Hi All
I hope you are keeping well.
I am just wondering what people are having in relation to menopause symptoms. I’m 49 and have had tests and well into menopause now. I have Mirena coil which I was told to remove at the start of my treatment but I didn’t,
My cancer was her2+ hormone -
So I don’t mind having the Mirena and gives a little progesterone.
I am so sore down below, have used some over the counter pessaries and cream but feel like I can’t carry on in this pain.
I am waiting for my GP to contact my oncologist to see if he will let me have some oestrogen cream, I know they don’t like breast cancer patients having it but quite frankly Its a very small risk, and not like the HRT patches or tablets.
Any advice would be great, xx
Wish I could offer advice.
My last period was before my first chemo last August. I’d suffered since I first started having them with suspected endometriosis that turned out to be adenomyosis instead (could still be endo but hasn’t bothered me since last year so can’t be bothered to investigate further).
I think my girly bits just said “girl’s been through enough already let’s not bother her during chemo, she’s got enough going on”.
I think I get classed as having started menopause if I haven’t had a period in a year. I never thought I’d start menopause at 44 (45 now) but I’m not sad about it. Never had babies, don’t want any biological ones so it worked for me.
Maybe you could get your bc nurse to contact your oncologist and speed it up a bit? If ever I need anything quickly I have an awesome bc nurse who does magic.
If you don’t you could maybe contact your oncologist’s secretary and ask for a consultation. It can be so slow trying to get two doctors to communicate, sometimes it helps if you be the go-between and nudge one.
I hope they get back to you swiftly, you don’t need to be faffing with that stuff with everything else going on.
I keep hearing nurses saying the studies about HRT or creams and stuff causing cancer are bs but I’d rather hear that kind of thing from the scientists.
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@lilly123 sorry to hear you are suffering. It’s the last thing we need.
We are in a similar boat, her2+ but as I mentioned before the oncologist insisted I have the mirena removed last October, that was a dark day. It was probably around a month after my last chemo that I started to notice a change in my body. I’m going to be speaking to the oncologist tomorrow prior to my Phesgo injection but that’ll be over the phone and focus on my recent bone scan (a little nervous about that but trying to be positive). I might see if I can chat to one of the BC nurses when I’m in. I’ve been told I’m now post menopause but apart from the odd hot flash, dry eyes etc I don’t seem to have had the rage… yet.
I’ll post any solutions they advise and am keen to hear what you are advised xx
Hi everyone, i did read something about local estrogen for menopause and how given its low dose and local even women that have/had BC can have it or something along those lines. I think it was in the previous edition of Menopause Matters magazine but not entirely sure xx
Hope it helps somewhat, take care everyone xx
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I’ve just been on my Onc call and I mentioned it to her. She said lubrication and moisturiser are two different things (every day’s a school day). So something like love honey water based lubrication for intimacy and something like yes moisturiser for regular day to day v health. She told me if it gets worse to let her know as they can prescribe something with a little hormone in it, as recent studies have found it isn’t linked with cancer.
She said it’s something that’s not talked about much, people see it as a taboo subject but if it affected men it would be a different story!
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Hi
So that GP
Emailed my oncologist who then referred it to a gynaecologist and they agreed for me to have an oestrogen cream for 3-6 months!
A bit worried about what happens after that but il take what I can get and hope it gives me some relief. I still have mirena I’m not having it removed.
Iv used Yes moisturiser and also the active pessaries have been not too bad. x
I had my yearly mammogram on Thursday. Which is mad as I’m still having treatment. My cancer didn’t show on the mammogram in the first place so I’m crazy worried.
I have a lump where my origional cancer was but I don’t know if it’s from the surgery 
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Glad they have prescribed you something and if it works, hopefully you can stay on it for longer.
I get my annual mammogram next Thursday. It’ll be interesting, I have an implant so I’d imagine they’ll ultrasound that side.
I understand your concern on results but hopefully it’s a little scar tissue like you say. X
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I hope your mammogram is all good 
I’m going to call the cancer nurse tomorrow try and out my mind at rest x
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Hi everyone
Sorry I’ve not posted for a while. Things went a bit quiet but I’ve now been on abemaciclib for almost two weeks. Main problem has been tiredness, fatigue and achey legs, plus some nausea. Thought I’d got away with not having diarrhoea but that has now caught up with me, following stomach cramps. How are you getting on @dhmb ?
Also had my first zometa infusion on Saturday and legs were like lead the next day, felt really weary. It was however also a bit too hot for me though.
