I was diagnosed Oct 2018- had lumpectomy (clear perimeters & no nodal involvement). Followed up with radiation & Letrozole. Given bone density results my oncologist is keen to move me across to tamoxifen. She also mentioned that I would be coming off any hormone blocker at 5 year mark. I thought this medication usually continued for 10 years. Also some concerns re changing over to tamoxifen after 4 years of Letrozole with few side effects. I will discuss with my GP at next appointment but just wondering if this is similar to others experiences with treatments.

You are so right @Keeping_positive1 - we are told to make the decisions and we do. I think most of us do our research, decide what is somewhat acceptable and then go by our gut feeling. We just have to hope we have no regrets in the future. Some women will still get a recurrence and some who stop taking the drugs never get a recurrence. Never black and white. There are no guarantees.

The recommendations suddenly went from 5 to 10 years - WTF ?Who really knows what and who do we trust ?I think they are all guessing and recommending the longest timelines to (1) save their own butts and/or (2) get the most from the chemical company prescription kickbacks !!!Yes, I am cynical. Think about all the women who suffered side effects for years and still had the BC return ....PS Those who have their medicos on a pedestal need not bother to respond !!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

@Afraser, as you regularly tell us, you are the queen of the BC treatments having been able to work through chemo and having few side effects from Letrozole.Had you not been so fortunate you may not have believed a word of that research or the oncologist's recommendations.Once these medications badly affect one's lifestyle in relation to bones and heart as with @Cath62 (above) then we have to make tough choices - regardless of the money we pay.As the chemical companies know all these side effects why don't they add ingredients to prevent or minimise them ? Oh no, better to make extra medications to make them even more money at the patient's expense.

Hey @Afraser, I don't read anything about a competition here. As you said, there are differences in what one can and is prepared to do. Obviously your side effects have not impacted terribly on your enjoyment of life. Some members struggle to undertake any day to day activities, however much they try.I agree with @BlackWidow re the chemical companies not doing their best to prevent or minimise these side effects !! It is a case of "shutting the door after the horse has bolted".... and line their pockets further.

Thanks for that @Mez_BCNA, you have said it - 'for some women' seems to be the theme. The problem is that no-one can tell us which women will benefit and who won't. There appears to be a variety of knowledge level and opinions from specialists and this can even vary between State, cities and regions. Please let me know if you feel that I have lacked respect in my posts.

How long on hormone blocker medication

Julez1958
Member
3 years ago
Yes Dr Toohey is my all time favourite doctor!
FLClover
Member
3 years ago
@Julez1958 ok, might be a different one 😄😄. But I think the younger ones tend to have a different perspective on the matter, which I like.
Oh, Jo Toohey? I love her!!! I want to go for a check up just to see her! 😄🥰. What a wonderful woman and doctor 💖.
Haha, yes, I’m keeping as well as can be under the circumstances 😄. Just went through a massive move and fighting with two different sets of bullies, but happy to be back home. Health wise I’m happy.
I appreciate the change in topic, because that trip sounds like exactly what you need!! And motivates me to plan something too 😄😄. I love N Queensland 🥰.
Julez1958
Member
3 years ago
Hi @FLClover , I reckon it’s the same one !
Her first name is close to mine.
I remember you and I had the same radiation oncologist who was at Light House but is now at Genesis in Darlinghurst - I found her much more
relateable even though she is still a fair bit younger than me.
My husband loved her too.
Hope you are keeping well.
Or as I like to say these days “ as well as can be expected all things considered”.
I have booked a holiday in North Queensland for August and am pretty excited - it’s my first interstate trip ( if you don’t count Canberra) since pre Covid.
I know that’s slightly off topic .🌺
FLClover
Member
3 years ago
@Julez1958 your oncologist sounds a lot like mine, who said the same thing to me about chemo and AIs, and is also quite young 🤔. She was at the Kinghorn.
Keeping_positiv
Member
3 years ago
@Julez1958 I am not always positive, but I remind myself to keep positive. :)

I said similar to my male breast surgeon, asking him what would he advise his mother to do. I had already decided what surgery I would have as I was offered either bilateral lumpectomies or bilateral mastectomy. His answer confirmed what I had already decided was the best for me. I hope you continue to keep well enough while on hormone therapy.
Julez1958
Member
3 years ago
@Keeping_positive1
love it!!
👏👏👏

also I love your name ❤️
BlackWidow
Member
3 years ago
Good one @Keeping_positive1
So true.
Keeping_positiv
Member
3 years ago
@Julez1958 how about the manogram?
Keeping_positiv
Member
3 years ago
..
Julez1958
Member
3 years ago
One day when I was as having a mammogram I grumpily said to the operator “ I bet they don’t test for testicular cancer like this”.
I always ask my Doctors “ what would you go if you were me”?
With varying degrees of success.
I remember my post mastectomy consult with my oncologist who told me that chemotherapy would not be any use to me but hormone therapy was really important.
She said “ I can send you the literature on it if you are interested”.
I had in fact read most of the literature!
She is only in her 30s so she can’t possibly relate to a 64 year old post menopausal woman so I said to her “ if I was your mum what would you recommend”?
She said at that stage definately 5 years of AIs “maybe more.”
I have faith in her and all of my team .
Even though in my grumpier moments I may think if breast cancer affected men in the same way it affected women more work would have been done on combatting the side effects of hormone therapy.