Letrozole

Public Archive
1

Hi, I was diagnosed with bc in December 2015, decided upon a mastectomy with immediate Diep reconstruction. Commenced on Letrozole with Adcal following  Dexa scan. 

 

I feel that I have been started on this medication without any idea of what monitoring needs to happen throughout the duration of this treatment. My Gp wrote to my oncologist to obtain some clarity for me at the start of this and didn’t receive a particularly helpful reply with ‘regular’ as her response.

 

Before I was diagnosed my lovely dad was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer, so as you can imagine my head was all over the place. Eighteen months on I feel very anxious about every new lump , bump and pain, especially as a work colleague was diagnosed totally unexpectedly with stage 4 breast cancer many years after her initial diagnosis and treatment it is in her brain, bone, lung, liver. It has totally knocked my confidence for 6. 

 

However it has made me very aware of recognising any new symptom that I have which over the last 3 months or so has been hip pain, both hips worse on one side. 

 

I have been to see  my Gp and requested an earlier Dexa scan, only by a couple of months, which I had recently. I was advised by the radiographer to phone my Gp to obtain results in 2 weeks, however within 4 days I had received a letter last week from my Gp requesting me to make an appointment… the earliest one available is tomorrow. As you can imagine I have been fraught with worry and I have been unable to obtain an earlier appointment,  the pain is persistent ache, not caused by any activity and is present even before I get out of bed in the morning. 

 

Sorry i neeed to get that off my chest, tomorrow can’t come soon enough. 

 

I wonder what monitoring of treatment is offered, I need some guidance on this, I feel that I am left monitoring my own condition which I know we all have responsibility for , but if I am some idea of what’s pathway is suitable this would make me feel more in control. If I didn’t go to see my Gp, I am sure that nothing would be done. 

 

I hope that somebody can help me. ?

 

 

2

Hello Daylily, I’m popping up here too.  I hope your Doc is as approachable as mine, as she sent me for all sorts of scans when I complained of constant back and hip pain.  It all boiled down to ageing!!!  as I’ve said on the other thread with degenerative wear and tear everywhere!!!.  I haven’t had any contact with surgeon since results 2 years ago, onc was after I’d finished rads. Have been sent a letter which went to my doc with ‘things to look out for’, so, yes, do feel that I have to be my own healthteam.  

You’ve had a lot to cope with, with your dad and quite a shock with your work colleague, so no wonder you are feeling vunerable.

Oh, nearly forgot, doc had prescribed 10mg of amitriptyline for nerve pain at night as I wasn’t sleeping well. It didn’t do a lot, but then the physio said to double it to 20mg, which I have. Do get to sleep now (even though have to get up for loo - too much information I know), but get to sleep quickly again. But the main thing is that pain during the day is negligable, slight dull ache at the most. Getting up and moving first thing is still tricky, and I go down the stairs like a crab but to move better during the day is like a miracle. Perhaps your doc might prescribe some for you.

Do hope you’re ok tomorrow.:cathappy:xxx

3

Hi Daylily

I have been on letrozole for 9 months now, and the joint pain is getting steadily worse, especially in knees and hips. And yes I would describe it as a persistent ache, definitely worse in the morning and I too do the crab walk down the stairs!!

I was disappointed with my first oncologist meeting and seemed to be dismissed very quickly, with the advice to go back to work! So I went for a check up with my gp, who arranged for the dexa scan and on my request,took my blood pressure, which was sky high. I feel like you have to do your own research on all this. Anyway, having said that, I do have an appointment with an oncologist every year, plus an appointment with the consultant. They arrange this so you see someone every 6 months. This seems pretty good compared to a lot of hospitals.

What they look for on these scans, is any wear and tear on the bones, and if that is the case, they may prescribe you various tablets. My scan results came back very quickly and were fine, so don’t read too much into that.

Best of luck for tomorrow and let us know how you get on xx

4

I have just come out from seeing my Gp I now have osteoporosis in my spine ?