I have my op next week and have been told that I will need radio and hormone therapy following surgery. I really don't want to be taking hormone tablets and just wonder what everybody else's take on them is please?
I have to have radiotherapy and hormone suppressants also.
I'm having some chemo first as mine was grade 3. First cycle was today.
I'm not keen on hormones either but if it keeps the cancer at bay I will tolerate it. I believe they can try you on different ones if they don't agree with you.
I've read some people have minimal symptoms. Others describe hot flushes as being problematic.
I suppose we are all different. Hopefully they would be able to give uou one you felt more comfortable. I'm sure some of the ladies already on them may be best to inform you. I will follow with interest.
Hi, I'm post menopausal so I take letrozole. I have occasional hot flushes and joint pain, but it's very manageable and has no impact on my day to day life. Best wishes
Dear Amandrose, welcome to this very useful forum, I have learnt so much from it .
Here is some good news re hormone treatment.with Letrozole.....
Of course we are all different, with different types of lumps, but I wish you every success with your own treatment.....
I found a 3.1 cm, firm lump in my left breast last Septembert it was already grade 3. and O and E positive also HER positive ( whatever that means). I had looked after my mother when she was dying of cancer, so I immediately thought of Dignitas etc.
However, biopsy and MRI and ultrasound showed that .my lymph nodes were clear and MRI showed no signs that it had spread thank goodness. and the Macmillan nurses were wonderfully supportive and informative.
Because of heart problems and other co- morbidities, I was advised against surgery but put immediately on Letrozole as it was hormone O and E sensitive, .to hopefully stop it spreading and also maybe shrink it.
I am well past the menopause, but I did have really annoying but bearable side effects after taking Letrozole. such as fatigue and insomnia, dreadful constipation, oedema in my legs and feet and occasional urinary incontinence and blurred vision.etc etc.
My consultant did say that the side effects put some people off taking it, but remembering my poor mother, I'll put up with these annoyances.
AND... ...3 months later, it had shrunk to 1.9 cms.
Another 3 months, and it was .8 cms, and last month, at 9 months it cdnt be found!!
I dont know how common this is, for it to be so successful.
As it happens, I am a Reiki Master, and have a friend who is too, and we both ''zapped' it daily.
I do wonder if that helped too.
Maybe I should try it on my constipation too.!
Wishing you a very successful outcome to your own treatment plan, and apologies for this rather lengthy post
Interesting! Hot flushes I think I can deal with but joint pain? I have already developed fibromyalgia from taking statins for a couple of years some 15 years ago, not sure I can handle anymore pain. I will have to keep a close eye on it x
That's good to hear you can mix and match. I already have a few medicine induced conditions, I really don't want to be adding to them. Glad to hear you are recovering well xx
To be fair, as long as walk sufficiently I don't have any problems. I notice if I don't get my 10,000 steps in for a few days in a row, then I have achy knees. But we are all different, Best wishes
