Lifetime treatment plan at Stage IIIA

Thank you all for your replies. I was 49 at DX and am 52 now. I had my ovaries removed 1 year ago because I was not tolerating tamoxifen well and was showing no signs of menopause. I was healthy when diagnosed, other than the cancer my cholesterol was slightly elevated and my vitamin d was low.

These meds have created numerous health issues, which some have resolved when the med was discontinued, others not so much. They are chronic and debilitating and when do you say enough? I am grateful to be alive, but I truly would like to have some quality to that life. It is a blessing to be NED and I know there are those facing a much larger decisions, but it is there and I have to voice it or I will pop.

Thank you again everyone. I truly appreciate you taking the time to respond and encourage.

I believe my MO is wanting to hold off on those meds should I need them in my toolbox at a later date.

She is hopeful that we will be able to find some combo of meds that will work for me. I am just frustrated and needed a safe place to vent. My DH and MO do not approve of my quality vs. quantity speech...so I try to save it for an appropriate outlet. Thank you all for being that outlet

I am curious also. I have an appointment scheduled with a psychiatrist should I need to start the medication snowball rolling again. It seems that the meds needed would need to be prescribed by him. So far, so good on Arimidex.

My Effexor was prescribed by my first MO as was my Ativan. Effexor for hot flashes and Ativan as a pre-med for chemo. Next thing I knew my DX included depression and anxiety....either my PCP or MO put that in there. Effexor was another not very well tolerated medication. The SEs were lack of any emotion on the full dose, depression (from an antidepressant) and withdrawal SEs while trying to titrate off. They included vertigo, vision issues and hearing issues. I was unable to drive. Months out from stopping all meds, I flushed them in June. It was discovered that one of my other meds was interfering and amplified the withdrawal SEs. I went a month, trying to titrate, with those withdrawal SEs not subsiding and having to go back to the former dose. When all meds were eliminated, not doctor recommended, the withdrawal SEs were gone in under 2 weeks.

To say my body is sensitive to medication, is an understatement. I cannot take anything in capsules because whatever they use to make them gives me GERD. I have latex, sulfa and adhesive allergies, I believe it is the plastic type material of the capsule. Catheters are not latex but my body reacts to those also. I had to have a catheter removed early after bladder surgery. It was encrusted with blood where the skin inside was being eroded by contact. My port was another problematic thing. Needless to say reconstruction was never on my radar. I do not think my body would tolerate the TE or the implant.

Likening this whole ordeal to a marathon vs. a sprint was extremely insightful. Whomever labeled it as such was brilliant!

Thank you all for being here.

Thank you! I have begun seeing a naturopath, nutritionist and am loving acupuncture. Trying supplements to help with side effects and seeing some progress. Very beneficial and worth trying if anyone is on the fence. My hot flashes are nearly non-existent and that is huge. I actually flashed the leads off my holter monitor after about 36 hours. I am down to one a day if that. The intensity has also decreased. Acupuncture and magnesium have provided the relief.

I am utilizing Shakeology and 21 Day Fix Eating program. Both have been approved by my naturopath and nutritionist. Very easy to follow and I feel it is an investment in my health. I have seen positive results in my blood work and my weight gain from tamoxifen is coming off at a rate of 1-2 pounds a week. That is important because of the fatty liver, weight loss needs to be gradual to prevent further harm.

I have everything crossed that I continue to tolerate Arimidex. Still good..

I would say to try them. There are people with no side effects. It is those of us who do have SEs that tend to post more frequently. We are generally looking for answers.

If your team is suggesting tamoxifen there is a reason behind it. Find out their reasoning and you will know which path to take. It does not hurt to try the medication as it is proven effective against recurrence. That is not a guarantee but it is insurance.