After a break, Letrozole, continued...

@kmakm that cake looks amazing!!

I am not a big believer in alternative treatments - I’m definitely a science based person - especially when it comes to my health (in saying that depending on the situation I would be willing to add alternative therapies, depending on what they are, and depending on my situation). I have read many things about estrogen and the effect is has on lots of mental and physical things. Jury thought that the fact it works on happy hormones was interesting and made sense for me. Didn’t mean to start a debate.  :(

@Afraser Indeed not. My parents are 84 and 82 and have a high old time! However it might explain why the things that worked for me when trying to cheer myself up in the past don't work as well now.

Remembering also there's been no natural slow decline of oestrogen for me. One month menstruating, the next month not. I think it's going to take me time to adjust my expectations of how much pleasure I can get from my fun activities, and find alternatives. Or at least try.

I think as a result the activities which require mental presence and mindfulness, the left brain stuff, which therefore dial down the bleak emotions from the right brain, are proving more valuable to me at the moment. Puzzles, planning, organising, cooking. The happiest I've been in the last few days was on Sunday when I was cooking a big Sunday dinner. It involved two new recipes, some new skills and it was good to be in the zone. Baking is my happy place for a reason; it turns the volume on my negative self talk right down.

Plus, the results are enjoyable too!

Just be a little wary of information on websites overtly promoting alternatives - they are naturally not inclined to give good news about drugs. Not necessarily untrue (although some demonstrably are) but product biased. As @iserbrown says, there are a range of reactions. And 80 year olds are not necessarily deprived of pleasure. 

I am thinking hormone therapy does not agree with my body or brain.
I had SVT while on Tamoxifen and from day one on Letrozole I got atrial fibrillation. My side effects including that serious one have me thinking I may be better off just going off Hormone Therapy and just keep on with scans and tests over the years to make sure the BC isn't coming back? I will see my oncologist after my heart stress test and cardiologist report as I don't think there is anything physically wrong with my heart. While off the Hormone Therapy atm, I can run up the beach with no ill effects. Ok its only a short run on and off as I am hauling about 20kg more weight than I need to and am 56 but there is no heart flutters happening then. Its when I lay down or just sitting around while on Letrozole that it happens. Psychologically it is doing me in.
http://www.druglib.com/reported-side-effects/femara/reaction_atrial_fibrillation/

@iserbrown I’m lucky and do t really get too many side effects compared to others. Was interesting to see some on the list that I hadn’t seen before. 

@kmakm explains my moods too  :/

Endorphins are why runners get highs as exercise turns them on.Endorphins also make dealing with pain easier as they are apparently similar in structure to morphine.

I seem to recall a friend who had major depression  was put on an exercise program by her psychiatrist to help release the feel good hormone endorphin.

On that point am off on my daily one hour walk.

Maybe a long list but not everyone suffers all the side effects and there are some who are the lucky ones that suffer none at all.  Can't get your knickers in a twist over something that may not happen

Saw an interesting show last night where the patient was suffering emotionally because her hair hasn't grown back as well as could be expected as a result of chemo, treatment for Breast Cancer.  They gave her a suggested routine to try for her scalp and hair as her scalp showed her hair follicles are healthy.  They also asked her to go and see a Psychologist, which she agreed to!  Separately they had spoken to her husband to ask if she had acceptance of what had happened and he couldn't definitely say Yes!  Few weeks later they spoke with her again and she was in a much happier place


Take care

Oh well that explains why very little makes me feel good anymore. In the words of my oncologist, I "have less oestrogen than an 80 year old". And why the things that used to give me pleasure just don't seem to help as much. @kezmusc this puts me in mind of your recent post. Now I want to know if the body has a pleasure mechanism to get round this, to compensate in other ways.