Can I just say no to Hormone Therapy.

Sending you many hugs, ozbell. Have you consulted with your treatment team about all the side effects. We understand your urge to stop if these are the symptoms. Please call your docs and see what they suggest before you make a decision! We're all here for you!

Hello ozbell,

Sending you BIG hugs. I can only imagine what a very tough (and emotional) turmoil you must be going through. But hang in there...it's always darkest before dawn. We are here for you.

Should you say NO to hormone therapy?

My take is don't say NO.

Is hormone therapy necessary:

Yes...but, I assume that initially, your doc tested you positive for estrogen (or other) receptor, yes? if so, then that's a standard treatment that works. Given your OncoDx score of <18, maybe chemo is not such a good option, as you said.

As an intro into the why, consider that breast tumors often require hormones for growth, which poses a unique problem because the hormones involved in tumor growth are either estrogen, progesterone, or both. For these hormones (the key) to work, they need a partner known as the receptor (the lock). Hormone receptor-positive tumors consist of cancer cells with receptor sites for estrogen, progesterone, or both. The hormones attach to receptor sites and promote cell proliferation (or growth - too much is not good). Hormone therapy blocks the hormones from attaching to the tumor receptor sites and may slow or stop the cancer's growth. The drug most often used in this type of endocrine therapy is tamoxifen, with a response rate from 30-60%.

What else can you do?

Weight - Excess weight is a significant factor in BC. The visceral fat women (and men for that matter) carry around their belly is tenacious, dangerous and hormonally very active. It can produce estrogen and cortisol, independent of ovaries, etc. This added estrogen adds fuel to the fire.

High fiber - Lower you meat and fat intake (although these are good in proper proportions) and increase fiber in your diet. High-fiber diets have been shown to reduce circulating estrogen. If you have to have meat, make sure it's pasture-raised. Most meat in the US is infused with synthetic hormones before slaughter. you don't want this extra synthetic "stuff" to increase your burden.

Liver - Your liver is the organ responsible for metabolizing and neutralizing the estrogens produced (or xenoestrogens from the environment) by the body. There are good and bad estrogens. You want to support your liver as well as you can.

Cruciferous veggies- these guys contains natural compounds that turn bad estrogen to good estrogen. This can synergize very nicely with Tamoxifen or Fareston.

There are a ton of natural modalities that you can use (especially diet) to help your liver manage estrogen metabolism and allow your system to reach homeostasis.

Keep a chin up and stay positive. I really think your prognosis (given what you said) is very positive. You have a very very good chance of beating this thing. There's no need to think about the negative.

ozbell - in a word, yes, you can say no to hormone therapy. Treatment is a personal choice which is based on the information and experiences we each have.

I tried Tamoxifen for three months during my initial diagnosis, and had to stop because of the SEs. I then moved on to Aromasin - that lasted two months - and went back to Tamoxifen for another three months, hoping the SEs would be improved. For me, they were not, and at that point I stopped. It was a difficult but thoughtful choice. I spent almost a month discussing the potential outcomes of stopping with my husband and my MO, and had to be certain I would never blame myself if I had a later recurrence. My suggestion to you is to be sure you're comfortable with your decision before you stop (if that is ultimately your choice).

Good luck to you.

Of course you can say no, and millions of women do, b/c of the serious, painful, debilitating side effects.

Northwestern University wrote an entire article on it. You aren't alone.

http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/201...

Before you stop, perhaps talk with your MO, and see if you might be able to switch to something other than Tamoxifen. If not, you can make lifestyle choices as suggested above by another member to hopefully decrease your chances: 1 daily aspirin if you don't have contraindications, and taking Vit D and getting your levels checked annually, can help. too.

Claire

You can do whatever you want. It's your body after all.

I am waiting for a Breast Cancer Index study results to return. I had been on Anastrozole for 2 years and 9 months. Four of those months I itched mostly all over. I was living on antihistamines. I finally asked to stop Anastrozole and within 9 days the itching stopped. It took several weeks for my irritated skin to heal. Doctor put me on Aromasin. One year and six months later I am told that my optic pressure has steadily been increasing over the past year. Now using drops for Ocular Hypertension. My surgeon recognized immediately that the Aromasin might be the problem and ordered the BCI test. I have no emotions and my memory sucks! I have no interest in things I did before my diagnosis and treatment. I'm 67 years old, ovaries were removed when I was 42. I too have major anxiety about this test to see if I continue AI therapy. BUT deep inside of me I am saying stop and see if you feel like living again!!! I am a Christian and feel that I am in God's hands and I am just praying that His path will be clear. I have a friend who's cancer was different from mine, she was younger, had lymph node involvement, and a mastectomy of one breast and she STOPPED the therapy about 2 years in. She is cancer free today. Has anyone else just said "NO"? Love to you all!

8/22/11 - IDC, 1cm, E&P+, LN-, lumpectomy, OnCoDX score 35: chemo 4 rounds C/T, 33 sessions radiation.

I'm concerned about this too. I just finished radiation a few weeks ago and my next step is to see an MO. My cancer was so early and path report good after lumpectomy everyone figured I didn't need chemo. But I am wary of hormone therapy because I've read that Tamoxifen can lead to eye SEs and I already have retina issues (I Think of it as the precursor to macular degeneration) so I don't want to take anything that could hurt my eyes.

And I believe I have read on this forum that AIs can cause UTIs, which I've been having even before my BC diagnosis. BC sucks and so does having multiple medical issues.

I stopped after 6 months. That was 4 years ago. I don't feel 'out of the woods' but I am not the psychotic, crying, screaming suicidal person that I was while on it. Crappy choices.

Tamoxifen can cause cataracts; AIs drastically reduce estrogen, which in turn accelerates aging—one symptom of which is the faster ripening of pre-existing cataracts. I am unaware that either drug has any effect on retinas.

I got blistering burns within 10 min. from a Salonpas patch, but can handle IcyHot just fine. The roll-on version (as well as other brands of menthol-based topicals such as Bio-Freez and Max-Freeze) is much gentler than the patches. Flector patches and Voltaren gel (both forms of diclofenac, an NSAID—and these topical forms are OTC outside the U.S.) are very effective and do not burn at all—the gel is quite soothing as it evaporates. And Arnica Montana gel (Boiron or Traumeel) is very gentle and quite effective.

Exercise really helps me. But the first 20 minutes of Tai Chi or waking or whatever are very painful, then I get over the hump and I get relief from pain from the last 40 minutes of an hour. My oncologist said she hears this from a lot of people and from research.

Been on Tamixifen since Feb. Around about May the SE's started ramping up and now I'm at the point I can't go on. I didn't fight so hard for a year to be left with this life. I've decided to stop the Tamoxifen roller coaster for the next two weeks. I took 1/2 of one last night and no more! I'm tired of having no quality of life. I cry every single day multiple times a day for no reason, wake up with so much anxiety every morning I can barely get out of bed, restless legs, shaking hands, weight gain, joint pain, constant fatigue and irritability. If I continue on this path, I will have no job and no family. My MO says it's ok to go off of it for two weeks and see how Ifeel then. I'll post an update. My husband is supportive of whatever I want to do. He hates to see me a big ole crazy mess!