Hi Survivors! I have mad it to the two year mark from diagnosis and almost 2 years since my mastectomy. I'm on a daily estrogen blocker. My hair is almost shoulder length post chemo (last day of treatment was May 2018). I see my oncologist every 3 months and my surgeon every six months. I'm having great difficulty moving on with my life! I believe it's the pill that makes me feel tired all of the time and giving me joint pain. Chemo has definitely affected my memory. I've been diagnosed with low grade osteoporosis in my spine. I was, and still try to be very active. I'm a physical education teacher working full time at a high school. I take dance exercise classes and daily walks with my energetic mini Australian Shepherd. I feel like this whole ordeal threw me into old age. Yes I'm 65 but pre diagnosis I felt like a 40 something! I'm just not the happy go lucky soul I used to be! I don't want to feel like I do. Please help me move on with living my best life!
Thank you for your support! xo Dancegal
Written by
Dancegal
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I am following you on this particular journey as I'm at the radiotherapy stage, first one tomorrow after mastectomy and chemotherapy. I have my anastrozole to commence in a couple of weeks time so your experience is valuable to me although I have no insight into how you move forward, sorry. I do however hope that others who have overcome the hurdles comment so we can learn from each other?
I am saddened to hear your story and we sound similar in the ways you've described, active, positive and of similar age, so my hope is we both learn how to have the best after-cancer-treatment life possible? I wish you all the very best on your road to recovery and look forward to hearing from those who have already tackled these challenges.
It sounds as if you were diagnosed with BC, not MBC? If so, praise God. This website is focused on MBC patients who are all considered Stage 4.
Like you, I am two years out from my diagnosis--but diagnosis was MBC. My initial BC was diagnosed in 2000, and I was blissfully carefree for 17 years. There are so many options for care that weren't there that long ago. So, please remain hopeful. You are in a much better place than most of us.
Please know that this website is not focused on MBC patients. HealthUnlocked has several communities, SHARE hosts more than one. This community is for anyone with a breast cancer diagnosis regardless of stage. SHARE also has a separate community dedicated to MBC.
That pill that you have to take everyday may just be saving you from Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) in the future. I took the little pill for 5 years after a double Mastectomy, chemo and radiation. I wish I had taken in for 10 years, because 3 years after I stopped, I got MBC. I think most onc's are having you take it for 10 years now, I hope. If the pill is making you tired and giving you joint pain after more than 3 months, then ask your onc to switch brands. I did this and my new brand was much better for me. Your low grade osteoporosis is also easily handled maybe with Boniva or something similar. Your primary care doctor can help you there and monitor it with bone density tests once a year. Your body has been through a lot, give it a lot of time to heal. You probably will never go back to feeling 40, maybe just 50. You have everything to be happy about, your a survivor. You may never be "happy-go-lucky" again, because you're smarter now and know life is not infallible. Probably 95% of the people on this website are thrivers (living with MBC), which is treatable, but not curable. For 9 years after my original BC, I had never even heard of MBC because it was just never talked about; either that or I just wasn't listening. Sometimes we just learn about things on a "need to know basis." Anyway, keep active, but don't over do it. Be kind to your body!
Your story is so similar to mine—Mid-60s, 2 years out, low-grade osteoporosis, love to dance for exercise, and on hormone-blockers. I always felt 20 years younger than my body’s age. However, you can still take dance exercise classes (Jazzercise was my life for a long time). I think that thanks to anastrozole, my joint issues resulted in my knee problems turning into a total knee replacement, and I now have trigger fingers, one on each hand, plus other hand joint pain. I now do aqua aerobics and yoga for exercise, and I found a few activities that I love, and that motivate me to keep up my spirit. Perhaps retiring and gaining friends my age and older who have their own issues made me not miss feeling 20 years younger! But I think it’s doing what you love to do, checking off the items on your bucket list, and having great friends for support —that may be the key to moving on to living your best life—and seeing if a different hormone-blocker works better for you.
Thank you for sharing your story. I agree with all you said. Financially, I can't retire (yet). I'm a teacher so I have Holiday and summer breaks to rejuvenate! My close network of friends are few. I have my bucket list along with keeping regular to do lists these days. I see my onco in a few days so I will be taking to her about my bone, joint, tiredness issues. I do love Yoga and I take classes called U Jam when I can fit them in my schedule. I take many long walks a week with my pup.
I meant to respond early in the week but lost internet while on my way to work and my post was lost.
Anyway, Congrats on your Twitter year mark 🥳🥳So happy for you and wish I was where you were. I’m in the beginning stages, finished chemo though so happy about that.
I will probably feel like you do in regards to energy level. I already feel that my muscles/ bones were affected by the chemo. I feel it when I have to pick up something from the floor.
What does your oncologist say about your symptoms?
I think it’s great that you keep your body active. I try and fo the same and having a 3 year old helps.
Best wishes and hope some of your symptoms subside!
Things do get better! I can't imagine having to keep up with a 3 year old; however it will keep yo motivated to keep going. My oncologist just seems to say that what I'm going through is normal. She does offer me medications that may alleviate symptoms butI am very anti meds. I want to do this the natural way. I need to be patient with the process. I hope you have a strong support system I have two sons who have been by my side every step of the way. I fight for them!
Yes I do have a strong support system. Where would I be without my Mom? She’s also a breast cancer survivor. My breast cancer was more invasive than hers so I needed chemo and a mastectomy and she just needed a lumpectomy so she sort of understands what I’m going through.
I’ve felt so guilty of these past few months not being able to be as active with my daughter and I’m grateful that she’s so young that hopefully she won’t remember me being sick in the future.
I’m the same way as you as far as trying to do things naturally. I wish someone would come up with something for hot flashes. I know there’s lots out there but so far haven’t found anything! An ice pack, AC, and these cool temps have helped me.
It’s so scary, all of these new symptoms and the new symptoms that will come my way once I start on hormone therapy. I’m so scared and try to hide it but I’m scared. Then I look at my daughter and pray I have at least 20 more years to raise her to at least be independent🙏🏽She’s the reason why I did the chemo and will start these hormone injections/pills.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Oncotype DX Score 59
A newbie looking for breastfriends' support...
Fulvestrant and Kisquali 
Cancerversaries and the looming shadow
