That’s interesting Maria,I’m 45 and my ovary function hasn’t been checked as far as I know and I’m starting Tamoxifen on the 25th. My onc said I’ll be on it for two years then moved to an AI as I’ll have entered the menopause by then, but when I told her I’ll still only be 47 then she did note down that they’ll need to check my hormone levels before I change drugs.
My mum started the menopause at 50 and my sister is not htere yet at 47 so I don’t think it would be safe to assume anything.
I had my rads planning on Tuesday and only have three tattoos. My dates came through today and I start on 1st June so you’ll be glowing before me!
I had a hysterectomy when i was 29 and although my overaries were left i presume that they shrivalled up and died due to lack of activity lol. You,d think everyone’s hormone levels would be checked wouldn’t you? Mind - apparently i had mine done when i had bloods done on fec 5 and didn’t realise until they told me. Can’t wait to get on with rads now, for the first time i feel like my life is getting back to normal yippee!
I’ll be on Letrozole as I’m most definitely post menopausal- I’m 63. I only had 3x tattoos too Jane - where did they put your 7 Maria?
How are your fingernails? mine look more suspect each day and I’ve already lost two toenails.
I’m also looking forward to getting back to normal whatever that is.
We will all be frying together!
It looks like the rads are going to cover a large are, the highest one is about half an inch below the little v in the collar bone. I,ve not looked properly yet - i,m just home for an hour before going back to work. What can i say i,m blessed with naturally large boobs - well 1 now lol. Must say i,m feeling really good at the moment. i think it’s a combination of being able to see light at the end of the tunnel and being told i’d gone through the menopause has explained a few things ( feeling down for no reason, being tired etc etc.) It never even occurred to me that i was going through the menpause
Diana how are you doing on Letrozole?
I’ve started arimidex, which is also prescribed for the post-menopausal. I’m 63 like Diana. I wonder what the difference is and the reasons for prescribing one or the other? I’ve got a bone density scan next week to see whether I need to take anything to prevent osteoporosis. I’ve actually been through menopause twice already in a sense: once about 50 when the symptoms started up and once when I came of HRT several years later. I had bad night sweats that woke me up several times a night (hot, then cold) for a week or more at a time. I was so short of sleep I just couldn’t function. I really hope this won’t be so bad.
I don’t have my rads dates yet, but they can’t start before the 2nd week of June as we’re away the first week. Still, there will be a lot of overlap, so we can compare.
I haven’t started the Letrozole yet Maria- I have an oncologist appointment on the 20th so I guess that’s when it will be prescribed.
Like Cheryl I wonder how they choose which AI to give everyone. The BCC info on Letrozole, Arimidex, and Aromasin seems to be all the same. I had a diagnosis of osteopenia (precursor to osteoporosis) in Nov 2009 so that’s a question to ask when I have the apt.
Just seen your message on other thread. Yes all done now yippee. Other than the 3 weeksof side effects.
No dates for starting rads yet. Been told it will be 3 or 4 weeks from now.
ONC has given me choice of whether to take tamoxifen or not as im only slightly hormone positive. Actually been classed as triple negative b4 now and had got my head around no more treatment and no more side effects. Now shes changed her mind and giving me the choice. AAARRRGGGHHH!!! she did say if SE’s were bad they would just discontinue. Dont know what to do now. I expect to be told what to do not be given the choice.
I got my answer to why they have prescribed Letrozole for me- it is the Marsden’s drug of choice. Apparently they are able to measure oestrogen levels down to almost nil(not all hospitals can go so low) and they have found that Femara is the most effective. The Onc said it is “stonger” than Arimidex and Aromasin- I asked re the side effects and she told me they might be worse so I was in two minds as to whether to ask for one of the others but she hastened to say that there really wasn’t that much difference between the three of them. I last had a bone density scan in Nov 2009 so will have another one in a couple of months time when the Rads have finished.
Hope you are well when do you start your holiday?
Diana
That’s interesting, Diana. So it might also depend on how strongly oestrogen-sensitive your cancer is or other factors. If I get a chance I’ll ask as well–oncologists seem to have individual preferences as well as clinical indications.
I’ve been taking arimidex for nearly 2 weeks now and last night was the first time I woke up feeling really hot during the night. I can cope with that if it’s only occasional.
We’re going away a week from today, leaving the house at the crack of dawn, but that’s probably better than arriving in the middle of the night which my husband says was the only other option. At least we can pick up groceries and sunscreen on our way to the resort.
Hope you are well too and that you don’t have trouble with side effects.
Hi all!
