Letrozole - Year 2
I'm six weeks into my second year of Letrozole. The good news is my hands have remained better since I took a one month break after six months. They still hurt, both bone and joint pain, especially wi...
Forum Discussion
Hi @TaraV. It is scary but my oncologist (who's often invited to give speeches & presentations at conferences) assures me it's fine. She said they've even studied three months on/three months off and found it makes no difference to outcomes. They just don't recommend it as it's too difficult to keep track. I have a genetic issue as well. It's an extra layer of tough.
I found some of the side effects have improved as time has gone by, but as you say, maybe they were the chemo side effects finally wearing off. However other side effects have got worse. But what's the cancer diagnosis, the treatment, the menopause and other life shit, who can tell? What I have found interesting is the soft tissue pain in my arms has just about gone in the six weeks since I last took Letrozole. The ankle and hand bone pain has not gone completely this time, but enough to provide me significant relief.
The hot flushes have not abated. Nor has the depression. So I'm concluding that I am particularly estrogen sensitive (which my oncologist had conjectured) and the my menopause would have been challenging, even if I hadn't been shoved over the estrogen cliff by BC. Then again, maybe my body would have coped with a steady decline. We'll never know.
I get more headaches, have waves of nausea preceding many of the hor flushes. What to do? Have you tried working through the supplements that many find helpful, like magnesium? Are you in counselling? The symptoms you describe are sometimes signs of depression, which is a listed side effect of Letrozole. Perhaps discuss it with your GP. With such a young child I quite agree, you'd definitely want to be present in an emotional way.
To my immense frustration I've discovered there are no shorts cuts. Post active treatment is for many, deeply difficult. It's trial and error and boring sensible things like healthy eating, regular exercise, no smoking, minimal to no drinking!
Hang in there and work through the process of finding out what works for you. And keep sharing here. We're all looking for the magic bullet so if you have some success we want to know! Big hug lovely, K xox
I found some of the side effects have improved as time has gone by, but as you say, maybe they were the chemo side effects finally wearing off. However other side effects have got worse. But what's the cancer diagnosis, the treatment, the menopause and other life shit, who can tell? What I have found interesting is the soft tissue pain in my arms has just about gone in the six weeks since I last took Letrozole. The ankle and hand bone pain has not gone completely this time, but enough to provide me significant relief.
The hot flushes have not abated. Nor has the depression. So I'm concluding that I am particularly estrogen sensitive (which my oncologist had conjectured) and the my menopause would have been challenging, even if I hadn't been shoved over the estrogen cliff by BC. Then again, maybe my body would have coped with a steady decline. We'll never know.
I get more headaches, have waves of nausea preceding many of the hor flushes. What to do? Have you tried working through the supplements that many find helpful, like magnesium? Are you in counselling? The symptoms you describe are sometimes signs of depression, which is a listed side effect of Letrozole. Perhaps discuss it with your GP. With such a young child I quite agree, you'd definitely want to be present in an emotional way.
To my immense frustration I've discovered there are no shorts cuts. Post active treatment is for many, deeply difficult. It's trial and error and boring sensible things like healthy eating, regular exercise, no smoking, minimal to no drinking!
Hang in there and work through the process of finding out what works for you. And keep sharing here. We're all looking for the magic bullet so if you have some success we want to know! Big hug lovely, K xox