My experiences with Kadcycla and Tamoxifen after Chemotherapy and Radiation.
When my Oncologist recommended additional medications, I was so freaking sad! I was still in chemo and doing radiation, but I just wanted to be done when those were finished. It was another time that I felt as if the goal line moved again. Now that I have been on both Kadcycla and Tamoxifen for over a year, I feel like I can share my experiences.
First, the Kadcycla injection is what sucks; you don't even feel the pellet after it is inserted. The Kadcycla injection is a crap shoot, and you never know whether it will hurt like a mother &$*&@#^# or be completely painless. There is really no in between due to the size of the needle, because it is HUGE. The nurses inject into your abdomen, so if they happen to clip a blood vessel, you are going to feel it!
Tamoxifen experience
The important thing I continue to remind myself of is that if it does hurt, the pain will go away quickly. There have only been a couple of times that I have had any bruising or lingering pain after the injection, but overall, I don't notice any effects of the injection.
Tamoxifen is another story. It's a pill, taken daily. After a few weeks, I could already tell the medication was taking effect, and it had stripped my Estrogen from my body. The pain in my legs, joints, and especially my feet was shocking! I have a high pain tolerance, and I was convinced I wasn't going to make it on this for five to ten years. The good news is that after a few months, things seemed to level out. The pain was still painful, but my mind learned how to process it, if that makes sense.
When people ask me how I am doing, and I tell them, they are always surprised. Some wonder why I am taking the medicines if they cause so much pain and discomfort. When I explain that I am trying to prevent my breast cancer from coming back and I am playing the odds, they seem to understand. Like most things, it is so easy for people to judge when they are not in the situation.
Treatment after Breast Cancer
What I will say is that if you find yourself in a similar situation, be sure to talk to your doctor. There are several other medications that you can try, even optional supplements, but if you don't tell them how you are feeling, they can not help.
It's tough, but you can get through it. I always say that if someone else can do it, so can I. I am hoping to be off the medications in four more years, but only time will tell. Until then, I am happy with how I have been able to manage my symptoms and not experience so many of the more common side effects.
