Poll for birth control and signs.

[KathySC]

I have read that the largest percentage of women who get HER2/neu are pre-menopausal on birth control pills.
1. Were you gals on some type of birth control or HRT?
2. Pre or post menopausal?
3. Who wasn't????
4. Any on natural bioidentical hormones prior??? (I'm on estriol cream now but thats another message question.)
5. Did you have any type of indication that something wasn't normal like heavy periods, under an unusual amount of stress at the time or unusual health problems?

I had my ovaries removed from an endrometrious tumor 7 years prior (age 40) and was on HRT consisting of estradiol and testesterone until my lump. I knew something was up with my body. I started gaining uncontrollable weight in a matter of months. Ear infections that would not go away. They put me on antibiotics that almost killed me when the bad bacteria took over my colon. In the middle of all this my lump popped up out of no where. It was right under the skin and I had been doing thorough monthly exams so there was no mistaking that it popped up.

Let's share this end of the cancer puzzle. Sorry I know its long but I think its important to see a pattern to share with our friends and daughters. My 20 year old daughter voluntarily got off the birth control pills she was taking for acne.
Thanks.
PS I was going under the name of just Kathy but since there are others that share the name... I'll be going under KathySC for South Carolina from now on.

[Alicia]

I was premenopausal, but on on birth control. I never had HRT or "natural hormone stuff". I always have had heavy periods and was getting odd infections (ear and colds) prior to finding the lump. I was coming out of a stressful time in my life. I am not ER or PR positive. Alicia

[Sandy H.]

I was on birth control in my 20's, after having my son, then I had ovaries and hysterectomy at 49 and was on hormones for 3 years. I am Her2 pos. but ER/PR neg. I have been told that the cancer was not caused by the hormones however, if I was ER/PR pos. then that may be different but there is no way of knowing. I will be interesting to see what others have to say. Hugs, Sandy H.

[Rozebud]

Premenopausal - dx'd while pregnant (33).

I had been pregnant or nursing for just over 2 years at dx. Before that, 1 year of natural family planning and 15 years on and off of b/c pills (probably a total of 8 or 9 years total).

I didn't know anything was up - just thought the lump was part of pregnancy changes. I am ER- and PR+.

[KathySC]

Sandy, thanks for responding. I should have added a question concerning hysterectomies. In this clinical study it reads that when estradiol decreases ... HER2/neu increases. Very interesting. This study was about a shut down of hormones during chemo but wouldn't a hysterectomy work too? Also, Sandy states that she was under a lot of stress. When cortisol (stress hormone) is elevated ... it down regulates estrogen. Perhaps for some of us, there may be something to this. Of course it doesn't show it initiates the cancer but it may be part of the puzzle.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14503797&dopt=Abstract

[Kathie in New Jersey]

I was on HRTs for three years prior to diagnosis. My oncologist told me that I had Breast cancer for at least three years and that the HRTs gave it to me. My cancer was never found in the breast but was in the lymphatic system.

Kathie

[Kathie in New Jersey]

Forgot to mention I am estrogen positive and Her 2 neu +++

Kathie

[lauren]

Not on bc pills, not on hormones. Pre-meno at diagnosis, had ovaries removed and take arimidex now.

[Patty H]

I was 50, not into menopause yet and not on any hormones or birth control and my periods were noraml. Like most of us, I have went over in my mind a hundred times how I could have gotten this cancer. Everytime I hear this or that, that put women in a higher chance of getting breast cancer they never fit me. Sometimes I still think they have made a mistake and I don't really have this. Patty H

[Vicki Z]

Like Sandy, I took birth control pills in my 20s (orthonovum I believe) and then started menopause at age 48 (periods just stopped) and I took prempro .625 for four years until the blood clot story hit the media so I stopped at age 52. About this time I started developing the Paget's nipple symptoms. I am ER/PR- and her2+++.

Vicki Z in So. Cal.

[Anonymous]

Never took birth control pills. Periods were pretty much regular, though irregular at times.

Pre-menopausal at original dx. Periods came back after chemo. Starting to take meds that shut down my ovaries. Recurred at menopausal.

Go figure!

[Kristen]

I was on and off birth control pills until I got married at 31. Had my first child at 33. Had to use clomid to get pregnant. I was premen when diagnosed and my ob-gyn had put me on the patch because my periods were becoming erratic at 40. One year prior, as soon as they found out it was cancer off the patch I went, but have always wondered if that caused it, but then I am er-pr neg.
symptoms, always stressed it seemed like and I was loosing weight, didn't realize how much til my port was put in, but gained plenty of wt. 23 pounds during chemo. Have only lost 4lbs.

[Sandy H.]

Kathy I wonder how the doctor knows it was the HRT that caused your cancer? Especially if it was in the lymphatics. That is interesting. Hugs, Sandy

[cathyb]

for your records: was on birth control off and on since my early 20s. Had first child at 38 snd second one at 40. Took HRT via patch for several years starting about age 52. Was still on it when dx with 5 cm her2+++ tumor at age 60. Had recur at age 62. It is interesting that most people were much younger than me - don't know what it means - I seem to be one of the few post menopausal women to have gotten it.

[Ruth]

Pre-m, nursing, 36, no birth control pills, very stressed with homeschooling oldest child, running a business, volunteering all over and having a newborn!

[PatS]

I was diag. at age 40, premenopausal, never used birth control pills or hormones, and never had any indication that something wasn't normal until I found the lump. Also, was er+/pr+ and HER2+++

Pat

[Lolly]

I was 3 years post menopausal, dx at 46 and had not taken birth control pills since I was a teenager.

[Cindi]

Began taking Birth Control Pills at age 21 until diagnosis at age 41. Had breaks in between while conceiving and giving birth to three sons. So, basically 20 years of Birth control pills. The last one I was on was Ortho Tricyclen, for about 2 years.

--Cindi

[LisaS]

1. Were you gals on some type of birth control or HRT?
Took birth control for 6 months...that was it. I was 27 when diagnosed

2. Pre or post menopausal?
Pre
3. Who wasn't????

4. Any on natural bioidentical hormones prior???
No
5. Did you have any type of indication that something wasn't normal like heavy periods, under an unusual amount of stress at the time or unusual health problems?
Not anymore than anyone else!

[LisaS]

Forgot to mention I was strongly ER+/PR+ (80%) and Her2+++

[Barbara]

When I was diagnosed I was:

1) on HRT for 9 years
2) postmenopausal as I was almost 59
3) I was HER2 ++++ and ER and PR negative

[Bonnie]

When I was diagnosed:

1) on HRT for approx. 18 years
2) postmenopausal as 58.
3) I was HER2 ++++ and ER and PR negative