hormone therapy

@HunnyB - DEFINITELY get a referral to a medical oncologist again - as the girls have said, that is NOT the surgeon's area of expertise - he should NOT be giving you this advice.  Did you see a Medical Oncologist (not radiation oncologist) for your original script of Letrozole?   You would normally see the Oncologist every 6 months for the first couple of years, then depending on how you are going, maybe once a year after that .... more often if you are not coping.

Everyone reacts differently to AIs ..... not everyone has side effects - what you are going thru is fairly common for Letrozole. I only last 6 weeks on it!  Then swapped to Exemestane (lasted 6 months) and currently on Arimidex for 2 years ...... with the assistance of the Magic Oil!  ;)  Message me if you want more info on that.

Good luck with your results ...... it is always a worrying time, at our anniversary 'checks'  xx

Yes - I would be asking for a referral to a medical oncologist as this is their speciality.

Hi @HunnyB
Your surgeon’s field is not medical oncology, it’s surgery. They have differences. You need to see a medical oncologist about which hormone therapy drug to take. Were you given a good reason why Tamoxifen would be better than Letrozole? I was put on Letrozole and Zoladex and told it was the best drug to prevent recurrence. Go see a med oncologist and ask these questions. 

Yeah, your rad onc is not a long term relationship @HunnyB I'd still make sure he/she was CC'd into any test results for a while just for their records. Hopefully you will never see them again. Mxx

Thanks @Afraser maybe I should try to contact the oncologist & maybe put my mind at ease x

Hi @HunnyB
I do have the body of an old woman (75 probably qualifies) and I don’t have aches, pains and stiffness as a norm, so here’s hoping you can find some relief! What you are experiencing is common but not inevitable (I’ve been on Letrozole for over eight years). My surgeon is wonderful but post surgery he was clear that my oncologist would be making the recommendations. I still see both once a year for checks (all good) and find both of them helpful (and they talk to each other!). If you are getting difficult side effects from Letrozole, it would be worth at least getting information on other considerations, from an appropriately qualified oncologist. Suffering in silence isn’t always a good idea, at least not until you know there is really no other option. Tests are always a trial but if it helps, I found the fear abated after the fifth year! Best wishes. 

I was diagnosed January 2020 had lumpectomy then radiation. Now been on letrozole for 7 months. I had no idea until coming on here that what I have been feeling is a side effect of this drug. I feel like I have the body of an old lady aches, pains & stiffness to most of my body not to mention I perspire 99% of the day. In one way it has made me feel better cause it’s obviously very common. 

On Letrozole for two and a half years here. Shit loads of side effects. Sucks arse but I'm cancer free so far. I've learnt to live with it. I manage with regular osteopathy, painkillers, antidepressants, hot baths and regular breaks (two months off after every 12 months with my oncologist's blessing).

Some people have no trouble at all. Give it a whirl, you may be lucky. K xox

Tart cherry capsules are very popular in the USA. Haven’t heard them mentioned much here tho @Leia. Great that they are helping

I’ve been on letrozole for 5 months. After about 2 I started to get painful wrists- not too bad but were beginning to give me a bit of trouble at night. I started taking tart Cherry capsules, and the painful wrists have gone. There is at least one paper showing they help in a lot of women with AI joint pain.