Hormonal Treatment for Stage IV
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Faslodex. It seemed to take a couple of month to start feeling the SE's. I feel like a 90 year old woman. Chemo put me post menopausal. Now, I get the injection, and I am wondering about the pain I am feeling in my right shoulder area. It alternatively hurts in either my neck, my trapezius, my deltoid, just tot he right of my seventh vertebrae, sometimes my tricep, but usually further up. It makes me unable to sleep. I have taken 2 Aleve and it doesn't seem to be touching it. Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing similar problems with Faslodex
Had a right radical mastectomy, have not had reconstruction. Last scan showed questionable spots, went on Faslodex and the markers are down. I will be getting another scan shortly. Hopefully it will give me good news.
Also, if anyone has found any complementary natural methods of fighting the pain. I have been using ice, as well as peppermint essential oil and lavender. I have been using Icy Hot, and so far, I can't find a real solution. Thanks for your help.
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Boswellia is helpful to me in in fighting the joint pain from Arimidex. It has anti-inflammatory properties and no interactions with my other meds. You need to take 1000mg a day, so for most brands that's 3 pills. I take one at each meal time. I hope you find relief soon!
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Hi Sleepless, Tumeric is also a great natural product that is a fantastic anti inflammatory and can be taken with Boswellia with not problems. I use 1000mg per day taken 500mg morning and night. There is also liquid Magnesium which when used regularly is also good for the relief of muscle tension and pain caused by that tension.
None of these products interact with any other medication that you may be on.
Hoping you find some relief soon so you can get the rest you need.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Wow chrissy! Your excellent response to the AI's gives me a lot of hope! I am on Arimidex now after failing Faslodex and hope to get at least 15 months. I hope to return to Femara after that. Five years would be fantastic. Just curious, can you say what kind of mets you are dealing with? I am on my way to the Health Food store to start trying some complimentary supplements. Thanks for the inspiration!
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Artistatheart I have bone mets. Good luck with your shopping!
I should also add, because I forgot to mention earlier, that the liquid Magnesium is applied topically no ingested then the painful area can be targeted. I ingest powdered magnesium mixed with water each night as it not only helps relax the muscles but it also helps me sleep.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Thanks chrissy!
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Thank you. FINALLY, my drug treatment has been determined and approved. The pharmacy will deliver the first month today: letrozole (hormonal treatment) and ibrance (cancer). I also have monthly zometa infusions. I am having all drugs and treatments where I live in Georgetown, TX but will go every 3 months to MDA for tests and onco evaluation. My 2 daughters and I feel they are much more thorough there. If MDA hadn't insisted on multiple tests, we believe I would have a port and be headed for 6 months of chemo, a bi-lateral mastectomy and possible radiation after. All not necessary. Now i will see what SE this program has.
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After a clear memo in August, I was diagnosed with Stage IV lobular breast cancer. I would like to connect with someone Stage IV estrogen/progesterone positive HER2- who is taking Femara plus Ibrance. I start today. Wondering if anyone has found it more beneficial to take AM or PM?
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Hi Lorraine, it doesnt matter what time of dat you take your meds just that you do it approx. the same time each day. Some have found that they have some full on hot flashes so choose to take it at night so they sleep through them but I always take mine in the morning.
Good luch with your treatment, I hope it does well for you.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Lorraine - Join us on the Ibrance thread. Make it a favorite. Many women with your condition and your treatment protocol, including me, hang out there. Always someone chatting on that channel.
Chemo is always an option, but Ibrance/letrozol seems to work most of the time, for a while.
>Z<
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Good morning to all. I'm not sure whether to post this question here or on the Ibrance site, so I think that I'll do both. I have asked my onc at VCU in Richmond VA for a referral for a second opinion. (My original IIA BC from 1990 has shown up in the bones after 26 years, extensive but limited to bone [ER+ 40%, PR-, Her2-], and I've been started on loading dose of Faslodex and 125mg Ibrance).
