A Visit With My Oncologist

This morning I met with my oncologist to see what's next now that my chemotherapy is complete.

I will be starting hormonal therapy (also known as endocrine therapy) very soon.  My type of breast cancer was estrogen receptor-positive meaning it needs the hormone estrogen to grow. Hormone therapies block or stop my body's production of estrogen which helps stop the cancer from growing again. I found out today that I will not be taking Tamoxifen as we first thought. A blood test was done back in November to determine if I was premenopausal or postmenopausal. It appears I am postmenopausal and will need to take something different. I guess the cancer or surgery scared my body into menopause. I will be taking an aromatase inhibitor, which blocks the body from making estrogen. Tamoxifen works by blocking estrogen in breast tissue. Both work to stop the growth of breast cancer but one is used before menopause and one is used after. The aromatase inhibitor works better from what I was told and read, but it can cause osteoporosis. So before I can start the pills, I need to have a bone density test done. I will be contacted to set up the appointment when the insurance approves the test. The results will give the doctor a baseline to which he can compare future tests. I will be taking calcium and vitamin D supplements to help fight off the osteoporosis and keep my bones strong. I will also need to include weight-bearing exercises into my fitness routines. Back to the gym!

We talked about food, which foods to eat and which to avoid in an anti-cancer diet. Basically eat lots of fruits and vegetable, limit red meat, choose fish or chicken, limit dairy, junk food and foods with high sugar content. It's nothing I hadn't heard before and most of it I try to incorporate in my current diet for a healthy heart.

Regarding my next surgery, I can have it done any time after three weeks have passed from my last treatment. Three weeks will be next Wednesday. I won't be having surgery then, but I do have an appointment with my plastic surgeon next Wednesday to discuss the surgery. A surgery date will be scheduled soon afterwards.

Today's doctor visit was very short and the doctor was very inattentive towards me.  He was late getting into the office, hence late for my appointment and a hurry to move on to the next patient. Furthermore, while looking up my records on the computer he was preoccupied with his text messages on his cell phone. I wasn't thrilled when I first was assigned this doctor and I'm still not impressed. I guess as long as he gets the tests and pills ordered, everything should work out okay. I don't meet with him again until a month later after starting the pills. I think I'll have the appointment later in the day so he can get his other business out of the way before he sees me. Maybe I'll get more of his attention that way. We'll see.