I am not feeling the greatest on letrozole and ibrance 75mg. I am always struggling to get my blood up. Does anyone else suffer from sore arms and legs on this..especially at night? Now I also have a very leaky heart valve. Have to see to doctors. Please pray I do not need open heart surgery. All this is getting to me mentally....Covid and not physically being able to do things. I am tired of being a burden. I know my family does not think that but it feels like it.
Please keep me in your prayers
Theresa
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Totheriver
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Rather than being a burden we can be an opportunity to demonstrate emotional reciprocity with our families. So many of us have given so much in healthier days, and now we are giving our families the opportunity to witness the importance of being a gracious receiver as well as a gracious giver.
Their time will come when they need extra help and by our example they will be better prepared to allow people to care for them as they have cared for us... Rather than a burden we then become a privilege to care for, as those who will eventually care for them will come to see them.
This is a painful purpose. Many of us have to set the example of a good life lived. All of us will eventually die, and in our passing we will pass on our love and gratitude for them to give to the next generation who cares for them.
My heart goes out to all who feel as if they are a burden when they may be a blessing..
I am so sorry you are going through so much. It is so difficult, and I am impressed with all you are dealing with that you are thinking of your family. I feel your caring in your writing. Thank you for writing. Your feelings and words resonated and helped me to ponder too.
Such a beautiful message, Mary! Makes me remember all the times my mom felt terrible that I was the one who took her to all her doc appointments and tried to keep her life busy. She wondered what she would do without me. I used to just shrug it off and say, “Don’t worry. I’m happy to do it.” Wish I had added, “It’s a privilege to help you, Mommy, after all the years you cared for me.” That’s such a powerful word—privilege! Thanks for your lovely articulation! 💗💗🙏🏻🙏🏻
SeattleMom I suspect that you gave your mother the message of being Privileged in your actions, and I gave my Dad the same. Now we need to know as we strive to be kind to our caregivers that we are the kind of people for whom caring is also a privilege.
I love the words you had with your mother and your reaction of "Don't worry I am happy to do it". Some mothers with narcissistic tendencies think their daughters are called to be their servants . They continue with their over expectations and lack of appreciation as they always did. Your mother was the kind to be emulated. The kind I want to be along with you.
Then there are others who because of circumstances, were unable to be with their mother and care for them. I want my adult children to know that I understand their situations, and hold on to the knowing that it was a privilege to care for them.
Prayers for you! Yes, I ache all the time. Dr says it's just another side effect. Mainly early morning & at night. I guess it's a positive side of still being alive!! 😂 Hang in there!! 🙏🙏
Thanks so much Sandra. Especially after you have gone through so much too. My husband said the same thing as your husband and that we are in this together. 💕
Hi Theresa, I had open heart surgery in 2018, prior to being diagnosed with lung and bone mets in 2019. I found the open heart surgery (to replace my leaky aortic valve) an easy recovery, despite my atrial fibrillation during the operation itself.
I'm not pleased with the long chest scar which prevents my wearing some of my tops so I rather wish I'd insisted on waiting for the less invasive surgery (transcatheter aortic valve replacement). However, at the time, I was told that my shortness of breath would be much improved if I had the operation sooner rather than later. I was born with a bicuspid aortic valve, and my cardiologist was keen for me to have it replaced.
I think it is a good thing that you know you have MBC prior to having heart surgery. Your cardiologist will have ideas about the best approach in your special case. There are research studies that indicate heart medications are helpful to breast cancer patients. If you are not already taking several of these meds, you probably will be after whatever cardiac procedure you undergo. I know I'm glad I had my valve replaced, and I expect that you will also be glad to have had yours taken care of.
Thinking of you. That's tough. I've had my first deferral of treatment for low bloods, on 125mg. Off for another test today and fingers crossed. Not had sore arms and legs. I'm sure your family love you and you're not a burden but I know what you mean. I don't want others to feel responsible for me Take care. X Carolyn
Well you have a double whammy don't you. Who wouldn't be worried but the good news is that it is all fixable. Don't worry about your neutrifils. They do there own thing. All you can do is eat very healthy, even juicing, as Sandra does. She is having good success so maybe it is a help. I am a great believer in Green Tea. For some people it takes getting used to but there are different brands to try. Do you take any pain meds? They are a blessing and get you through so much. Talk to your doctors about your aches and keep after them until they do something. I think there is no use being in pain in this day and age! I am sure your surgery will go well. Hope some of this helps. And reach out for help in your oncology department they have all kinds of resources. And if you can keep us posted. We are here for you.
June, I noticed you said you drink Green Tea. That is interesting as my oncologist told me I cannot have green tea with Ibrance since it is an antioxidant. I love green tea and was disappointed about this. The Pfizer people do not tell you that when you go on Ibrance so I am wondering if it is just my doctor.
Sorry for the delay in answering. That is interesting. No one told me about this. Not when I was on Ibrance or any other medication. I will ask my oncologist and see what he says. l think a Iot of members here drink green tea.
I am going to ask my oncologist about it again. I know when I had radiation I was told not to drink green tea until the radiation was completed, but I thought my oncologist told me to avoid it also. She is not in favor of any supplements though. I think green tea would be a wonderful addition to my health.
