Hi kimberlee
Sorry to hear about your menopausal symptoms and also about the cancer/stroke in your family. In terms of the cervix - this is not affected by HRT. Re the breast cancer - it is important to find out as much as you can if you are considering this in your position. Is it possible that you can have the test for the BRAC gene to assess your risk of developing breast cancer?
According to the British Menopause Society ( Fact sheet on HRT and breast cancer from 2008 - so a while ago) "
Having a mother or sister who has suffered breast cancer under the age of 50 can also increase your risk." http://www.thebms.org.uk/factdetail.php?id=6There are other more serious risk factors for breast cancer too - being overweight or obese, drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol etc, so you would need to weigh up all of this too.
You ask if anti-depressants are normal to be given for symptom relief - well the answer is that the recommended first-line treatment for menopausal symptoms is HRT - provided you are not contra-indicated. The contra-indications are listed here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/contraindications.php Pregnancy
Undiagnosed abnormal vaginal bleeding
Active or recent blood clot or myocardial infarction (heart attack)
Suspected or active breast or endometrial (womb) cancer
Active liver disease with abnormal liver function tests
Porphyria cutanea tarda
However in your position you would need to discuss carefully your own risk with a specialist because it's not cut and dried so you have to weigh up risks and benefits more carefully - can you ask for a referral to a menopause clinic?
For women who really cannot take HRT (or in your case because the risk may be very high) - yes the other alternatives are anit-depressants and other drugs listed here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/prescribed.phpThese are the ones (above) that are licensed and shown by medical trials to be effective.
The herbal treatments are mostly ineffective and lack clinical data on long term safety and effectiveness. The ones that are most promising (some of the phyto-oestrogen preparations) are also not recommneded for those who suffer from breast cancer. These are listed here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/phytoestrogens.phpThe various relaxation therapies are probably similar - ie lack conclusive data specifically on menopause symptoms - but are of benefit (mainly through placebo and general non-specific feelings of well-being!) for relaxation etc.
There is a section on alternative treatments on the menus above starting here:
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/remedies.phpI hope this helps
Please do keep posting and you will be assured of an answer and support
Hurdity x