2007 Breast Cancer 3 Day

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Back To Tamoxifen

After my last visit I agreed to try Femara. It lasted one week. It made my feet feel like they were on fire. I can't tolerate that nonsense. I stopped taking it for the 3 weeks prior to my appointment. I haven't felt so good in a long time. It was the first time I haven't had cancer drugs in my system in almost 3 years. My debilitating body pain stopped just days after stopping the Aromasin. My hands are still hurting in the morning though.

At my appointment on Monday we decided that I will go back on Tamoxifen. My oncologist is HUGE on scientific studies and gave me a long explanation about new developments with Tamoxifen. Doctors used to believe that some women grew resistant to this drug and therefore it wasn't protecting them from cancer. Research now shows that some women don't have enough of the enzyme that is required to process Tamoxifen correctly. My doctor is running some lab work on me to determine if I am one of those women. If so then we will have to switch me back to an aromatase-inhibitor (boo...hiss). If I'm not one of those women I can keep on taking Tamoxifen and receive great results. I go back in October to find out my results.

He also finally said I can quit taking the Drisdol (mega vitamin D dose). I think that is contributing to my hand pain. Now I just have to take a daily supplement along with my calcium.

So all in all, I am pleased. I'm feeling better...not 100%, but better. Let's just hope all of this mess is worth it. Cancer stay away!!