body systems

#Women - coping with sex hormone symptoms

Sex hormones, heart problems and diabetes in women

By Dr. Ahmed Hafez

Some cancer treatments lower the amount of sex hormones in the body. The main female sex hormones are oestrogen and progesterone.  Low levels of these hormones may increase your risk of heart problems and diabetes. Hormone therapy and the risk of heart problems There is some evidence to suggest that aromatase inhibitors may increase the risk of heart problems. Aromatase inhibitors are a type of hormone therapy used to treat breast cancer. The group of aromatase inhibitors includes: anastrozole (Arimidex) exemestane (Aromasin) letrozole (Femara)   Research into hormone therapies and heart problems Evidence shows that before the natural menopause, oestrogen

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#Women - coping with sex hormone symptoms

Thinking and memory changes in women

By Dr. Ahmed Hafez

Some cancer treatments lower the amount of sex hormones in the body. Low levels of sex hormones can cause problems with concentration, thinking, and memory. What are the sex hormones? Hormones are natural substances made by the glands of our hormone system. They are carried around our body in our bloodstream. They act as messengers to carry signals between one part of the body and another. The main female sex hormones are oestrogen and progesterone.  Hormone therapy to treat breast cancer can work in one of two ways: lowering the levels of oestrogen blocking the effect of oestrogen on cancer cells 

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#Sex hormone symptoms and cancer

Bone problems and osteoporosis in prostate cancer

By Dr. Ahmed Hafez

Hormone therapy for prostate cancer can lower the levels of sex hormones (testosterone) in the blood. This can cause different side effects including problems with your bones. How does hormone therapy for prostate cancer affect the bones? Hormone therapy lowers the levels of testosterone. This can cause thinning and weakening of the bones. How can I reduce the risk of bone problems? Make sure your diet has enough calcium and vitamin D. This helps to keep your bones healthy.  Can I take medicines to help with bone loss? Your doctor may suggest you take medicines called bisphosphonates to help with bone

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#Sex hormone symptoms and cancer

Bowel problems and sex after radiotherapy for prostate cancer 

By Dr. Ahmed Hafez

Radiotherapy uses radiation to kill cancer cells. It is a common treatment for prostate cancer. Radiotherapy to the prostate gland can affect your sex life in several ways. For example, daily treatments for several weeks can make you very tired. You might not feel like having sex. Other side effects can affect you when having anal sex. Side effects include: loose poo or diarrhoea irritation and pain around the back passage and anus leaking poo How diarrhoea affects your sex life You might get diarrhoea during radiotherapy and for some time afterwards. This can be unpleasant and tiring. It may put you

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#Sex hormone symptoms and cancer

Infertility after prostate cancer treatment 

By Dr. Ahmed Hafez

You might not be able to have children after prostate cancer treatment. This can be difficult to cope with. Understanding why your fertility can be affected and what can help may help you to cope with these changes. How prostate cancer surgery affects your fertility A common treatment for prostate cancer is surgery to remove the prostate gland. This is a radical prostatectomy.  After a radical prostatectomy, you will not be able to have children by sexual intercourse. If you want to have children, your doctor might suggest collecting sperm before surgery. The sperm is frozen and stored until you

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#Sex hormone symptoms and cancer

Sex and erection problems after treatment for prostate cancer

By Dr. Ahmed Hafez

Prostate cancer treatments can affect your sex life. Some treatments can damage the nerves that you need to get an erection. Other treatments can affect the levels of hormones needed to get and maintain an erection.   Even if you can’t get a full erection, you can still have a sex life. There are several treatments that may help you but not everyone chooses to have treatment. Treatments might include: drug treatments such as tablets and creams vacuum pumps implants Sex therapy and counselling can also help. Speak to your doctor or specialist nurse if this is something you think might help.  

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#Sex hormone symptoms and cancer

Problems with sleeping

By Dr. Ahmed Hafez

Hormone therapy for prostate cancer can change the levels of sex hormones in your body. This can cause different side effects including difficulty sleeping (insomnia).  What is insomnia? Insomnia is when you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at night. Does hormone therapy for prostate cancer cause insomnia? Hormone therapy can cause side effects such as hot flushes and anxiety. This can make it difficult to sleep. What are the best treatments for insomnia?   Relaxation techniques such as meditation can help. Your doctor might also suggest medicines if you’re finding it very difficult to sleep. Difficulty sleeping and

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#Sex hormone symptoms and cancer

Hot flushes in men 

By Dr. Ahmed Hafez

Hormone therapy for prostate cancer can change the levels of sex hormones in your body. This can cause hot flushes.  This page is about hot flushes in men with prostate cancer. But some of the tips on how to cope with hot flushes are also applicable to men who have hot flushes for other reasons.  What causes hot flushes in men? Some prostate cancer treatments lower the amount of sex hormones in the body. These lower levels of hormones can cause hot flushes. What do they feel like? They usually start as a feeling of warmth in your neck and

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#Body systems and cancer

The hormone system and how cancer affects it

By Dr. Ahmed Hafez

The hormone system The hormone system is a network of glands and organs in the body that produce hormones. It is also called the endocrine system. The diagram shows the main parts of the hormone system. Hormones and how they work Hormones are natural substances made by the glands and organs of the hormone system. Each gland makes a different hormone and most make more than one. There are many different hormones. They are carried around our body in our bloodstream and act as messengers between one part of our body and another.  Each hormone has a different function. They control

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#Body systems and cancer

How does cancer affect the lymphatic system?

By Dr. Ahmed Hafez

What the lymphatic system is The lymphatic system is a system of thin tubes and lymph nodes that run throughout the body. These tubes are called lymph vessels or lymphatic vessels. The lymph system is an important part of our immune system. It plays a role in: fighting bacteria and other infections destroying old or abnormal cells, such as cancer cells The lymphatic system The diagram shows the lymph vessels, lymph nodes and the other organs that make up the lymphatic system. How it works The lymphatic system is similar to the blood circulation system. The lymph vessels branch through all parts of

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