IDC and Mental Health

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Comments

  • bcfightr24
    bcfightr24 Member Posts: 91

    @Love4All Oh, I will definitely reach out to my doctors about the bleeding. Thanks for the link.

    I, also, read that letrozole is normally given to patients who have already been through menopause but the only other option I was given was tamoxifen and was told that letrozole with OSI was the better option for my case. So IDK 😔

    However, my cholesterol has been maintained and I will be watching those numbers. I had a bone density test and I have osteopenia in my left hip (MO said that is normal for someone my age and in perimenopause). I started taking Calcium and Vitamin D3.

    I was also given another script for a pill to help with bone density but I have to get my dentist to authorize it. I'm procrastinating on that since I hate going to the dentist…lol.

  • Love4All
    Love4All Member Posts: 116

    Sounds like you’re on top of it and doing all the right things! Just keep moving forward with the information you have and keep listening to your doctors (as well as your own intuition!).

  • bcfightr24
    bcfightr24 Member Posts: 91

    Hello,

    It's been almost a month since my last post. So far I am doing ok mentally. Things have seem to calm down and currently on monthly Trelstar injection. Back on August 1, my MO temporarily took me off Letrozole for the next few months and I began my Trelstar injection. The injection itself was not as bad as I thought since the nurse used a freezing agent prior to injection.

    Afterwards, I did feel a bit queasy but it dissipated. Since then, I have had a few bouts of nausea 🤢(vomited once) but it goes away after taking Tums. If that is the only SE, then I'm good. My second injection is scheduled on August 29. Still trying to decide whether or not to have an oophorectomy to avoid having to have injections. 🤔

  • Love4All
    Love4All Member Posts: 116

    @bcfightr24 Good to hear you’re doing well! Just wondering, if you you were already in menopause, would removing your ovaries have any benefit? My chemo ended up putting me into menopause, so I have almost zero estrogen according to my latest blood test (the range for menopausal women was 40-244, and my level was 42 😂👵🏻).

  • bcfightr24
    bcfightr24 Member Posts: 91

    @Love4All Thanks for your response. I'm in perimenopause…my periods have been sporadic. My periods have been like this: 10/31/23, 5/17/24, and 7/16/24. So, yes, there is a benefit in having my ovaries removed but I'm not really ready for another surgery, yet. In addition, I have an umbilical hernia so I have to find out if my surgeon can take care of both the hernia repair and the oophorectomy at the same time. So, I have a lot to consider.

    As far as my levels, my results as of 8/1/24 are: Estradiol 13.1; LH 50.6; LDH 218; & FSH 58.4. I will be having more blood work done on Monday, 8/26. My MO wants to see my estrogen levels at each injection appt for the next couple of months before putting me back on Letrozole.

  • bcfightr24
    bcfightr24 Member Posts: 91

    Hello, It's time for an update. I went for my injection today and they changed me from Trelstar to Lupron. I was also given a prescription for Ondansetron for nausea and vomiting. I was told that the nausea and vomiting is a rare SE and should talk to my PCP for other causes. I, also, told my doctor that I am having some mood changes and hot flashes. Sometimes I wake up feeling numb/void. I'm not mad or happy. Idk if it's the menopause, my GAD or MDD acting up, or my post cancer meds. My doctor did not like that so she is recommending I take Effexor (venlafaxine) for my mood and hot flashes. I'll have to talk to my PCP about this script.

    Anyways, I hope all of you are having a good day! 🤗

  • bcfightr24
    bcfightr24 Member Posts: 91

    This is the point of after-care when all the follow-ups are scheduled. I see the RO on Monday, mammogram with ultrasound on 11/18; and breast surgeon on 12/16. I am feeling (I hate to use this word but…) triggered. Just when I'm finally getting used to my OSI, letrozole, and alendronate pills, now I have to face the team again. Luckily, I have my appointment with my MH therapist tomorrow, but I just wanted to voice my feelings.