*** DECEMBER 2021 to MARCH 2022 BREAST CANCER RADIOTHERAPY **

Hi

My gp was notified and prescribed letrozole but a different brand to accord which the hospital had given me. 

The letter which went to the gp  from the surgeon also omitted to request adcal which the hospital prescribed to be taken twice daily to provide protection against bone thinning  a possible side effect of the letrozole.

The pharmacist said the surgery should have prescribed adcal but because the hospital hadn't requested it specifically there was a bit of a delay while reception confirmed with the gp.

If you want to stick with accord to see how it suits, I'd suggest speaking to your surgery to see if they can request the brand on your script as my pharmacist said its useful to have a heads up before issuing the meds.

I was originally prescribed a different brand but luckily the pharmacy also had accord in stock.

I've seen a post saying accord is almost identical to femara, the original drug and seems popular regarding tolerance.

The only troubling side effect has been fatigue but I've changed the time I take them from evening to morning and it seems to be helping.

Thanks for the info Daiquiri. I had a grade 3 cancer which spread to some lymph nodes so I've been taking Adcal for 6 months already, and am also having zometa infusions every 6 months to protect my bones and help prevent a recurrence. I'm having another zometa infusion next week and was planning to ask about a repeat prescription for Adcal then as I've run out of tablets (I have to take one tablet daily). There was a thread on here recently from someone who had a terrible time trying to get a repeat prescription for Letrozole as a letter had not been sent to their GP by the hospital. I use the NHS app and there are no repeat prescriptions showing yet for either Adcal or Letrozole, plus I get copied into letters sent to my GP and haven't seen one requesting repeat prescriptions, so I'll give the surgery a call to find out if they've been told as at the moment t appears that they haven't! Looks like I might have to do some chasing up but I'll ask to stick with the Accord brand if possible as at the moment the side effects are minimal, although it is still early days. Like you, I am taking them in the evening so perhaps this is helping.

Hi exraygirl, I wonder if you can help with my question? I had a therapeutic mammoplasty on 12th December and due to start radiotherapy on 10th March. I have been reading that radiotherapy should begin 4-6 weeks after surgery but this will be over 12 weeks. Will this result in a higher risk of local recurrence as I am having to wait much longer than advised.?

Hi Lizzie

Unfortunately 12 weeks seems to be the norm now with breast radiotherapy due to Covid. I wouldn’t be unduly concerned as you have already had your primary tumour removed by surgery.Did you have clear surgical margins?

I did query the timing for my own radiotherapy with an oncologist friend and she said 12 weeks was acceptable.

Are you on any hormone treatment?

Thank you for that. I had a call in to my oncologist to ask the same question. She has just called me and offered a planning scan tomorrow and start if radiotherapy on the 1st March. Extra capacity apparently! But only because I asked the question? I did have clear margins and no node involvement and I am now on Anastrozole.

I have had similar treatment to you with my surgery on 8th December. My radiotherapy starts on 23 Feb which is beyond the 4 to 6 week period.

When I asked about the delay I was told that as I had clear margins and  started letrozole in early January as my cancer was just er+ a delay wouldn't  pose any additional risk

Glad they have brought your planning session forward. It's good when you feel progress is being made.

Best of luck with the rt.

Hi Lizzie

It’s great news you have been brought forward and that you have started anastrozole as that will give you an extra degree of protection.

I know RT departments are flat out at the moment ( some of my appointments were 730pm) and the radiographers will be working hard to try and get the waiting list down.

I hope your planning and treatment goes well

Thank you and hope yours goes well too . I am having only 5 sessions of rt, are you the same?

Yes, just the 5, so feel.quite lucky.

3 days starting on a Wednesday with a break for the weekend then the final 2 days.

Hi, so I had my Oncologist apt yesterday. My masectomy and DIEP reconstruction was on 14/12. Results showed positive margins and therefore radiotherapy recommended in addition to the hormone therapy. My FSH levels were checked at pre-op stage and confirmed post menopause, but I was told yesterday that they did not test for estradiol and so cannot start me on hormone therapy. They suggested a further blood test and a further clinic apt in six weeks. I was not happy about this as they’ve told me waiting list for RT is 4 weeks and so I won’t start that until 10/03 at the earliest. They’ve agreed to give me another apt in two weeks (yet to come) to prescribe the hormone therapy. I was phoned today with a planning meeting apt for Friday afternoon.  Should I be worried about the delay given positive margins ? 

ps: Daiquiri Jurassicgirl @LalaLou I asked the Oncologist how they chose which AI and I was told that my hospital only prescribed Anastrozole for the post menopausal women. Mickey xx