Thursday, February 25, 2010 Sheree asks

Q: The dreaded 5 year pills.

Hi, I had stage 2A BC with 1 lymph node that was positive. I breezed through a double mastectomy (tram flap actually, because I had to get rid of one breast) and 4 chemo's but the 5 year pill has side effects that I can't live with! We have tried two so far but not Tomoxifin because Mum died of a blood clot. I saw on Good Morning America that vitamin D3 is as good as the 5 year pills so I am trying to decide if that will be good enough. It is actually a hormone, not a vitamin and I want to just take 5000-7000 IU's of that but I'm scared. I have been so upbeat all the way through, and I want to get back to that and I think that means not taking the 5 year pill. Help?

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Answers (2)

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

2/25/10 12:49pm

Hi Sheree - Research doesn't support that D3 is as good as an aromatase inhibitor or tamoxifen. That said, two things:

•Have you asked your doctor your risk of blood clot form tamoxifen, given your mother's history? Perhaps your risk is still extremely low, lower than your risk of recurrence, and you might want to consider tamoxifen.

•Stage 2A with one lymph node might mean your risk of recurrence, even without hormone therapy, is pretty low. Ask your oncologist what your recurrence risk is if you go off the drugs completely. Then compare that to your recurrence risk WITH the therapy. You may decide going "drugless" is a good option for you.

Best of luck - PJH

Sheree

2/25/10 1:30pm

Thank you so much for your input! Yes, my Oncologist was the one who said that I shouldn't go on Tomoxifin, so she put me into instant menopause with a drug so that I could go on Femara or Arimidex. I was quite happy to have just a month or so of hot flashes and now I'm done with menopause :)

Do you know how happy and relieved I was when you said my risk of recurrence was pretty low? No one has said that to me before so I have been freaking out because I had three friends die of breast cancer or I have friends who have had a recurrence. Of course the worry of recurrence is bad for me no matter how much I have changed my diet and excercise! I thank you from the bottom of my heart PJ, you don't know what you have done for me. Sheree

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

2/25/10 9:55pm

Gosh, Sheree, your oncologist should have laid out all the stats for you. I'm guessing at your risk because I was very similar to you - stage 2, one positive node, mastectomy/reconstruction, chemo, hormone therapy... and here I am, 8 years later, just fine. Really, ask your oncologist what your risk of recurrence is - with or without hormone therapy. S/he should be able to set your mind at rest. Worrying is inevitable, I know; but it DOES get easier with time. And I'm so happy I was able to ease your mind a bit... PJH

Sheree

2/26/10 8:13am

I think she wanted to scare me into making the decision to have chemo and then a pill. I told her that I went to a few seminar's to look into the natural way instead of chemo. I just realised now that maybe that's why it was made to sound really bad, she wanted to make sure that I chose chemo. I'll ask her about the the risk of recurrence like you suggest. Thank you so much for your advice! You switched me from a crying, scared person yesterday to a happy Mum being able to have her daughter and fiance over for dinner last night and taking my youngest to all her stuff after school and talk to my son in a 'happy way' when he called me from London. Great timing, whew! All the best, Sheree

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

2/26/10 10:10am

Sheree, you just made my day!! I'm forever grateful to this site for offering us the forum where we can support one another, from all over the world. Now, go have a great weekend, OK? PJH

Sheree

2/26/10 1:50pm

Yes I will and it looks like it will be a good one! (I live on an Island and it has been stormy for weeks.) I know you don't feel sorry for me because you probably have had snow storms every weekend :) I have decided to take one Arimidex a week, then keep my V D3, Calcium-D-Glucarate which binds estrogen in the body, CoQ10, melatonin, asprin etc. going and I should be fine. You are the best! Sheree

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

2/26/10 6:13pm

Wow, an island... hope it's been stormy and warm, not stormy and cold? We've had the WEIRDEST winter... I live in northern New England, usually covered with snow - we've had ONE paltry storm, while the NY/NJ/DC area has been absolutely hammered.

Sounds like you're comfortable with the plan you've worked out for yourself, Sheree; and that's worth a lot. It's your body, and you need to do what's right for YOU. And you're the best one to make that decision. So go forward with confidence, and don't look back. You're doing what feels right, and that's the best you can do. Peace to you - PJH

IRONSIDE

2/25/10 12:15pm

Hi Sheree, I tried Femara and Aromasin...could not take either the bone pain was too much to bear. I am now taking Tamoxifen..with little if any side effects.

You do not say but is there a hereditary blood disorder in your family.? Hereditary Thrombophilia for example... I ask because if you do not know ,you can be checked for this. If not I see no reason why you cannot take Tamoxifen with regular checks to see the thickness of your blood. I have had a blood clot when the feeding tube was placed in my vein...But they call this 'Man made' and do not appear to be concerned. I have my blood checked every month to be on the safe side.

Having said that Sheree it is your body and your decision just make sure you listen to your doctors advice before you decide.

Good Luck..

Sheree

2/25/10 8:52pm

Yes, I was checked for that and I was fine but my oncologist is still nervous, so no Tomoxifin.