If you had radiation, when did you start hormone therapy?

Posted by brighterdays @brighterdays, Aug 9, 2023

Did you start during radiation? Right after? Or waited until you healed?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group.

Reading some info from NIH that delay for starting AI’s is so that cellular effects from radiation won’t be diminished. This information from Dr Google, not my oncologist.

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@chickenmom10

What kind of breast cancer did you have? Thanks wonderful to hear after 20 years. Have something to look forward too.

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I was diagnosed in 2004 with ER+ PR- Her2+, invasive ductal carcinoma, grade 3. A lot of the tests available now were not available then, herceptin was for relapsed patients only, and radiation has come a long way since then as well.
I am grateful that most of the people I talk to on connect have an easier time of it, but I hope that doesn’t mean they lose sight of the monster they are treating.
Are you comfortable sharing your treatment path so far?

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I started about 3 weeks after radiation was complete.

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@auntieoakley

I was diagnosed in 2004 with ER+ PR- Her2+, invasive ductal carcinoma, grade 3. A lot of the tests available now were not available then, herceptin was for relapsed patients only, and radiation has come a long way since then as well.
I am grateful that most of the people I talk to on connect have an easier time of it, but I hope that doesn’t mean they lose sight of the monster they are treating.
Are you comfortable sharing your treatment path so far?

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Not at all. If my journey and plan helps others, That’s what matters.
Love to hear there is hope for all of us. Today medicine really work and more to come. There are so many scientists doing research they will find a cure for this disease. I have faith.

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@sugarbear0

I think I’ll end up stopping too. Between carcinogenic Tamoxifen & taking AI despite osteoporosis & fractures, I feel doomed if i do, doomed if I don’t.

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Agree! I’m still in radiation but really do not want to take either. My onc says it’s better than cancer…stroke from the tamoxifen or heart damage from the Letrozole doesn’t sound fun either.

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@auntieoakley

I was diagnosed in 2004 with ER+ PR- Her2+, invasive ductal carcinoma, grade 3. A lot of the tests available now were not available then, herceptin was for relapsed patients only, and radiation has come a long way since then as well.
I am grateful that most of the people I talk to on connect have an easier time of it, but I hope that doesn’t mean they lose sight of the monster they are treating.
Are you comfortable sharing your treatment path so far?

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Thank you for sharing. This gives me hope. Did you take AI or tamoxifen etc?

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@raebaby

I was grade 2a. 3 lymph nodes removed, a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation. HER2positive. I had been taking estrogen supplements from the age of 48 up until they found the cancer at 79. I feel that probably had a big effect on getting cancer.I stopped taking it at that time. I felt awful on the AL's. I already had osteoperina. I have peripheral neuropathy from the Taxol during chemo. I'm 81 and don't need more misery from the AL's.

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Pretty sure taking HRT for too long had something to do w/ cancer—& mine is estrogen &progesterone +, just like my HRT.

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@cherziggy

Thank you for sharing. This gives me hope. Did you take AI or tamoxifen etc?

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Oh, I took both, lol. 5 yrs. of Tamoxifen, followed by 10 years of anastrozole. Even after they removed my ovaries.
I was given a baby aspirin when I took Tamoxifen to help avoid stroke or other blood clot complications.
I understand not wanting treatments, but I was young and I did everything they said to avoid recurrence.

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@brighterdays
I started on Letrozole 2 weeks after I finished my final, 37th, radiation treatment. I remember my oncologist saying let's give your body a break before we start the meds then surprised when just two weeks after radiation the break was over.

At the end of my radiation treatment I was so fatigued I could hardly walk across the room and my skin was pretty thrashed - open wounds 8" x 12" area at that point using silvadene burn cream. Although I had improved in the two weeks before I started Letrozole, I remember my skin was not healed yet. I can't remember exactly how I felt after the two week break as that was 2/2021. Then I started Kisqali one week after the Letrozole. My oncologist gave me both meds at once, but I separated the meds by a week so I would know if one med caused any serious reactions. I've been taking both meds for 2.5 years now and plan to continue as long as they keeping working. Best of luck with the meds.

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@californiazebra

@brighterdays
I started on Letrozole 2 weeks after I finished my final, 37th, radiation treatment. I remember my oncologist saying let's give your body a break before we start the meds then surprised when just two weeks after radiation the break was over.

At the end of my radiation treatment I was so fatigued I could hardly walk across the room and my skin was pretty thrashed - open wounds 8" x 12" area at that point using silvadene burn cream. Although I had improved in the two weeks before I started Letrozole, I remember my skin was not healed yet. I can't remember exactly how I felt after the two week break as that was 2/2021. Then I started Kisqali one week after the Letrozole. My oncologist gave me both meds at once, but I separated the meds by a week so I would know if one med caused any serious reactions. I've been taking both meds for 2.5 years now and plan to continue as long as they keeping working. Best of luck with the meds.

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Silvadine saved my poor skin from rads burns amazing ointment

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