3 Hurdles … “check”

This month, I had three separate appointments with different medical providers, in order to determine whether I am still cancer free or not.  It would have been wonderful to have them all on the same day, or even the same week, but that’s now how the ‘real world’ works.  So … I had three appointments that were spread over three weeks this month.

1. First … the 6 month mammogram.  It came back ‘all clear’ … no cancer visible!
2. Second … the 6 month check-up with my surgeon.  Again, I got good news … all clear … no evidence of cancer.
3. Third … the 6 month check-up with my medical oncologist.  I am happy to report that again, I received the good news … all clear … no evidence of cancer.

During my third appointment, my doctor asked me about the side effects of the Letrozole (Femara) that I was taking, as I had called about some, quite severe, pain in my hips.  The pain as I stood up, after sitting for a while, made me feel like a 90 year old.  It’s going to be a L O N G five years if I’ve got this to deal with for the duration.

He told me to stop taking it for 2 weeks, and to call his office at the end of that time, so we can confirm it was the Letrozole causing the hip pain.  In the interim, he ordered me a new medication that I will be starting in 2 weeks.  It’s called Aromasin (generic “Exemestane”) which is in the same drug family as the Letrozole and does not attack the joints (hips) so I should find relief of that.  Additionally, it may decrease my ‘hot flashes’ a bit – which also came on like gangbusters when I started the Letrozole.

So, I’ve got a couple of weeks then I start a new medication.  Wish me luck … that the side effects will be less, and I’ll be able to tolerate this one for the duration of the 5 years I need to be on it.

In the meantime…