drs appts tuesday

I'm meeting my mom and we're going to see my ob-gyn and then my onc.  The Onc will probably be all for the hysterectomy and oopherectomy, the ob-gyn has already let me know he's thinking it's way too major a surgery to go through for something so minor (yeah, minor, like preventing a recurrence of BC or the uterine abnormality from tamoxifen is minor?)  I've been considering skipping the extra ob-gyn and just going with the onc's recommendation for the next step, since I already saw the ob-gyn last month. I may call my PCP and get his take on whether I should go back to the ob-gyn to discuss it further, or just see the onc.  I saw my pcp on Saturday.  I'm not too thrilled with the ob-gyn because he did that biopsy right there in the office.  I liked him otherwise, so did mom. 

 

oohhhh  I guess I'll call my PCP and see if he thinks I should see the ob-gyn again.

 

Genetic testing came back.  can't get the results until mid-december, unless I want to drive like 100 miles.  don't get me wrong, I love the mustang, but let's get real. 

Ellen, I can understand your feeling re: the ob/gyn. You do what you feel is best for YOU. Oftentimes, drs. are not as informed as they need to be re: possible complications from drugs. This is another example of how well-informed WE need to be when it comes to our health. Keep at it. Hugging you, Luci

Ellen,

Just know I will be with you for your appointments....I know you will make the right
decision.

Love and Hugs

Cathi

You go for it, Ellen. Don't let any one second guess. Surely the onc knows more about the situation than the OB-Gyn. Glad you have your mother with you to help. I'm there, too, with hugs. MK

Ellen, I'm still looking into all of this myself.  Here's some info I found on the web that might be of use: Leisha A. Emens and Nancy E. Davidson 2 The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland 21231-1000 Abstract Hormonal manipulation has been used for over 100 years to treat breast cancer. Ovarian ablation/suppression and tamoxifen are currently accepted adjuvant endocrine therapies for premenopausal breast cancer. Methods of per manently ablating ovarian function include surgical oopho - rectomy and radiation-induced ovarian failure; medical castration with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogues is a reversible approach. Adjuvant chemotherapy frequently results in permanent amenorrhea and thus rep- resents an indirect form of ovarian ablation. Although early randomized trials of ovarian ablation suffered from small sample sizes and design flaws, a meta-analysis of their re- sults through the Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collabora- tive Group demonstrated a clear benefit from ovarian abla- tion as a single intervention in the adjuvant treatment of women less than 50 years of age with breast cancer. The ovary is the major site of estrogen production in the premenopausal woman. A smaller amount of estrogen is pro- duced as a result of the aromatase-mediated conversion of androstenedione and testosterone to estrone and estradiol in extragonadal tissues. In contrast, peripheral aromatization is the primary source of estrogen in postmenopausal women. This major difference in the means of estrogen production mandates distinct strategies for disrupting its production in premenopausal and postmenopausal women with breast cancer. Accordingly, ovarian ablation/suppression is the most effective means of decreasing estrogen production in premenopausal women, whereas aromatase inhibition is emerging as the backbone of hormonal therapy in postmenopausal women.   If you want ALL 27 pages, I can email it to you.  I can't find the web link, but if you search under their names maybe it will come up.   Best of luck! Erin

Hang in there, Ellen. Do what you have to do. Make decisions you can live with. I will be with you in spirit today.

Hugs, Michele