Hormone Blocking Treatment

Hi there

I was diagnosed at 32, its now been over a year since my diagnoses. I finished radiation in June but started Tamoxifen March. My tumour was 99.9% oestrogen positive so I had no choice. Its taken about six months to get used to the side effects. But now I am able to lead a relatively normal life. Now my oncologist wants me to go on Zoladex Injections as well that will force me into menopause. Im very apprehensive about it as I've done a lot of research and not many women our age cope with the added side effects. Its double dosing you and just as I'm started to head forward I take it as two steps back. The quality of life issues that go with it concern me. I'll be discussing it further with my onc next month. Is there anyone out there that is on both Zoladex and Tamoxifen? If so how are you going on them both? 

wOdz: I suggest you do your research, ask plenty of questions and what your options are before committing to anything. At the end of the day it is your body and you have to make the best decision that suits you and your specific type of BC. I wish you the very best of luck :-)

Hello dear, I perfectly understand your situation, I turned 32 years old and I have a 1 year old baby (Gaspar turns 1 year yesterday!! I am sooo happy!) I am also estrogen positive, not really high just 30% do you know your percentage? I talk to one of my doctors and if you are below 25% you probably WILL NOT  benefit much from tamoxifen, you can also chose to have it for only 1 or 2 years and then try for babies, I have been doing science for over 10 years and I have many papers that can help you to take the decision. I would like to say that I had cancer before getting pregnant (of course as Merylee and others the doctors didnt think the lump on my breast was something to concer about it!) so I felt the lump around Dec 2009 Jan 2010 and got pregnant later in March 2010, I had a beautiful pregnancy, a wonderful and easy waterbirth and I asked again the doctors about my lump (which got bigger) around March 2011, in May 2011 after a core biopsy I was diagnose with early breast cancer, so my point is PREGNANCY DOESNT TRIGGER CANCER OR WORST YOUR PROGNOSIS, I am not telling you this just because my own experience, but after reading many medical papers and taking to my oncologist. If you or another of you guys wants me to send you some of these papers to read a bit please let me know and I can send them to you because I dont know how to attach them here! ha! Send me a text as I am not cheking Internet very often (my mobile is 0411836970).....ALL THE BEST TO YOU AND KEEP SMILING!!!

Leonor

Hello dear, I perfectly understand your situation, I turned 32 years old and I have a 1 year old baby (Gaspar turns 1 year yesterday!! I am sooo happy!) I am also estrogen positive, not really high just 30% do you know your percentage? I talk to one of my doctors and if you are below 25% you probably WILL NOT  benefit much from tamoxifen, you can also chose to have it for only 1 or 2 years and then try for babies, I have been doing science for over 10 years and I have many papers that can help you to take the decision. I would like to say that I had cancer before getting pregnant (of course as Merylee and others the doctors didnt think the lump on my breast was something to concer about it!) so I felt the lump around Dec 2009 Jan 2010 and got pregnant later in March 2010, I had a beautiful pregnancy, a wonderful and easy waterbirth and I asked again the doctors about my lump (which got bigger) around March 2011, in May 2011 after a core biopsy I was diagnose with early breast cancer, so my point is PREGNANCY DOESNT TRIGGER CANCER OR WORST YOUR PROGNOSIS, I am not telling you this just because my own experience, but after reading many medical papers and taking to my oncologist. If you or another of you guys wants me to send you some of these papers to read a bit please let me know and I can send them to you because I dont know how to attach them here! ha! Send me a text as I am not cheking Internet very often (my mobile is 0411836970).....ALL THE BEST TO YOU AND KEEP SMILING!!!

Leonor

It is such a tough decision for any of us but when you are young (I am 55 so don't need to consider some of the things that you do) it does have further questions.  At the end of the day YOU really need to make the best decision for YOUR body.  Information is empowering and makes the answers come more freely.  Do your research but ASK ASK ASK.  XLeonie

Hi

I'm not in your age group but I feel your Oncologist is stating the obvious, everyone has the right to refuse treatment, in your case the hormone blockers. If your cancer is hormone positive, there is a major risk to you if you become pregnant. Ask your Oncologist about the hormones that pregnancy produces and then assess your risk. I know it's a bummer but you need to be fully informed in order to make a decision that you are happy with. Some of the treatments can put you into early menopause, others are more gentle. Investigate and ask questions until you find one that suits your requirements. With decisions as big as these you need to be your own advocate, and for that you need to be informed.

With love

Joy K

Hi sillysam83,

I have discussed it already with my oncologist and she says that the decision is mine but highly recommended to take them.

A lot of people who are around me seem to think its silly if i don't take it and although i already have one child (4) i would like to think that i could have more within the next 5 years depending on what my body wants to do with healing itself currently.

I am originally from NZ and have been living here for 19 years in Brisbane, unfortunately there aren't any 'close' support groups around where I live on the South side of brisbane...

Hope all is well! and congratulations on the reconstruction surgery!!!