Hormone therapy start timescale

Hi CatsinDeal 

Sorry about your diagnosis.

My hormone therapy was prescribed at my oncology appointment but I know some are given earlier.

It's a very stressful time but honestly it will get better. 

Love and hugs xx

1. I had my mastectomy Jan 22, chemo March to August & radiotherapy Sept 22. I was ER9 & PR8. I started my hormone therapy in the September. I can understand the anxiety you must be feeling and think that the delay is to allow your body to recover a little. However, whenever I felt anxious or had questions I emailed my BC nurse - they were always too busy to answer calls due to number of patients they have but would always respond to emails in the margins of their clinic hours. She would always find out get back to me within a couple of days. I am sure you would have similar response if you tried asking via your BC nurse. Good luck with the remainder of your treatment xx

Thank you Tash for replying. It helps to feel less alone. 

Thanks Jules. I’ll try to get a message to mine. I hate to bother them but I feel so uninformed/misinformed. I feel like I’ve been on edge for months and I’m a bit weary. I appreciate your support. 

Hi… I started my hormone therapy towards the end of my radiotherapy. I think it depends what type of HT you are having. I was told that they couldn’t give tamoxifen during radiotherapy. I chose Zoladex and Exemestane which I could have while still having radiotherapy. I imagine it will be discussed at your next appointment xxx

Thanks Debbie. I assumed it would be sorted by oncology but I didn’t think the wait for oncology would be 3 months. I had foolishly read the guidelines online about a few weeks! One thing this teaches us is certainly patience. I just seem to have a little meltdown about once a month when the waiting gets too much. I’m grateful for your reply. 

HI empathise. I have strongly E/7/8  I had lumpectomy 28th Feb and found out today the reason for delay to my results was due to them finding 3 tumours in the one sample and all needing to be tested again- then one of the oestrogen tests failed causing another delay. No oncologist for me but a wonderful radiographer who answered all my questions over the phone this morning. She is writing to my GP to ask them to prescribe examestane (I already have joint problems and she thinks this will cause fewer joint problems) and a dexa scan. No date for radiotherapy yet but it’s coming soon. I wonder if they have all of your results or if that is causing a delay. I really hope you find out soon. I found the uncertainty and lack of confirmed treatment plan really hard.  Good luck and I hope you hear soon 

P.S. I found the med secretaries very helpful and that’s how I got the appt this morning. You could try ringing them, it does seem too long to expect you to wait

Hi catsindeal, the waiting is not nice at all. I felt the same way as you do and worried about the cancer spreading whilst waiting for treatment and just thinking no one was in a hurry to do anything. It was very frustrating.

My hormone treatment was discussed at the oncology appointment and any additional onward referrals were  made at that point as well. A letter was sent to my GP detailing all that was needed re birth control, gynea referral, pelvic US(to check baseline of uterus and ovaries). The oncologist was happy for me to start medication immediately and prescription was ready a week later. By the time I went for radiotherapy I was already on Tamoxifen and I was ok carrying on with both. 

Things may be different with you but for me once I had agreed and signed all paperwork for radiotherapy on the 9th of February, it was a good few weeks before I was invited to my radiotherapy planning session and then another few weeks before the treatment fin ally started in March. Patience does not even begin to describe what is needed to get through this roller coaster! Best wishes. 

Started mid February. Had lymph surgery in early November. So something over 3 months after.

triple positive btw