Another Fork in the Road

 You may have realized by now that I never do anything the easy way! I had to stop taking the second medication because of difficult side effects. After a lot of research and discussing everything with my doctor, we have decided to try another medication. The meds they want me to take will help stop the breast cancer from returning, although it is no guarantee.

There are 3 drugs classified as aromatase inhibitors, which basically rid your body of all the estrogen and starve the cancer cells. I will start the exemestane this weekend (after my scheduled Friday colonoscopy). The risk/reward ratio is substantial enough to give it a try. If I experience adverse side effects again we will stop this medicine also, and move on to one last similar drug.

Tamoxifen has been around much longer than the above mentioned aromatase inhibitors. Tamoxifen is in a class of drugs called selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs). It works differently. It binds to estrogen receptors and blocks the hormone from fueling cancer cell growth. My mother took this medication back in the late 1990's.

I will try exemestane first and stop it if I run into problems again (I will know within two weeks). If I need to, I will start the Tamoxifen and do the same two-week trial. If I cannot tolerate either of these, then I will be carefully monitored, and if the cancer returns, they will recommend doing the double mastectomy at that point.

I am still managing one day at a time. It is well with my soul. I am enjoying every minute with my granddaughter. Life is pretty good, even in the midst of these trials. Glory be to God!

Until Next Time~

Shari

Still Trekking Down The Path

The last few weeks have been a roller coaster! The highs of providing full time childcare to our first grandchild intermixed with starting the aromatase inhibitors (anti-estrogen cancer meds) and the dreadful side effects. If you have read much of my blog over the years, you probably know that I joke about always being the 1% of patients that experience rare side effects. I don't know why I seem prone to medication difficulties, but whenever I need to start a new medicine, I ask about the less common side effects and weigh the benefit / risk ratio.

Aromatase Inhibitors are a common treatment in hormone+ breast cancers and are highly effective at reducing the risk of recurrence by 40%. The drugs work well, but they also come with some unpleasant side effects. To be fair, up to half of the women who take the medicine actually tolerate it very well; I am not one of them. The most common issues are: 

• typical menopause symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, and among others)
• bone density loss over time
• weight gain
• joint and muscle pain

I am experiencing some of those (not the longer-term effects), but I also have some less common side effects like dizziness/lightheadedness and nausea/stomach pain. I tried letrozole first and the side effects were unbearable, so after 2 weeks we switched to anastrozole, but only every other day instead of daily. I have been on the anastrozole almost 3 weeks. I am experiencing the same side effects, but they are somewhat more tolerable. It has been a rough 5 weeks on the drugs and cannot imagine doing this for the estimated 5-10 years. I am thankful I did not need to do chemo and try to find some comfort knowing that these meds are not as bad as chemo would have been.

I am reminded of the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-14), in which we ask God to provide our daily bread, and the refrain and last verse of the hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness-

Refrain:

Great is thy faithfulness,

Great is thy faithfulness,

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed thy hand hast provided;

Great is thy faithfulness,

Lord unto me.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine and ten thousand beside. 

If you looked up the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6, you could keep reading through that chapter and see that God cares for each of us individually. He clothes us and feeds us. He provides grace each day to face whatever we might be facing. In verse 34 we are reminded to not worry about tomorrow because each day has enough trouble of its own.

To all who are in Christ Jesus, who have come to Him weary and heavy-laden, and have trusted in Him for forgiveness, we can rest in Him, knowing that His burden is easy and light (Matthew 11:28-30). Ultimately, I give thanks to God for the strength and mercy He provides me each morning. I look expectantly towards that "bright hope for tomorrow" of my imperishable inheritance that is found only in Christ (1 Peter:3-9), my only hope and comfort during this difficult life.

Until Next Time~

Shari