I saw the oncologist yesterday - he was "running late". We waited well over an hour after a blood-letting and the usual check on vital signs by a nurse. Nothing to read other than signs on the wall about prostate cancer, lung cancer and such like.
Anyway, it seems my blood count is reasonable, low in places but no lower than expected, and not low enough to cause more time off the Ibrance or other meds. I reported to the doctor that, lately, I've been suffering arthritis-type pains in all my finger joints, and in my shoulders and elbows. I assume it is a side effect from either Ibrance or the estrogen blocker Anastrozole. He agreed, and said if it gets bad enough that I can no longer grip properly, we'll have to do something about it. Hmmm. I'd rather hoped for more, but as I can still manage to knit and type and do most things, other than opening bottles and cans, if a little more painfully than usual, I must grin (cynically) and bear it.
On the positive side, round about the same time as those new joint pains arrived, my left femur problem has seemed to lessen somewhat. I surmise that the medications have taken this amount of time to do anything noticeable enough for me to actually feel. They could have reached deep enough in my system for other, stronger side effects to emerge, along with any positive hoped for effects. Side effects so far have been some hair thinning and appetite suppression, with loss of weight (also partially caused by the lyphacitic colitis I also had diagnosed in the midst of everything else).
Anyway, my next appointment with the oncologist is at the end of February, with another CT scan to be arranged shortly before that. The doctor wants to make sure that nothing has changed in the 3 months since the last CT scan. More anxiety about results await, but I'll have a few weeks' grace before I need to worry, so I shall try to push it out of my mind.
Thanks for the update T, I know some days we can push it aside and get engrossed in something and then others it seems to take on a life of its own, wheedling for attention. I gave in to wheelchair at the hospital now due to all the breathlessness and the lack (it seems) of any kind of iron in my blood and the pains in the legs which had another test today too. Long winding corridors to negotiate between labs does me in.
ReplyDeleteIt would be helpful if all my specialists and GP could consult and streamline these hospital visits but again, it never seems to occur to them. In this digital age you would think a button could be pushed? So many days tied up with one clinic lab or test.
Enough whining, that's weird about your fingers but the femur picking up the slack is a good thing.Take some vitamin e for your hair, it did wonders for mine for like you I had super thick hair which started to thin about 5 years ago and bingo this vitamin e capsule twice a day has really improved it.
Big hugs, you are going through a lot.
XO
WWW
Wisewebwoman ~ Thank you for your thoughts and support WWW. Yes, you have more than plenty to deal with yourself on the health front!
ReplyDeleteMy scan is now listed for 18 Feb. and it'll be a PET scan instead of a CT scan. Not too pleased about that. The PET scan is done only on Tuesdays (it's a travelling affair in a huge truck) and my oncologist is at the hospital here only on Wednesdays, so results will be over a week away for me - I see him on 26th. I've asked if I might get some information by phone before 26th if possible. My last PET scan was in June 2019, with a CT scan in October.
Thanks for the tip about vit.e for hair. I take a multi-vitamin but will get some extra 'e' tablets to supplement it.
Love and hugs to you too WWW.
When Will you finish the story it looks and reads awesome .. waiting nervously cheers
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