Dick, or any other cancer, should not have materialised on the meds I was on following my original surgery in October 2016, so once he was evicted last year and I was given the all clear in November, it was decided to change them.
I didn’t have a problem with that so I was given a new prescription and booklet about the one they proposed to put me on. This was the most commonly prescribed for women who have not yet gone through the menopause. I left mine at the departure gate in NZ in 2010 but the flushes came back in a box as one of the side effects of the medication I was prescribed.
Hubby is very thorough about researching any medication either of us are prescribed and not only read the leaflet in the box but also any other information available. What we read started ringing clangers, let alone alarm bells for me considering my age, risks and family history, and the following day I rang the breast clinic with my concerns as we were far from happy at the potential prospect of inviting some other nasties to my door.
My nurse took it all on board and said she’d discuss it with my consultant when she got back off holiday.
I received a copy of a letter sent to my GP shortly before Christmas expressing concern for my worries when their choice was highly recommended and well tolerated but respecting my wishes and suggesting two others which could be discussed. I decided to leave it until after the holidays before making an appointment with my GP (we have found a lovely lady who at the moment we can see on request) and she too respected my wishes and we are trying one of the other alternatives.
There are a few extra side effects to look out for, like weight gain and the possibility of DVTs (very familiar to Hubby which is why he is on warfarin for life) but none of the other things that had made me so twitchy, so we decided to wait a couple of weeks so that we could monitor my weight, BP and pulse to get a base line for comparison.
My weight is more or less stable now and the scales were grinning at me this morning as the reading was right where I wanted to be. My BP was 133 over 72 with a heartbeat of 64.
Yesterday it was 120 over 74 with a heartbeat of 62.
I took the first pill this morning rather than my usual bedtime JUST IN CASE I have a reaction and we can do something about it at a sensible hour rather than the middle of the night. If all is OK, then I can go back to my nightly dose as that suits me better in respect of the hot flushes I’m still likely to get.
Time will tell of course and I won’t have my first reset annual mammograms until September. The good news is that I will be in and out in half the time as they only have one side to check now.
Naturally I am anxious after what has happened recently, but if something does turn up in the other breast, we’ve already decided that they can make the sides match.
pensitivity101 
I’m like your hubby. I do very thorough research before I put any medication in my mouth. That is a huge benefit of Google. It makes it very easy to get access to reliable information. Excellent news that you’ve found a good GP!
She is lovely and so far we have been able to see her when we need to.
Wonderful!
Hopefully we may have turned a corner in our healthcare here.
I sure hope so. I can’t believe what you’ve gone through with your local surgery.
Our previous Lincolnshire surgery was bad too, though they didn’t have a Sit and Wait clinic, and at least you ciold make appointments in advance.
I’ve always believed that the British healthcare system was one of the best in the world. I guess it’s consistent throughout the country.
Times have changed, and now you have to travel miles to ‘Centres of Excellence’ for major surgeries. We kept my breast cancer issues with Cheltenham as my consultant surgeon is one of the best in the country and they are a C of E, so I was glad we were ‘local’ when Humphrey turned up. I cannot fault the treatment and care I received for that. GP surgeries are not what they were and IMO badly run, though from what we understand elsewhere, it’s a similar story.
From your blog posts I could tell that the care you received re Humphrey could not have been better! Thankfully! It’s not what it used to be here either. Wait times are outrageously long — although having said that, when immediacy is needed, patients are seen quickly. But in outlying areas it is pretty bad. Even longer wait times due to shortages of doctors and equipment.
Likewise over here.
(Sigh). Guess it’s pretty much the same everywhere. Nothing is like what it used to be.
I remember going to the doctor’s and sitting n a wooden chair in a waiting room. Everyone moved up one as the patients went in.
I also remember BIG appointment books and the use of a pen or pencil.
Me too. I also remember a time when GPs made house calls.
Oh yes, me too on that. In fact I had to have the doc come to Hubby at home once when I found him in the bedroom floor. He had some kind of ear infection which had affected his balance and he literally could not stay upright.
I was in high school and got a pinched nerve in my neck. I couldn’t get out of bed. My mom had to call and get the doctor to come see me. Those days are gone and are never coming back.
I know. I had a severe migraine attack and Hubby called the doc. I was examined head to foot and checked for meningitis, then given a jab in my backside which cured my sore throat an absolute treat. He said I’d be out of it for about 3 days and he was right.
Thankfully it wasn’t meningitis, that is nasty! I got jabbed for my pinched nerve too. Didn’t knock me out but it helped ease the pain. Oh wait a minute — it wasn’t a pinched nerve — it was a muscle spasm. I think the jab was some valium which helped my muscle to relax. Even so I was home from school for 3 or 4 days. Excruciating. I had to wear one of those neck braces for a couple of weeks after. It was the only way I could move.
Nasty stuff Fransi. All OK now though with no recurrences?
It’s really strange Di. I had recurrences for several years and then suddenly it stopped. Very grateful for that let me tell you.
I bet. I felt the same about migraines and haven;t had one for years now.
Thankfully! They can be very debilitating.
There is such a lot you have to deal with! Very wise to research the nasty meds and I hope you find the right one for you with minimal side effects.
Good luck. 🙂
Thanks Sci. Day 1 on the new stuff and so far, so good!
I am so pleased that dick was shown the door and you’ve done so well since. Lucky you to have a hubs that is so thorough with regard to being informed about medications. Pet Ms. Maggie and have a great day! 🙂
Thanks Melanie. We have had a brilliant day today.
Argh. New meds are the pits!! Glad your doctors listen to you and work with you!!
Day 1 and so far nothing unexpected.