Has anyone here declined Hormone therapy (Endocrine treatment)?

I have seriously been considering refusing rhe hormone therapy. I opted for a double mast. To decrease chance of radiation and decrease chances as much as possible of it returning. Im not even a week post op so dont know if I will have to do chemo or rad yet but 10 years! That will still only put me at 54 years old and to be forced into early menopause without even the benefits of it being a form of birth control, I am really struggling with the idea as well. And then natural menopause to follow the forced version, uuugh! Good luck with your decision. They are all so hard. 

I guess that is all we can do, is try and lead a healthier life and accept that reoccurrence can happen. I do not know the ins and outs of all treatments and if I’m honest I try not to read to much as me personally I try and forget about it all. Im happy to hear that you are doing so well in not letting the diagnosis, or fear of reoccurrence to dominate your life  you must be a strong person mentally even though it has been a struggle and took time. I myself have given up drinking but that is fear lol not because I wanted too. I often feel better once trt has started. It’s the fear of the unknown that plays with my mind. Thank you for your reply and I wish you a speedy recovery

Hi Fannyanne,

Thank you for your reply, but the passing of time does help the journey to become easier. I have gone through the sleepless nights and tears and my giving up alcohol was also due to fear. You are stronger than you think and you will get there. Sending a virtual hug. 

I have given up alcohol due to fear also  

I have also given up alcohol due to fear, I loved my white wine but haven't touched a drop since my diagnosis 

I guess it’s not the worst thing to give up lol. I now enjoy watching everyone around me getting drunk and me not waking with a hangover

Hi Shade, I seem to be some 5 months behind you on a similar if not identical path. I’m now left with one zometa in January and finishing abemaciclib late April/May. Then it will be down to letrozole alone…

I did start letrozole  at the time of axillary clearance in December 2023, then the abemaciclib following radiotherapy at the end of April, so I had a few months on lettozole alone and it seemed to only be giving hot flushes which had settled a bit, so I’m hoping to not be too bad at all next spring summer. I already had skin issues that were clearing up following the E/C and paclitaxel I’d had May- November 2023, but they improved anyway. The abemaciclib definitely made things worse, so I’m really hoping to be on the up next spring. I was a 69 year old with no prescriptions so I hope that I’ll be not bad as a 72 year old on just the one!

I walk, briskly at least some of the time and don’t stint on active chores. I’m hoping to get more energy for more swimming and exercise.

I hope that you experience a good uptick in how you are when you’re off the abemaciclib!

xx

I guess it depends on how oestrogen receptive your cancer was and also its grade, as well as how the drug made you feel if you were to try it.
Presumably you’ll be able to talk about the potential aggression and oestrogen receptiveness with the oncology crew who would prescribe it if you were to decide to try it.

We are all so different in how our bodies react to drugs and therapies and also our cancers vary. You do have the choice however to either start a prescription, or desist from it as you see fit according to how you feel in yourself. 
All the very best xx

Don't do it. Just keep getting regular scans. Quality of life is important at this age. Also 5 years is the standard. Research shows very little difference between 5 and 7 yrs. I did 2 years and stopped. 2 years helps. But no more as not worth the musculoskeletal issues which were debilitating.

Thanks for that. I have a telephone appointment with the oncologist on the 24th July. I think I have already pretty much made up my mind.  I am almost relieved it is not a face to face appointment.