Thankful Thursday

Tuesday I had my six month check up with my Oncologist. We sat and talked for a while about how I've been feeling before he broached the subject of medication. I was really hoping he'd just forget about it, but that was just wishful thinking.

Dr. "F" explained that I had to be on medication because my cancer was fed by Estrogen and Progesterone. He said, "if we can't keep those hormones in check, the cancer will return and grow somewhere else in your body so it's important that we stay on top of it." I'd already been on Arimidex and Tamoxifen, so I wondered what he was going to recommend now.

We talked about the differences between the way Tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors work. Dr. "F" explained that Tamoxifen doesn't actually block the production of Estrogen in your body, it only binds to it and slows it down. Arimidex and other aromatase inhibitors block the production of Estrogen. Since Arimidex gave me such dreadful joint and bone pain, he didn't want me on that drug any longer. Tamoxifen was a nightmare for me, giving me crazy hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and a lot of other unacceptable symptoms.

I'm glad Dr. "F" was sympathetic toward me. He said, "I really want you to have a good quality of life." Gee thanks, doc! I want a good quality of life too. So what's the plan? He's going to try me on another aromatase inhibitor called Aromasin and he's going to add a drug called Effexor along with it. Effexor, although known as an antidepressant, is one of the only known drugs that eases and almost eliminates the dreaded hot flashes and night sweats. I'm going to be on a very low dose of it at first and then he'll adjust it as we see how it affects my body.

The good news is, I get to wait to start taking the new meds until I return from my trip to Texas! I'm so happy about that. Having one month of feeling semi normal is a gift I can't even begin to explain to you. I do worry a little about the time I'll be off meds however; I can't help but wonder if those nasty cancer cells are playing hide and seek somewhere in my body. But instead of focusing on that, I'm going to just be thankful I have one month without any weird side effects!

It's amazing how just being off of the medication for a few days has changed me physically. I actually FEEL GOOD. I haven't felt good since early March of last year before I discovered the mass in my breast. It feels good to feel good. I've missed it! I feel so good, that I've started doing things that I love again.

Health is something most people take for granted but when you don't have good health, your world turns upside down. I am grateful for medications that will help prolong my life, but I sure wish I never had to take any of them. I'm going to enjoy every single day of my month's worth of freedom and I'm going to hope for very minimal side effects from the new medication I'll start near the end of February. Let's hope this new one will be a good fit. Dr. "F" told me, at my office visit, that this was our last option but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Today is a good day and I am very thankful to be me and actually feel like myself for a change.

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