As if getting breast cancer isn’t bad enough, I now have to deal with an extremely high triglyceride level in my blood. It gets worse. Apparently, tamoxifen, the medication that I take to prevent a breast cancer recurrence, can increase triglycerides in the blood. So now I have to be concerned about a heart attack or stroke down the line. Thank goodness I’ve already been taking a baby aspirin every night to help prevent this from happening.
My primary care physician has given me three months to lose 15 pounds, though I actually could lose 25. I have to start getting my triglyceride level down or my doctor will have to put me on medication to do so. I want to avoid that, so I started my diet and will soon be on a regular walking routine.
I was told that I have to stop taking tamoxifen one week prior and one week after my implant surgery because it may increase the risk of my getting blood clots. Even though I doubt that the tamoxifen is causing my elevated triglyceride level, because I’ve been on it for only a few months, I’m anxious to see how I’ll feel when I’m off it. I can’t say that I’ve had any side effects specifically from this medication, but I haven’t been feeling like myself either. As I feared, last month I skipped my monthly menstrual cycle and instead had only some discharge. I’ve also been feeling rather exhausted. So it’ll be interesting to see how I feel when I’m off this medication. Of course, I’ll be on other medications after the surgery… for pain and antibiotics to prevent infection.
Keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I get closer to the big day that happens in about three weeks. Reconstruction here I come!
I love your blog and am interested in knowing more about why you started it and the type of feedback you get. Please look at my questions at http://lisagualtieri.com/2010/01/23/blogging/. Thank you!
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Hi Lisa:
I sent you an email with answers to all your research questions. I mainly started the blog because I was asked to by Baptist Hospital. They wanted a forum where women could connect and share information about breast cancer and I thought this was a great idea. Though I don’t get many comments, the hospital has told me we do get alot of visitors who are more than likely reading the posts. Blogging isn’t something I normally do and it is often difficult for me because I don’t want to think about my illness. Yet, I am committed to sharing my thoughts as long as I have important things to say and as long as it is a healing journey for me personally.
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