My husband brought to my attention the article in the AZ Republic today. Thinking I would find answers to some of my medical problems, I quickly read the article only to find out about your web site. I have never written anything to a web site and doubt you have the space needed, but here goes. I am fifty-nine years old, married for forty one years to the same man, (top that one)and have medical problems that continue to amaze me. Like you Michelle, I had a complete hysterectomy, I was fifty at the time and had a benign tumor. I coded twice in surgery (found I have vasal vagal,) my bladder was nicked which required emergency bladder surgery.I wasn't allowed to eat because they couldn't hear anything in my abdominal area and thought I might have to have surgery to remove the blockage. I was so out of it from the pain medication they had me on for the first couple of days that I didn't really relate to my hot flashes I was having. They are actually more like hot flushes as the sheets had to be changed each time. I was given an Estridiol patch to wear. The hot flashes were still unbearable so I was given oral Estridiol as well as the patch. Prior to this surgery I had been using a compound of testosterone. My doctor said he had never seen anyone without it except of course me! So now my testosteroe and my estrogen are being added to by body for all intense purposes. Two years later I develop breast cancer. The cancer is estrogen receptor positive. This takes away all estrogen related products from my body. My hot flashes are horrific. My office thermostat is set at sixty two degrees and I have a fan on my desk that I turn on throughout the day,My job at the time is in upper management, in charge of all accounting and related reports for two high volume dealerships.I had to leave my job because it was had for me to solve complex problems. My memory was a pipe, everything flew out of my head.Management would tell me they had a convesation with me the prior week and I could not remember being there or that it even took place. I would promise to take care of something and by the time I walked out of the room, I would forget. Budgets became impossible for me. Even though I set them up I didn't remember how I came up with the numbers,So I decided it wouldn't be fair to the gentlemen I worked for to continue on. So I left my $150,000 job and moved to Arizona to retire.So here I am, missing my insides, my breast with dried up skin,hair loss,and worst of all NOT AN OUNCE OF SEX LIFE JUST GONE. I have told my doctors that it's all from no estrogen. I want back on it for a quality of life issue. I read several books a week but cannot remember the title or the authors name.Anywy, it's very hard to get a job when you have scrambled brains.
bI
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We're reaching out to some of the nation's top doctors in this field about your issue.
I can’t being to even imagine what you’re going thru with regard to being taken off of estrogen and all HRTs and left with nothing. I see this every single day. I hear it every single day and it just infuriates me.
If it were me, I would do exactly what you want to do which is assess my quality of life and believe me I thought long and hard about this if I were to develop breast cancer or any other type of cancer.
Given the choice, if it were me, I would opt to go on a low-dose estrogen patch to give me my quality of life back. I’m not telling you that’s what you should do but that’s what you’re saying you want to do. There is no reason for you to have to suffer with the aftermath of having breast cancer and not have your life back because you’re a survivor.
You may want to have your thyroid checked for the night sweats because it's the thermostat for the body. And hot flashes and night sweats are different. And, I'm not a doctor, I'm not telling you what to do, but I'm just speaking from my experience and reading and listening to a whole lotta women's stories.
Let’ see what resources we can find that can address some of these issues for you. Let’s see what’s out there internationally. I know that there are anti-depressants and I’m not a big fan of them. But I know there are some anti-depressants that can negate some of the menopausal symptoms. Would that be something I would try? Maybe. For me, maybe.
But I think there’s something better out there. They just don’t have enough research and that’s where your stuck -- in this space where they’re afraid to give it to you -- if you have a re-occurance of breast cancer, the doctor is going to think he/she caused it. They don’t understand the suffering that goes with this. Life feels like it’s not worth living if you can’t remember anything and have no sex drive. I always use the term that women have been hung out to dry and nobody is paying attention to this. It’s really one of my biggest causes. I see so much of it and hear so much of it. Even though I didn’t have breast cancer.
The one person I can tell you may want to hunt down is Dr. David Alberts at the University of Arizona Cancer Center. He feels very much the very same way we do and he may be able to help you because he gets it. He knows what happens. He’s had a grandmother that had it, he had a mother whose had it and he’s had a wife whose had it. He’s watched his wife suffer with the hormonal imbalances. You may want to call the campus at (520) 621-2211.
Then we’ll look around and see what else we can find for you.
You need to do what feels best for you and you have already made that choice and we need to find someone who will support that decision.
June 12, 2008 - 12:18pmThis Comment
It sounds like you've been through so much with your hysterectomy, breast cancer and memory loss.
You may want to check out the International Menopause Society. They may have some studies you would be interested in.
June 12, 2008 - 8:39amThis Comment