roh

Hi Carole, I'm not in the same situation as you having only been on Femara for 2 months. However, feel very 'iffy' about it and not at all sure i will stick the 5 years. Currently feel very tired but that could be chemo/radiotherapy which I have just finished but also have a lot of stiffness and pain in my bones and muscles. At the moment I am finding it 'tolerable' and sticking it out but if I felt it was affecting my brain function I think I would give it up - I am actually in fear of that and every time I forget a word I wonder if it's the Femara!!!

It's very diffiuclt to come to a 'right' decision as there are so many pros and cons and I think it has to be up to each individual. I just wanted you to know that I don't think you are crazy and that I can see myself doing the same thing if my symptoms deteriorate

Asia

thanks for these responses - it made me glad I asked the question. Hopefully there will be others who are managing without it completely destroying quality of life. i don't expect it to be completely free of side effects - I guess it's nausea, serious bone pain and exhaustion are the ones I don't want to hear about!! It's also good to hear that quiltmom feels well enough to exercise. I really want to get back into walking when this bone pain subsides.

Diane, re your question - I had 2 lumpectomies, not a mastectomy and the chemo started a month after the surgery. This was to give time to heal as the chemo interferes with that. I think I was banking on a similar little 'holiday' after the chemo!

Asia

for me it's the fact that I actually get to spend time with my husband. We both live busy lives but he always takes me to chemo and we have developed a little routine for the day. It feels like a day out!

Asia

I think sometimes it's harder if you aren't working out of the home. Quite often I get up and wonder how I am going to get through the day but when I get to work and it's all busy then I actually get more energy. Just collapse when I get home. A couple of times I have got it wrong and have had to come home again but that's been more due to feeling faint and dizzy than exhaustion.

I really, really wanted to keep my job going and I'm now nearly at the end of chemo and seem to have managed it. But that's been my way through and it's not everybodies. I have certainly had jobs in the past where I would have taken as much time off as I could but I am lucky to have one now that is deeply interesting.

I'm finding it increasingly difficult to remember the energy I used to have, and just watching my husband buzz around the place at weekends makes me feel tired!

Asia

I get weak and dizzy spells - more so on the AC than Taxol which I am on now. I also have a normal blood pressure which is very low and I am sure that contributes. I found keeping food with me at all times - just a banana or some nuts - really helped. even if I really didn't feel like eating a couple of bites of a banana and I began to feel better. might work for you too?
Asia

Thanks Linda and Kathleen for responding. I guess it's just a matter of how much they are raised as to whether they cancel the chemo or not. Anyway, they were back down yesterday and I had my second Taxol, but they are talking about putting me back to three weekly for the last two as i do seem to have a bad reaction to it. So much bone pain that I can't walk for a day or two and migraine and face pain, hands that feel as if they have been burnt. This normally kicks in on Sunday so I'm not too bad today but noticing a new symptom - my skin everywhere is feeling very prickly and getting very sore, especially my face and ears. I can feel it getting worse by the minute and it's only 5.30am here in Ireland! I have to ring in next week to let them know how the symptoms were and then they will decide. At least no nausea - I was so sick with the AC and I'd rather anything than that.
Like you Linda, my diary has been completely scheduled around my chemo and I was supposed to be delivering a 3 day training course this weekend. Fortunately they were able to find someone else to do it but I was devastated last week when they told me my chemo would be this week! In fact I started off by saying that I couldn't do it this friday and then realised that was really stupid and that my chemo treatment is more important than a training course! As I only have 2 more to go it really feels like I'm getting towards the end and if they do put me down to 3 weekly I will just have to work around it and enjoy feeling better on the third week. (which i did apart from tinnitus)
I hope things go well for you and that you are able to keep to your schedule - at least it feels good to know that someone is looking out for the welfare of your liver!
I cannot imagine how it must be getting Taxol every week Kathleen. You must be very brave!
Best of luck to both of you - as i mentioned on another post somewhere, i was having chemo the other week and one of the other people there had just had his last one. I carry an image of him walking out of there for the last time and think - that will be me one day. And it will be you too.
Asia

Hi, yes, Tina is right. All the research has shown that dose dense is more likely to be effective. I am on dose dense and sometimes I do think wouldn't it be nice to have that 3rd week, as it seems that I am just beginning to feel more like normal when I get hit again. However, for me, the fact that I will be through it in 16 weeks rather than 24 is the most important thing. I don't regret having the dose dense at all.

Asia

Hi, just adding my name to the list. I have just had treatment number 5 and have 3 more to go - 4 of AC and now 4 of Taxol. My strategies have been to have the treatment on the Friday and I take the following monday off. That gives me 3 days to crash. Sometimes I find it hard going back to work on Tuesday but I usually feel better when I'm there. I find I need to have snacks like bananas or nuts with me. Even though I don't feel like eating if I feel faint or strange then a bit of food helps enormously but it needs to be immediate.
I have also found that I have got tireder as the time has gone on and am doing less and less outside of work. You might have to accept that this will happen and try and organise your life to be able to cope with that. Most nights I get home, cook and eat and then go to bed. I have employed a cleaner for the duration, choosing to save whatever energy I have for work.
Re the infection risk - take it seriously. I am on dose dense chemo and take Nuelasta after every treatment. But, my husband got a cold which I then got and ended up in hospital for a week, having blood transfusions and all sorts. It was quite frightening for a couple of days and of course meant that I was off work for several days after coming out of hospital as I was SO weak. So, suggest you do everything you can to avoid that - keep your own cup in the office etc. If my husband felt like he was going down with something again we have agreed that one of us would move out for a few days. Sounds drastic but I really wouldn't want to go through that again.
Good luck - like others have said I find that working is actually good. It takes my mind off things and keeps me in touch with 'normal' life. I often have more energy because I've gone to work than I would if I had stayed at home on the couch, however inviting that seems at the time.
Asia