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Going my way: Decided to stop cancer treatments

Breast Cancer | Last Active: Jul 14 4:28am | Replies (106)

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It’s important for all of us to do our research and not jump, but arrive, at our own decisions/conclusions. The beauty of having choice! I’ve heard some women go on a three times a week dose schedule with the Tamoxifen or Arimidex, but my oncologist didn’t even suggest that in my situation. I am glad that I took his initial suggestion to "at least give the Arimidex a try”, even with a low recurrence %. Now I know, I am one of those who cannot tolerate the side effects. Jealous of those who never have side effects! We are certainly all different in that regard. I have also heard that some meds/pills can be cut in half, but some say no, don’t do that. I think most prescriptions simply want the user to contact their doctor before cutting pills in half or micro-dosing on their own. Best wishes to everyone, to find our peace, and enjoy deep cleansing breaths!

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@marygrannie I understand where you’re coming from. I was originally put on Anastrazole and it took a few months to show side effects but finally after 9 months, he recognized the problems and said “you shouldn’t have to live in pain” and switched to exemestane. Started to see side effects at about the 4 month mark which progressed to major problems by about a year into it. I did suggest every other day therapy but he wouldn’t entertain that because it doesn’t meet standard of care. Did finally tell me to take 4 weeks off and call -I took 6 because it took me 4 weeks to just feel human again - but he wanted me to try it again, daily dose. I’m now off it again and ready to start letrozole because he feels I need to be on something and if this fails, will have to try Tamoxifen and I figure will have to argue the dose. The problem with all of this is it’s impossible to know the outcome. There are women who have declined everything and been clear for decades, others who get reoccurrences in a couple years. If you don’t take the meds, you just don’t know what the future holds and if it’s the second outcome, then you’re starting from scratch. I just keep plugging along following the recommendations but not blindly. I am on 3 forums and listen to what we all say on these forums - from the trenches as it were. And I research things that come up if they seem weird (they don’t recognize tinnitus as a side effect of exemestane but found 2 articles that show up to 56% of women get it while on the meds AND in my 6 weeks off, it improved about 60%). We just have to do what we can and what we are comfortable with.