Well, I did it. I completed the chemo. I'm on the mend from the last of the Abraxane. My hair is about 1/32 of an inch, generally, and it looks very white. I'm not perfectly well, but I feel better every day. I expect to go back to work on April 15, and I should be recovering nicely by then. Here's what I'm hoping: - I am hoping for hair, quickly.
- I'm hoping for my usual energy again.
- I'm am looking forward to things tasting normally again.
This Easter season's message of renewal will be particularly meaningful. But the cancer battle isn't over, by a long shot. I have to keep fighting.
Being recurrent means being on guard, forever. Apparently, and very much to my surprise after all these 17 years, my cancer was stimulated to return. Now I've gotten rid of the body part that generated all the breast cancer, but unfortunately, there still could be cancer cells traveling around, looking for a place to call home. If that happens, I'm instantly in a new world, the world of metastatic cancer. I have to do what I can to prevent that.
The progenitor (the factor that forms) of most hormone sensitive breast cancer like mine is estrogen. Apparently, I can still produce estrogen in my system, even though I'm long past chemopause. I have to stop the estrogen that remains from re-stimulating those potential stray cells. There are two current choices: SERMs and AIs.
SERM stands for Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator. It works by blocking estrogen reception in cancer cells but not for other parts of the body, where it seems to add more estrogen. Tamoxifen and raloxifene are SERMs and have been used for over 20 years. They do have risks, such as:
- blood clots
- cataracts
- increased risks of certain cancers
There is some suggestion that people with thyroids may experience hypothyroidism. Since I take synthetic thyroid medication, I will need to watch how I take my medications and when, closely. I already have an appointment with my endocrinologist to get her advice. I want to keep my blood levels in balance, on the chance that the imbalance encourages the cancer again. I suspect that all my thyroid drama caused the remaining breast cancer cells to stimulate...but that's just a causal theory. I will never have the data to be sure.
AIs are Aromatase Inhibitors. They work to block the estrogen in my tissues. Drugs like Femara and Arimidex, also with a more recent but fully researched history, are effective in stopping the remaining cells from becoming stimulated. But they have some pretty nasty side effects as well:
- thinning bones
- heart stress
- severe joint pain
- mood swings and depression
These effects are so strong that women are stopping treatment mid-stream, but the survival numbers are strong.
My doctor recommended two years of Tamoxifen and then three of Femara. I am skeptical that I'll be able to tolerate the AIs, so I'm starting down the path with Tamoxifen for now.
There's hope for better! There are many promising therapies in the wings. The most promising is training your own body to kill the cancer, mostly through the mechanism of a vaccine. I would happily participate in a trial, so I'm going to reach out to find one.
Meanwhile, time to start my new normal.
What's your maintenance experience? Feel free to respond in the comments, on Twitter, Facebook or Inspire.com.
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