I'm "stopping" it before I start it. I have heard horror stories about joint and bone pain that makes it impossible to stay in one position for 20 minutes. This lasts through the entire 10 years of treatment and even beyond. Patients who try to drop the "therapy" just get switched to a different med that is no better. I am a professor, and moderate cognitive impairment is not acceptable. I am 67. I am not going to be broke and miserable for the rest of my life just so I MIGHT not get cancer.
I totally understand where you’re coming from…I took myself off hormone therapy letrozole because it was nearly crippling me…the joint pain became so unbearable and significantly impacted my life. I just can’t do it…by Faith I’m healed forcthe rest of my life🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Dear D.O. you sound just like me. For over a year. I've done everything asked of me. Chemo, surgeries, radiation. Getting close to the end of perjetta, perceptin they wanted me to start Anastrozole. When that caused to much pain. Then came Tomoxifen. Same excruciating pain with poor sleep. I did research and everyone of these estrogen blockers gave the same side effects. Like you D.O. I'm about to be 65. From what I understand with the type of cancer I have. No matter what I do there will be metastasis/ recurrence Her 2 +. So the question becomes quality of life versus a lot of pain and misery for no guarantee of an extra year or two. As a pre existing conditions I've been needing a double hip replacement. Already in alot of pain. So no long term anti hormone therapy for me either. So you are not alone in your decisions. I will continue my life trying to eat well and live healthy as I can. Good luck to you D.O. I hear you and agree.
I’d like to mention another problem that happened when I was being treated with Anastrozole 10 years ago during my first episode of breast cancer. I’ve not seen this listed as a side effect but I really think it was related to Anastrozole. Some of my molars developed cracks and I had to have those teeth pulled and bone grafts to my gums and then dental implants placed. I’m on my second battle of breast cancer-in the opposite breast, found during routine mammogram just shy of ten years after my first diagnosis. I will be on Tamoxifen this time and I’m not looking forward to it. Has anyone else developed this problem while on these meds?
Jiro, these therapies definitely do impact all your bones and joints. That's why your given a bone density test and given Hydronic acid for increased risk of bone fracture. Did they not encourage you to get dental work done before cancer treatments? Cause everyone of these cancer drugs had that effect.
