Phytoestrogens?

[u/Mercury2468]

For those of you with estrogen sensitive cancers, I was wondering what advice (if any) you were given about phytoestrogens and how you handle them. Do you actively avoid them (because cancer)? Do you eat more of them than before (to help with menopause symptoms)? Do you just eat the same as before and not worry about them at all?

For context, I was diagnosed with endometrioid adenocarcinoma grade 1 stage 1a after my hysterectomy in late May and had my ovaries removed 3 weeks ago. My tumor was sensitive to both estrogen and progesterone. Obviously no HRT for me, but I've been given contradicting advice about phytoestrogens by my doctors. Some say it's safe (low risk cancer, and phytoestrogens have a much weaker effect than estradiol) and a great natural way to alleviate menopause symptoms naturally, others say it's better to avoid them to be on the safe side.

Phytoestrogens are found in soy, chickpeas, lentils, some types of beans, flax, sesame, berries, wheat, rye, almonds and many other foods. I would honestly struggle to avoid them all and still have a healthy balanced diet, especially as a vegetarian. So far, I've been eating the same as always, but I feel really conflicted about this so I'm curious how others are handling this, and whether this is a concern for you at all or if I'm just overthinking things.

[u/Glittering_Hurry236]

Same cancer as you they took ovaries at the surgery 15 months ago. It's been rocky -- I eat the same. I are edemame (soy), flax berries before surgery and do now. I've been sugar free for a decade + low to no carb and slender fit. Never heavy except immediately post partum.

We had no info on my tumor because it was removed during a polypectomy and 4 mm x 3 mm. After my hysterectomy there was NED so nothing to test. But my ONC said all endometrial cancer is estrogen and progesterone + so no HRT.

I did extremely poorly on birth control pills back when - and did a week of estrogen HRT (Divigel) at 50 a few years before my dx and I didn't even use the whole tiny packet and I was so dizzy and nauseous. I had to stop it after a week.

So. I'm not sure even if I could I would take HRT.

I took the lowest dose of creatine a few weeks ago, which was 1 mg, and by day 4 developed vertigo and nausea so badly I could barely leave my bed and I was drinking an absolute ton of water so I don't know how that happened. I took it because I read that women in menopause should take the creatine to help retain and build muscle and I'm a weight lifter and love lifting weights so I figured it would help but nope....