Early Menopause from cancer treatments

Phoenix10
Phoenix10 Member Posts: 47 Member
in Long-Term Survivors #1
Anyone else experiencing early menopause due to their cancer treatment? I'm 38 and am interested in hearing about natural alternatives to hormone therapy for preventing Osteoporosis.

1200-1500 mg of calcium--check
Vitamin D--check
What are you doing?

HRT should be referred to FART because that's all it made me do! And boy did I?! :-/

Comments

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
    Hi Phoenix

    My wife did not have cancer but did have early menopause at about 40 and it lasted for about 12 years start to finish before she finally got over all of it. She did not do any medication for it but did do a herbal substitute, I can’t think of the name of it but will find out and let you know.

    Take care
    Hondo
  • bluerose
    bluerose Member Posts: 1,104
    #3
    Hi Phoenix
    Not much to offer in the way of natural alternatives to premature menopause from chemo drugs all I know is it happened to me too. I suppose you could talk with a good naturopath and see what she thinks but don't take anything unless you speak to your GP or oncologist first as even natural products can interfere with drugs you are taking or chemo drugs. I wasn't clear on whether you are done with the treatments for cancer or not. Always check even vitamins can screw up some treatments I have read.

    All the best.

    Bluerose
  • Tethys41
    Tethys41 Member Posts: 1,382 Member
    #4
    Alternatives
    Phoenix,
    Rose's suggestion to find a naturopath is a good one. Everyone's chemistry is different. As a result, there is no one size fits all approach to reducing bone loss. I cannot take HRT due to my diagnosis. I am still losing bone, which is more likely a side effect of chemo than of surgical menopause. In my case, calcium is not a good choice because all it does is accumulate in my blood and build up on the walls of the blood vessels. In my case, magnesium helps more than calcium. Despite my taking magnesium, however, I was still losing bone. Currently, in addition to the magnesium, I am also taking strontium, vitamin K, and a product called Ostera. I just recently learned that calc fluor cell salts are also supposed to reduce bone loss. I have been on the above mix for a little over 4 months. In a couple more months I will have another NTX test (a urine test) to see if I'm still losing bone. As you can see, it is not a simple issue.
  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #5
    My Integrative Med MD at Sloan Kettering said that the current advice is not to take 1000+ mg Calcium in supplements, but to get as much Calcium as possible in your diet. I take 600 mg Calcium. However, it is imperative that you watch your Vitamin D levels. With lowered calcium supplements, but my D-levels regulated (using D3), my latest bone density scan showed improvements in all areas. My vitamin D was extremely low. You probably want to take at least 1000 - 2000 iu/D3 per day. (My established dosage, under medical supervision is much higher than that.)

    There is concern that high levels of calcium supplements can cause heart attacks.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #6
    abrub said:

    My Integrative Med MD at Sloan Kettering said that the current advice is not to take 1000+ mg Calcium in supplements, but to get as much Calcium as possible in your diet. I take 600 mg Calcium. However, it is imperative that you watch your Vitamin D levels. With lowered calcium supplements, but my D-levels regulated (using D3), my latest bone density scan showed improvements in all areas. My vitamin D was extremely low. You probably want to take at least 1000 - 2000 iu/D3 per day. (My established dosage, under medical supervision is much higher than that.)

    There is concern that high levels of calcium supplements can cause heart attacks.

    Hi Phoenix

    The stuff my wife has taking for years is called Estroven, for her it did pretty good, and boy I am sure glad those days are over with. I also agree with the others here being you had C you want to check with a doctor first before taking anything.

    http://www.estroven.com/


    Take care
    ╠╣ONDO
  • klas
    klas Member Posts: 3
    #7
    re:Early Menopause from cancer treatments
    Hi Phoenix 10. I went thu menopause about 1975 after cancer in 1971. I did take homone therapy for a while, and them quit. My grandmother offered helpful hints about menopause...lol I do have some Osteoprosis, tho

    I did not take any of the items you listed. Now my friends are going thru menopause, and asking how I survived.

    Does the calcium and Vitamin D help?

    klas
  • dreaming
    dreaming Member Posts: 26 Member
    #8
    chemo induced menopause
    I went into early menopause with chemo, I did not or will not take any hormones, natural, herbal, etc, because my breast cancer was positive for hormones.
    There are several medications to help or prevent osteoporosis. I have an excess of calcium and I do not have that problem, but I can tell you chemo and all the effects of it and menoupause were horrible.
  • Phoenix10
    Phoenix10 Member Posts: 47 Member
    #9
    dreaming said:

    chemo induced menopause
    I went into early menopause with chemo, I did not or will not take any hormones, natural, herbal, etc, because my breast cancer was positive for hormones.
    There are several medications to help or prevent osteoporosis. I have an excess of calcium and I do not have that problem, but I can tell you chemo and all the effects of it and menoupause were horrible.

    Thank you for the feedback
    Hi everyone,

    The natural route seems to be acceptable now. I am 19 yrs. cured and have a new family doc who is open to the more natural approach. I'm also learning from others that many women start this early, naturally--aka cancer-free. I really think that corporate America pushes unneeded meds on society.

    Weightlifting is also great to strengthen the back and I've added this to my routine.

    Thanks, again!

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