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MicheleR
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Joined 6 years ago
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Re: Help i feel like a robot
Hi there @AnonyMS . Its a side effect of no estrogen but the good news is it comes and goes. I find exercise very helpful in elevating mood. Even just a walk. But yeah. I feel like once you are through the initial diagnosis and treatment its just the hard yards of putting up with side effects and having less people to whinge or care about the side effects. I took a list of symptoms (which honestly are cyclic and feel worse each month) to my oncologist who said these ones are nenopause, these from your chemo 3 years ago. No suggestions on how to feel better, im doing well, a lot of people have given up by now, yadayada. See you next year. Next year if you want you can come off exemestane but probably not zolodex. I feel bad for whingeing because it could be a lot worse but people in normal menopause are allowed to whinge and get some sort of support. I think the medical part is limited in survivorship. Maybe they dont know what to do to help as there isnt enough people to compare with. I also want to know what happens to me at 5 years, am i still a cancer patient being mindful all the time or do i get to relax sometime?30Views0likes0CommentsRe: Duration of endocrine therapy in premenopausal Australian patients
Hi @youngdogmum, Did you reach any conclusions on this? I had stage2b ilc grade 2 (no lymph node, just big tumour) . Have had 45/60 zolodex and on exemestane. Originally i was supposed to have 10 years ai and 5 years zolodex. Onc now saying 5 years ai. I think you cant be on ai if you havent been through menopause, and as there is no easy way to tell im not sure what the actual plan was re ovarian suppression. Ive been complaining more recently about symptoms. I dont want my ovaries out as concerned ill be stuck forever with the symptoms. I was 48 at diagnosis. Id be surprised if my ovaries are still functional but obviously i want to keep cancer away.96Views0likes0CommentsRe: I was diagnosed at 40 with ILC on right breast er+pr+ Her2- in early December
Hi @mk24, I had ilc stage 2b in 2020. Grade 2 (moderately fast growing). I had a single mastectomy, chemo and radiotherapy. My lymph nodes were clear. Ive been on zolodex and exemestane for 3.5 years. I dont know my ki67 but maybe you can infer. It is unlikely that a double mastectomy will be offered because if no sign of cancer in that side there is no point. It wont offer you additional protection above the hormone blocking. You have no estrogen so the growth of existing tumour should slow. If you end up having a braca gene then they will consider it. A mastectomy is quite a big operation and you are having a reconstruction too. Its enough for body to go through. I see you are having mastectomybtomorrow. Wishing you all the best. Emotionally, it feels better to have the cancer out and to be moving through treatment. Michele28Views1like0CommentsRe: Help i feel like a robot
Hi, I suppose I shouldnt complain as i dont experience a lot of the physical aspects of Ai now provided I exercise. Im well, off blood pressure meds, ive lost a tiny bit of weight after an enormous 3 year struggle which is still ongoing ( so now im just obese category 1 rather than category 2- sigh) Blood glucose is up, cholesterol is up. Triglicerides are normal. So now Ive had to give up carbs. Its just, is this it now? Im 53 next year, if I have to live the rest of my life like this.... Huge quality of life thing really. Dont worry, Ill talk to my gp. No, i dont have a breast care nurse, i went through private system. I see my gp once a month for the gosrelin injection (thankfully he bulk bills i just pay for injection) and my onc and breast surgeon once a year.24Views0likes0CommentsHelp i feel like a robot
Been on exmestane and goserelin for 3 years and 4 years respectively. Is it normal to feel emotionless? I miss (?) the emotional highs and lows of having hormones. I do feel anger and frustration and at times stressed but joy, passion, deep love seem to have left me for apathy. Since I wasnt menopausal at diagnosis i have no reference pount to understand if this is normal for menopause or is it just the drugs? I kind of feel a bit jipped. Is this what the rest of my life looks like. Sorry to be dramatic but whats the point of it all?313Views1like7CommentsRe: Stop the bus I want to get off.
Hi @arpie, Thanks for your thoughtful response. Im trying not to take extra medication to counter the medication im already on. I just wee a bit when i cough now. The hotflushes are a pain. The lack of get up and go bothers me. Re the weight, id say im slimmer in some areas (arms and chest) through exercise but my waist is larger a bit like a telletubbie. It is so hard to find pants for work. I used to be a size 14 (before diagnosis) and now Im a size 18. The most annoying thing is how much effort i put in to not achieve diminishing waist. Yesterday I bench pressed 35kg! Im weight training to improve metabolism and increase muscle. I guess Im lucky to be healthy enough to do it. Oddly I felt great this morning in terms of fatigue. I slept really well. I mean every part of my body hurts muscularly but its an exercised hurt! Michele10Views0likes0CommentsRe: Stop the bus I want to get off.
@GorgyS its different, not worse. I think chemo is a defined period. 6 months is a reasonable timeframe you can deal with even though its unpleasant. Hormone blockers are just long and frustrating (at times). You have to grit your teeth and get into a "its just maintenance" mindset.17Views0likes0CommentsRe: Stop the bus I want to get off.
Hi @Katie46, Im sorry to whinge when you are just at the start and are worried. Ive been compliant to all treatment and I do believe you should take the advice given. I was overweight when i was diagnosed but I looked in proportion. I did gym during chemo. I think because I was premenopausal that the treatment has been more impactful. What stinks is I cant correct (so it seems) the earlier weight issues. Its just hard to not be able to get a better outcome for yourself. But you know what, I havent given up in all this time. I still believe that given the right combination of things it might happen. Im starting to think that the fatigue is just brain fatigue and maybe I can physically push through it and the exercise might actually be good for my brain. Maybe because of the fatigue i stop exercising too soon? I found a study which indicated you need 60 minutes of exercise a day and calorie control yo lose weight after breast cancer. I gym 3 times a week and walk for 30 minutes every day. Im going to add 30 min indoor cycling on the non gym days. I have tried things like carb cycling, different calorie levels, protein increasing etc. I jogged for a whole year but the fatigue was epic. So no solutions yet but weight is not increasing just stably overweight.6Views0likes0CommentsRe: Stop the bus I want to get off.
Thanks @iserbrown. Ill have a read and thanks to @GorgyS and @Cath62 also. I exercise a lot. Ive altered my diet. I have a personal trainer/coach. Yes, i manage my medical people. When I try to talk about drugs and their impact my gp changes the topic and my oncologist gets defensive, my surgeon is emphathetic but he reports to the onc. Note that I see my gp monthly for zolodex. I have strarted to get stress incontinence due to low estrogen. Why cant i talk to my gp about that? I get that its hard for them when they want to give solutions but there may be none. Ive been trying without success for 4 years to reduce my weight. I have gained some muscle, i have lost like a few cm from my waist but its incredibly hard work for a tiny impact. Im only 52 and i dont want my weight to create future health issues. But maybe worst of all is the lack of energeticness when i get out of bed and the inability to have emotions which arent dampened. My nether regions are like the sahara this morning!6Views0likes0Comments
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