She suggested any of these NIC centers for a second opinion. I have no idea where I should best ask to be referred. Any guidance??
Memorial Sloan Kettering in NY,
Dana Farber in Boston,
UNC at Chapel Hill,
Duke in Durham.
Johns Hopkins in Baltimore
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Joy, sorry to learn of the diagnosis of mets so long after your first go round with bc. Since your doctor gave you a list of all NC, if it were me, i would make it simplest on myself and go to the one that is closest or easiest to access and that can get you an appointment the soonest.
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Ladies who have had bad joint pain from hormonals and changed treatments, how long did the pain take to subside? Mom has changed from faslodex to docetaxel(taxol) and got her first infusion 2 weeks ago. She was on hormonals for over 2 years and suffered joint pain last 4 months or so.
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hi Lorraine!
I was also diagnosed with stage IV and a negative mammo in 8/16
I started Ibrance and Femara 8/16.
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I was dxd initially at stage IV 11 months ago with no previous diagnosis, and immediately placed on Femara and Ibrance (daily oral chemo). I have a Zometa infusion regularly every 3 months. At the time of dxd I had mets to most of my core bones, all of my spine, right arm, left femur, and liver. My scan in Jan showed all of the mets have resolved with only the adenocarcinoma still active. The onc was surprised to see no active tumors still on the liver. I had a hysterectomy 30 years ago and was on hormones for 15 years after. My reaction to Femara is mild, but I take it religiously and have never missed a dose. I also do ok on the Zometa with only mild aches for a couple of days afterwards. I have not had the extensive chemo I see most of you have had, but am told the Ibrance will only work for a short time. I see my onc next week. I am looking for anyone who is on my same regimen to share experiences.
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There is a very active Ibrance thread with some ladies having done well with it for two years or so.
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hi ladies
I am so upset think how is it possible I have a mass close to my right Ovarie and I am told they can't do a surgery. Basically I was told today there is no cure for you so no surgery you must just live with your tumors for now.
I will start 3 drugs to shut off my ovaries. So ni asked why now remove the ovaries ? And I was told is not an option. I am so sad and confused
Anyway just wanted to thank you all for the information in this tread I have been reading all
The other 3 are:
Palbociclib,
Goserilin azetate implant
and Letrozole tables
If any of you had these before please let me know
Thanks again
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Enerva, I am so sorry for your upsetting news. There is an excellent and very active string related to Ibrance, typically either with Letrozole or Faslodex, called Ibrance (Palbociclib) by Romansma. You may want to read and participate in that string. There is a very supportive and knowledgeable group of people who provide input and experience. I wish you the very, very best!
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Thank you so much
I hope you and your family
Have a merry Christmas I will check the tread mow.
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Enerva, it's a very long and very active string with kind and caring participants, and it has excellent information. You may want to consider starting your reading of the string perhaps at January of this year, as you'll be reading the more current comments, which often include information about new treatments on the horizon. There are several on the string who appear to be in the science field and particularly adept at interpretation of the data coming out in the media.
I am on Ibrance with Faslodex (shots) and Xgeva (for bone support as well as for its cancer-fighting properties). Many are on Ibrance with Letrozole. I am almost at the end of my 11th cycle. My first set of scans (3 mo) showed stability with no progression (but no regression, either). My second scans at 7 mo showed no progression and IMPROVEMENT! I have my third set of scans on Jan 2nd. I feel so good that I'll be surprised if there is progression.
Most have few side effects from the Ibrance, and I pray that you'll be one of those. I have none at all except for a bit of tiredness. I actually feel pretty normal, which is an enormous blessing. Try not to focus on the side effects listed by the manufacturer; that's a legal thing and is not what you're likely to experience. Try not to be afraid of this medicine but rather grateful for its existence!
Do introduce yourself on the string and get started.
Good luck, and merry Christmas! And keep your chin up!
