Feeling good!

Thanks for your kind words, you're a sweetie! I love your blogs too because they remind me of how I was the first time I had treatment. Everything freaked me out the first time, but now I just laugh at most things. Even my two girls make fun of my bald head and hot flushes. They even suggested I wear a pirate patch over my missing boob, little buggers! I guess they're not scared because they saw me go through it all last time, followed by 9 years of good health. We all just assume the same thing will happen again this time (it bloody better!) I know this sounds terrible, but I had a laugh when you wrote about your daughter losing her license! It reminded me of my girls and what pains in the arse they can be sometimes. I was a shocker as a teenager, so I guess it's just payback. I hope your treatment is going smoothly and you're not feeling too horrendous! All the best xx Jane

I saw the specialist about having the ovaries removed, and all I could gather from her was that there would definitely be no more periods or hormones produced, so permanent menopause was assured, as well as not having to take Tamoxifen for the rest of the 5 years because there would be no hormones to block. But I was concerned about removal of the ovaries because it would be more surgery after the lumpectomy, and I hadn't looked into the pros and cons of the op.( Like, don't we need the ovaries in later life to regulate our bodies in other ways?)I too havent had a period since finishing chemo in July 2011, and the hot flushes from the Tamoxifen effect are manageable but not overly pleasant! But what choice do we have in this situation?

The whole thing about having my ovaries removed came up because I have had two eostrogen positive cancers 9 years apart, despite having tamoxifen for five years between the two cancers. My eostrogen has been super high for ages and was giving me heavy periods that made me anaemic and uterine polyps that had to be removed twice. Because my two cancers were at ages 34 and 43, my oncologist wanted to get my eostrogen levels down dramatically and she doesn't know if my chemo induced menopause will be permanent. Hence my ovaries need to go. It never would have been an issue if I hadn't got breast cancer the second time. I think my oncologist thought I needed something drastic to try and prevent a third cancer. I hope my explanation makes sense. All the best xx Jane

I know that Arimidex is of course not Tamoxifen (how clever of me), but (as many lovely ladies on here can attest to) I was petrified about starting Arimidex.  I stressed for such a long time and dreaded the day I had to start.  I actually stood at the bench with my tablets in front of me, and I could take every other tablet but left the Arimidex!  It wasn't until about five minutes later that I could actually put the tablet to my mouth, after having abused it loudly.  It is now six weeks since I began taking a tablet that, to me, was going to cause horrendous side effects to my already traumatised mind and body, but I am very fortunate to be one of the lucky ones that has suffered no side effects.  The first couple of days I was a little nauseaus and had a few headaches but they were quickly stopped in their tracks by a couple of Panadol.  Now I don't even get the headaches.  I introduced a calcium tablet and a vitamin D tablet for my bones (just in case) but I feel wonderful, I actually think that since I introduced the calcium I don't have the aches in my legs that I used to have.

Try not to worry too much about taking Tamoxifen.  I won't say "think positive" as us ladies don't like that terminolody very much, but hopefully you might be lucky like me don't get the side effects, I hope you are, but I do understand your concerns.  A lady I met along the way who started on Tamoxifen just before I started on Arimidex, has also had no side effects.  I guess in the grand scheme of things we really don't have a choice do we, we have to do everything we can to beat this mongrel of a thing and we will!

I wish you well, let us know how you go.

Dale

I didn't get any bad side effects when I had tamoxifen from 2002- 2007. All through my first lot of chemo in 2002 and the tamoxifen I never even missed a period! Thank goodness the chemo pushed me into menopause this time around, because I couldn't take the femara if it hadn't. I never thought I'd be happy to be in menopause at 44, but my priorities are all different nowadays! Like you, I went out today and forgot my hat! It's so damn hot in Perth isn't it? Good luck on the tamoxifen; I hope it all goes smoothly for you. xx Jane

Wow, that's just the sort of feedback I was hoping for! I'd like to have the same recon as you; after researching on the internet, the diep one sounds like it would suit me best. You said you've been diagnosed twice; how far apart? My two tumours were 9 years apart. I had a lumpectomy the first time and that cancer never came back. The second one was a new one with different pathology. Being in the same breast I had no choice but to have a mastectomy. I'm only 44, and since I plan to live to 100 (lol) I think I need to get some good new boobs! Thanks again for replying. xx Jane