im new,sadly. has anyone started their treatment with hormone theapy?

Welcome!
I am sorry you're here, but glad you found this place.

I did chemo, radiation, and currently taking tamoxifen and vit D supplements. About your shoulder, did you have it checked? What type of c were you dx with and what stage? I had high grade (3) which is why I got the chemo, plus I was 32.

I think you'll do great with radiation. People have different reactions from hormone therapies (if you meant ER+ meds for c).

Welcome to this great site and I hope to see more posts from you.

Hugs

I hate that you are dealing
I hate that you are dealing with the beast, but I am glad that you found this site. You will get great support here.

I have bone mets to my ribs. I have been on a bone strengthening drug (was on zometa, now on xgeva) and hormone therapy (first arimidex, now faslodex) since April 2009. I also had a course of radiation to my ribs in 2009. I am doing well.

Good luck; I am rooting for you.

Some times they will start
Some times they will start Hormone Therapy first to see if they can shrink the cancer if its estrogen fed i didn't but had a bil.mastectomy so didn't go on Tamoxifen till after surgery no rads or chemo or reconstruction as i am 69 and didn't want a log down time.The best to you on your journey remember we are always here for you Hugs Frankie

Probably Not Really Hormones
Is your doctor prescribing Tamoxifen or an Aromatase Inhibitor? Tamoxifen is for pre-menopausal women and Aromatase Inhibitors (Arimedex, Femara, Aromasin) are for post-menopausal women. For cancers that feed on hormones (which is what ER+ and PR+ mean), these drugs cut off the food source. Aromatase inhibitors suppress the production of hormones, which is already low in post-menopausal women, so there is not so much food for the tumor floating around in your system. For pre-menopausal women, it would take too much medicine to stop production, so they use Tamoxifen, which looks like estrogen to the body but doesn't feed the cancer cells. So it attaches to the cell in the place where estrogen would ordinarily land, and there is no place for estrogen to attach, and the cell starves. Meanwhile, Tamoxifen is acting like estrogen in the rest of your body, giving you hot flashes and, rarely, causing trouble in your uterus. Aromatase inhibitors also cause hot flashes, as well as some of Tamoxifen's other side effects, but I don't know as much about how they work.

If anyone thinks I got this wrong, please chime in.

mollieb said:

Probably Not Really Hormones
Is your doctor prescribing Tamoxifen or an Aromatase Inhibitor? Tamoxifen is for pre-menopausal women and Aromatase Inhibitors (Arimedex, Femara, Aromasin) are for post-menopausal women. For cancers that feed on hormones (which is what ER+ and PR+ mean), these drugs cut off the food source. Aromatase inhibitors suppress the production of hormones, which is already low in post-menopausal women, so there is not so much food for the tumor floating around in your system. For pre-menopausal women, it would take too much medicine to stop production, so they use Tamoxifen, which looks like estrogen to the body but doesn't feed the cancer cells. So it attaches to the cell in the place where estrogen would ordinarily land, and there is no place for estrogen to attach, and the cell starves. Meanwhile, Tamoxifen is acting like estrogen in the rest of your body, giving you hot flashes and, rarely, causing trouble in your uterus. Aromatase inhibitors also cause hot flashes, as well as some of Tamoxifen's other side effects, but I don't know as much about how they work.

If anyone thinks I got this wrong, please chime in.

I am post menopausal and am
I am post menopausal and am on Tamoxifen so it depends on your Dr.Hugs Frankie

trixytwo said:

thanks mollieb
I'm post meno,and she is giving me femara and z
ometa, (aromatase and bone strengthner). Start Friday. Hugs.

Bisphosphonates
Zometa is a good drug to use to help make bone stronger when on Aromatase Inhibitors. When the AI's first came out, they were not aware of the fractures they caused. I had a fall while using Arimidex, a cousin of Femara. I didn't hurt myself, got up, brush myself off and thought no more about it. Then my back began to hurt, I developed 3 vertebra fractures from that fall. Then I went on a bisphosphonates (Fosamax, Boniva, Aredia, Zometa) and then developed uveitis several years later. My bones went from osteoporosis back to osteopenia. Now I can't take any at all.

After my 1st recurrence I began AI's and they kept NED for years. Wishing you a good journey on this drug.

Best,

Doris

carsun48 said:

herceptin+
I have been in treatment for 6 years now. Was stage 4 breast cancer. Went thru the chemo, radiation, and second chemo treatment....both breast removed. Now I have been on herceptin treatments for 5 years which is a for HER2/neu positive cancer cells. I feel this drug has kept me in remission. Hope you can check this drug out with your doctor and see if it will work for you also.

I happy you found us ... sorry the reason -- why.
I will add you to my pray list -- hoping that you have guidance and strength during your journey.

Ask questions, voice your concerns and never give in, or give up. Options, and 2nd opinions are your new best friend -- just my humble advise. Research, read and prepare yourself for the wildest roller coaster ride -- .

Strength, Courage and Hope.

Vicki Sam