Bio-identical hormones and breast cancer survivors

This past Friday night a fellow cancer survivor and close friend of mine, decided to brave the horrific traffic to catch up on some much needed girl talk. Rene, a beautiful brunette, is only 47 years old and has been declared cancer free for several years now. We opted to sit in a quiet and cozy booth at Hoolihans away from all the typical Friday night party-goers, so that our conversation could be heard without shouting across the table. But, when the question flew off her tongue--as though she were asking me what I was doing for Thanksgiving--suddenly it felt like we were the only two people in the room.  "What do you think about the doctor prescribing Bio-identical hormones for me? " The question seemed very natural to her. I had no idea she was even thinking about taking hormones.  And to be honest, the topic of Bio-identical hormones had never taken up much space--if any at all--in my cerebral cortex. I went through menopause at such a young age (38), I don't think I even realized what was going on with my body, until I was pretty much through with that life-changing time in our life.

Still reeling from the original cancer diagnosis, and the surgeries that followed, along with keeping up with my three and seven year old daughters--the fact that one bothersome detail of my life was missing..ie. periods, didn't really phase me. The truth is I happily embraced it.  So, when Rene dropped that question on me, it took me completely off guard. When I got home that evening I decided to check into this for her, our readers, and possibly myself. And just as I expected the verdict still seems to be out--at least that's the impression I received from the surplus of online materials I read.  But I'm attaching an article I found by one doctor--Dr. Pete Hueseman. 

So, with that said--the key word here is ONE.  As I've said countless times on our blog, this is a decision that only you and your doctor can make. But I can tell you one thing... Rene's eyes light up like never before when she describes the positive effects the hormones have made in her life after being on them for only one month. Maybe Suzanne Sommers is really right on target. Anyway,  I'm encouraged to ask my oncologist on my visit next month if he would give me the green light to try them.  I will get back to you with his opinion.  But then again--this will be one more doctor's opinion for just one of his patients.

Also, I'd like to thank all of you who follow us.  For some reason, the numbers don't show up, but as of today, we've had 4,300 visitors to our blog. I'm thankful that so many of you have contacted me personally for prayers and advice. I always welcome any questions or requests and we love to hear from you.  Thank you for hanging in there with us in spite of the 'drought' period when life got a little too crazy to post as often as we should have. May God continue to bless each and every one of you!Re

ad Pete Hueseman's last transcript 
Past History of Breast CancerPatients with past history of breast cancer should not have estradiol or estrone recommended for estrogen supplementation. These estrogens play a role in causing breast cancer by damaging DNA. Estriol is the protective estrogen that is high during pregnancy. It does not activate the estrogen receptor, but occupies the receptor sites so that it is not available for estradiol. Hormone balance is important, and testing of hormone levels is recommended prior to supplementing. For post breast cancer patients, many medical practitioners do not recommend hormone supplementation, except for progesterone, unless hormone levels are well below normal and symptoms are severe. Use of hormones should be carefully tracked by both patient and doctor.

E.mail Pete Hueseman directly. A toll-free number is provided on the resources page.

Read More About Your Hormones