Breast Cancer & Your Bones
One of the delights of my job is hearing from experts in the field of bioidentical hormones. Dame Dr Shirley is one of the most experienced practitioners worldwide and comments on a new report in The Times.
Bioidentical doctors agree on the beneficial effect of progesterone on helping reduce the risk of breast cancer, and for assistance with the side effects for women on drugs such as Tamoxifen.
The risk of of bone secondaries from breast cancer is not so well known and in The Times newspaper on 22 September, 2016 it was reported that taking alendronates to strengthen bones lessens the incidence of such bone secondaries .
The bioidentical doctor’s view
Dr Shirley Bond, who worked with the late Dr John Lee who was the pioneer of bioidentical progesterone cream usage, has herself been using progesterone for many years for osteoporosis for herself and her patients.
She has serious doubts about the benefit of giving alendronate drugs and had this to say:
“While they might have a point, I would have thought that building up new bone with supplements and progesterone was better without potential gastric side effects. Also alendronates retain old bone which might have secondary cells in it!”
Known side effects of alendronate drugs
Drugs such as Fosamax have long been known to have side effects. Dr Mercola in the USA for example was reporting on heart problems with it as long as ago as 2008. In 2011 the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) also issued a warning about the long-term use of Foxamax, but for most users the problem lies in the fact it really is not a comfortable drug to take at all.
The most commonly seen side effects are digestive problems oesophageal ulceration and two of the warnings for not taking it are if you are unable to stand or sit upright for at least 30 minutes and if you have low blood calcium levels or severe kidney problems.
Helpful information, application and usage:
