Recurrence - Question about Ovaries

Lillymillie
Lillymillie Member Posts: 192
edited March 2016 in Just Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastasis

Hi Ladies, wondering if anyone can answer. I was diagnosed with mets to pelvis and possible shadow on liver (which needs to be confirmed) PET on saturday will confirm. Just gearing up for the dreaded consultation with my MO and because my cancer is highly Er+ 8/8 I'm wondering if it's time to fully shut down my ovaries. I'm 40 and periods returned after chemo. Have asked before recurrence and was told statistically blah de blah. Is this something I should push for? If liver is confirmed they mentioned chemo but said surgery may be a possiblity. A change of hormone treatment if contained in bones. Currently on tamoxifen. Am very new to this all and have spend last 4 years with head in sand trying not to think about cancer stuff! Would really appreciate your thoughts on this. Thanks in advance xx

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited March 2016

    I would get your ovaries out so they can switch you to an AI. If not, they'll use ovarian suppression, but for me, it was one less thing to deal with (but one more surgery). I had that done at the same time as another surgery. Sorry you are dealing with this. :(

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  • YATCOMW
    YATCOMW Member Posts: 664
    edited March 2016

    An article just came out that Tamoxifen with ovarian suppression was better than tamoxifen alone.

    I had my ovaries out after treatment so I could get on Femara. I personally think Femara is a wonder drug.


    Jacqueline

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited March 2016

    I had my ovaries out to go on femara. My onc gave me the bla-bla and thought I was being too extreme, but my breast surgeon was 110% behind me. It was a pretty easy surgery.

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  • Lillymillie
    Lillymillie Member Posts: 192
    edited March 2016

    Just an update, had meeting with oncologist early this evening. Liver shadow is not a met so dealing with pelvis met and some more investigation into tiny femur irregularity. He said they would shut down the ovaries, chemically or surgically and give me some else for the estrogen the rest of my body makes maybe femara . I have to get a bone biopsy first and a radiologist is going to cross ref my various scans so everything is accounted for. A good few areas of inflammation from previous surgeries etc.

    My oncologist is not very positive normally but today he was very positive about the 'many, many' treatments available now and how lots of his bone met patients are doing extremely well and several are 10years plus. This was good to hear.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited March 2016

    Sounds like you've got a good plan in place.

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  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited March 2016

    It doesn't make a difference whether you shut down the ovaries medically or surgically. As you are ER+ you WILL need to do one or the other eventually. Tamoxifen allows for ovaries, but every other anti-hormonal requires you to be post-menopausal.

    You can always start with the shots. If you have the surgery there's no going back. I took the shots for five years until I finally decided to have the operation. It's a very easy surgery.

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  • Lillymillie
    Lillymillie Member Posts: 192
    edited March 2016

    pajim Think oncologist had said medically originally to avoid more surgery. I don't mind. Probably prefer the surgery so it's one less thing in the mix. There's not going back anyway. I hope I can handle such a dramatic menopause! I don't want to be in work having hot flashes and peeling off my clothes 😁

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  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited March 2016

    Women experience hot flashes differently. I have a friend going through [natural] menopause who describes a 1000 degree bake oven. Some women don't have hot flashes at all. Most are in between.

    I'm lucky, I get a little warm, take off my jacket, and it goes away in a minute or two. But I do now notice other women in my office of "that certain age" who all of a sudden start fanning themselves or need to take off a layer. Makes me giggle.

    It's the other post-menopausal symptoms that get me. I've never had dry skin and don't know how to deal with it. Not to mention the hair thinning and losing some brain power. Sigh.

    You'll be fine. I've taken Femara for three years. Easy peasy. (caveat: your experience may vary)

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  • artistatheart
    artistatheart Member Posts: 2,176
    edited March 2016

    Pam, Do you do Femara and Faslodex together? And Ibrance as well?

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