r/BRCA • u/Cerrac123 • 7d ago
Support & Venting Old timer — it’s that time
I had a prophylactic mastectomy 15+ years ago. My weight has fluctuated significantly in that time. I had an entire hysterectomy and oophorectomy about 6 years ago. Since that time, my libido completely disappeared. My non-BRCA friends extol the virtues of HRT when it comes to treatment of depression and general malaise.
We can’t do HRT, right? Because I really want to try HRT. 😔
8
u/Comfortable_Sky_6438 7d ago
You can if you haven't had breast cancer. I'm jealous
4
u/Cerrac123 7d ago
Don’t be jealous. We’re all on the same team, friend.
I watched my mom die, not knowing what was actually happening. My daughters have the gene, but they’re too young to qualify for prophylactic treatment (20 & 22).
5
u/disc0pants 7d ago
They are not too young for risk reducing surgeries if they feel strongly about that route. Mastectomy can take place in your twenties and they are currently studying a new approach to reducing ovarian cancer risk via tube removal and delayed oophorectomy (until either the age age of menopause of 51yrs or the recommended age of ovary removal for BRCA1 35-40yr, 40-45yr for BRCA2). I know they are very young but if they are like me and feel strongly about not having biological children, they may be able to find a surgeon who is willing to do tube removal when they are in their mid-twenties.
7
u/FiggyPippin 7d ago
My docs prescribed it because I’d already had my PBM, and was never diagnosed with cancer. It worked wonders on my mental health.
6
u/Fearless_Walk_4585 7d ago
You can definitely do HRT and probably should! There is a lot of research out there you can look up showing it is safe and effective for BRCA patients.
3
u/Delouest BC Survivor + BRCA2 7d ago
If you haven't had breast cancer, it's likely fine. I can't because I had breast cancer at 31. My gynecologist keeps t recommending it to me and forgetting I had breast cancer already. He'll say "it's not true that BRCA patients can't have hrt" and I remind him my best cancer was 100% hormone positive and he goes "oh right, then yes, you can't have it."
Get it if you can if you're unable to manage symptoms without it. Some of us can't but you can.
2
u/FoxComprehensive6903 7d ago
I'm also on HRT. I don't know of any contraindication for BRCA, and even know some friends who went on HRT post breast-cancer.
Having said that, I still feel a drop in sex drive even after a year of adjusting doses 😞
1
u/Apprehensive-Head161 6d ago
i mean , depends o. your symptoms and what you need . Definitely with your age probably at least some vaginal estrogen to help prevent UTIs and repair damage to any tissue in your vaginal area. Also so testosterone has help mental clarity , helped a little with downward libido . I had my breast and ovaries ( i still have my uterus) , yes i am brac1 . But surgical menopause is no lie stinks . If you need even a small dose of estrogen may help with preventing bone loss and cardiovascular disease problems with decline. But talk to your doctor .
1
1
u/Feeling_Manner426 5d ago
My genetic oncologist and breast surgeon both say that the data shows no increased risk for BRCA carriers using HRT. I am on a low dose patch, topical vag E, and testosterone gel.
edit: you can ask chatGPT to link the recent papers on the subject and summarize them for you based on your criteria. That's how I research a lot these days. But do not ask chatGPT for the info without the actual published papers/studies. I would never trust that.
20
u/Enough_Crew_5556 7d ago
If you’ve never had breast cancer (and in some cases even if you have), most doctors now will prescribe HRT. I had a BSO in April and then double mastectomy in July of this year and immediately went on an estrogen patch and progesterone.