Treatment plan after all clear!!

Just wanted to say I think you and everyone who has give through this is a hero. Wishing you strength and good health 

* gone 

What a lovely comment, thank you & best wishes xxx

I started zoladex during chemo and it was a pretty intense sudden menopause, I think made worse by the chemo. I then started exemestane during radiotherapy.

It's been 2 years since I started zoladex and things have significantly improved. The way I looked at it, I was going to go through menopause at some point anyway, so may as well get it done! The benefits far outweigh the side effects for me.

For the exemestane, I did fine some brands worse than others, so I now only get the one brand that is better for me (Accord) and the pharmacist have that in their notes.

You just get used to the new you and find ways of managing it all. There are still lots of things you can do to help side effects and if you find something is really not agreeing with you, then there are other hormone treatments to try. My oncologist said to give it at least 6 months though as things tend to settle in that time.

Other than the simple things you can do for hot flushes (cool pillows, fans, drinking cold water etc) and other menopause symptoms (I'd highly recommend balance activ menopause pessaries for vaginal dryness), I have found the 2 things that have had the most significant positive effect are acupuncture and  a low dose antidepressant.

The acupuncture significantly reduced anxiety - I think I needed to calm down from everything that had happened, not just the menopause!

I have only recently started taking a low dose antidepressant and it has been amazing for making me just feel like me again with my moods. I was cautious about trying it but then I realised I was already taking drugs that affect my mood with the zoladex and exemestane so why suffer any more than necessary. 

Good luck with it. I'm not going to pretend it hasn't been tough, but it really does get so much better with time and you do get used to the new you. 

Hi, I can relate to how you feel, I was overwhelmed that my treatment would continue for 10 years, but relived that there were drugs that could offer me hope that my cancer may not return, as I am at high risk of this happening 

I was in the menopause so am having Zoldronic acid infusions every 6 months for 3 years. The first was horrible, hopefully that will improve 

Anastrozole for 10 years, symptoms similar to menopause so kind of manageable 

Abemaciclib for 2 years, I'm on month 4, fatigue & diarrhoea worst problems, hopefully that will improve too.

It is a lot to come up terms with but am starting to settle into a new routine, and hoping for a good outcome. 

I wish you all the best with your future treatment. X

Thank you so much! Everything you said makes sense, and if we can deal with chemo we can hopefully deal with anything, I’m trying to prepare myself as much as I can and like has been said often, everyone is different so I’m hoping my symptoms will be mild but if not il take one day at a time, once again, thanks xxx

Thanks for your reply & advice, I’m trying to prepare myself and keep saying take one day at a time, wish I could stay how I’m feeling now but that’s not gonna happen lol!!  Us women do go through it but we’re tough so onwards & upwards! Xxx