I’ve been struggling for a long time whether to start any kind of hormone replacement therapy. I have had two unusual findings during mammograms, and I have had two biopsies. One resulted in a diagnosis of atypical ductal hyperplasia which meant that I was not a great candidate for HRT. Or at least that is what doctors and nurse practitioners kept telling me. My first breast surgeon, whom I loved, once said that she would only put me on hormones ‘if i was miserable.’ At the time, I couldn’t imagine being so miserable that I would take any kind of risk where it concerned a greater chance of developing breast cancer. But now, after YEARS of being more than miserable–and those of you that are in perimenopause and/or post-menopausal will understand–I AM DONE.

So, after much discussion, anxiety (like I needed more of that) and talking way too much about sweating, I settled on a compromise. Duavee was recommended as a good starting point for me. It’s not bioidentical (more on that later) but it is estriol and another ingredient that seems to work to protect on some level from invasive breast cancer. I plan on writing more about the different options, the actual make up of Duavee, etc. But first, I wanted to give insight into what to expect if you are going to start down this road. This is not an estrogen patch, and I am not (sadly) taking progesterone at this time. (I say sadly because my doctor says that progesterone is the best help for the sleep issues that make sure that I have no sleep and only issues.) But I am taking some action, and trying to be hopeful.

So starting Duavee and daily updates to follow….