Hi i had Dcis (small area of high grade cancer) last year and had a lumpetomy & 5 days of radiotherapy. I’m now on 5 years of letrozole which i’m finding different brands affect me with bad side effects.
That aside i seem to be picking up every cold/cough going since last october ! My last radiotherapy was September 2024.
I now have yet another bad cold, is it due to low immunity or just bad luck.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you
2 Likes
Hi marth3,
Sorry to hear youve been suffering somewhat over the last few months.
It could possibly be low immunity, albeit the weather has been so up and down recently.
Perhaps a suggestion would be when you next see your consultant have a chat with them, they might be able to throw some light on what is going on. Or perhaps if you can contact your Gp.
Youve been through so much over the last 6months, its bound to effect you.
Sorry cannot offer any more advise, but so hope you manage to feel better soon
Purplerose
I had the same experience, colds, viruses and four months of diarrhoea (which started with a virus). I read that immunity can be compromised up to 6 months after radiotherapy but my issues went on much longer. While I have just had flu like symptoms last week (just like a normal person might) I have been feeling more human for about 3 months now. I am actually starting to ‘live’ again. I hope yours passes soon and you can get back to your normal life.
Hi @martha3 - Our bodies go through a look with a cancer diagnosis and treatment , as well as treatments reducing immunity it’s not surprising that we may pick more bugs up ,and especially over the winter months that said , it’s probably worth mentioning it to your HCP’s and having a chat .
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Arty1
Hi martha3
Thanks for your post.
It sounds as if you’re having a difficult time with your continuous colds and side effects from letrozole. As you say, some women do report experiencing more side effects from some brands of letrozole than others. Hopefully, you have found a brand which suits you better.
The treatment you describe wouldn’t usually lower your immunity. Radiotherapy is given to the breast area, it’s side effects are usually local to this area and should not affect your immunity. Letrozole and hormone therapies have a slight risk of affecting your immune system.
A diagnosis of breast cancer is an emotionally demanding time. As @purplerose and @laneycass say, it’s not uncommon to experience physical symptoms, which may be the reason you have been susceptible to cold and cough viruses.
However, it’s important to speak to your GP or treatment team about your ongoing symptoms. They may wish to investigate further.
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