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Just Diagnosed with Cancer? Chat with Experts

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 C. asks

Q: I have rheumatoid arthritis, along with breast cancer. I had a mastectomy last year with four rounds of chemo. I am tired, fatigue; its been going on a year now. How can I have a life without pain?

I was taking Enbrel for 4 fours until I was dx with Breast cancer (stage IIb, ER+/PR- HR- DIC) I was told by my rhuemy that I cannot take Enbrel again due to now I have breast cancer history. Is there another treatment I can seek?
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PJ Hamel, Health Guide
5/24/11 9:42pm

Unfortunately, we're not doctors, and can't provide you with the type of information you need on specific drugs, and which might be best for you. My advice would be to hound both your oncologist and your rheumatologist; get them to talk to one another, and develop a treatment plan that'll address your pain and fatigue. Perhaps your risk of a recurrence would only be elevated minimally by you taking Enbrel; ask your doctors to give you recurrence statistics for both scenarios, with Enbrel or without. It's your body, and your life; and it should be your decision which is the lesser of two evils: pain and fatigue, vs. increased cancer risk.

 

Also - healing takes time. Lots and lots of time. I'd wagr you'll feel better 3 months from now; better still in 6 months, and a year. It's hard ot be patient, but time DOES eventually heal. I hope this is the case for you. Take care- PJH

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By C.— Last Modified: 05/24/11, First Published: 05/24/11