Results from 2nd opinion today

Balentine
Balentine Member Posts: 393
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
This 2nd onc I met with today agreed with me that tamoxifen should not be the warrior to fight the beast for me since I am poor metabolizer.....he instead advises that I have my ovaries taken out and then start taking arimidex or femara which he said can cause osteoporosis and leg cramps. He did not say what other side effects there may be. Maybe some of you taking it already can tell me. So when I get back next week I will have to meet with a GYN doctor about this. He also had another nice surprise for me....he said I have hyper thyroidism...probably from the chemo....anyone else out there get that from the chemo treatments?

Lorrie

Comments

  • Miss Murphy
    Miss Murphy Member Posts: 302
    #2
    Hyper Thryoidism
    Hi Lorrie,

    I didn't get hyper thryoidism (Graves Diesease) from chemo as I didn't have to have chemo but my thyroid went into hyper mode back in 1995 and I sometimes wonder if the treatment for that contributed to my bc. I started off on the Femara and then the Armidex but had severe joint and muscle pain with both. Last fall I started the tamoxiflen and have dealt with more hot flashes but less joint pain. I'm not nuts about any of these drugs and their side effects but I guess they are better than cancer coming back so I just deal as best I can. Good luck with your treatment. There are many on this board who don't have the side effects and hopefully you will be one of those.
  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
    #3
    Glad that Dr. R agreed with
    Glad that Dr. R agreed with you on the tamoxifen. Hope you get all of this taken care of and get a med that will not have to many side effects. Have a fun trip God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #4
    You can go to chemocare.com
    You can go to chemocare.com to find out about specific drugs: other names for them, uses, common side effects, rare side effects...

    I wish you well, seof
  • Balentine
    Balentine Member Posts: 393
    #5
    seof said:

    You can go to chemocare.com
    You can go to chemocare.com to find out about specific drugs: other names for them, uses, common side effects, rare side effects...

    I wish you well, seof

    Miss Murphy
    Are you pre or post menopausal??? From what I was told and researched tamoxifen is only for pre-menopausal adjuvant therapy after chemo.....if you are post-menopausal they normally prescribe the femara and arimidex....taking tamoxifen post-menopausal can cause an increased risk of recurrence so please make sure you talk to you doctor about this and check it out for yourself.
    Lorrie
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #6
    Balentine said:

    Miss Murphy
    Are you pre or post menopausal??? From what I was told and researched tamoxifen is only for pre-menopausal adjuvant therapy after chemo.....if you are post-menopausal they normally prescribe the femara and arimidex....taking tamoxifen post-menopausal can cause an increased risk of recurrence so please make sure you talk to you doctor about this and check it out for yourself.
    Lorrie

    for a long time all they had
    for a long time all they had was tamoxifen and all women took it, I think the side effects like uterine ihyperplasia and the like can be worse post menopausal.
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #7
    carkris said:

    for a long time all they had
    for a long time all they had was tamoxifen and all women took it, I think the side effects like uterine ihyperplasia and the like can be worse post menopausal.

    even now if patient cannot tolerate
    aromatase inhibitors the standards of care suggest to put them on Tamoxifen. My gynecologist who is oncologist does not see any problems from Tamoxifen
  • Balentine
    Balentine Member Posts: 393
    #8
    New Flower said:

    even now if patient cannot tolerate
    aromatase inhibitors the standards of care suggest to put them on Tamoxifen. My gynecologist who is oncologist does not see any problems from Tamoxifen

    poor metabolizer
    From what this 2nd onc told me today if your liver does not metabolize the tamoxifen well, then the tamoxifen is virtually ineffective so you do not get the benefit from it and you put yourself at risk of the side effects without getting any benefit from it. Also my onc printed out some information for me regarding poor metabolizer and it clearly stated that if you are a poor metabolizer and post menopausal that the tamoxifen can actually increase your chances for breast cancer.
    Lorrie
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #9
    Balentine said:

    poor metabolizer
    From what this 2nd onc told me today if your liver does not metabolize the tamoxifen well, then the tamoxifen is virtually ineffective so you do not get the benefit from it and you put yourself at risk of the side effects without getting any benefit from it. Also my onc printed out some information for me regarding poor metabolizer and it clearly stated that if you are a poor metabolizer and post menopausal that the tamoxifen can actually increase your chances for breast cancer.
    Lorrie

    some oncs do not even do the
    some oncs do not even do the test. my onc doesnt believe in it, but I have it on my list to ask him again. How does tamoxifen increase your chances of breast cancer post menopausal? Even if you are a poor metabolizer how does it increase your chances? you would think it just wouldnt help?
  • Miss Murphy
    Miss Murphy Member Posts: 302
    #10
    carkris said:

    some oncs do not even do the
    some oncs do not even do the test. my onc doesnt believe in it, but I have it on my list to ask him again. How does tamoxifen increase your chances of breast cancer post menopausal? Even if you are a poor metabolizer how does it increase your chances? you would think it just wouldnt help?

