Overdue Update - Drugs and Normal Life (Sort of)

It has been almost 2 months since I last posted!  And I can’t take the time to update you properly now. But I’ll try to sum it up:  I’m working full time again, but still have a lot of appointments. I qualified for a drug trial and fortunately it is not a blind trial - I know I’m receiving the study drug! Plus it’s one already approved for use in patients with metastasized breast cancer and the study is testing it in patients with early stage but high risk cancer (among other requirements). I have to deal with some extra side effects but I see this as an extra layer of protection on top of the ongoing meds I would get anyway.

My protocol now is to take an aromatase inhibitor (letrozole) daily, get Lupron shots monthly and take the study drug (abemaciclib) twice daily.  Her is my layman’s understanding of what these do. Because my cancer was HR (hormone receptor) positive and HER2 negative, it fed on hormones (estrogen) and the goal of these drugs is to starve any cancer cells left hiding out. The Lupron shots put my ovaries to sleep - forcing me into menopause and stopping the ovaries from producing estrogen. The letrozole helps keep other tissue in the body from converting to estrogen (which would be the only source of estrogen in a menopausal woman).  The abemaciclib is a kinase inhibitor - and kinase is a protein that is involved in cell division. This the drug helps to stop or slow the division of cancer cells. 

The good stuff - a doctor friend pointed out that people in drug trials often have a better outcome if only because they are followed so closely. Because of this study, I get a lot more lab work and more frequent check ups with my oncologist’s office. Since I was randomized to the study drug which has already been shown to work in patients with metastasized cancer, I feel confident that it’s providing that extra layer of protection. 

The bad stuff - side effects. I’m not my old self yet. In fact, I think I was rebounding from treatment very well in August but as I started the new protocol in September, I lost some of the newfound energy. My hot flashes and some myalgia (muscle and joint stiffness/ soreness) is back because I’m going back into menopause. (Turns out my chemo menopause was not permanent and my hormones had started getting back to normal.) And the abemaciclib has its own trove of side effects, the most significant one so far requires me to keep Imodium in my bag at all times 😳. 

So that’s my medical status!  As far as the rest of life, I *ran* the Army 10 Miler. My slowest race ever but it is done. Running is a struggle right now. But I’m sticking with it albeit very slowly. Next up - a half marathon in December 😬

I’m working full time and even went on a work trip to Minnesota last month. I’m super tired lately so I’m struggling to excel at anything. This is the first year I have ordered the Halloween costumes - but they will still have a key DIY part of them and will be awesome. Stay tuned. 

This is already more than I meant to type and I desperately need sleep. So good night all!