I’m now at the end of my tether! After being diagnosed in April 17…surgery, rads and hormone therapy I am now on a months break from Femura. Anistrazole was prescribed first after surgery but it didn’t suit me at all and I experienced most of the SE…given Prozac too by my GP to help the low moods and Switched to Tamoxifen. Had a Massive weight gain including large fatty lumps over surgery site…more anxiety! After a complete meltdown last summer moved on to Femura hoping for fewer side effects…propranolol added to the list to help with the panic attacks. Ever since then my life has become a day to day existence…everything is an effort and I watch the clock hoping bedtime will come soon where I can curl up and tell myself I will feel better tomorrow. Sometimes I am but mostly I am acting for my husbands sake who has been wonderful throughout. I’m at my wits end at the prospect of another eight years of feeling like this. I have to wonder if the 3% gained is worth the grief or am I just going completely loopy and might have done anyway and it’s nothing to do with the drugs. Will it get any better if I just suck it up and stick with it ?
So sorry to read that you are struggling right now. It’s so difficult to make the decision to give up letrozole and only you can decide that. I have been on it for over 2 years, and I personally don’t feel that it is getting any easier. For me, the fatigue is the hardest ( as also have ME) and most days are a struggle, but I’m not going to give it up yet. The anxiety for me is the cancer returning, so I will do anything I need to prevent that. I also take amitriptyline which can help with mood.
I don’t have any answers for you I’m afraid, but I didn’t just want to read and go. I can only suggest going back to the oncologist and discuss your issues again. Its abit of a never ending journey isn’t it?!
So sorry to read that you are having such problems. My situation is a bit like yours, only less acute, at least at the moment. I’ve been on Letrozole - the Accord brand - for three months, following a mastectomy plus reconstruction in February. I’m 71, and had been taking HRT very happily for 15 years. I came off that cold turkey when I had my diagnosis. Right now, I wouldn’t say I’m having hugely dramatic side-effects, it’s more that I feel as if I’m walking around with my own private grey cloud hanging just above my head! I’m tetchy with my husband, although I try very hard not to be. I’m joyless, and at times I’m dragging myself through the day, just looking forward to bedtime. I put on an act for others as much as I can, but the main thing for some of them is how soon I’m going to be ‘back to normal’.
Maybe some or all of this is down to coming off the HRT . It’s very difficult to tease out what is causing what!
In my case, I gain 2% from taking letrozole for five years. I’m already asking myself, do I want to carry on walking around with this grey cloud for company for that length of time to gain 2%? At my age, quality of life is a big issue.
I wonder anybody else is wrestling with this balance of risks issue?