Feeling a bit glum today. Tumour marker tests have indicated that the current aromatose inhibiter drug combo (Aromasin and Zoladex) for controlling the progress of my bone and lymph node secondaries, has also stopped working (as did tamoxifen and Femara(Letrozole) last year).
Awaiting CT scan so they can “see” whats going on before an informed decision can made about any revised treatment. I dread more chemo…But they are reluctant to just switch to what I understand to be the last AI (Arimedex)in the battery of treatments available to me (unless someone knows differently!). Feel like a plane circling in a holding pattern cos of the fog out there…
Hi, Aromasin didn’t work for me (at all) either…but previously I’d had over 3 years with Arimidex so maybe you can keep that in the store cupboard for later. There’s also Faslodex and an oldie Megace but I know little about them as my Onc (and me) decided no more hormonals and I switched to chemo. I thought life was going to get grotty but I’ve now had 3 and a half years with Xeloda, don’t know if you’ve had that one? Kept my hair and feel pretty good. Think it will be the heavier stuff very soon so I’m also in some fog but wishing you good luck with that CT…and yes me too, CT in a few days. Hope the fog lifts…x
Over the last 4 years I’ve had Tamoxifen, Arimidex, Exemestane and Femara (plus a course of FEC) and each only worked for a short period of time. Recent scan shows new activity in my tumours so am now going on to Faslodex, which are given by intra muscular injection. After that I’ll be back on chemo I expect.
xx
Sorry you are feeling so down, but it is understandable when you know a treatment isn’t working and are waiting to see what’s next. Just to confirm what Belinda said, that not all chemo is horrific. I too have been recently put on Xeloda. (Tamoxifen, Aromasin, Femara and Faslodex all haven’t worked for me) I have had minor hand/foot problems and poor bloods, but generally feel completely normal, keeping my hair and avoiding that steroid bloating, as made me ‘feel normal’ and I continue to work part time. I think most of the tablet form chemos are similar for a lot of people.
Hope that you get a new treatment that you are happy with sorted asap!
p.s How is your hip doing? I don’t use crutches or a stick at home or work, but have quite a ‘lurch’ to the left! I do use a stick if walking longer distances though.
Thought I’d better update this thread to encourage others! They did CT scans to see exactly where progression might be in order to determine revised treatment… and there was none! In fact the tumours in chest lymph nodes had shrunk! The lesson all have learned is that tumour marker tests should always be repeated to check for upwards/downwards trend as apparently the value itself is not a reliable indication… So am staying on exemestane/zoladex for now (though that is the subject of another thread I’m about to put out for info: the side effects of the generic exemestanes I have been having since July since Aromasin’s patent ended…
Hope the fog lifts…x