Have my first bloods and review for abemaciclib at the end of the week so we’ll see what that brings…
Good to hear everyone’s hair seems to be returning. Mine is darker than it was I think, still brown, and if anything is a bit thicker! Still short but have been dampening it down with a little rosemary oil as otherwise it sticks up and looks cartoonish! Take care everyone! 
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Hi everyone 
I’m doing ok @anne3 the main side effect has been diarrhea to be honest, and the forst 2 weeks i had a chest and viral infection, lead to an A&E visit and 2 lot of different antibiotics that added to the side effects. As i came to learn its an issue of taking care of what I eat and it has improved immensely. At first i was very fatigued because of sode effects orlf radiotherapy but slowly very slowly I’m coming back to myself although there is some weakness in my affected arm but with specific excercise I’ll get there. Im currently mid second cycle, bloodworks tomorrow so lets see what happens. Fingers crossed I’ll have my first zoledronic acid infusion on the 2nd fingers crossed. Was delayed 8 weeks because i had to take a tooth out … oh well… on the plus side I’m to have a phased return to work.
Hope everyone is doing ok and take care xx
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Oh and since las week a rash on my hands and forearms… oh well could be worse i guess x
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@dhmb that’s interesting (well not really for you!!) but I also have got a few itchy red patches which I put down to the heat but they only appeared since I started this medication 
. Hope your zolendronic infusion is trouble free
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Phone hotline/team about rash, mine started on Fri (day after Pac) on knuckles and gradually spread up arm, went in yesterday and have cream, and antihistamines.
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Thank you kindly @cruising, i will be speaking to them today as i have mid cycle bloodworks.
Have a good day everyone xx
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Morning everyone
Question to this lovely lot: how are you feeling with your affected side? 5 months on from my mastectomy with no reconstruction still feels tight and restricted at times and scar is still redish/pink in one area…
Anyone has the same?
Hello @dhmb
I’m heading back for another scan as I’ve had discomfort more recently. I had mastectomy last July with implant. They’ve said that the radiotherapy (finished mid January 2025) may have left me with the discomfort I’m feeling around the edges. They recon it might be from the scar tissue.
I have to admit I’ve not been doing the exercises. I figured I wouldn’t need to keep doing them but perhaps I should’ve carried on a while longer.
My scars on the outside have healed up well but my new boob is like a brick, they did warn it could be affected by the radio therapy. So another scan on the 9th - I feel I’ve had loads of scans but something doesn’t feel right. I’m hoping I’m just paranoid. I hope everyone is on the mend, it’s been a tough time x
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Fingers crossed that the scan reveals its jist the scar and hopefully it will get better over time🤞
I haven’t done exercises either , physiotherapist recommended some, bought barbells 0.5, 1 and 1.5kg so could progressively build up strength… apart from looking at them i haven’t done anything… oh well… i had my mastectomy end Jan 2025 so maybe still recent , no clue… the majority looks healed apart from a small area near my armpit, also had lymph node clearance… like my son says: mummmy you need to learn to be patient 
Hope everyone is having a good weekend xx
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Hi everyone
Life has returned to some sort of normality, whatever that is. I seem to be coping well with letrozole and 3 weekly Herceptin injections don’t cause me any grief. Beginning to make new memories now….3 weeks ago we had a party to celebrate our ruby wedding anniversary, hard work but most enjoyable. We go on holiday in a couple of weeks, just in this country as it is as much for the dog as us! Then off to Wembley to see Oasis with my son. Can’t wait.
My hairdresser is going to give me a little trim before our holiday……the first for probably 12 months!
My Dexa scan showed I have low bone density so making sure that I walk around 4 miles per day, it keeps the weight off as well…All in all I feel in a good place at the moment, long may it last.
Sending love xx
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So happy to hear and yes indeed i think a corner is finaly being turned 
I completely understand what youre saying 
Good afternoon everyone
I hope you’re enjoying the sun! Iv got all the curtains closed and laying unber a fan!
I hope your scan goes ok @songbird1
I had my mammogram and all was within normal range but I have to have an mri as the mammogram was clear when I had a 5cm cancer lump! I have a big lump which I’m a little anxious about!
I also had a big NO response to my request for oestrogen cream 
Iv b purchased Replens to see if that helps.
I just checked and it’s six months tomorrow since I had my last Docetaxal and Carboplatin. I can’t beleive it’s that long!
I had an appointment missed email the other day and when I looked into it, I had a face to face appointment with my oncologist! I couldn’t beleive it as Iv never had a face to face appointment with him, isn’t it typical they didn’t tell me I had one. Back to a telephone call next month 
I hope your all keeping as well as you can be xx
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