Questions to ask oncologist about hormone treatment

That is fantastic @Sarnicad! I gave myself a full month off between my BMX & recon before I started on the AI. The onc was pretty relaxed about it.

@kmakm I wasn’t really thinking about it until the offsider mentioned it on Friday so now it is forefront of mind. Another 3 weeks and I see my main dude again so depending on whether he d3cides to give me a Xmas present or give me longer to recover from the radiation as to what happens. 

One more day of radiation and then another thing in this sucky mess is ticked off

Hi @Sarnicad. I was exactly the same with my hormone therapy. Knew it was coming but asked few questions until it arrived!

Next time, ask your onc which medication they want to put you on, and why. Ask them if you have any side effects, what is their preferred way to be contacted about managing them. Ie, appointment or email.

It really is a lottery. As with all things BC, and life in general, try not to cross the bridges until you come to them. Predictive grief and worry is a no no.

I'll be crossing my fingers for you. In the meantime, concentrate on getting through radiation and then have a break for a while. K xox

I think it's probably best to ask the onc what you can reasonably expect (and perhaps what medication you should take for any symptoms).  Ask about procedure to follow if things aren't going well.  Then keep a record of any issues.  I think it's important to realise that the reactions to these drugs varies and that while we know some women have it really hard, others don't have much at all.  I have been fortunate in that, for most of the time so far, my issues have been mild.  During the first couple of months(?), I did suffer from aching legs in the evening but I don't know if that was leftover from chemo or it was the Letrozole - I was certainly suffering from fluid retention after chemo.  Heat and the occasional codeine helped that.  I think it's important that you go into it without expecting major side effects but with the ability to deal with anything should it occur.

@Sarnicad it depends what one you are going on and u probably won’t know how it will affect you for awhile so u will probably have more questions after u have been on it for awhile. I’m on tamoxifen and I notice that I get hot flushes (mainly at night when I’m trying to sleep), sleep disturbance, brain fog a little and first thing in the morning my joints (especially in my hands) can be quite sore until I get moving. I also am finding it hard to lose my 4 chemo kgs which is frustrating. I told the Vet I work for that I’m basically a neutered bitch  :D. I would keep a note of any questions that crop up. I normally walk into my oncologist with a list which she is happy to go through. Hopefully u get a better sleep tonight. I find it hard to turn my brain back off if I wake up in the middle of the night. 

@"Kiwi Angel" I’m still generally managing good nights most days but when I don’t they are really bad. Last two days have been really interrupted Friday I severely overdid things had 2 medical appointments and ended up back at work trying to get something finished for a client and 5he consequence of that was fluid retention. Once I lay down feet up it meant a trip to the toilet every 3 hours. Last nights was weird vivid dreams - the characters in the dream even had names was weird and scary and I woke suddenly a bit terrified. 

One of the medical appointments was oncologist and saw the offsider who mentioned that once radiation is finished then hormone treatment will start so now I am obsessing about what that means of course with no information. I knew it was com8ng but didn’t know when which I preferred (ignorance is bliss). Any ideas on questions I should ask my oncologist when I see him next?