Hormone Blockers Weight gain & GLP-1s
Hi Everyone, I am 53 yeards old and 3 years into hormone blockers and am managing (barely) all the side-effects except for one. Weight gain. I have always been fit and active and I am working out more than ever and eating incredibly healthy and nothing seems to make a difference. I have slowly increased from a size 10 to almost a 14 since commencing hormone blockers. I have seen some medical evidence that GLP-1's at a low dose have been helpful for not just weight loss but also a reduction in other side effects as well. Has anyone else had a conversation with their oncologist regarding using GLP-1's and potential benefits? I don't like the thought of taking yet another drug but I am getting to the point of worrying about everything I eat and also cannot afford to keep buying another size up! If anyone has any info on this topic or knows of any specialists in this space I would appreciate it very much, Thanks!!
Zoladex 3 monthly available but not PBS covered for women
I wanted to share something I recently learned as it might help ease the burden of regular monthly injections. I recently learned that the goserelin injections many of us have monthly are actually available in a 3 monthly dose (10.8mg). I was a really hopeful thinking this could significantly reduce the stress, time and cost that comes with needing to have an injection every 4 weeks. However, my Med Onc informed me that in Australia, the PBS doesn't subsidise the 3 monthly dose for women, although it does for men (prostate cancer). The reasoning given that there's `insufficient evidence of reliable suppression of serum oestradiol' in women. What doesn't make sense is that there is evidence suggesting otherwise. Recent research indicates that the 3 monthly dose is non-inferior to the monthly dose for pre-menopausal women with breast cancer in terms of ovarian suppression. For me, the monthly injections come with a real burden: financially - GP visits and medication add up every month time wise - frequent GP appointments and pharmacy trips take time out of the week. physically and emotionally - injection itself is painful, it's a large slow release implant into the abdominal subcutaneous tissue. The main alternative - surgical removal of the ovaries is obviously much more invasive and comes with it's own risks and long term consequences. Given that the 3 monthly option is already in use, clinically tested and could ease the burden for many of us, I would really like to see equal PBS access for women. I'm curious, has anyone else looked into this and how to go about taking action?
Giredestrant - SERD
Hello there, Reading the news coming out of the San Ontonio Breast Cancer Symposium this year (happening right now) and there is a very positive, yet early, study on a new SERD on Early stage BC in the Lidera trial. Does anyone know about this or is part of the trial? It seems that there was recruitment in Victoria? Keen to hear.
Zoladex
Hi, so I’ve just been started on zoladex and I’m wondering about side effects. I feel like I suddenly have IBS or something. I’m going to the toilet 5-6 times a day. Everything I eat is giving me stomach cramping, almost like continuous period pains. I also feel nauseous a lot. Is this normal? Has anyone else experienced this? Does it calm down after a while? I’m scared to start taking the letrezol as well now in case it all gets worse. I was sent home from work today, first day back, because I was doubled over in pain from the cramping. It’s ruining my life and it’s only been 2 weeks.
Nausea after 3 days on Exemestane?
I tried Exemestane for 3 days and felt really nauseaous and stopped taking it. Nausea went away next day. Has anyone else had this side effect after such a short time? I found one old post on Reddit saying the same thing. My oncologist questioned that I could get such an extreme reaction after such a short time.Letrozole - compound pharmacy
Hello I was wondering if anyone has had any luck with getting Letrozole made by a compounding pharmacy to reduce the fillers and preservatives that come with the commercial Letrozole? I am about to start Letrozole and am trying to minimise side-effects as much as possible from the get-go to increase my chances of staying on it - I am very sensitive to meds, preservatives, etc. With that in mind, I’m very interested in hearing people’s stories and experiences with compounding chemists and hormone therapy. Thank you all :)
Using 'the oil' for Exemestane side effects
Hi there, I'm curious to hear from people who've been using 'the oil' to treat side effects of hormone therapy. I've noticed people don't say the actual name of it, assuming it gets flagged?! To cut my long story short... Diagnosed in June, mastectomy in July, radiotherapy in August/September, and then started hormone therapy September/October. I'm on Goserelin every 28 days, plus Exemestane daily. I'm told this is the plan for the next 5-10 years. However, my joint, ligament and muscle aches are horrible! I've read similar side effects from others on here - where there's a joint, it aches, particularly overnight - I didn't even know elbows and knuckles could ache! My feet are so painful to walk on any time I get up from sitting/lying down. I'd heard a few people say the oil has helped them with these side effects. I've been taking it for 5 weeks now and am quite disappointed that I feel very little effect. I'm taking Altreleaf C B D 100 ISO - 100mg. I take 0.5ml in the morning, 0.5ml at lunchtime, then 1ml at 8pm. He gave me one containing T H C too (because I asked for it ;-) but I can't really use it as you can't have it in your system at all when you drive. I'm 46 and a mum of two young girls so driving is a pretty essential part of my daily life. I'd love to hear it others have tried the oil and had similar disappointment, or any success. I'd also love to hear from anyone who's been on Exemestane and changed to another drug - because I'm told it's brutal and not many women stay on it. I'm thinking my only option really is to switch to something else but worry it'll be the same! Thanks in advance!Hormone treatments, tamoxifen and tendonitis
Hi there, I'm very new to this, but wondering if anyone has experience of tamoxifen and tendonitis? I've had two different types of breast cancer, but one side was HER2Positive so since January this year I have been on anastrozole. In late July I got extremely painful tendon damage - a torn and swollen hamstring tendon near my seatbone, so it really hurts to sit, and two other gluteal tendons with tendinopathy as well - no idea what set these problems off, but discovered that anastrozole, in reducing oestrogen, weakens tendons. My Oncologist said suspend it, so I haven't been taking it since early August. She later offered me a script for Tamoxifen instead. As Tamoxifen also is designed to reduce oestrogen I am wondering whether I should switch to it or not? I don't want a breast cancer recurrence, but my life quality at the moment is much affected by the tendon problem which is not healing very quickly at all. It's going to take many many months I think. If I take tamoxifen now will I slow down the healing? What should I do? Anyone out there had any experience with tamoxifen and tendons? Thanks for any experience you can share with me!!!Breakthrough bleed after first dose???
Hi all, after finishing 15 rounds of radiation therapy, i took my first dose on tamoxifen at 10am this morning, only to develop a breakthrough bleed by 5pm. I am perimenopaul and my last period was in Nov 24. I will be contacting the Doctor tomorrow but has anyone experienced this? Do these bleeds stop on their own? Thank you in advance.
Exemestane & cardiac symptoms
Hi all, Apologies if this has been covered before but I am hitting a brick wall with my oncologist who has denied any knowledge of problems with taking anti hormone treatment such as exemestane and it aggravating pre-existing hypertension & heart palpitations. I stopped taking exemestane and my blood pressure average dropped 20 points and the bad headaches also stopped but my oncologist doesn’t think the drug caused the blood pressure problems. All they want to do is push another drug but I don’t want a repeat as it adversely impacted my ability to work & I didn’t feel safe as I had a hypertensive event whilst exercising. Has anyone else experienced similar problems as I can’t believe I am the only one to have this happen to although my oncologist said she had “ never heard of this before” or know of any current studies or literature I can show my oncologists? I feel like I’m being fobbed off and being labelled as an inconvenience as not wanting to tow the easy treatment line. Being in a regional public health system is also probably not helping with the quality of care & concern. Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks