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- Hot flashes, especially
in women who are taking tamoxifen (Nolvadex) to prevent breast cancer recurrence
(return of the cancer)
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness,
itching, irritation, or discharge
- Painful sexual
intercourse
- Difficulties with
bladder control
- Depression
- Insomnia
Managing symptoms: hot flashes
Estrogen or progesterone treatment for women may help with hot flashes
and osteoporosis (loss of bone mass that makes bones break easily), but
often the goal of breast cancer treatment is to remove these hormones.
Therefore, estrogen and progesterone are not usually recommended because
there is a possibility that they may speed up the growth of the cancer.
The following treatments may help relieve menopausal symptoms:
- Some antidepressants
(such as venlafaxine [Effexor]
and paroxetine [Paxil])
- Vitamin E supplements
and clonidine (Catapres),
a blood pressure medication, may help relieve hot flashes
- Exercise
- Deep breathing and other
relaxation techniques
- A cooler room
temperature
- Vaginal lubricants,
estrogen creams, or estrogen rings may help relieve vaginal dryness
Soy supplements have not been proven to relieve hot
flashes.
Managing symptoms: osteoporosis
Hormonal treatments for breast cancer remove estrogen from the body.
However, a loss of estrogen increases the risk of osteoporosis. The
following activities may help reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis:
- Perform weight-bearing
exercise, such as walking 20 to 30 minutes per day.
- Maintain an ideal body
weight.
- Take vitamin D
supplements (400 to 800 international units [IU] per day) and
calcium supplements (1500 milligrams [mg] per day for women without
previous osteoporosis, 2000 mg per day for women with previous
osteoporosis), but be sure to talk with your doctor before taking
supplements.
In addition, your doctor may recommend a bone density test
or offer other medications, such as alendronate
(Fosamax), calcitonin
(Calcimar, Cibacalcin,
or Miacalcin), or raloxifene
(Evista).
More Information
Managing Side Effects: Sexual Dysfunction
PLWC: Managing Side Effects
Cancersymptoms.org: Hormonal Disturbances
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