Side effects of breast cancer treatments

oneoften

First diagnosis was invasive ductal breast cancer, stage 1, multiple tumors, in 2006.  Underwent a mastectomy and then chemo.  Took tamoxifin for 14 months and quit due to growth of cataracts .  Recurrent diagnosis was 2010, Underwent surgery for the removal of lymph nodes with 11/15 involved, chemo again followed by radiation.  Presently on letrozole to prevent another recurrence.  At the risk of sounding like a hypochondriac I seem to have all sorts of side effects.  Cataracts, lymphedema, hypothroydism, trigger thumb are the main ones.  Is anyone else as lucky?  I considered myself to be reasonably healthy prior to 2006.  I'm presently 56 years old.

lisa-e

/well I am not Candian but thought I would chime in.  I mas dx with multicentric, stage one tumors in 2008.  My treatment was a bmx, followed by tomoxifen, aromasin, arimidex.  No chemo or rads.   Here is a lit of the side effects I've experienced:

From Sugery and removal of lymph nodes -lymphedema.  I've been hospitalized for cellulities and have taken multipele rounds of antibiotixs.

Depressed and had major insomnia while taking tamoxifen

Switched to Aromasin and experience an increase in arthritic symptoms, including trigger thumbs in both hands.  Cortisone injections helped, but I still take celebrex.  Otherwise my hip really hurts.  I probably will require a replacement at some point in the future.

 Switched to Arimidex and developed cataracts.  I just had surgery on one eye, I am not sure when I will have surgery on the other, but soon, I hope.

So yep, I am as 'lucky'.  I am 59 and considered myself  healthy before my dx.  Now I thˆnk I am a creaky old woman.

bdavis

oneoften.. how did you find your recurrane if you had a MX.? Had you had bilat MX? Are you BRCA pos?

jojoxoxo

Oneoften, I can empathize with many of your problems & am sorry to hear about your severe side effects.  

I found switching from letrazole to Aromasin decreased the number of side effects I was having.

After 13 years of treatment, having last summer finished 5 years of the Aromasin, preceded by 5 years on tamoxifen - I sometimes feel like a creaky little old lady at age 53. I think there are a lot of non-specific things that doctors just don't like to deal with -- like, in my case, recurrent depression.  Lymphedema too, a chronic problem that at least in my case can only be kept under control, but never really goes away & also that few people seem to understand.  Like coworkers at a previous job who didn't understand my problems in using scissors.

pickle

I am a creaky /cranky 50 year old. Two years on tamox then switshed to Aeomasin and I feel 30 years older than I should.Aromasin sucks and I''m not sure what to do. Scared to stay on it but scared to come off it. Doctors mean well but I don't think that they get the seriousness of our SE'S

sharan77

I agree with everybody in the group.... the doctors don't really pay much attention to side effects of the treatment or the way these may affect the otherwise seemingly well quality of life. All they care about is the getting you rid of the devil..... I wish there was some way in which they could be more empathetic towards the whole issue....

mks16

I considered myself pretty lucky when it comes to side effects, as I experienced barely any. I went through 8 treatments of AC/Taxol chemo, 7 Neulasta shots, 30 radiation treatments, BMX, left axillary node dissection without major incidents. I started power walking 2 weeks before my last chemo in June, and have been walking 30 -  35 km weekly ever since, lost 20 pounds of chemo weight and my BMI is now 19.

I thought I was doing so awesome, until last week, I was diagnosed with heart disease and it was determined that I already suffered a silent heart attack and am at extreme danger of another one. I am not allowed to exercise until further tests and treatments are completed and carry a bottle of nitro spray with me at all times.I am devastated. This is not the price I expected to have to pay, and I wish I was monitored more closely during chemo. I am only 38 years old, its just not fair.

Luah

mks16: I can imagine how devastated you must be! I too had very few SEs during chemo, and I kept up a very active exercise routine throughout. I just hope there is no long-term damage. Did you have MUGA scans before and after chemo for heart function? And if you don't mind me asking, what kind of symptoms were you having when they determined you have heart disease? 

I'm so sorry you have to go through this... you're right, it isn't fair... and I can't wait til they come up with less toxic treatments. 

bdavis

Unfortunately, the Adraimycin is really hard on teh heart..I have high blood pressure and told the ONC I did not want "A" because I already was monitoring my heart... I fear the chemo was the cause for you... but hopefully things will improve from here.

mks16

Thanks Luah...

I've had some subtle symptoms for a couple of months now, shortness of breath and lack of energy. I talked to my family doctor about it, she did some blood tests expecting low iron, and when that came back ok, she said it takes time to recover from treatments. I didn't quite buy it, because as time went on I seemed to have less and less energy. I also had very subtle chest pain, discomfort almost, but my internist (who I am seeing for my blood pressure) said it was likely from my left arm, subtle lymphedema or such, so he dismissed me as well. It was only when a routine ECG was requested for my pre-op oophorectomy that they realized there was something seriously wrong. 

BDavis, I think you're right... although the two cardiologists I saw are saying that chemotoxicity wouldn't cause that type of damage, but I am still doubtful and am finding similar cases related to Adriamycin on the internet. They are blaming my high blood pressure, but my blood pressure has ALWAYS been properly managed. 

And nobody thought they should order MUGA scans prior to chemo, so they can blame it on whatever they want, I can only guess. 

Luah

mks16, I'm surprised they didn't do a MUGA before the AC, thought that was pretty standard but maybe not. As you say, they can blame other stuff - and it's possible other stuff is to blame. Who can really know? I hope you can focus on restoring and sustaining your heart health, but I can understand why you feel so let down. It sucks. 

It's interesting the symptoms you mention. I think they are pretty classic for women - and unfortunately do go undiagnosed a lot of the time because they are not acute - as opposed to men who might more typically collapse. That said, if you hadn't had BC they wouldn't have been able to dismiss your symptoms as post-treatment fatigue or LE - and may have gotten more attention. Thanks for sharing your experience, valuable to the rest of us.