Help! Newly IDC stage 1 here.

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LeeS82
LeeS82 Member Posts: 1
edited August 2019 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

I just turned 37 at the end of July. The end of June I was diagnosed with IDC stage 1.

I have a partial mastectomy/lumpectomy on Aug 13,2019 with immediate reconstruction. I will then have all of my post-op appointments Aug 28. My oncologist recommends hormone blocking. I have compared Zoladex injection with the choice of one or the other of the two pills you take once a day. (Arrimidex or Femara) Also, studied up on Tamoxifen & Evista. All sound horrible when reading patient feedback and what symptoms they are having.

Here is where I need help with a few questions!!!!

I am leaning heavily towards the inject, Faslodex(Fulvestrant) I am 37, premenopausal, and plan on NOT having anymore children. Questions!!!

*Is this injection only since I am early stage?

*If not, what other medicine will be suggested?(shot, daily pill, and side effects of it??)

*Did this stop premenopausal women’s periods?...Please say yes!!!😉🤞🏽

*Is this a injection I do myself? I do know it is thick and isn’t a quick poke)

*Side effects??? The good the bad, the ugly!

How long can I take this if it does work for me? I know five year minimum, and plan on doing the ten year due to my age, just to be on the safe side.

*Anyone take Calcium to fight off some of the bone thinning you read about? I already take 600mg of Calcium and a women’s one a day......suggestions!!!

I will be face with the “team of oncologist” /firing squad Aug 28,19😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😬😳 I would love to have as many personal experiences as possible before I am forced to make a choice. Please help!

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  • Ingerp
    Ingerp Member Posts: 2,624
    edited August 2019

    Lee--I'm only personally familiar with the aromatase inhibitor side of things (usually given to post-menopausal women). I believe the hormone-blocking options for pre-menopausal women are either to take Tamoxifen, or induce menopause, either chemically or surgically, and then take an AI. I wouldn't let the side effects scare you--many women do just fine. There are a number of ways to try to help with the loss of bone density. I'm not on any prescription treatment, but many women are. Keep in mind these often come with their own side effects. Diet and weight-bearing exercise might help.

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  • OnTarget
    OnTarget Member Posts: 447
    edited August 2019

    I'm pre-menopausal, and the choices I was given were either Tamoxifen, or Zoladex (ovarian suppression shot) + AI (daily pill). Of course, you could do Tamoxifen + Zoladex.

    I wanted to be very aggressive, so chose Zoladex +AI and we'll just see how the side effects go. Hot flashes and difficulty sleeping are what I have after 2 months of Zoladex.

    I don't know anything about Fulvastrant. Zoladex will make your periods stop. It is a shot given once a month in the clinic. I get it in my stomach, and it doesn't hurt. It sticks a little pill the size of a grain of rice under your skin. Really, surprising that it only slightly stings going in, and it is over in a few seconds.

    There is also an option of a 3 months shot, but I feel better with the idea of the 1 month.

    I take Vitamin D, Calcium, and fish oil. I also do a 1 a day.

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