.png){kind=icon}
Time to talk… about the menopause and breast cancer
Posted by Claire Boote, on October 14, 2021.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
We need to talk. This October, alongside Breast Cancer Awareness, it’s time to discuss another issue weighing on women’s minds – the menopause. With 18th October marked as World Menopause Awareness Day, we explore a natural rite of passage that’s been stigmatised for too long and begin a grown-up conversation.
Thankfully, due to a number of high-profile women sharing their first-hand experiences (hello Davina McCall, Zoe Ball, Gillian Anderson, Meg Matthews, Sophie, Countess of Wessex…), society’s moving on from nudge-nudge jokes about hot flushes. The conversation around menopause is having a revolution.
It’s a change that all women will face in their lives – typically between the ages of 45 and 55 – with around 80% experiencing common symptoms affecting their physical and mental wellbeing. At Royce Lingerie, we want to help keep the conversation around menopause open, informative, supportive and positive – we’ll revisit this topic again!
For now, as it’s also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re looking at how to cope with breast cancer whether you are pre-menopausal or post-menopausal.
Pre-menopause breast cancer
Approximately one third of women diagnosed with breast cancer are diagnosed before they reach the menopause. In pre-menopausal women some treatments, such as chemotherapy and hormone therapy, may cause early menopause. Some breast cancers are stimulated to grow by oestrogen, therefore several breast cancer treatments reduce levels or block the action of oestrogen – but in turn, this may ‘bring on’ menopausal symptoms.
Treatment-induced, rather than natural, menopause can feel overwhelming, coming on suddenly and more severely. The symptoms will pass, but it can take a couple of years and differs from individual to individual.
Post-menopause breast cancer
As the risk of breast cancer increases with age, most women diagnosed with it are likely to have already gone through the menopause. However, some treatments can cause women to experience menopausal symptoms again.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is often prescribed to help ease the symptoms of menopause but it’s not usually recommended for women with breast cancer, who may be asked to stop taking it once diagnosed.
This is a good time to examine the myths surrounding HRT and links to breast cancer – myths that have since been debunked by re-evaluating questionable science. Namely a 2002 Women’s Health Initiative study of over 16,000 women that reported an increase in breast cancer rates among HRT users. Years later, this study was discredited due to the fact that the average age of the women taking part was 63 (and post-menopausal), many of them smokers and most of them overweight – all key factors in an increased risk of breast cancer. The study also used the old synthetic HRT pills, not the newer plant-based, body-identical HRT.
A chat with your treatment team can help you decide whether or not body-identical HRT is a suitable choice for you while undergoing breast cancer treatment.
How to cope with menopausal symptoms during breast cancer
When facing breast cancer, dealing with the menopause can either feel like another physical kick in teeth, or small fry compared to a life-threatening illness.
Wherever you find yourself, the good news is that there are ways to alleviate the severity of the menopausal symptoms you may experience such as hot flushes, weight gain, difficulty sleeping, changes to skin and hair, reduced libido, vaginal dryness, mood swings, anxiety and ‘brain fog’ (sounds like a real party!).
Many women see the end of their periods as liberating, and embrace this inevitable change as the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. Alongside traditional and holistic treatments to try, it heralds a time to truly please yourself by prioritising self-care. You could consider:
Some studies show that particular types of acupuncture may help. Find a registered professional practitioner via The Acupuncture Society – Professional Body of Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine
Herbs and vegetables that contain plant oestrogens (such as ginseng, liquorice root, black cohosh, red clover) may help reduce hot flushes. However, please discuss first with your treatment team as there are still uncertainties over safety for women with breast cancer.
Hormonal changes during menopause can cause bones to weaken, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. Make sure you maintain good bone health with a decent intake of calcium and vitamin D-rich foods such as dairy, leafy greens, oily fish, eggs and tofu.
Weight and resistance training can help maintain muscle mass, support healthy joints, improve metabolism, induce better sleep, and release those all important ‘happy hormones’. Mix up cardio with gentler activities to relax such as swimming, yoga and Pilates for all-round fitness.
Hormonal changes during menopause can cause dryness to skin and hair. Ensure you’re drinking around two litres of water a day to stay hydrated and alert.
Let’s celebrate the fact that the conversation around menopause is changing. Choices in treatments are expanding and campaigns are putting the rights of menopausal women front and centre, from access to free HRT to workplace wellbeing. So if you’re facing breast cancer and are concerned about menopausal symptoms, stay informed and keep talking.
Useful links
These organisations offer a wealth of help and advice:
Breast Cancer Now https://breastcancernow.org/information-support/facing-breast-cancer/going-through-treatment-breast-cancer/side-effects/menopausal-symptoms-after-treatment
Ticking Off Breast Cancer https://www.tickingoffbreastcancer.com/
NHS – https://ruh.nhs.uk/patients/patient_information/BRU000_Menopause_symptoms_and_breast_cancer.pdf
Cancer Research UK – https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/breast-cancer/living-with/menopausal-symptoms
Our summer campaign model, and breast cancer survivor, Carly Moosah candidly shared her own experience of suffering a ‘medical menopause’ when her cancer treatment shut down her egg production. With no period for 461 days, Carly felt a twang of excitement as those all familiar cramps reappeared almost a year since the end of her treatment… Read more here https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ6pE_xn2zg/