Started rads this week. So far so good. I am 5 days post tamoxifen so far all good. Nobody has talked to me about how long (I’m 50) and was on minipill and had no periods. They came back with a vengeance on FEC but TAX saw them off. No hot flushes as such, just very “warm” moments, usually at night. No real hair growth happening though. I’m getting impatient now. Nearly 5 weeks post TAX. Getting back to some normality now but a bit creaky and much slower. Just need some hair as the seeing the baldy stare back in the mirror reminds me of BC. Mirrors all coming down in our house. x
Before I forget - Cheryl - your holiday- enjoy getting up at the crack of dawn tomorrow and REALLY make the most of your holiday! Have a wonderful time!
I started radiotherapy on Wednesday- three sessions so far so too early for any side effects. Using Aloe Vera gel and E45 to moisturise and aqueous cream for “washing” the left side. Using my usual shower wash for the rest of me. I have been “invited” to attend a Radiotherapy Class for Breast Patients next Thursday- before my 6th radiotherapy session. I very happily accepted, apparently it will last about an hour and will be run by a physiotherapist, a lymphoedema therapist and a radiographer.
I can taste pretty much everything now, a cup of tea tastes like tea at last. Unfortunately all the chocolates I was given for my birthday in March are no more, they have been devoured in the last week. Never has chocolate lasted so long in my house!
Janipi- like you I crave hair! I was really jealous of the hair growth I saw at the lunch in Reading! Never have had patience as one of my virtues but I’m having to learn. I want eyebrows and eyelashes too - I have none. The few eyebrows I had left came out as I tried to draw eyebrows in with the pencil I got in my LGFB goodies bag. So that put paid to my only attempts at “makeup”.
Haven’t started the Letrozole yet, I am full of joint aches and pains from Rheumatoid Arthritis as have had to stop my meds for that as it interferes with the radiotherapy. Rheumatologist gave me an injection of methylprednisolone on Thursday which has helped a little. I want to get that sorted before I start on something that according to nearly everyone who takes it causes “terrible joint pain”.
Peachez and Alto it was great to meet you on Wednesday.
Hope all the January Feccers and Taxers are doing well.
Have had 4 lots of rads so far and everything is ok. Have started getting aches and pains from the letrozole and seem to be putting on weight at a fast pace. I have now taken to walking at least 5 miles each day and have gone back to work , but only for a couple of hours each day. I,m hoping this will curb the weight gain.
Looking like a little chick at the moment, my head is covered in fluff lol - but at least it’s a start! Give it a week or 2 and i’ll look like a dandelion one oclock.
Diana, i cant believe you manged to keep chocolates from March till last week. Wow your will power is fantastic! I ate all chocolates from birthday, also in March in the first week - taste or no taste
I tried to eat the chocolates several times but they were disgusting with a capital D. It did not require any will power at all as they tasted so awful!!! They were lovely this last week and I was a real pig.
Sorry to hear you are getting the aches and pains from Letrozole I’m not looking forward to starting it at all. My non bc shoulder hurts as much as my bc shoulder when I do the exercises- I have full range of movement with my affected arm- no pain problems until my meds were stopped. Are you doing the arm exercises? I found a thread where it was said to be important to do the exercises through radiotherapy. I wonder what I will be told at the hospital next week.
I have some hair regrowth but it doesn’t quite look like a head of hair yet; there are still thin spots. But at least it’s growing. I am definitely getting stronger. I start rads on the 8th, after we come back from holiday.
So far I haven’t had trouble with Arimidex. I’ve woken up hot during the night a couple of times. When I went through menopause I would often wake up dripping wet several times a night, so I’m not complaining.
I have been doing exercises since I had mastectomy and full node clearance in November, but went yesterday for the radiotherapy Physio exercises. I was told there, that these new exercises were to replace the old excercises, not an add on. To be honest they are pretty much similar so no problems there.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the letrozole Diana, as i think most of my aches and pains are because i have been thrown into full on menopause very quickly ( i,m only 43)so i,ve not had gradual symptoms, it’s hit me all at once. But even so they are manageable and will not stop me doing anything.
Cheryl, have a nice holiday and good luck for starting rads in June.
Restarted Letorzole this week. I was put on it before chemo when my Dx became protracted.
I got twinges in my legs from the very first night, but if previous experience repeats itself, these will get better. If my ankles hurt while walking I just slow down a bit and it soon wears off.
I have also noticed an improvement having started taking a Calcium/Mag/D3 supplement already approved by my Onc.
I’m not into complaining though, I’m grateful we have such wonderful drugs to fall back on! Will be interesting to see how it goes long term and hear how others get on with it too.
[P.S. Raggamuffin, now that I’ve met you I find myself reading your posts in your accent! How’s zat!]
I’ll have to put a plum in my mouth to see if I can get away from the Australian accent. My father would turn in his grave if he could hear me - would probably appreciate my bald head though!
Re the Letrozole - I (and the rheumatologist) want to get the RA sorted out first. I’ve been taking Calcium and Vit D for the past four years. I have so many aches and pains at the moment I’m glad not to add to them for the time being.