MEGASE - treatment with progesterone

[Lnlc]

Hello brave women, I haven't written for a while but do routinely check in to see what's happening with everyone. A little history, I had breast cancer at 45 and then again as MBC to bone only in 2013. So I'll start my 10th year this June. Lots and lots of different treatments, including within the past 6 months, my first IV Chemos (hair loss...that's been distressing). Tons of bone disease but I'm grateful it's still only there at this point, except, as you know, the bones are very fragile.

I had had pain in my right hip since last June but none of the scans could identify a problem and in January, the radiation oncologist was going to broad shot the area to see if it would help. I was fairly non-mobile by that time. He decided to do one last CAT scan where he found a break in my femur. It hadn't been seen on any prior scans and as he said, "a hundred radiologist would have missed it." But we were lucky enough that day, knowing where it was to go back and find it on prior scans before. I don't remember injuring myself so it must have been a pathological fracture.

Once they discovered it, surgery was arranged for Jan. 25th and I was urged to be extremely careful and put no weight on that leg. I was walking with a walker and tripped just a little but came down heavy on the affected leg and I could actually hear what was a non-displaced, relatively east to fix fracture, break into many, many pieces.

This made the 1/25 surgery more complicated, requiring a hip and femur replacement. The recovery's been no fun but I'm getting through it.

So.....I was continuing on chemo (IV) and doing okay but recent scans showed some movement and the oncologist, wanting to keep ahead of it, recommended MEGASE. This is a heavy progesterone drug. Sometimes doctors proscribe this or estrogen, which apparently tricks the cancer into resetting itself, leaving the future open to perhaps try other types of treatment than chemo.

I did a search on this site and there is limited information from the past. HAS ANYONE TRIED THIS AND WANT TO TELL US ABOUT YOUR (GOOD AND BAD) EXPERIENCES?

Thanks in advance for any information. Sending love from central NJ. Ellen

[PJBinMI]

I don't have any personal experience with Megase but like you, I'm a long timer with MBC, E+, and initialy only bone mets (18 years). My first onc, now retired, was an experienced wise woman and she mentioned future options to repeat a med with with the idea of resetting the cancer cells. This may be an option that younger oncs aren't familiar with, since there are more treatment options than there were back that beloved onc of mine was trained. Just an "educated guess" on my part, LOL.I don't remember where you live, but if you are in the US, you might find it helpful to see a bc specialist onc, one who sees only bc patients. I don't know if you are up to travel beyond your current docs' offices and hospitals, but the top cancer centers in the US are the Comprehensive Cancer Centers, mostly med school affiliated and listed on the National Cancer Institute website. I've done that and that specialized onc felt like she had radar in her fingertips when she examined me, unlike any other breast exam I've ever had!

I've recently had "issues" with my feet, mostly not cancer related, but I spent time in a wheel chair and now my feet hurt when I walk and I'm waiting for some RX orthotic shoes and inserts to be ready for me. So I know just a fraction of what you've experienced and it's made me realize just how essential being able to get around on our feet and legs is! My heart goes out to you and I wish I had something miraculous to share with you! Hang in there and know that there are alot of us here who want to surround you with the healing you deserve!

{{{HUGS}}} Pam

[Bettybuckets]

I’m a former RD and we used to use mega energy to help cancer patients gain weight. That is all I know and wanted to share.