Anyone

[smak]

Take it easy. Slow and steady does it.
Sheelagh x

[smak]

I had my surgery two weeks ago too. My consultant appointment is next Friday
Sheelagh x

[susynight]

Thanks and good luck with your consultant appointment

[lottie73]

Good morning ladies

Hope you all had a good nights rest.

Have any of you seen the Speakers Live section? They are a direction of zoom information meeting type things and there’s one on hormone treatment in September. I’ve just signed up for it as I found the one on diet a couple of weeks ago very interesting.

Have a Good Friday!

C xx

[lottie73]

@misswoof-88 Hi Alison, hope all goes well at the appointment today

[misswoof-88]

Clear lymph nodes and clear margins!! Whoop whoop!

Radiotherapy in a few weeks (Sept/oct) and another appointment on Monday to sort out hormone therapy. Had a blood test today to confirm post menopause (or not), then I’ll find out whether it’s tamoxifen or Aromatase inhibitors

But, for now, apart from dealing with the drain (and I’ve now got my own home kit to do it myself), Ive got some peace and quiet this weekend and for the next few weeks

Such a relief
Xx

[lottie73]

That’s great news, I’m so happy for you!! That’s another huge hurdle crossed.

I haven’t been told anything about the hormone therapy yet as apparently the oncology team will discuss that with me. Given that I’m 52 the consultant thinks it will probably be tamoxifen.

Bet you’re feeling very relieved today hun

[amafoss65]

Great news! Out of curiosity, when they give you your results do they say how many radiotherapy sessions you need? I assume your surgery scars have to be healed so they allow 6? weeks before starting? I started on letrozole (anti oestrogen) prior to surgery, not noticed any major side effects except my hair is shedding or that could be the stress of everything! I’m 60 and post menopausal
You must be so relieved to get your results. I’m waiting to hear next week All the best. X

[bellalasagne1]

Brilliant news, I’m so happy for you

Bxx

[bellalasagne1]

Hiya, I can provide my answer and maybe Alison will reply when she can…

I was told initially that I’d have 5 radio sessions but at my Oncology appt they added 5 boosters because, despite clear margins, I had a 0.3mm margin in one spot so they’ll zap me some more to be absolutely sure. It’s good that they’re so thorough!

My 10 start on Monday providing they sign off the plan in time (from a phone call today)

Yes, you have to have completely healed because radio can damage the skin. My wound was still slightly leaky at my radio planning appt 10 days ago but it’s fine now so they’re happy to go ahead.

Hope that helps x

[amafoss65]

Thank you, good luck for Monday, and enjoy the weekend xxx

[lottie73]

Hiya, sorry to butt in I was initially told after discovering the first lump that I would need 5 sessions of radiotherapy. However the consultant wasn’t sure if the oncologist would up this following the finding of a 2nd lump so just waiting to hear. The area I live in hope to start radiotherapy around 8-10 weeks after surgery as the wounds generally have healed by then.

I don’t know yet which hormone therapy either so trying to do a bit of research into side effects etc beforehand!

Good luck for your appointment next week

Charlotte xx

[misswoof-88]

Evening ladies!
God I tired tonight, I think it’s catching up with me…
So,in answer to the above, I was initially told that radiotherapy was going to be between 1-3weeks (mon to fri).
Today he said, that will be decided by the oncologist. As to timeframes: absolutely nothing doing until I am fully healed. Sept/oct at the earliest. So, don’t worry lovely ladies, they won’t zap anything that isn’t properly healed.

I did discuss hormone therapy but there is a ? over my menopause status. They took some bloods today that they and get a better idea.

Ideally they want me straight on Aromatase inhibitors (these meds work by blocking/removing estrogen) but they don’t work well unless you are post men.

If they aren’t sure, I’ll go straight on to Tamoxifen for the full 5 years.

Tamoxifen works by binding to your bodies estrogen and blocking cancer cells from using it.

Both come with side effects. Pro’s & cons.

Letrozole worries me, I’ll be honest. It’s definitely efficacious but causes the worst side effects and they aren’t pretty.
I do worry about the long term effects of removing all estrogen from my body…

It’s a bit of a minefield… hard to know what’s best.

Any thoughts ladies ??
Anyone else on Letrozole?
How are you getting on with it?

