Hi czeske,
Thank you for posting.
It’s understandable that you are turning to supplements to help with your fatigue (extreme tiredness). Fatigue after receiving treatment for breast cancer is very common. It doesn’t always go away with rest or sleep and may affect you physically and emotionally.
Many people to ask us about vitamins, supplements and herbal medicines to help manage side effects like fatigue from treatments such as aromatase inhibitors (including letrozole and exemestane).
However, most herbs and supplements don’t have to comply with the same regulations or rigorous testing that conventional medicines do. Some can interfere with conventional medicines including cancer treatments.
It is understandable that you’re hesitant to speak to your breast care nurse, especially as you’ve found ginseng helpful. However because of the potential interactions, we always suggest checking with your breast care nurse, treatment team, GP, or a pharmacist before taking any supplements.
Both the Hospital for Integrated Medicine (UCLH) and the World Cancer Research Fund have helplines where you can ask specialists questions about diet and supplements and how they impact on different cancer treatments.
If you would like more information about any herbs or supplements, you can search this American website, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, for information about individual supplements, such as Asian Ginseng or American Ginseng. Each has sections on existing evidence and what known interaction there is with other medications.
Although fatigue is a known side effect of exemestane, there are other factors which may also contribute to fatigue, such as the emotional impact of a breast cancer diagnosis, altered sleep patterns, reduced activity and diet.
You may find our Facebook live on mindfulness and sleep deprivation helpful, if this is a problem for you.
If you have not done so already, do discuss how you are feeling with your treatment team, breast care nurse or GP. It’s important they are aware of any side effects you are experiencing and how they are impacting your daily life. There are a few situations where fatigue can be due to other conditions such as anaemia, (too few red blood cells in the body) or thyroid problems, so it’s important these are ruled out.
You may also wish to have a look at some of our free supportive services that run both in person and online. We have an upcoming webinar on Managing Fatigue with Sandra Marshman in July that you may wish to register for.
Do call our helpline if you would like to talk this through or have any further questions. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to additional support and information if necessary. Your call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks.
Our number is 0808 800 6000. If you have hearing or speech difficulties dial 18001 followed by our number and the call will go through Relay UK. Our helpline has access to telephone interpreters if language translation is required.
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Best wishes,
Tiggy
Breast Care Nurse
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