Completing Hormone Therapy
Dh5Wy83
Member Posts: 23 ✭
I was wondering what others experiences have been completing hormone therapy for early breast cancer? I have another year of tamoxifen to go and wondering what to expect in terms of follow up once it is completed. I underwent a bilateral mastectomy and DIEP reconstruction. I haven't had chemo or radiotherapy.
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How long have you been on Tamoxifen? Has your Oncologist suggested 5 or 10 years? Mine was 5 years initially but abt 2 years in that changed to 10 years. Down to 11 months to go!4
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iserbrown I have been on tamoxifen for 4 years. The oncologist recommended 5 years. What made your doctor decide to change from 5 years to 10 years? I am also wondering what check ups are needed once it is completed- do people continue to see the oncologist or GP or do they stop check ups all together? My surgeon has told me I don't require mammograms or MRI as all the breast tissue was removed during the mastectomy. When I get to the 5 year mark I won't see the surgeon any more.1
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Lucky you, 5 years! For me I would've been happy with 5 as initially suggested. However, trials were completed and 10 was the answer!
https://www.bcna.org.au/resource-hub/articles/hormone-blocking-therapy/
The link above speaks of why 5 or 10.
Take care
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I'm 'in-between' you two - suggested 5 years but extended to 7 years - so I finish next year @Dh5Wy83
Re follow up (after you finish wth Tamoxifen) - Just keep an eye open for any 'unusual' aches or pains or lump & bumps ....
If you find anything that is concerning you at ANYTIME (before or after you finish the meds) ... make sure you contact your GP/Onc for scans to determine if it could be sinister or (preferably) not.
Take care & all the best2 -
I was on letrozole - 10 years, finished over a year ago. I keep up yearly checks with my oncologist and biennially with my surgeon. But as @arpie says, anything at all out of whack, I get it checked. Just as there seems to be no such thing as someone 'who would never get cancer', there is absolutely no guarantee you can't get it twice. But forewarned is forearmed. No medical professional worth their salt will consider getting something checked silly or panicky. My experience has been that such checks have been rare (and nothing bad discovered!) but they are worth the time and cost for peace of mind and an early fix if required - my surgeon is a whiz at lumps and recommended (and did) a mole removal I hadn't thought about. It wasn't cancerous but he felt it might go that way. We learn a lot while going through cancer treatment - worth keeping that learning in mind afterwards. Best wishes.4
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I finish tamoxifen in 2 weeks after 5 years, 44 years old. I am excited but thinking about what will be different. There doesn’t seem to be much written and my surgeon just says it’s nothing to worry about. Am sure it isn’t, but curious… A period ‘normal’ again? Will I become super emotional? Will losing weight be a little easier?2
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Thanks @Dh5Wy83 and @Mightystar for asking these questions. And thanks @iserbrown for the article. I am seven years down the track taking the hormone blocking Anastrozole. I don't remember what I was told: presume I'll keep going to the ten year mark and consult then.
to you all from jennyss in Western NSW2 -
It's a bit of varied info for followup.
I had a mastectomy and DIEP reconstruction 6 years ago and had 5 years of Tamoxifen with annual checkups with surgeon and mammogram and ultrasound on opposite breast. Originally said 10 years Tamoxifen but ended up changing it to 5. Well 9 months after stopping it I have just had cancer reoccur in the skin of the reconstruction and have had to have another mastectomy. A bit devastated it has returned as didn't think it could after all that.
Make sure you get followups with skin ultrasounds as there can still be breast tissue cells left under the skin.
Not wanting to scare anyone but nothing is 100% and early caught is always better.1 -
Re your post of July 28
You were told you don't need mammograms ! I am sure you should keep up with having mammograms with Breast Screen they are here for us.
I am 4.5 yrs post op and have a mammogram every year before I see oncology clinic at hospital and then when I stop going to the clinic in about 2 years time I will resume going to Breast Screen where the cancer was detected in the first place. My daughters were also told go for mammograms even tho they were under 50 years old when I was diagnosed. And one of them was found to have abnormal cells which was dealt with quickly.
All the best1 -
@Indexia - after a double mastectomy and diep reconstruction - I believe that most specialists do not recommend mammograms, as I guess, with the tissue coming from the tummy, it isn't breast tissue - and they don't want to damage it, as the pressure from the mammogram is quite severe. (Same with women having breast inserts - they don't have mammograms either, for the same reason.)
With a Lumpectomy - sure - mammograms and ultrasounds are definitely recommended yearly to start off with - but I am unlikely to go back to BreastScreen, even after I finish with my Oncologist, as they missed my cancer, twice. I'll be seeing the radiology dept that I've been going to since my diagnosis 6 years ago .... as they have my full history up there, including 4 subsequent biopsies on the same breast.
Most women can go back to BreastScreen after they finish seeing their Medical Oncologist - usually after about 5 years.0
I hope you are healing well after your surgery xx