Life after cancer and HRT

Hi Sssss 

I’m sorry you haven’t had a reply yet to your post-I saw it when you posted but unfortunately don’t have any experience to be able to share with you as I was already post menopausal at diagnosis.

My reply will give your post a nudge up to the top of the page again and hopefully some of the other ladies will be able to help you out. Fingers crossed!

Sarah xx

Hi Sssss

I completed the same treatment as you in December 2023, and like you this put me immediately into the menopause - within weeks i had terrible night sweats which effected my sleep and my face started getting really sweaty early evening which was really embarrassing for me when i tentatively started socialising again post treatment. I also felt quite low in mood although given the context of the shock of cancer,the treatment and then the worry if the treatment had worked i was aware there could be more than one causal factor for that.

I spoke to my GP about HRT and asked her to check with my oncologist re the safest option for me and since then i have been on utrogestan capsules and oestrogel pump. Overnight my night sweats and evening face sweats stopped and my mood improved over time - the biggest advantage during the early stages of recovery was helping my sleep as i found i felt really tired for much longer that i anticipated - i had to go back to work within 6 weeks of treatment finishing and the extra support in sleeping because i was not waking with sweats was crucial.

My oncologist regularly checks in with me about my HRT symptoms and she is really encouraging its continued use because it really helps the bones which have taken a bit of a battering with the radiotherapy - my overall health and fitness are really important to me and i want to remain physically strong and active into my very old age if i have luck on my side and so this is another factor in my decision to take HRT.

Although i am not vegetarian i can understand how difficult it must feel when the medical treatments available to you infringe on your beliefs etc - for me i feel that i have been through alot already with the cancer and the treatment and i wanted to do everything i could to optimise feeling good again and HRT has def helped with that

Sorry not too have any more recommendations re vegetarian alternatives etc - i really hope you start to feel better soon 

big hugs

Thank you x

I just wanted to say that to take HRT or any medication is ultimately your choice. After my treatment I have been advised against HRT due to my medical record and they proposed me the alternative which were a type of antidepressant which helps at a certain level with the menopause symptoms. I decided to opt out and to battle the symptoms with diet, yoga, supplement and ultimately a healthier lifestyle. During my first 3 years I was experience symptoms like the night hot flashes and the brain fog. My worst symptom was the brain fog and sometimes couldn’t remember words when I was speaking. I remember started reading books which I am doing it up to now and helped me a lot as now I don’t have any episodes. Now I am 5 years post treatment and I rarely get a hot flash at night. I think each person is different and experience different type of symptoms and things that work from one person might not work for another. My approach worked for me.