Forum Discussion
Down and depressed
Hello I started on tamoxifen for a few months and then was put on Letrozole after I had my ovaries removed. After 3 months I was taken off Letrozole due to severe side affects of joint and muscle pain I had a 3 month break which by the end of 3 months I was back to being able to go for walks, do stretches losing weight all the things they tell you to do to help reduce the risk of cancer coming back. I was then put on exemestane I took this for four months and even though the aches and pains were not as severe as the Letrozole they were increasing and happening often so have stopped taking the arimidex. I am now back on the tamoxifen and it’s been just over a month I have been able to go on my walks and do stretches, I have had really bad fatigue though and usually when this happens to me I go and sleep and would be ok the next day but this fatigue now lasts for days, I get depressed about this because I can not do anything and I am feeling very stressed out as I really don’t want to keep living like this for the next five years, I am trying to do all the right things to help my chances in surviving but the hormone blocking treatment would no doubt be the hardest part of my cancer journey for me ,,,, please someone tell me there is light at the end of the tunnel....
14 Replies
- @Greengirl thankyou for your thoughts I hope all goes well for you with the tamoxifen x
- @Dreaming2019 I have also found the fatigue difficult.Breezed through surgery and radiotherapy and have been taking Tamoxifen for about 5 months . I have just started taking antidepressants thinking I might be depressed. I usually am pretty active but I feel like I have a flat battery.
Interesting that many women seem to feel the same way.Im sure having an oophorectomy has also been a shock to your system. Hope things improve for you but know your not alone
King Regards
Greengirl x - Dear @Dreaming2019,
from jennyss in Western NSW - Hello @Romla I am sorry to hear you are having a hard time on them as well. I have been on them for just over 12 months and started on the tamoxifen (Noladex) I believe it was and after minor side effects it settle and than I had my ovaries removed and they took me off the tamoxifen and put me on Letrozole as they said it will be better for me. 3 months on Letrozole was all I could handle and no I didn’t try different brands of it after consulting with my MO he told me to stop taking it and I had a 6 week break which took that long for the aches and pains to subside he than changed me to exemestane (Aromasin) was the brand I was taking and this was going well with but by the 3 month the aches and pains were coming back and even though I could walk 30 min a day for five days of the week and do some stretches the more the aches and pains were happening the stiffer my body became. This now has been stopped and my body just hasn’t responded well to the inhibitors so I am now back on tamoxifen (tamosin) brand in which I will try and stick to this brand and it’s been just over a month and I have experienced this fatigue and other minor side affects. I am hoping it will all settle down. I hope you will notice the difference in yourself with your break on the medication.
- I too have been having trouble with hormone therapy which I have been on over 3 years.Several soft tissue injuries and now on an oncologist determined drug holiday for 6 weeks .Something I did learn whilst on Letrozole was that fillers and coatings were different in different brands one of which found me getting very low. Have you considered a change of brand ?
- @iserbrown I was the same went through the surgeries and the radiation treatment really well I have found the hormone blocking medication and fatigue has been the hardest part of it all. You take care as well .
- Excellent!
I participated in the Exmed Cancer program and since then I am having sessions with the Exercise Physiologist through my GP
I coped well with surgery and ongoing treatment picking up extra Specialists but the one thing that has taken the longest is the fatigue
Take care and roll with it and it will get better in time - @iserbrown I am in NSW and I do plan on seeing a exercise physiologist and dietician to help with getting into a exercise program and help with my diet I am in discussion with my doctor regarding my chronic management plan.
- @Dreaming2019
Keeping fit is certainly important however your energy and muscles are depleted, hence the fatigue after surgery and treatment.
Not sure where you are from but there's an excellent program devised for cancer patients here in Victoria.
https://www.exmedcancer.org.au/ - Hello @iserbrown thankyou for the links I really appreciate this. Hello @JennyD78 thankyou for your help I will ask my oncologist I have always been an active person to keep fit but find it very hard to keep active when I am fatigued like that. I am monitoring myself and my side affects and will give it a good go see what happens...
