Topic: FEMARA

rubytuesday ~

Would you tell us about which supplements you take for which se's?

Nico

I take teh same supplements and vitamins as rubytuesday.  I didn't start my joint issues until about 7-8 months into Femara.  I am physically active walking and caring/riding horses and now my joints really act up in the winter months.  I take Aleve when I can't ignore the discomfort.  I recently started Yoga and feel it is very helpful and i would be much worse without it.

rubytuesday ~  cp14

Thanks for the information! I take several of those supplements but don't know much about Curcumin. Is it an herb? Where do you buy it?

Nico

Nico, Curcumin is an herb and can be found at any 'vitamin store' or even Wally World.  Best wishes

Forgot to add that I also do Yoga and Pilates to help with flexability among other things. 

Hockeynut and all- I know that Femara (and AIs) can really be difficult but hang in there - it really works.  Trick is to try alternative and complementary things to help with SEs, also look at them as low/no estrogen problems and what would help get thru that (other than hormone replacement)

Exercise, yoga, stretching, mediation, music, hot/warm tubs or baths, keeping joints warm (try layers, silk long johns, cuddleduds etc) diet (have lots of ideas if anyone is interested let me know), juicing and/or blending.

Hang in ladies--one step at a time, one day at a time.

Ruby Tuesday - what is MSM?

I also am curious about the hair loss, mine is just starting to come back in after chemo.

I am sure it is different for everyone, but it took about a month for SEs to kick in with me...the first 6 months were the worst, then the hot flashes, night sweats, unbelievable tiredness, and some of the aches and pains receeded.   I remember thinking one day about a year later...hey, I feel pretty "normal" today".  It was a milestone for me.   I have been taking Femara for 2.5 years now....still have an occasional hot flash and live with joint pain.  Just recently, I discovered a weird pain killer.....Alka Seltzer.  I had a tummy ache and took the 2 Alka Seltzers and got a great nights sleep.  Didn't think much about it and then I took them again....hadn't use Alka Seltzer in years....felt pretty good.....I decided to check the ingredients....the equivenlant of 2 aspirins.   Don't know what my dr will think when I see him again, but I am hooked on Alka Seltzer now.  

I've been on femara for about two months and cannot believe the Watch Out!! hot flashes and foot pain. My hands also went to sleep about 10 times per night. Talk about sleep deprivation! Anyway, I know it's early days and I am giving this my best shot. I doubled my glucosamine tablets to 3000mgs and voila! no more painful/numb hands. It has definitely helped with the 'broken' feet as well, and I know this because I have tested it by not taking it. Also, I am currently experimenting with taking a half tablet at 7pm and a half at 7am. I'll keep y'all posted on that..maybe in about 10 days. I am attempting to quit drinking tea, especially after 4pm. I drink a lot of strong pot tea and it definitely increases the hot flashes. I'm considering (and lamenting) giving it up all together...sigh...but despite the hype, drinking a sea-load of it throughout my life made not one tap of difference to me getting/not getting cancer! And I'm including green tea here; it differs only in name from black tea in terms of antioxidants, caffeine and diruetic effect. (I drink that all day at work.) Hope this femara biz keeps our blood clean, girls. Hang in there. XXX

HUMMMMM......I hope for you that it is true but......you won'tsee total side effects till about two month. So just in case you won't be totally disappointed like I was. It was a breeze and then.....whamo. But like you said, we are all individuals.Good luck.

I HATED ARIMIDEX AND I HATE FEMARA. I'M 43 BUT FEEL 93! I WANT OFF!!!!!

Hi All.  I am on Arimidex and miami, I am right with you.  I keep pretending that I can make it, but I don't know how.  Also, I have gone to taking it every other day and cutting it to 1/2 or 3/4.  I'm doing the best I can.

Acupuncture - I do it and it really helped me during radiation.  I'm not sure how much it is helping me now.  My rad onc (who is conservative, but open minded) did say that if you can find a very good doctor of Chinese medicine he or she may be able to help with side effects.  I don't know though.

E 

About acupuncture - Johns Hopkins Breast Center is starting a study to see whether acupuncture helps relieve the joint aches of AIs. I've contacted them and have asked to be considered for participation in the study.  If anyone else lives near Baltimore and is interested, the contact person isKarineh Shahverdi, 410-502-0462.  They had signs up all over the Breast Center when I was there on the 31st, so they're still looking for people.  Even if you end up being the group that's assigned to get "sham" acupuncture instead of the real thing, once the study is over after 6 months, you can get 4 real acupuncture sessions free from them.

I just had my yearly Dexa Scan and have now been diagnosed with Osteopenia (age 52).  I've been on Femara since April 2006 and baseline Dexa Scan was in the high normal range.  I take 1600 mg Caclium with Mg daily and 6000 units of Vitamin D daily (increased from 4000 units Vit D daily).

This makes me want to scream.  I walk 1-2 miles daily (tried jogging but had to stop from joint pain).  I am a physically active person working full time plus cleaning stalls and riding 2 horses. I eat healthy and organic with no red meat and poultry seafood only. 

 Looks like I need to get the Zometa infusion as I probably will not tolerate oral bisphosphonates due to hx of heart burn which still acts up on occassion. A legacy from getting chemo as I never had heart burn prior to chemo treatments.

Any words of advise? 

Michele, same! An 'almost UTI' thing, I called it. I've been taking a half tablet at 7am and a half tablet at 7pm and so far, so good. I discussed this with my onc today and he's going to find out if it 'evening out' the dose will change the effectiveness of the drug. I'll keep all you Femara girls posted! XX