Xx

[smak]

Other than the leaking boob it has been a positive week for the BBB’s. Am so pleased that two of you have now had your post op appt and your lymph node and margins were clear. Fingers crossed that we will have the same results next week for those (including me) at our appts. The nearer it gets to the day the more nervous I get. I was also told 8-10 weeks before radiotherapy could start. To be honest I don’t mind waiting as I think ‘time out’ is much needed. With regard to the hormone therapy the more I read the more the side effects worry me. Anyway that’s further down the road so will park it for now. I am having an issue with my upper arm and stretching. Feels like an elastic band that won’t stretch . Has anyone had anything similar ? I do my exercises religiously every day. Hope everyone has a good weekend with a little more peace of mind and a little less of a leaky boob

[amafoss65]

Hi, thanks so much for answering and hope you get much needed rest. I’ve not experienced any major side effects on letrozole. Maybe the odd hot flush, and hair shedding (thankfully I have a lot!) as it’s supposed to take you back to menopause but I’m on heart tablets which do similar. I’m on them for 5 years at the moment. Because my cancer is ER+ it’s been an easy decision to start and see how they go. I have to go for a bone density scan in a month, as they keep an eye on osteoporosis….We’re all different and you might experience other side effects. All the best and again thanks for the answers x

[lottie73]

Sheelagh I feel exactly the same as you regarding being scared of the side effects. I’ve already been through the menopause once and really didn’t fancy it again! Bit scared of thinning hair and bones but we will can cross that bridge together if and when we need to.

Are you doing the exercise which is a bit like climbing up a wall?

We will all be rooting for you next Friday so please keep us updated.

Have a good weekend

[lottie73]

Evening @amafoss65 can I ask a quick question if that’s okay - were you given an option of Letrozole or was there a particular reason why that was chosen for you?

Obviously that’s a personal question so please don’t feel obliged to answer xx

[amafoss65]

Hi, no problem. My consultant recommended it because I was ER+ (7/8) from the biopsy, HER2- and PR-, along with being post menopausal. I was told it was the most effective to shrink oestrogen sensitive cancer. I was put on letrozole prior to surgery because I had 11 weeks from biopsies to my surgery due to travelling abroad. Just for background I was offered to take part in a trial to just take letrozole for 6 months and see if the tumour (mine was 2cms) shrunk completely but I wanted to get it taken out asap. I was tempted but of course there were no guarantees… it does show how much hormone therapy is advancing and hopefully it will help in the future more ER+ patients. There are a few threads on letrozole on this forum which can help with different view points. Some people struggle on different brands. I’m on Accord and I have asked my pharmacist to keep me on that brand. I take the tablet in the morning which I think helps as I’m active and don’t feel any joint pains, which can be a side effect. I have had the odd hot flush…of course my husband (he’s so supportive) was delighted I’d be ‘menopausal’ again I was quite shouty and anxious first time round, this is much better so far Hope that helps answer. All the best x

[bellalasagne1]

Morning all, butting in big time here …

I took Tamoxifen for 10 years after cancer#1 from ages 43-52. I’d also had chemo so was thrown straight into what I called kemopause. It was tough at first TBH, loads of night sweats, hot flushes, weight gain but did settle after a year or so. These side effects did disappear completely when I came off it.

Fast forward to now, I’m 60 and the BCNs have confirmed that the above will have masked my natural menopause. I’ve been taking Letrozole for about 6 weeks and haven’t noticed any side effects at all. I also have thick hair and usually shed it like a moulting cat every summer but haven’t noticed any increase.

Also, I had my DEXA scan last week. They scan one hip (apparently both are the same…) and lower spine to get a baseline of bone density. It was easy, took 10 mins, and is repeated every 2 years while on the tablets.

Bx

[pmeg14]

Hi @smak, I thought I’d try and offer you a little reassurance. I was started on Letrozole 6 weeks before my lumpectomy and snb which shrunk the tumour from 2.9 to 2.4 cms by the time of operation (lymph nodes and margins were clear). I’ve to be on the Letrozole for at least 5 years and I’ve had no side-effects from it whatsoever. I take the Accord brand which suits me and I’ve asked the pharmacist to make sure I get that brand each time. As for the issue with your upper arm and the feeling like an elastic band (I think is called cording), I had that post-surgery and I found it very uncomfortable to stretch my arm up but, like you, I made sure I did the arm exercises faithfully, and after a few weeks, it felt so much better and now I can stretch my arm up with no problem, so I’m sure you’ll find it will ease in time. I did have five days of radiotherapy which I finished about 6 weeks ago and have only just started to experience extreme tiredness but no other debilitating side-effects and I hope that will diminish in time. Anyway, I wish you all the best for your results next week and fingers crossed it’s positive news.