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The start - mastectomy in 8 weeks. How has Letrozole has affected you ?

Boolay
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I have now just been diagnosed letrozole,anyone with helpful suggestions or how it's effected you ?I have got a cancellation for heart checks as slightly wonky and they have to check it's ok for surgery.its a mastectomy as I have 2 areas effected .not enough breast tissue to be saved.surgery will be in next 8 wks.im ok with it as expecting mastectomy.just side effects of tablets now 

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    Hi Boolay, 

    I just wanted to say hello and I hope you won't mind but I have added some more information to the title of your thread so that it can be more easily by spotted by others who have been in a similar place and who had a mastectomy before or who have also taken letrozole before. it is normal to worry about the side effects of letrozole and I would suggest you have a look at our information page on letrozole which will give you an idea of the types of side effects you can expect but try not to worry too much as everyone reacts differently so it's hard to tell really what kind of side effect you might get. It's often helpful to talk to others who are in a similar situation and I thought I would mention  's letrozole thread in which this member commented on having to take this drug prior to surgery and you will also notice in that thread the helpful comments of the lovely  who also has experience of letrozole and don't hesitate to respond if you would like to add your own experience. 

    You can also read more on our website on the mastectomy and I hope that the surgery will go well and that you will get to talk to others here who have had a mastectomy before. Our nurses are also available on this free number 0808 800 4040 if you have any questions at any point - their helpline is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. 

    I hope the treatment and surgery will be a success! Do come back here and let us know how things are progressing for you. 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Offline in reply to Boolay

    HI Boolay,

    A very warm welcome to our forum.

    I am sorry to hear that you find yourself on this journey and hope that you are managing to cope with your diagnosis. I hope that your heart check goes well and that you will be a suitable candidate for surgery. Don't worry about having to have a mastectomy. None of us like the thought of losing our breasts, but, with reconstruction, many say that they look better after surgery, than they did before. I have had both a lumpectomy and a double mastectomy, as I discovered a second cancer within my original breast, less than a year after my initial surgery.

    Surprisingly, I found that I recovered better after my mastectomies than I did after my lumpectomy. Do you plan to have reconstruction and if so, what type? If you have any questions about this procedure, please feel free to ask. One thing that I found useful to have after surgery, was a small heart-shaped cushion, that I could place under my arm, especially when sleeping. It was also helpful to have some nightwear that opened at the front, as this saved having to pull things over my head, when my arm was tender. I extended this into day wear too, as it was difficult to raise my arms on both sides.

    Don't panic about taking Letrozole, until you see how you cope with it. I am sure that you have read all the blurb that comes in the packet with these tablets. All, or some of these side-effects are possible, but some people have no adverse reactions at all. 

    I took Tamoxifen for the first year after diagnosis, but when the second bout was discovered, I changed to Letrozole. All of the hormone therapies carry some side-effects, though some are more marked with a specific medication, than others. Some people even find that they can only take a particular brand of the drug, or they find that it is better to take it at night, instead of in the morning. This is something to discuss with your specialist breast care nurse, if you have any problems. In most cases, If the side-effects are too debilitating, you can also get your medication changed.

    I unfortunately, did have a number of side-effects, but despite this, I would take Letrozole again , if I had to, as, so far, it has afforded me an extra 15 years of life, since diagnosis. I am happy to discuss this further if you want to, or if you have any questions, I shall try to answer them.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx

  • Offline in reply to Jolamine

    Thanks jolamine for your comments,I am not having a reconstruction as I'm 67 and don't feel the need.so far I have been ok just today a little tired and achy but went for a quick walk and feel better.i have a heart pillow coming and I've bought another front loader bra .lol.im eating healthy and always positive as that helps I think.breast clinic want me to have one more scan not sure what for.my nodes are clear  but I was wondering if my lymph nodes are clear and I am having a mastectomy they are talking about radiotherapy just wondered what others are thinking about that? Good wishes to all ,we all have hills to climb xx

  • Offline in reply to Boolay

    Hi Boolay,

    Not having a construction, will make your operation much shorter and it will take less time to heal. I have never regretted staying flat. It caused a few embarrassing incidents to start with, but we have overcome them with time. Exercise and fresh air always help you to feel better, both emotionally and physically. You will find that positivity will help your recovery immensely. You may possibly find that your previous mastectomy wasn't as clear as they need, causing them to carry out another one.

    They wouldn't have said that your lymph nodes were clear, if they're not. It often depends upon what type of breast cancer we have and what stage it is at, as to whether or not, we are advised to have radiotherapy. This is a tiring spell with 5 appointments per week, but it is all "doable". 

    I hope that all goes well for you, Don't forget that we are always here for you.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx

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