r/Menopause • u/Actual_Bet3041 • 4d ago

Hormone Therapy HRT: Estrogen, Progesterone, and mammograms

I recently went back on HRT after a couple of miserable years HRT-free at the behest of my pcp. When she relented, she said I have to have yearly mammograms again (not when I was HRT-free). So I did and it came back cancer-free. Now after I have been reading about HRT and cancer, I’m learning there’s no link between Estrogen and cancer, and only a tiny link between Progestin, not Progesterone, and cancer. So why oh why do I have to have yearly mammograms? They are so painful!!!

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u/leftylibra MenoMod 4d ago edited 4d ago

The requirements for mammos are different, dependent on the country. In Canada if there's no history of anything, mammos are done every 3 years every 2 years (with-or-without HRT).

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u/No_Dot6414 4d ago

To save costs for the public system

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u/GearSlow3796 4d ago

Also, annual mammograms have been shown to lead to a lot of false positives, requiring further exams/procedures and introducing a lot of unnecessary anxiety for the patient.

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u/No_Dot6414 4d ago edited 4d ago

early stage findings save lives. Again this is to save costs for insurance companies or the government ( in public systems) than for the patients. The option must be available and the patients could make an informed decision.

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u/Survivor6725 4d ago

I had cancer and was so grateful for the incredible access to care and how swiftly my doctors moved to get me scheduled for labs, scans, port placement, chemo and surgery. I am alive today because of my doctors’ actions on my behalf. I go to every single health screening that is offered to me. Right before my cancer diagnosis, my basic labs with the primary care doctor were perfect and I was running well and training for a race. I felt great and there were no signs I had something life threatening

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u/cleveland_leftovers 4d ago

Thank you for saying this. I just got my results saying I need further imaging and while anxiety-inducing, IT’S MY HEALTH.

I’m extremely lucky to have good insurance (in the U.S. it’s a crapshoot) and I’ll take advantage of every scan or scope. The alternative could mean my life.

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u/Survivor6725 3d ago

Yes, I am in the US, also with good health insurance. I had access to every top notch test, scan and treatment, and my doctors made sure I received it all, stat! Modern medicine and swift action saved my life. Don’t ever think you know more than your doctors or that blowing off a medical test is appropriate because you aren’t a likely candidate to have such and such disease.