I had a really productive conversation with my MO today. I explained my concerns about my current side effects and any potential future side effects, and he confirmed that they are all risks, but manageable. We talked about the possibility of switching to Tamoxifen to see if my side effects improve, and he agreed it would fine (although slightly less effective) and better than not taking anything at all. We talked about my recurrence rate, which he doesn't know exactly (my conditions were so favorable that we agreed the oncotype was unnecessary), but it's going to be single digits since my conditions were so favorable. That being said, I feel like a dummy because I had thought recurrence rate referred to the chance that I would get another breast cancer like I just had. I had incorrectly assumed that if I get cancer again it would be treated like this one, so the extra 5% protection against recurrence didn't seem that significant. When I learned that it was extra protection against metastatic disease, I changed my tune very quickly. Knowing this, I will stay on the medication and just hope that Tamoxifen works for me. Even though 10% sounds low, it's not low enough for me to feel good about my odds. I don't know how it will turn out, but I am hopeful at the prospects of feeling better about myself and my life.

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