To be worried about HRT and cancer risks?

[Stressymadre]

I went to the GP yesterday after putting up with peri menopause symptoms for a long time, I decided enough was enough as they were impacting my ability to do my job properly, my capacity to exercise and my relationships.

She prescribed me HRT but... I have come home and ended up down a scary google rabbit whole of cancer related risks. I am only 42 so still young and I know the additional risks are small but I am worrying. I am being silly? I know many women take HRT so maybe I am
I am just worried as I had a friend start HRT and within 2 years she had breast cancer....
On the one hand I am excited about being able to sleep again, not feel like an angry raging bull half the month and being able to run again but on the other hand, what if...

That's only true for oestrogen receptor positive cancer types. If there's no oestrogen receptor, it can't respond to oestrogen.

Came to say the same. If you don’t want to click a clickety-link, this is the graphic. Puts all risk factors into perspective.

I have been on a high dose of HRT for 14 years and have annual mammograms. Stopping HRT would probably pose a worse risk to my health as with no sleep I wouldn’t exercise or be able to function. I have asked your question to two prominent menopause consultants and their answer was that I also need it to protect my heart and bones. I do not have dense breasts which can be an issue, but as far as I’m concerned the very small risk of breast cancer doesn’t outweigh the benefits.

I heard an interview on the radio with a dr who was a menopause specialist. I can't remember her name but it wasn't Louise Newsom, she was older.
She said taking hrt had roughly the same risk as drinking moderate levels of alcohol and pointed out no one suggests not drinking to avoid cancer. It's a good point.

Maybe you could give up alcohol OP and start HRT. That way your risk factors for developing cancer won't really change and you'll most likely feel much better.

I was prescribed the lowest possible dose in my early 50s and I am happy to continue taking it into old age!

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in one hip and osteopenia in my spine when I was in my early 40s so I for me the benefits of HRT for my bones are more important than the low risk of cancer.

I do my mammograms and I don't drink or smoke and I am not overweight.

Make sure your oestrogen is properly balanced with your progesterone. Many GPs are not that knowledgeable in this area and you may be better off with a specialist menopause clinic. Unbalanced can cause thickening of the womb which can lead to problems.

This is true but only for certain types of breast cancer. I’ve never taken HRT but got breast cancer two years ago at the age of 42. The tests showed that it was estrogen that fed the tumour. I now have to take hormone blockers which cause all the horrid menopausal side effects and I can’t do anything about it! Some breast cancers aren’t estrogen receptors though.

One of the biggest risks is the drive to the surgery and then the pharmacy to get the HRT.
Hopefully the clinics/GP will be able to balance risk and benefit and help you decide which way to go.
I was lucky and menopause made no difference to me (apart from chucking out the hated condoms). But I would not want to spend my best years 40 to 50 feeling awful as so many women do

No one cares about thrombosis risks when it comes to contraception pills, or risks of fertility treatment, but once hormones are used for our own good (and not for men's interests), suddenly people are oh so worried about the risks... I've been on hrt from late 30s and I'll decide about that, thank you very much.

You’re more likely to get cancer from eating processed meat, to be honest. Maybe go on HRT and cut out meat, then you would be reducing your risk for breast cancer rather than increasing it.

That inforgraphic is really interesting. I am on estrogen only HRT as I have had a hysterectomy, and that appears to lower the risk, even though estrogen feeds the cancer? How does that work?