Hello
What an experience! Talk about a whirlwind. I found a lump in my breast in mid April and in mid May I had a mastectomy. Done in a day surgery! I have had longer sessions at the dentist!! A breathtaking experience but I made a speedy recovery. I was very fortunate in that the cancer had not spread to the lymph nodes and, after an agonising wait, I discovered that the recurrence score indicated that chemo was not necessary. However, and this is the rub, I was prescribed letrozole for 5 years to help avoid a recurrence. but when we looked into the side effects my heart sank. I currently feel so well and energetic and felt that I just could not volunteer for all that!! So, after a couple of weeks of agonising and feeling the weight of the disapproval of my GP (who I realise wants her best for me) I decided against it.
Then I had to woman-up to the conversation with my oncologist to let her know. So, I prepared her for this by sending an email in which I explained that, as a 71 year old woman married to a man in his mid 70s, it is more about quality than quantity and, according to our research on the NHS prediction calculator, for me and my diagnosis this drug only makes a marginal difference. She took it well and was very understanding and I am now more comfortable with this decision.
However, in order to feel less anxious, I have embraced the Mediterranean Diet. I am a great believer in the power of diet and lifestyle and, at the very least, it makes me feel in control.
There must be others like me! I am looking for someone in a similar situation who has been prescribed but decided against letrozole - or hormone treatment. Or someone who has briefly tried it and given up and is interested in a dietary approach to avoiding a recurrence.
If this sounds like you I would love you to be in touch.
Cherrypiex