Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Taz2]

Thanks coldethyl.

She is on Arimidex and has had no side effects.

Taz x

[CLKD]

Salad - I had to stop tamoxifen - it almost killed me as I felt so ill.  Not having felt ill nor suffered any physical pain during diagnosis and surgery, I decided to stop that drug.  That was in 1996 ;-).  Maybe your Mum could speak to her Oncologist and ask if it a) is necessary and b) if there is another med with less side effects.  Quality of Life is important!   Why did she undergo surgical intervention and what does she really feel about taking further medication?

[Salad]

Hi CLKD, I so agree that quality of life is the key.

My mum had a successful breast cancer surgery in December with a diagnosis of it being Oestrogen sensitive and was subsequently started on Letrozole. Since then she's had thinning hair, poor appetite, abdominal pain/nausea, joint/muscle pain, dizziness/losing her balance and the most troublesome to her, low mood and anxiety.

She is now on medication to try and help with the anxiety and is taking pain killers but she's so reluctant to go out anywhere and gets lonely at home.

We saw her Consultant this week. I had printed out information from a cancer specialist website about the Letrozole side effects to discuss with mum and she did talk to him about them. I also said how she did not have the same quality of life at the moment. He did acknowledge the tablets cause most of those symptoms but he was adamant he wanted her to take the Letrozole. And my mum will only do what the doctor tells her, especially as some of her anxiety is focused on the cancer coming back.

I will follow up on your suggestion though and try and find out whether there is a different tablet, until then I guess that  I'll try to be supportive 

[coldethyl]

That seems harsh attitude from consultant- If I read it correctly, your mum is 85 so surely quality of life is more important at that age- could understand if she were 35 - she is more likely to die of something else now than a secondary cancer I'd think. I understand her panic about recurrence as I was treat for ovarian cancer last year/this Spring and it never leaves you- I receive counselling via the NHS chronic illness support team and it has been useful- there are also lots of online support networks though I appreciate at 85 she may not be techno savvy or interested in that route.

[CLKD]

aged 85 - AgeUK have people in some areas that are matched to anyone housebound who would welcome a visit, i.e. if you like gardening/knitting/fishing ....... or do ask your Consultant's Dept. if there is a dedicated Breast Care Nurse who could phone/visit with your Mum once a week. I was offered another patient to chat with but that didn't suit me.  It's when I was discharged from radiation treatment and between consultations that I felt adrift  .  The structure and support were gone for a while.

Esther Ranzen started a group too for isolated people who can contact by phone I think : "Silver something"? 

Is there a Church/Chapel group you could approach for your Mum?  Mothers Union?  Do you belong to any groups where someone would go along to chat with your Mum, what interests has she had over the years?  Is there a reading group she would join in with, even if it's for company?  Crosswords keep me busy when I am able to concentrate, or a pile of magazines to flip through. 

You could ask a local Pharmacist what else is available similar to what the Consultant has prescribed so that you could maybe ring his Secretary to compare notes? 

[Salad]

Really appreciate your input coldethyl and CLKD-  a lot to think about 

I felt the Consultant was focused on doing his job of treating the cancer and preventing a recurrence, but he missed the point of her just being able to enjoy living her life.

I've just got her to apply for Community transport which will ferry her to local shops and nearby towns as she is not wanting to drive very far now- and hopefully she might meet some new people on there.

She nearly went to a local lunch club but avoided going after saying she wasn't keen on spending her time with old people 

Lovely ideas CLKD - I will research the Esther Rantzen group. Her hobbies revolved around dance (she only gave up line dancing this time last year). There seems to be a fair bit she could do locally it's just her not being 'bothered' to do anything- guess that's related to the low mood/anxiety.
Thanks again- it helps just unloading on here 

[CLKD]

She may well be in shock too!  It can take a while to come through symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.  Could some of her 'friends' from the line-dancing visit her at home?  Maybe they don't like to make the initial move?

Let us know!   

[Helenhelena]

Just an update for you who kindly posted before.

I researched on american websites  - useful sometimes and found out that this cancer does react to oestrogen. So I did come off HRT under doctor guidance. We never got a clear answer from hospital.

And then the good news is that I had my first annual mammogram in December and it was clear. So feeling good for the present.

I am a bit fed up having come off the HRT. Have bad itching again and joint pain and didnt feel myself for a couple of months.

But feeling a bit better now . And will research on here how to deal with the symptoms in non HRT ways.

Thanks lovely people!

[CLKD]

Tnx for the update!   What did your Dr. suggest regarding alternative treatments to ease symptoms as much as possible?

[Helenhelena]

Hi I was waiting for my body to settle before going to ask. So far its mainly the itching which has been mad again. Ive been just trying to put a lot of oil on and keep skin really lubricated during winter and its' associated central heating.

The joint pain has also come back but comes and goes

Reluctant just to go for itching for the moment. Will wait another couple of months to see if settles better