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  • 1.  Symptom/Side Effect Management

    Posted yesterday

    Okay, so here I am with another question.

    If you have had medication side effects/symptoms, who do you go to for help alleviating them? 

    I know I am maybe a bit unique, in that my treatment is hormone therapy based, and not surgical, etc. But like, my nurse practitioner can't help me, said to take my complaints to my gyne oncologist. 

    My gyne oncologist said yesterday that he doesn't deal with symptoms/side effects, and is sending me to a reproductive endocrinologist? He did admit he's not sure if the reproductive endocrinologist will be of much help, but we will give it a try. 

    I am in the midst of finding a new naturopath to work with, I am thinking they might be my best bet for helping me manage some of my hormonal side effects. 

    The only other suggestion my gyne oncologist had was to stop treatment and go the surgical route. I really don't think asking for some help with symptom management is unreasonable though? 



  • 2.  RE: Symptom/Side Effect Management

    Posted 2 hours ago

    @MissERP this does sound odd that the gyne oncol said he doesn't help with 'symptoms/side effects'. Out of curiosity, who prescribed the hormone therapy? From my perspective (which could be wrong), the doctor that prescribed it should be the one monitoring it and providing support for any side effects. I know that for side effects I've experienced from anything relative to medications and/or treatments for my cancer, that it was gyne oncologist who was my go to (or her team). If it was something prescribed by my GP, then it was to her. So I'm curious.

    #Treatmentandsideeffects




  • 3.  RE: Symptom/Side Effect Management

    Posted an hour ago

    @Alwayslearning back in November when I had my initial consult with my gyne oncologist, he laid out my options. I went back a couple weeks later, told him I want to go the hormone treatment route, he said, okay, go back to my then local obgyn and have her place the IUD and prescribe the letrozole. Of course, that obgyn stopped providing my care in Jan/Feb, and I started seeing my gyne oncologist again in March. Since then he has been the one overseeing this for me and writing new or updated prescriptions as we changed my dosage, etc. 

    There is a Lymphedema clinic at LHSC that I found this morning while searching online. I gave them a call for fun to learn whats what and they even said yes, the oncologist doesn't do anything for symptom management. I called his office after and left a voicemail asking if he can send a referral for me to go see them to help with my increased lymphatic swelling. 




  • 4.  RE: Symptom/Side Effect Management

    Posted an hour ago

    @MissERP, my oncologist had mentioned that if hot flashes and such were bothering me that she would refer me to the sexual health clinic where they would know more about treatments.   Otsure if you have something like that available where you are.




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