Dx with BC & bone mets at same time: tamoxifen or chemo?

Karencanada

Hi. In October I was diagnosed with a breast tumour and a few weeks later a CT scan showed "innumerable bone lesions". I am ER+ PR- and HER2-. In November they started me on tamoxifen and monthly pamidronate. I just had another round of scans and the bone mets appear to be increasing. The breast tumour (no lymph activity) is still about same size as at dx (it had grown really quickly in the two months prior o dx).



I am not crazy over my MO and getting another, but meanwhile he is recommending I go on chemo since he says the tamoxifen doesn't appear to be working. I think this is not necessarily fair as only three months, plus I have been taking Zoloft 100 mg ( he says the negative interaction is minimal but I have been reading otherwise). I would like to get off the Zoloft, replace it with effexor and continue with the tamoxifen for a few more months before deciding to switch to chemo.



Any thoughts out there? I would appreciate it so much. Three months ago I was active, pain free, cancer ignorant, and planting trees I expected to see in 20 years. Now I am in severe bone pain( relieved somewhat with gabapentin and dilaudid) and feel like I don't have that long to live and am thinking of wys to spend my money before I go!



Look forward to being part of this community. Thanks!

Grace2U

Hi Karen



Sorry about your diagnosis. My daughter has the same diagnosis as you did and 2 months ago she was happy, healthy and cancer was the last thing on her mind. She was diagnosed exactly a month ago, so much has happened that it seems like a long time ago.



Her doctor also put her on Tamaxifen and nothing else. I was wondering how this little pill could combat such a deadly disease and wanted more of an aggressive treatment.



Have you discussed radiation treatment? I understand that helps with the bone mets. I think my daughters doctor might be considering that for her.



Hope you find the right treatment for you. You need to trust your doctor. Maybe get a 2nd opinion.

flannelette

Hi Karen - I think there is a bones mets thread in the stage IV forum where people can address your concerns - they probably aren't seeing you here. I am so sorry that your sneaky bc cells went to your bones so fast. I'm amazed they can bypass the lymph nodes and do that. But on the more positive side, I think that people with bones mets can live a good long while, for some it is like a chronic condition.....please check that thread and you might be seeing this a whole other way ps if the sneaky cells got into your bones, why not do chemo in case they are also lurking elsewhere? chemo,to me, was not awful. but I don't kn ow much about how to treat your dx. Beast of luck, don't be spening your $$ too soon!

chrissyb

Hi Karen and welcome to BCO. I'm a bone mets girl as well. I agree with you about getting off the Zoloft and changing to Efexor as there definitely is an interaction with Tamoxifen. If you are happy to wait for an extra couple of months before considering chemo I'd still check with another onc first but as with all the hormonals, they are slow to get going but usually do a pretty good job. There is a test that is available to see if you are metabolising the Tamoxifen properly so that is another thing you could ask your onc about as well.



There is a bone mets thread in the stage IV forum with lots a girls just like us.......come on over and join in. Once you get the treatment going that is working for you, you will find that you can, sometimes with limitations, live a good long life even with the mets.



Love n hugs. Chrissy

Karencanada

Thanks Chrissy. It's so nice to hear another voice out there. I'll be back.