do end up using HRT, it would be even more important to contol for as many other risk factors for BC as possible: achieving or maintaining a normal weight, using little or no alcohol, not smoking, regular exercise, and making sure you have an adequate level of Vit. D, for example.
Have you considered seeking a second opinion with another GYN? Or even seeking genetic testing to see if you are a carrier of genes that might put you in the high risk category?
Best wishes...
Hi,
Would you mind sharing your age? That might be a factor in why your doctor wants you on estrogen.
Would you mind sharing your age? That might be a factor in why your doctor wants you on estrogen.
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