Cancer & Menopause.
Updated: Oct 8
I have recently been invited to join a panel at a Cancer Support event for World Menopause Day organised by Cancer Support Netherlands for which I am deeply honoured. In preparation for the event, I have been reading up about cancer treatment and its subsequent medically and surgically induced menopause and am deeply saddened at so many of the personal stories I have come across - how little menopause support there seems to be - patients often are not informed what will happen or how intense it can be as you are literally thrown into it headfirst. Hormone Shock. Why should anyone have to hunt this information down by themselves, or learn about it the hard way - this information should be served on a silver platter with all the trimmings as soon as it is known that you will be going through this! Grrrrr……(to put it politely)
Survivors should not be left to feel so alone to struggle! Great, the cancer is gone, yayyy! But now you have this Menopause thing and it’s a rollercoaster of physical and mental health symptoms going from 0 - 1000 in a day and night. It doesn't quite creep up on you slowly like it does for people who go through natural menopause - in some cases it can just hit you full on in the face and also very suddenly.
According to Menopause and Cancer (https://menopauseandcancer.org/)
With cancer treatment often triggering menopause, 40% of women under 40 and 70%-90% of women over 40 enter permanent menopause as a result of their treatment. It goes on further to say that “Many women say that navigating menopause after cancer feels harder than chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery altogether.”
I’ve been digging around the world wide web and learning as I go along and believe I have found some resources that I hope you will find helpful and also welcoming which I will list here below.
If you can highly recommend other groups/resources and would like me to add them to this list, please send me a message @ info@menopauseclub.org and I shall add it here!
Audio Books/Books
Navigating Menopause after Cancer by Dani Binnington (narrated by Dani)- Spotify link
Podcasts:
Support groups and chats:
Menopause and Cancer
“It is our mission to ensure every cancer patient receives the information and support they need to navigate menopause after cancer. We bring together a community of experts with our community of patients to connect, share and educate”
Menopause & Cancer Chat Hub
A Facebook chat Group by Dani Binnington for Cancer Survivors only.
Cancer Support Netherlands
A movement grounded in empathy, peer connection, and lived experience, with the bold vision
that no one should face cancer alone in the Netherlands.
Olijf (Dutch)
Olijf offers support and information to women who have (or have had) gynecological cancer and their loved ones. There are many articles on early menopause to be found here. They have a good full agenda of themed meet ups in different locations around the Netherlands. The website is in Dutch.
Maggie’s - Everyone’s home of cancer care (UK based)
Maggie's offer Cancer & Menopause Workshops on their site, so if you are in the UK, reach out to your local Maggie’s Centre to find out more.
Coping strategies when HRT is not an option
HRT may not be recommended after cancer, particularly if your cancer was hormone-sensitive. This is because taking extra hormones could increase the risk of the cancer returning. If HRT isn’t suitable for you, there are other ways to help manage menopause symptoms. Finding what works for you may take time — everyone’s symptoms, needs and experiences are different.
Exercise:
It’s exhausting always hearing that we need to improve our lifestyle, move more, eat better, drink less, meditate bla bla bla.
But the truth of the matter is this: If you make positive changes, however subtle they might be to start with, you may start to feel better, physically and mentally almost immediately. It’s about just grabbing that poor cliche’d bull by the horns and giving it a go. See where it takes you. Don't make big plans, just start somewhere and start slow.
There is no one size fits all. For many it is too stressful to follow the calorie counting, fasting and doing crazy sweaty cardio stuff. If you love that - of course, go for it, but if you don’t like it, start small, start slow, make tiny changes and work your way up to bigger lifestyle changes when you are ready.
Pleasure mapping:
If the start of changing your lifestyle habits is hard to do, try this exercise, it is called “Pleasure Mapping” and no, it does not always have to be about sex (although that works very well here too!) This time we are talking about writing a list of all the things in your life that give you pleasure, in the sense of healthy living - think about eating, drinking, moving, feeling. Once you have a list of all those things, it is about making and prioritising the activities that give you pleasure. Plan these activities into your day/week. Start slow, and go at a rhythm or routine that suits you. Over time you may find yourself wanting to increase and improve your activities.
For example: if dancing and music makes you happy. Here is one of my favourite win=win tips I would love to share with you:
Put on your favourite radio station/album first thing in the morning and ramp up the volume a bit - boogie around the house as you get ready for the day, sing under the shower in your best bathroom singing voice. By the time you have completed your morning routine, you will be ready to start the day feeling refreshed, happy, and ready to seize the day! It didn't feel like exercise at all!! Try it out! And have a giggle at yourself whilst you are doing it!
Viva la Vulva!!!
You most likely will also suffer from sometimes extreme vaginal discomfort, general soreness, urinary changes, dryness, itchiness and pain, in which case please speak to your GP to see what solution would suit you best. There are options available to support you here such as vaginal moisturisers, lubricants and low-dose vaginal estrogen should this be suited to you. You do not have to suffer in silence, speak to your partner too about this and together you will find something that will work for you.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT may not be everyone's "cup of tea", however some published studies do show that CBT can reduce distress, improve sleep, lift mood and manage triggers.
Check out these published literature links to learn more:
Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in Managing Physical and Psychological Distress in Women during the Perimenopausal Phase
Cognitive behavioural treatment for women who have menopausal symptoms after breast cancer treatment (MENOS 1): a randomised controlled trial
Fake it till you Make it?
So this is again - not medical advice in any way, means or form, but I always feel, for myself, that everything is worth trying out if it might make me feel better and should you wish to try it out - here is a little experiment for you too!
I read somewhere once or perhaps someone told me this (and I am terribly gullible!) but if you force a big silly smile on your face, even when you are feeling really shitty, it apparently tricks your brain into thinking you are happy and the brain will then release some happy hormones which will instantly make you feel better. I have tried it on more than one occasion and the big old fake smile was enough to crack me up laughing at myself, so in some ways I guess it definitely worked for me! I hope in turn that this will also make your day just a little brighter!! But also know here that if it does nothing for you, that’s OK too—you honestly don’t have to put on a happy face when you’re struggling.
Meditation is another wonderful and healing practice but I am aware that this article is becoming a little long - so I am going to nip this one here and come back another time to visit meditation.
As always, positive vibes only!!!
Dezzy
Please note I am a certified Menopause Coach and not a medically trained specialist in menopause or cancer. My calling in life is to create a safe space for all people going through menopause. A space where you can feel part of a community, where you have a voice and where you feel supported.
Please do reach out to me if there is anything here you feel could be improved upon or added!!!
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