The Dr Louise Newson Podcast12 Apr 2021

094 - Breast cancer treatments induced my menopause: what help is there now? - Caroline and Dr Louise Newson

Just before her 40th birthday, Caroline was given the unexpected diagnosis of breast cancer. The grueling treatments brought on the menopause and she endured a miserable seven years as a 'functional wreck'. Nine years on, Caroline reflects on this experience. She describes her search for help for the awful menopausal symptoms that were making her feel so unlike her usual, outgoing self and shares how she came to the decision to take HRT, despite being surrounded by advice to the contrary. Dr Newson outlines the complex and little understood relationship between breast cancer and estrogen, and reminds listeners that once accurate information is shared, the choice about menopause treatments after breast cancer ultimately belongs to the individual.

Caroline's three tips:

Keep an honest record of how you are really feeling and look back on it. If you notice menopausal symptoms and you're just getting through the day, see your doctor. If they suggest antidepressants, don't agree straight away, find out more about how effective they are for menopausal women.
Talk to someone who specialises in the menopause, even better, someone who treats menopausal women who've had breast cancer. Then you know you're getting gold standard information.
Don't beat yourself up if all you're worried about is the cancer coming back. It's normal to feel like that. But also allow yourself the possibility of a better, brighter future. You need to know there is hope and help out there - you deserve it.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(384)

86 – Why so many women stop feeling like themselves Elinor Wilde

Many women suddenly start feeling anxious, overwhelmed or unlike themselves during times of hormonal change. They often assume they’re no longer coping or are told it’s simply stress, depression or th...

16 Jul 33min

83 – Why are women still leaving work because of their hormones?

We’re losing experienced, talented women from the workforce because hormonal symptoms are still being overlooked, misunderstood and too often left untreated.In this episode, Dr Louise Newson is joined...

14 Jul 28min

82 – The hidden link between epilepsy and hormones

For women living with epilepsy, times of hormonal changes can all bring unexpected changes in seizure patterns. Yet many are never told that fluctuating hormones could be playing a role.In this episod...

9 Jul 20min

81 – The hormone confusion that’s affecting millions of women

What’s the difference between natural and synthetic hormone treatments, and why does it matter?In this episode, Dr Louise Newson is joined by pharmacist and hormone expert Sara Hover, who has spent mo...

7 Jul 29min

80 – What if we’ve misunderstood hormones all along?

Many people only think about hormones in relation tomenopause, puberty or fertility. But hormones influence every cell in yourbody, affecting everything from your energy and metabolism to inflammation...

2 Jul 32min

79 – ”I knew it wasn’t depression”: Jenny’s PMDD story

For years, Jenny was wrongly told she had depression. She was prescribed antidepressants, saw multiple healthcare professionals and even underwent a hysterectomy, yet no one addressed the underlying h...

30 Jun 29min

78 – Primodos: The forgotten synthetic hormone scandal

Millions of women were prescribed Primodos as a pregnancy test even though there were concerns that it was associated with many different and often devastating birth defects. More than 60 years later,...

25 Jun 33min

77 – Hormones after cancer: why women deserve a choice

For many women diagnosed with cancer, conversations about hormones end before they’ve even begun. They’re often told they can never take hormone treatment again, without being given the evidence, the ...

23 Jun 31min