    One Size
    I guess one size doesn't fit all. I'm post menopausal but can't tolerate the AI drugs. My onc said the tam was a viable choice. She said that post menopausal women can start out on AI drugs right from the beginning or take tamo for a couple of years and switch over to AI or do the tamo if you can't tolerate the AI drugs. I have read that this is the case. However, all of us are different into how we react to drugs and have to make the best choices we can with what our doctors advise. I sometimes feel like we're in a Catch 22 situation.

    Hugs to all.
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #11
    Miss Murphy said:

    One Size
    I guess one size doesn't fit all. I'm post menopausal but can't tolerate the AI drugs. My onc said the tam was a viable choice. She said that post menopausal women can start out on AI drugs right from the beginning or take tamo for a couple of years and switch over to AI or do the tamo if you can't tolerate the AI drugs. I have read that this is the case. However, all of us are different into how we react to drugs and have to make the best choices we can with what our doctors advise. I sometimes feel like we're in a Catch 22 situation.

    Hugs to all.

    actually poor metabolizer
    does not mean that Tamoxifen has not been metabolized at all. It means that patients will not have full benefits, another words only partially metabolized (less than 100% benefit).
    I am a poor metabolizer too.
  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #12
    Me, too
    I also will do 2 years of Tamox. even though I'm post-menopausal. Without prescription insurance, I can't afford an aromatase inhibitor. My onc hopes Arimidex will be generic and inexpensive by the time I switch to it. I am having ovaries and uterus removed in early August.

    Lorrie, I'm glad you got a second opinion. Some women are reluctant to do that. It's good you're pursuing all the info you can get.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #13
    Christine Louise said:

    Me, too
    I also will do 2 years of Tamox. even though I'm post-menopausal. Without prescription insurance, I can't afford an aromatase inhibitor. My onc hopes Arimidex will be generic and inexpensive by the time I switch to it. I am having ovaries and uterus removed in early August.

    Lorrie, I'm glad you got a second opinion. Some women are reluctant to do that. It's good you're pursuing all the info you can get.

    yes information empowers
    yes information empowers you, you are being a strong advocate for your health.
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #14
    Boppy_of_6 said:

    Glad that Dr. R agreed with
    Glad that Dr. R agreed with you on the tamoxifen. Hope you get all of this taken care of and get a med that will not have to many side effects. Have a fun trip God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice

    I am glad your doctor agreed
    I am glad your doctor agreed with you too, as, you had done your research and were right Lorrie. Wishing you a great fun trip!


    Hugs, Diane
  • Balentine
    Balentine Member Posts: 393
    #15
    carkris said:

    yes information empowers
    yes information empowers you, you are being a strong advocate for your health.

    carkris
    I do not know why it stated that poor met post menop inc chances of breast cancer...I just know that the printout he gave me stated it. If you do some research on your own, you will see the same. I came home after that and did my own research on the internet and found various sites that stated the same thing. I posted them on another post somewhere. That first onc I saw did not have a whole lot of answers to any of my questions...that is why I went to see another onc for a 2nd opinion and he also agreed with me that I should not take the tamoxifen...he advised me having my ovaries removed and taking arimidex or femara after that. I just got back in town today so have to check to see if the clinic made me an appt with the gyn doctor yet tomorrow.
    Lorrie
  • mvannie
    mvannie Member Posts: 16
    #16
    hyperthyroidsim
    How does he plan to treat your hyperthyroidism. I am now 60 and when I was 30 I was hyperthyroid got radiated and ever since have been hypothyroid. My chemo has totally messed up my thyroid. I have had to lower the dose of my thyroid medicine but I still don't feel right and its hard to tell if its from the chemo or thyriod. I have also had to go off my blood pressure med as my pressure has been so low. My last chemo is tomorrow then an aromatase inhibitor.

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