I had a right mastectomy (in order to prevent the need for radiotherapy) ten weeks ago for a very small lobular cancer and I was lucky that there were no lymph nodes involved. I don’t believe that this was caused by the fact that I am taking HRT (nobody knows that answer) and I made the decision not to take Tamoxifen because I know that when my Oestrogen levels are low it triggers depression in me.
I also made the informed decision to carry on taking HRT for the same reason…this obviously goes against the normal treatment path and has made me feel isolated. I just wonder whether any others out there made the same decision?
I understand your decision not to want to take the tamox and to continue with the HRT as for me, it is all about quality of life.
I am not sure how old you are, but i am 42 and have quit tamox after 3 years. I want to feel okay NOW, my breast has already been taken and some scarred lump of reconstruction takes its place. So i have decided i am not going to worry about what MAY OR MAY not happen in the future.
If i knew that a lack of oestrogen made me depressed, i would make the same decision as you - why spend life depressed, just in CASE BC returns?
I am sure you are not alone in your decision making, we all do what we feel is best for us at the end of the day.