First meet with the Medical Oncologist

Spirit-Harmony

Hi everyone so I met with the oncologist yesterday and as a few of you lovely ladies asked me to let you know how I went... 
The medical oncologist was really nice... He has put me on Femara to start in 2 weeks, and Venlafaxine, hopefully to make the menopause symptoms bearable also Vitamin D.. Blood test today, and Bone Density scan next week.. 
I hope you all are going ok   

melclarity

Hi @Spirit-Harmony that's great that you got that meeting done. I'm not sure how you are with medications, but Venlafaxine is an anti-depressant and they are commonly used to treat side effects of menopause. I tried a few but they made me so incredibly ill, so I didn't bother with them. Do you have to have radiation? Bone density is super easy, but will give you a bench mark. 

I've always said I had Breast Cancer as once the lump/tumor or mass etc is removed it's gone. Treatment then is preventative. I had radiation and tamoxifen in 2011 and in 2015 at recurrence I had to have chemo and now on Aromasin. Chemo through me into menopause and symptoms have been pretty bad for 2.5yrs but I think you just put up with it lol. Vitamin D is pretty standard that they put you on also, so that's good.

xx
Melinda 

Eastmum

Best of luck with it all @Spirit-Harmony - great to have a plan! 

arpie

@Spirit-Harmony
THat's Great ..... Onwards & upwards!  Keep doing what you love to do ..... I find it really helps!   

Spirit-Harmony

melclarity said:

Hi @Spirit-Harmony that's great that you got that meeting done. I'm not sure how you are with medications, but Venlafaxine is an anti-depressant and they are commonly used to treat side effects of menopause. I tried a few but they made me so incredibly ill, so I didn't bother with them. Do you have to have radiation? Bone density is super easy, but will give you a bench mark. 

I've always said I had Breast Cancer as once the lump/tumor or mass etc is removed it's gone. Treatment then is preventative. I had radiation and tamoxifen in 2011 and in 2015 at recurrence I had to have chemo and now on Aromasin. Chemo through me into menopause and symptoms have been pretty bad for 2.5yrs but I think you just put up with it lol. Vitamin D is pretty standard that they put you on also, so that's good.

xx
Melinda 

Hi Melinda how are? um there are a lot of medications I cannot tolerate so I am a bit worried about taking it. He told me it was an anti depressant and Im not that happy with having to take it, I have been going through menopause now for about 5 years and have mostly controlled it with herbal remedies ( I am a herbalist) it was the night sweats that were the worse, but if I don't have to take the Venlafaxine I don't want to.. I am seeing my GP tomorrow anyway so I might have a chat with him. Yes I do have to have Radiation I have my first appointment to discuss it all on the 9th July..Sorry what do you mean a Benchmark ? 
Sue xx

melclarity

Hi Sue,

I'm ok thank you, yes to be honest I just put up with the hot flushes which were chronic being thrown into an unnatural menopause. I threw the tablets it just wasnt worth it for me at all for the sake of the hot flushes. Theres a thread at the moment on Herbs actually...apparently  you have to be careful of what you take with the Ai's such as Femara etc., I didnt know that to be honest.

Oh i only mean in that Ive never had a bone density scan so I wouldnt know what my bones were like, so once I finished chemo I had it done and it showed the t scores for various spots. So 2yrs later and 6 monthly prolia injections and Vit D everyday, I had another bone density and apparently its improved but I havent seen results yet til I see the Oncologist. x

Spirit-Harmony

Thank you so much, I will look at the thread, and talk with my GP this afternoon, but like you if I really don't have to take the drug I am not going to x

Spirit-Harmony

melclarity said:

Hi Sue,

I'm ok thank you, yes to be honest I just put up with the hot flushes which were chronic being thrown into an unnatural menopause. I threw the tablets it just wasnt worth it for me at all for the sake of the hot flushes. Theres a thread at the moment on Herbs actually...apparently  you have to be careful of what you take with the Ai's such as Femara etc., I didnt know that to be honest.

Oh i only mean in that Ive never had a bone density scan so I wouldnt know what my bones were like, so once I finished chemo I had it done and it showed the t scores for various spots. So 2yrs later and 6 monthly prolia injections and Vit D everyday, I had another bone density and apparently its improved but I havent seen results yet til I see the Oncologist. x

good morning Melclarity I spoke to my GP yesterday and you  were right, he told me that it wasn't a good idea for me to take herbals,  

melclarity

Hi Sue,

Aaaaah ok, yes have to be careful of what you take that interacts with the AI medication. x Melinda