Dear Theresa, I also am sorry that you are dealing with these issues on the medications. I have been having a bit more aches in my shoulders and my knees in the morning and sometimes at night if I have been sitting too long. I have found that if I get up and move, it seems to subside. I try to get exercise every day. I live in Florida so I am able to get outside for walks which do help. I have not had really low blood counts, even on the highest dose. As for the leaky heart valve, I hope that will be something that they can fix for you. All of these issues are a lot to deal with. I hope and pray that you will find comfort and healing and that you will not have to have open heart surgery. Also, I agree with Sandra that it might be helpful to be able to talk to a social worker or a therapist. I have a therapist that I speak with at least once a month and he has helped me deal with the emotional aspects of MBC. It has helped a lot. Anyway, I am sending you some hugs and positive vibes.
I sure understand! Living with mbc and mbc treatment is not easy, and adding heart issues adds to the physical and emotional stress. I've had it all, too. I was first diagnosed with mbc in 2004, long before the targeted meds like Ibrance were around. I got almost five years from Letrozole alone. I had the hot flashes that many of us get and my onc prescribed Effexor for those and it has worked well for me all these years. I take the long acting generic type, 150 mg in the morning and 75 mg at bedtime. (There have been times when I've been on more meds for side effects than for cancer! Crazy, huh!) Ask your onc if a vacation from Ibrance might help. Alot of us did well on the anti-estrogen meds alone. I've been on meds for high blood pressure since long before cancer, and have developed atrial fibrillation and a leaky mitral value since living with cancer I joke that before cancer my only doctors were my primary care doc and my gynocologist, and now I have enough doctors to field a baseball team! My energy level is low and I just can't do what I used to. Now I only cook dinner about once a week and my husband does it the rest of the time. I do the grocery shopping, laundry and pay the bills. I miss gardening alotand baking. The house is alot more cluttered than it used to be...I could go on and on. My husband does not oomplain. But while the word "burden" isn't one I use, I do feel sad for my husband and for myself, missing doing what I used to. It's a hard way to live but better than being dead!! And I work hard at keeping my sense of humor about it! Oh, I also found out that there are cardiologists who specialize in working with people who have cancer as well as heart conditions. That may be a fairly new thing......but can be helpful for some of us. I hope you will find more things to be happy about and even to laugh about! But it's okay to have down times too! Hard to live with this blasted mbc! Oh, my latest silly idea is that I need to have my head transplanted onto a healthy younger body--even an ape body or large dog body might do! Sending love, understanding, and healing thoughts.....................
Theresa, you are in my prayers. When I was on Letrozole my joints and legs were very stiff and achy.Let your onc know. She could change from Letrozole to something else!
I have two oncologists, one of whom is a naturopath. He gave me lots of supplements to help with the side effects of the Ibrance. I also work with an acupuncturist and a Chinese medicine practitioner. I figure if I have a team it’s going to be the best for me.
Hey. Sorry you feel this way but I care for my wife. I LOVE doing things for her. The more I can do, the better I feel. Think about that. Your family love you, they want to do things. It's the only for of help I can really give, other than constant research and advice. Keep your child up, enjoy your life as much as you can. XX ❤️
I can relate to feeling like a burden also. I have felt that way alot especially after spinal surgery and having to learn how to walk all over again and not being able to get up out of bed past 90 degrees without a brace that I couldn't put on by myself. I would just cry and cry. But I got over that and started to focus in being a miracle and also that I have always taken care of everyone else and now it's time for them to return the favor. We as mothers, wives, daughters etc always feel like we have to do it all but God wants us to know it's ok to rest. It's ok for others to give back to us and we need to just receive it. It can bring blessings for them as it has to us. As far as your blood counts go I had the same issue when I was on 125mg ibrance but they switched me to 75mg and I have been better. Make sure you are eating enough that was my problem. Also I am not a milk drinker at all but a good friend of mine that is battling triple negative bc said she got some healthy cereal and added in some fairlife milk and it came up drastically so I did that and it worked. You will be in my prayers 🙏❤ Think on good things!
Thank you, Sandra. I would probably only drink a cup a few times per week but only if my oncologist says it is okay. I have an appointment with her tomorrow.
Thanks once again Sandra. I am drinking it exclusively all day long thinking it was a good thing! One never knows. Now I am wondering if any tea is good for us.
Thanks Sandra. I am doing ok. I am 7 days on Verzenio 100 mgs. and no side effects. Yippee! Not even the dreaded diarrhea which I was told nearly everyone gets. They even include the medicine to stop the diarrhea with details on how to manage it. I was to stay on Tamoxifen with the Verzenio but had to drop it because of thickening of the uterus wall. Oncologist decided not to include Faslodex because I had progression on it before but I blamed that on Ibrance. So who knows. I sure hope you are continuing on a good path and able to enjoy the things you like.
Sister, and yessss warrior I pray one day very soon you will look back on this challenge, and say I overcame that, and GOD has me in a great place now.😇 I know you are not a burden on your family, or loved ones.😊 I know if the shoe were on the other foot, you would be there for your family/loved ones. Am I right. I remember how strong I thought my family was, and bragged about them, until they told me they cried for me, but never in front of me. At the time GOD, and the strength GOD gave me, and my family got me through what I thought was an insurmountable mountain.😇 I pray your mountain will also be moved. I send you a Hug/ gigantic virtual huggggggggg. Keep the faith🙏😀
I am lucky to have been able to be on Ibrance 125mg and letrozole for 18 months, with zolondronic acid recently added in. Please don't feel a burden, none of us are perfect in health or any other way. We all need support from time to time in our lives. That's what friends and family are about! Take care. Carolynx
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Thanks for the encouragement- I got my bike out
How does the metastasized cancer in all of the cells react to surgery? I will need an aortic valve replacement and reallneed some 
