Hello everyone

I'm Aileana

In early September I was diagnosed with an IDC estrogen receptive breast cancer , the lesion was picked up at my 4 yearly mammogram.

Things moved very quickly & I had an operation last Friday...wide excision + sentinel node biopsy

I have now had the results. A 5mm cancer was removed from my breast, with a good margin, & my lymph nodes are clear. I feel very, very lucky & hugely relieved. 

Radiotherapy was mentioned & I will have an appointment with the consultant but my oncologist worked out my percentages and I feel I will not have it.

I'm 68 & Letrozole is what I will be given should I choose to have it. I will be given a Dexa scan prior to a consultation about this treatment. I already have mild osteoarthritis in both hips & a small area of osteopenia that showed up in a recent pelvic x-ray.

I have a very low tolerance for drugs, it's in my medical records that should I need any drugs I should be started on a very low dosage to see if my system can tolerate them.

Again my oncologist felt, given the percentages, that I could probably forego this drug.

I don't like what I'm reading about the possible side effects of it & in reading some of the negative experiences people have on it doesn't inspire confidence. I appreciate some people may have a positive experience  but I feel it's probably not for me....however I won't make any decisions until I know more.

I had only just started on HRT (now stopped, for obvious reasons) 6 weeks prior to my diagnosis, mainly for VA which I had previously been using vagifem & estriol cream for. But I also was taking it for the overall benefits it gives.

I also have b12 deficiency which has it's up's & downs but on the whole I manage it pretty well as long as I try & keep my life on an even keel.

The thought of taking a drug that could cause me debilitating symptoms I just feel would be detrimental to my quality of life.

I have a consultation with my medical herbalist next week...I know there are herbs that can be used to suppress estrogen & I'm interested to learn what all is available to me in this respect. She is also great on nutrition and although I feel I already eat healthily ....I shunned red meat & sugar a long time ago.... there's always room for improvement

Has anyone followed an 'alternative' path to Letrozole?

Does anyone have any positive stories with Letrozole?