Breast Cancer and Menopause: Tips for Managing Symptoms
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People with a current or previous history of breast cancer may be able to manage menopause symptoms with certain medications, lifestyle changes, and complementary treatments. Your doctor can help you find the right management plan.
Breast cancer treatments can cause a rapid decline in sex hormone levels, which may trigger early menopause. This is called medical or surgical menopause.
It may not be safe for people with breast cancer to take hormone therapy, a common treatment for menopause symptoms.
Instead, the following medications, lifestyle changes, and complementary treatments may help lessen the frequency or severity of menopause symptoms once they start.
Many nonhormonal medications can treat menopause symptoms.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved some of these medications specifically for menopause symptoms, while doctors may prescribe others off-label. Off-label means the FDA hasn’t approved the medication specifically for menopause symptoms, but some people may still find them helpful.
| Symptoms | Medication examples |
|---|---|
| hair thinning and loss | minoxidil (Rogaine) |
| anxiety or depression sometimes hot flashes or sleep disturbances |
paroxetine (Paxil) citalopram (Celexa) venlafaxine (Effexor) |
| hot flashes | fezolinetant (Veozah) gabapentin (Neurontin) clonidine (Catapres) |
| urinary tract infections (UTIs) | fosfomycin (Monurol) ciprofloxacin (Cipro) |
| osteoporosis (bone thinning) | denosumab (Prolia) teriparatide (Forteo) raloxifene (Evista) calcitonin (Miacalcin) alendronate (Fosamax) |
Your doctor can recommend a treatment plan based on your symptoms and how severe or frequent they are.
A note about hormone therapy
According to the National Cancer Institute, it may not be safe for people who have had breast cancer to take hormone therapy for menopause symptoms. Hormone therapy may increase the risk that breast cancer will recur, although evidence from studies has been mixed.
Your doctor can help you understand which treatments for menopause symptoms may be best for you.
Learn more about the connection between estrogen and breast cancer risk.
Making a few changes to your day-to-day activities may help reduce menopause symptoms and improve your overall quality of life.
Physical activity
Regular physical activity may help people experiencing menopause reduce symptoms like sleep disturbances, bone loss, and depression.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. If you’re undergoing treatment for breast cancer, you’ll want to start slow and then build up the intensity and duration of your workouts over time.
A healthcare professional can help you find activities that work for you.
Learn more diet and fitness tips for menopause.
Pelvic floor exercises
On top of regular physical activity, it’s important to keep your pelvic floor strong. Loss of estrogen can weaken the pelvic floor and may lead to issues with bladder control.
A well-known type of pelvic floor exercise is Kegels. Activities such as yoga may also help strengthen your pelvic floor.
Explore some pelvic floor exercises.
Avoid hot flash triggers
You may notice certain factors trigger a hot flash. Possible hot flash triggers include:
- spicy foods
- tight clothing
- exercising right before bedtime
- caffeine
- alcohol
- hot beverages
- stress
- smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke
- warm rooms
- hot tubs and saunas
It may help to keep a record of your symptoms so you can identify trends. Consider making a note of the symptoms you notice, as well as what you’re doing and how you’re feeling when you notice them.
Learn more about hot flash causes.
Quit smoking
Tobacco use may worsen some menopause symptoms, including vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. If you smoke, quitting might help reduce your symptoms and provide other health benefits.
It can be difficult to quit and may take a few attempts, but it’s worth it in the long run. If you need help quitting, you can talk with a healthcare professional or visit Smokefree.gov to access tools, tips, and more resources.
Learn more about quitting smoking.
In addition to prescription medications and making changes to your daily life, there are a few other options to try to help lessen symptoms of menopause.
Acupuncture
A small 2019 study found that acupuncture may help relieve moderate to severe menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and sleep issues. If you want to try acupuncture, talk with a healthcare professional about finding a licensed, reputable acupuncturist.
Moisturizers
Some people experience dry skin and itching during menopause. Moisturizers can help prevent this. Try applying a moisturizer right after you shower or take a bath to lock in moisture.
Learn more about menopause-related skin changes.
Supplements
To reduce bone loss, your doctor may recommend calcium and vitamin D supplements. Vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids may also help treat vasomotor symptoms.
Talk with your doctor about these supplements and others for your specific needs.
Learn more about herbs and supplements for menopause.
Vaginal dilator therapy
During menopause, the vagina can narrow due to low estrogen. This can lead to pain during intercourse, and vaginal dilator therapy may help.
Vaginal dilators are devices that stretch the muscles of the vagina so that sex is less painful. The device usually consists of a plastic or silicone rod or cylinder with a rounded end that you insert into your vagina.
If you want to try this treatment method, talk with a healthcare professional.
Learn more about painful sex after menopause, including how to manage it.
Mental health therapy
A 2020 research review suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may relieve menopausal symptoms like depression, vasomotor symptoms, and sleep disturbances. CBT involves working with a mental health professional to identify and adjust negative behavior and thought patterns.
Talk with a mental health professional if you want to try CBT.
Though hormone therapy isn’t safe for people with breast cancer, other medications can help manage symptoms of menopause. Lifestyle changes, avoiding triggers, and some other complementary treatments like acupuncture or mental health therapy may also help.
If you haven’t yet experienced menopause and have breast cancer, be sure to discuss how to manage menopause symptoms with your doctor.