An endocrinologist prescribed me, following hormonal tests, of Androcur (associated with Progynova) for the first time in 1989, while I was 17 years old. I had suffered from severe acne since the age of about 11 years. No dermatological treatment came to the end of this acne that came to me. At 17, my hair had also started to fall by whole handles.

The treatment worked well. Over the years, it was made up of 1 tablet of Androcur 20 days per month, associated with 1 tablet of provames, then stop 8 days, stop during which I very rarely had my rules. Which did not annoy me, since my cycles were before this very irregular treatment, and my painful rules.

A little acne still persisted, and while I was a young adult, I even had a prescription of Diane 35 associated with a little Androcur, then an increased dosage of Androcur (up to a tablet and a half per day)…. !!!

This endocrinologist followed me for a few years, then during my life as a student and over the moves that have traveled my adult life, Androcur continued to have prescribed and renewed (therefore from 1989 to 2018!) By other endocrinologists, dermatologists, general practitioners, gynecologists…. I was sometimes asked why this medication had been prescribed to me originally, but no one ever alerted me against a potential danger (of meningioma or other) . During all these years, a single endocrinologist was reluctant at one point: I also used it as a contraceptive, and Androcur had not had any marketing authorization for contraception, she therefore issued reservations about this ( had he obtained one for acne ...? !!).

After my pregnancy, at 33, I wanted a more "classic" pill, to try to stop Androcur. After all, my hormones were supposed to be more stable. But I did not support any of the different pills tested then. All had heavy side effects on me.

My faithful buttons having returned, and in despair, I resolve to take up the famous Androcur. However, I have the awareness that it is a heavy treatment, and I wonder a lot about it. Note that I had become migraine, around the age of 30.

In 2013, my general practitioner prescribed a scanner to me with migraines that have become continuous. "Normal exam".

In 2016, latent depression had settled in me, certainly favored by several difficult life events, but I wonder if it is not maintained by this medication. I open my gynecologist, who assures me that depression has no connection with the Androcur, that there is no danger for this medication. I now know that an alert was launched in 2008 for not an increased risk of depression, of course, but a multiplied risk of developing meningiom. We should have already informed me!

Despite the pseudo insurance of the gynecologist, I remain doubtful and quite worried about the medication. I regularly look at the Internet, wonder ... until this day in September 2018, where I read on the Internet that Androcur would multiply the risk of meningioma by 7 in the event of prolonged risk! And the case and testimony of several patients ! I have been taking it !! I imagine well when I cannot be spared, and my headache is thus explained. I then go to my general practitioner (who also had renewed the Androcur and Provames on me on multiple times). She is not yet aware of this meningioma information (!), But she agrees to prescribe a scanner to reassure me, saying that she does not believe that I have meningiomas, that there would have been other signs she said ...

Not quiet, however, start the wait for the meeting at the radiology center, we do not of course get an appointment overnight, and I have time to imagine the worst, already imagining me in prolonged, dependent, or even worse work stops…. I live alone with my son, I am used to imagine an upcoming operation and its consequences ...

On D -Day, in October 2018, I pass the scanner exam, feverishly await my results in the waiting room, when the secretary calls me for the regulations and gives me the envelope containing my shots. Thank you and goodbye. I say to myself "nice, if I am given the results as well, without the doctor giving me an oral report, it is that the exam is good". 

I still go out the written report sheet, to read it in front of the door of the radiology center. It is then that I read "... Localized front mass of the midline, evocative in the context of a meningioma ..."

Why "evocative", is it a meningioma, yes or no ???

I then have the impression of seeing 36 candles, hot puffs ... I return to the secretary, and asks to see the doctor for the interpretation of my results. She replied that this doctor is not used to receiving patients after radio.

This one goes to see me a few moments later, as a result. "Evocative, does that mean that I have a meningioma?" ». Indeed, it confirms "yes"! No empathy, I just make him waste his time. He quickly returns to his shots, without taking the time to reassure me. I leave the center alone, with the sky that fell on my head.

I will just have to reassure myself with the fact that this meningioma seems quite small, and that it was written on this famous scanner report "no associated complication" ...

Then begins a new period of stress, with X consultations, return to the general practitioner who falls from the clouds, recommendation to a neurosurgeon in CHU, awaiting appointments, also with endocrino and dermato to try to find alternative solutions for acne, because the compulsory arret of Androcur.

The neurosurgeon met at the end of October 2018 confirms, phew, that it is not useful to provide an intervention. In my misfortune, meningioma is small and "well located". On his report, he confirms that there is indeed a causal link between the growth of meningiomas at this place and the taking of Androcur, and therefore that the stop of this treatment can lead to either stabilization, or even sometimes a regression of the volume of this meningioma ( NB: during a future consultation a year and a half later, he will however tell me that this meningioma can also sweat slowly ).

Without expanding on it, I specify that after this already difficult announcement and following a battery of blood hormonal dosages, some of which were abnormal, I then had a suspicion of tumor in the pituitary gland, and new long weeks of anxiety between different tests and this time an MRI (the tumor in the pituitary gland is not detectable in the scanner) ... Finally this suspicion was not confirmed, and the mystery From my IGF1 rate has remained whole to date.

Well, stop of the Androcur = more at all contraception. So I will see the gynecologist again, the one who a year earlier said loud and clear that the Androcur would not generate any risk, neither depressive nor other. I have told him about my experience in recent months.

• He is not aware of the news concerning Androcur (decidedly, it's been twice that I play the role of informant with the medical profession !!)
• He tells me that in any case he does not prescribe this medication (it was he who renewed it to me the previous times by ensuring that there was no danger !!).
• He tells me the name of two pills which may have prescribed me, to have validated with my neurosurgeon

60 €, thank you and goodbye. Or rather goodbye. I found another gynecologist, human and attentive, who of course confirmed me, as I already supposed, that it was better to definitively forget any pill as well as any medication with hormones. He does not validate the name of the two pills mentioned by his colleague at all.

I of course learned that a "alert" had been launched in 2008 by Mr. Froelich. Nothing was done during all these years . A real health scandal, even if it is stifled by the authorities and the labs. Once again, the bait of the gain prevailed on the health of thousands of women.

Admittedly angry, I realize myself really " lucky " because given the number of years during which I ingested this molecule, I am doing well compared to all the women who have developed tumors, often multiple and much larger, and underwent operations, following taking of the medicine however less prolonged than mine.

To date, I am under annual surveillance (MRI). For the moment, meningioma has not changed. It was my acne that came back strongly. Even if the fifties approach, nothing to do, she is still there ... I hide it under makeup and my long hair ...

Following the end of Androcur, the migraines that rotten my life disappeared ... It allowed me to also stop the triptans ...

Thank you for reading me. I am aware of the luck that I have been so little affected, despite almost 30 years of taking this "medication". I think of women who were less likely than me every day. Thank you to your association.

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