Back from oncologist's and I feel better (loooong post)

I guess maybe I feel better because first, I have a wonderful oncologist who answers any and all questions, gives me all the time I need, and treats me like I'm her older sister with a big hug when I leave. Second, I have a couple of treatment options that don't sound too horrible, and third, I feel like I have some control back.

Here are my treatment options that Kev and I have to discuss and decide on over the next few days:

1. Faslodex, intra-muscularly, 2 times per month for the first 2-3 months and then once a month thereafter. Benefits--this is an estrogen suppressant (my tumor is 95-98% estrogen driven) and blocking out as much estrogen as possible should stop any new tumor growth and stunt the ones already there. Also, the side effects are the same as the Arimidex I have taken for the last 18 months--hot flashes, weight gain.

2. Xeloda, pill form of chemo. This has the same effect as the IV chemo, but is in pill form. You take 8-12 pills daily--I think she said two weeks on, the third week off. However, even though it's pill form, there are some of the same side effects as chemo: nausea, vomiting, constipation, mouth sores and hand-foot syndrome--soreness, redness, peeling skin, neuropathy.

She said, statistically, both are equally effective for breast cancer that has metastasized to bone with the highly estrogen-driven component. She also said, that no matter which treatment we choose, I will be scanned in 3 month intervals to check on progress and that the treatment can be stopped and switched if necessary due to unmanageable side effects.

When I asked her, knowing all that she knows, what would she choose--she leaned toward the Faslodex--mostly because she wanted to keep as much chemo treatment in our arsenal as possible in the event that I need it in the future. I could stay on Faslodex for a very long time if it's working, but the chemo meds have a finite amount of time for use.

One thing I have to take for sure is Zometa to keep my bones strong. I expressed the worry about jaw necrosis (a girl in my support group got this from Zometa), but she said all of this class of drugs have this as a very rare side effect and that out of the 100s of patients she has on this right now, no one has developed this.

So, sorry to be so long-winded, but so much to think about. If anyone has any experience with either of these treatments, I like to hear about it.

Thanks for listening and for being with me in spirit--I really felt you all with your arms wrapped around me.

Hugs, Renee