HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - HRT and ER-, PR-, Her2+ BC

VDC · 01-23-2016, 07:55 PM

Thanks to both of you for your thoughtful responses. This is probably going to sound a little odd, but I NEVER trust anything I am told by any physician without looking for the research myself. So, regardless of what I may be told by my gyno. (who just retired and is out of practice now), my onc. (even if she is with the Mayo clinic) or any other physician,I have to look at the research myself. As a researcher myself I have to see the data and look at how the study was designed. It would be SO much easier if I could just trust what I'm told, but I just can't! sigh.

The brca link is interesting and I will look into it, although I don't personally carry the gene. I've been on HRT since my hysterectomy 7 years ago. I kept my ovaries but they shut down and my brain went into "fuzz mode." I teach college chemistry and biochem. and rather than the 1-2 errors a term, I was making 3-4 errors a DAY! When I asked my gynecologist to run tests to determine why I couldn't think, she said my "fuzz brain" was a classic symptom of estrogen deprivation. Thus the HRT which did wonders for my brain!

So, here I am 7 years later, with ER-,PR-, Her2 at 3+ DCIS. No one seems concerned about the HRT, but I am. But, I can't find any research indicating the effect of HRT on ER-, PR- BC or DCIS. From my perspective it seems prudent to eliminate the HRT. Why take any additional risk? ....or at least see how my brain does without the HRT?

01-23-2016, 07:55 PM	#4
VDC Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 122	Re: HRT and ER-, PR-, Her2+ BC Thanks to both of you for your thoughtful responses. This is probably going to sound a little odd, but I NEVER trust anything I am told by any physician without looking for the research myself. So, regardless of what I may be told by my gyno. (who just retired and is out of practice now), my onc. (even if she is with the Mayo clinic) or any other physician,I have to look at the research myself. As a researcher myself I have to see the data and look at how the study was designed. It would be SO much easier if I could just trust what I'm told, but I just can't! sigh. The brca link is interesting and I will look into it, although I don't personally carry the gene. I've been on HRT since my hysterectomy 7 years ago. I kept my ovaries but they shut down and my brain went into "fuzz mode." I teach college chemistry and biochem. and rather than the 1-2 errors a term, I was making 3-4 errors a DAY! When I asked my gynecologist to run tests to determine why I couldn't think, she said my "fuzz brain" was a classic symptom of estrogen deprivation. Thus the HRT which did wonders for my brain! So, here I am 7 years later, with ER-,PR-, Her2 at 3+ DCIS. No one seems concerned about the HRT, but I am. But, I can't find any research indicating the effect of HRT on ER-, PR- BC or DCIS. From my perspective it seems prudent to eliminate the HRT. Why take any additional risk? ....or at least see how my brain does without the HRT?