Hormonal Treatment for Stage IV

Woodylb

yeah. I think the swelling in my feet and hands are just that, i drink a lot of water but don't go as much so i cannot wear anything in my feet for a long time nor wear anything on my fingers. 

dunesleeper

Oh geez. I wonder if there is some sort of natural way to get rid of fluid. Maybe cranberry juice? That will be interesting to research.

Woodylb

i am not sure, it is good for water flaw in the body , the doctor advised my mom to drink for urinary  tract infection. I drank it during my second dx because berries are a good booster. In all cases i will ask the doctor as i will see her after my PET in september around the 11th and see if she has some ideas and relate to you. You started Aromasin in August, the SEs will not show immediately it seems to be cumulative. But also you may have none I hope the latter is true ). I have bad days with joints pain specially around the knees ,wrists and joints on the shoulder. The come and go. It is not bad though, i am not taking any meds till now, it is acceptable. I take the pill at night so most of the discomfort is at night. I started some hot flashes ( i am postmenopausal since 7 years), they are not bad either. I just hope it is working on containing the disease in one place lolll. 

reader123

Just want to share this for a chuckle - As I mentioned I recently switched from Tamoxifen to Arimidex.  Two months ago, when discussingn the possibility of the switch with an MO (not my usual doc - a different one in the group) - she told me.  Arimidex is great, it has no side effects.  I blinked and didn't say anything, but I was thinking - has this woman ever actually spoken to a woman taking this stuff?  Because bc.org and the ACS list side effects and I know there are many discussions here about the side effects.  And then I wondered does she really believe that?  or is she just trying to be positive?

208sandy

You will find through this journey with AIs that almost all MO's will tell you there are no se's - I call it the "cheerleader syndrome" and it makes me crazy - I feel that we aren't validated as humans with intelligence because we "speak up" - enough already!!!

exbrnxgrl

I am grateful to my wonderful tx team. They have never told me that any tx had no SE's. Even the most benign meds can se's for some people.

Hindsfeet

After dx with stage iv June 13th, I was put on tamoxifen...after a few days had ovulation pain. One week later, I had period cramps followed by red spotting. I quit. My oncologist put me on something else...forget name. It comes in a shot form once a month. I had my first one last week. Few days later, I had period cramps followed with red spotting...but more this time.

Because I have cancer quite a few places, lungs, liver, bone and skull, plus one spot in the brain/balance area, I was given a steroid to take for a few weeks. It looks like I will be soon having a Gamma Knife Surgery. The steroids seem to taken away the female problem... Has anyone had this problem? Is this normal?

SusaninSF

Hindsfeet,

I had spotting from the Zoladex injections but not from the Tamoxifen.  Are you getting Zoladex or Lupron injections?

- Susan

KiwiCatMom

Hinds - when I was on tamoxifen, my periods never stopped or even slowed down.  If anything, they got worse; like being 13 again.  And they continued after Tamoxifin.  So they gave me Zoladex injections to stop everything (and it did) when I was dx with Stage IV.  I did them for about 8 months and now I'm formally in menopause.  I'd definitely mention it to the oncologist if I were you.

Hugs to all,
Terre

chrissyb

Someone asked what is natural and can be taken to help relieve water retention.......the answer is celery.  Either eaten in quantity or taken as a tab that can be gotten from a naturopath or good pharmacy.

Love n hugs.    Chrissy

dunesleeper

Thanks Chrissy. I want to get a juicer or really good blender, and celery will definitely be in my smoothies.

Woodylb

thanks Chrissy, celery is not one of my favorite veggie but i guess it will have to do ))  better than taking meds. 

dunesleeper

Biopsy tomorrow. Had PET today. The chicken in me has taken over!

chrissyb

Dunesleeper put the chicken to bed and let the rooster out!  You will do just fine, you are stronger than you think.

Love n hugs.    Chrissy

Woodylb

Dunesleeper, i agree with Chrissy pit the chicken to sleep, you never know what tomorrow hides, you maybe nicely surprised. Good luck...

dunesleeper

The chicken has left the building.

KiwiCatMom

Love the chicken stuff above.  About to go to an awards banquet and looking forward to rubber chicken.  

Dune - hang in there!  The waiting is the hardest part.

CJRT

hinds feet- like Susan, I had the spotting/bleeding issue with zoladex the first few cycles but I also had some mid cycle spotting with tamoxifen. Both went away after 2-3 months.

dunesleeper

Maybe end of week for biopsy.

PET results show no metastasis to lungs, liver, or brain. Good news.

Metastasis to lymph nodes both sides of neck, right axilla, subcutaneous pectoralis, direct invasion of right pectoralis minor.

Numerous skeletal metasteses including the ramus of the mandible on right side, the spine of the left scapula, mid-left scapular, multiple bilateral ribs, involving the large segment of the left ilium posteriorly by the posterior iliac crests, the right sacrum in its midportion, the right anterior superior iliac crests, the distal right ilium. A subtle metastatic lesion in right ischium.

Intramedullary lesions without bony destruction seen in proximal right femur and posterior cortex of proximal left femur also without associated bony destruction.

That's what we have so far.

L

Woodylb

Dunesleeper, good news, no vital organ involvement and that is good it seems as if you have bone only mets since you have no bone distruction. Keep us informed.

CJRT

Dunesleeper- I'm sorry to hear about the multiple bone met sites but know how relieving it must be to have the lung, liver and brain clean. A crazy world we live in that we learn to breathe a sigh of relief for such findings as, "Only bone mets." As for your question about natural diurectics, my personal trainer had said that Vitamin C was a natural diurectic. I haven't researched this but it might be worth looking into and asking your MO's opinion about whether it would be safe for you to try. Sending you positive thoughts as you digest the new information and move forward.

208sandy

Dunesleeper - sorry to hear about the bone mets and I guess it's good news it's ONLY bone mets - sending you hugs and btw natural diuretic is watermelon - at least it works like a charm for me - hope it helps.

KiwiCatMom

Dunesleeper - glad no liver, lung, etc.  Bone mets such, but lesser of evils as those above have said.  Sending good thoughts your way - at least you'll have a path forward now!

Terre

exbrnxgrl

dunesleeper,

In the world of stage IV news, that's relatively good news. Thinking of you.

Caryn

Momonana6

Hi Lynne,  Sending you gentle hugs as you approach a new treatment geared to the surrender and demise of those cancer buggers.  Saw your mention of "charlie like" pain in your right upper abd area.  About two years agoI had identical sounding pain in my abdomen ...rt side.  The pain was colicky and lasted about 10 minutes each episode.  My thought was gallbladder and perhaps the colicky pain occurred with the passage of a stone....then relief.  A sonogram concurred and endoscopic surgery took care of the problem.  Whew!    Lynne you are in my thoughts and prayers for new successful treatments.    Hugs, Peg   

dunesleeper

good luck Lynne!!!

Rseman

Hello-

I am recently diagnosed with stage IV and take Lupron and Leterzole.  I also take Xgevia for my bones.  I was just told that I am already in remission.  The side effects aren't the greatest especially being only 36 but overall I really can't complain about this treatment.

It is great to read all the encouragement in these posts!

exbrnxgrl

yes! 3 three years on anti-hormonals and still NED. If this is what I have to do, I don't mind being on tx indefinitely.

Caryn

dunesleeper

Great news Caryn and Rseman!

chrissyb

Rseman I'm also on Femara and it has gotten me to NED  and I've been that way for almost four and a half years and still doing well.  Movement as in gentle exercise, walking, swimming will help with a lot of the SE even if you think you can't, try to keep moving.

Love n hugs.   Chrissy