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Joynerl thank you so much I will for sure.
I learned all this yesterday and I am to start on two drugs today then in a week the palbociclib well that if my insurance company acepts it.
Thanks again
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It always takes a while for the insurance approval on the palbociclib (Ibrance), at least in the US. It's very expensive. Try to remain calm and positive. Things will look up soon. It's a very scary time, but we'll have your back.
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thanks a lot.
I am still in chock I guess yesterday when I thought it could not get any worse it did
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My wife is waiting on a CT scan which takes place on the 19/10/2018. Her cancer has spread from he Lymphnodes to her chest wall, neck and armpits. She is currently on tamoxifen and THC oil. I have been doing alot of research on mets but still need to know more. We are considering not doing chemo if it's offered. Istead, my wife has changed her diet drastically.
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I have had two friends who chose to decline chemo. They died quickly, and painfully. One used the Gerson protocol, and the other went to Germany for some sort of infusion therapy. Stage 4 cancer is not to be toyed with.
What I do think is a good idea is combining nutrition and wellness techniques with conventional treatment. That can buy you some real time, as you have to stay strong and nourished to get the best quality of life on Stage 4 treatments.
Ask us all sorts of questions - we can direct you to the information you need, or we might have run across it ourselves in our own treatments. Because of my two friends, I have a real bias towards declining proven therapies, so take my vehemence with a grain of salt.
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I am getting alot of conflicting information. The woman we supplies us with the THC oil was a 5 year Stage IV survivor. She was sent home by doctors who claimed that they could no very little for her. The carncer had spread to both lungs. Some even claim that chemo and radiation causes more cancer. I don't know what to believe and I don't want to take risks.
Would my wife's situation be regarded as Stage IV or Stage III? It spead to her chest wall, neck and armpits but we dont think it spread anywhere else.
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I'm so sorry for your wife, @wyngaardt. It's so scary! I think the docs won't finally stage the cancer until all tests are done. Has her oncologist suggested treatments yet? From what I have read, none of the alternative treatments have proven successful at increasing survival rates. My doctors encouraged me to do see alternative treatments as augments to rather than replacements for medical treatments like chemo, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy. Those medical treatments are the only ones proven to change the outcome for people with cancer. I hope your wife finds a treatment plan that works soon!
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Hello ladies,
lately I have been feeling helpless. My mom has been taking Zalodex, Letrozole and Palbociclib since April 2019. Three months later she started having these days in which she kept vomiting, had strong headaches and irregular (high) blood pressure. In January we also found out that her Euthyrox (T4) dosage needed to be lowered (if your GP has not check your thyroxine since starting on letrozole you need to tell them to do so because it may need to be readjusted). They have lowered the dosage and since then it seemed that she was fine again but last week these days started again. We went to the doctor (again) so that they could check the thyroxine and it seems this time it is fine which would mean that these headaches, vomits and irregular blood pressure were not connected to her thyroxine levels.
The GP does not look for the cause and says it is probably a side effect of her medication. The oncologist also does nothing (she only checks her blood values and since they are fine, then she says she is fine). So basically no one cares and they all do not listen to her.
Also she has been taking blood pressure medication but it does not work, so the GP keeps giving her a new one every time we go there.
Is there anyone here that has been in a similar situation? How did you guys fix it?
Thank you!
Hope you guys have a great day
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hi everyone, I had my lung met biopsied and it came back faintly ER+. I had this issue with my original bc - so many pathologists looked at it, it was silly but at end they decided it was triple neg. The recurrence pattern and aggression certainly makes everyone think tn but there's this faint staining that they now also don't want to ignore.
given this slight ER positivity, my MO wants to add letrozole to treatment.
Any tips and tricks appreciated
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My tip is to keep moving. I found I had to slowly warm up after being still. For example, waving my fingers to get the stiffness and achiness out. And keep moisturizing everything.
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