-
Just took my first anastrozole....
With fear beating in my heart. How long does it take to figure out if I will be having side effects? I don't want to lose my hair. I feel like I might wake up tomorrow looking like Gollum.....
-
CBD and Tamoxifen
Hi There Fellow Survivors, I will have been taking Tamoxifen for 4 years this coming September. I have been very fortunate in that my side effects are within my tolerance level. However, the main SE I have are 24 hour twitching of my legs. I can tolerate this until I get painful contractions which can make my entire leg…
-
Zoladex rebate
Hello! I started getting in-office Zoladex a few months ago. I have a commercial insurance plan. I see that there's a co-pay card online, but it says if you get your injections in a doctor's office you can apply for reimbursement with proof of payment and an EOB. I looked at my EOBs on my insurance website, and everything…
-
Increased blood pressure....
Hi all I have been taking anastrozole for about 9 months and have had increasing blood pressure since then. I don't know if it's the anastrozole causing this, but I've never had blood pressure problems. Has anyone else had this?
-
Tamoxifen, COVID-19 Vaccine and Estradiol Changes?
Hi All. I just completed my 4th year on Tamoxifen. About a couple of years ago I finally stopped getting the horrendous hot flashes and night sweats. I received the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine and not long after, started getting hot flashes again. When I had my onco appt this week with bloodwork, I asked to have my estrogen…
-
scared and trying to prepare for tamoxifen
I'm supposed to start tamoxifen mid-May, and I am SCARED. I'm in the home stretch of 18 radiation treatments for stage 2 ILC and DCIS, removed mid-February in an oncoplastic breast reduction, clear margins, no lymph node involvement. I'm 47, premenopausal, periods like clockwork. My MO basically said, "here's the…
-
Is it safe to use Premarin cream if ER-/PR-
I did not know where to post this question so I will do so here. I want to know if it is safe to use Premarin vaginal cream a couple of times per week if I am estrogen and progesterone negative. I saw my gynecologist Tuesday for a routine pap (had hysterectomy but left cervix) and he said he "thought" it would be okay to…
-
Breast Cancer Index outside of the US
I just finished five years of Tamoxifen and would like to get the BCI (Breast Cancer Index) test done... but I live in Canada. The company (Biotheranostics) will only accept referrals from a US doctor. No longer taking Tamoxifen is stressing me out, but Tamoxifen was causing some not-so-good side effects so I don't want to…
-
Does your Oncotype score play games with your head?
Hi all. I'm not sure if this is the right forum for my question. My Oncotype score was a 7. I've noticed that knowing that I'm "low risk" for recurrence is affecting my attitude toward my treatment. I feel less committed to my medications, less worried about drinking too much or not eating enough vegetables. I have…
-
Autoimmune disorders
Has anyone been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder while on an AI? Aside from joint issues, I've been running low grade fevers(99-100). No other symptoms and am Covid negative.
-
Switching Hormone Therapies
I thought I'd make a thread for discussing switching hormone therapies so people can share experiences and better have an idea as to what expect, as it seems to be a fairly common thing. I was pre-menopausal when I was diagnosed and was originally placed on Tamoxifen a few weeks after chemotherapy. Tamoxifen has the added…
-
Wbc dropping
I had lab work done yesterday and saw the PA at my MO’s office. Next appointment she said I should see the MO. But I’m a little concerned. Having memory issues, extreme fatigue, even confusion- forgetting what day it is and a few other things like that. And not just the oh what day is it? But genuine confusion and…
-
Aromotase Inhibitors
Hi all, I am new to the community. I was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer, went through chemo, radiation as well as a lumpectomy. I was then told I need to take 5 years of Aromatase Inhibitors. I started on Exemestane, horrible pain and side effects. I changed to Anastrozole, same situation, tons of pain,…
-
Anastrozole Depression
Hi - I am wondering if other women have experienced depression when taking anastrozole. By depression, I don't mean being a little down or teary eyed but worse than that. I won't call it severe but it is getting to that level. A few weeks after starting the drug I started to experience depression, joint/muscle pain and…
-
hot flashes and sleepless nights
Hello, I am taking tamoxifen for last 10 months and I am having a bad spell of hot flashes which affect greatly my sleep. Any one can suggest something to help with this issue. Thank you
-
Periods after Lupron - when did it normalize for you?
Hi All, I am no longer on lupron shots and experiencing my first period back since stopping the shots. I had my last 3 month shot in October. My period is on day 3 and extremely heavy. I'm going through a super tampon every hour. I expected the first period back to be very irregular since this Is my first period since…
-
Anastrozole and the Sh*tz
Hello my sisters in BC -- a lovely topic, I know. Do many of you have diarrhea from Anastrozole? I am just starting month three and have had it since week two. I was managing as best as I could (BRAT diet, etc.) but it is almost non-stop now. I called my Oncologist yesterday as it had gotten untenable. I was up stripping…
-
Arimidex and developing a cough
Has anyone developed a nagging cough after taking Arimidex for a couple of months?
-
Seeking letrozole experiences
I just started letrozole today and am trying to mentally prepare. A few questions for those of you who are on it: - How long have you been on it? - What have been the most notable side effects? - What has helped side effects, if anything? Did any go away over time? - If you have tried Estring, how has your experience been?…
-
Why Tamoxifen if the DCIS has been removed?
Hello Community I was recently diagnosed with DCIS (2 mm) and had a partial lumpectomy this past Tuesday. The needle biopsy (prior to the lumpectomy) said it was my DCIS was hormone positive, which is a good thing. My estrogen levels are very high. What I don't understand at all is: if the DCIS has been removed, then what…
-
Life on aromasin
Just starting aromasin after being on tamoxifen for 1.5 years. I am also on effexor so did not experience hot flashes with tamoxifen and my other side effects were mild. Am curious how others have done on Aromasin. Thanks ray Edited by Mods to add content from our main Breastcancer.org site on Aromasin: Benefits, Side…
-
Does anyone take Letrozole (Femara) every other day?
Does anyone take Letrozole (Femara) every other day? I hope to reduce the dose to ease my side effects. But my oncologist doesn't recommend taking it every other day. I've seen one or two persons mentioning this approach in other topic. I would like to know if there are more doing this (i.e. taking Letrozole every other…
-
Tamoxifen and poor wound healing
I have posted before and I am about to lose my mind. Ever since I started Tamoxifen, I have been getting constant anal fissures. This happened when I started taking it last year. I've tried every single cream in the book, seen numerous surgeons and a GI, had surgery (which ultimately failed due to the skin issues I'm…
-
Exemestane and depression
Hi, I was recently switched from letrozole to exemestane, about a week and half ago. I was on letrozole for 2 years and due to bone pain that doesn’t seem to be letting up, she’s trying me on exemestane. So far a feel a slight relief of bone pain, but am now experiencing heavy depression and crappy moods since starting the…
-
Neoadjuvant Arimidex or other endocrine therapy?
So my treatment plans keep getting bounced around. I thought I'd be having surgery pretty soon, but my tumor is relatively large, and I unfortunately developed a Deep Vein Thrombosis in my upper arm after the IV from my breast MRI on 2/25. Until yesterday, I still thought that there was a plan for addressing my Xarelto…
-
Breast Cancer Index
Dear BC sisters, If you’ve taken the Breast Cancer Index test I have a few questions. My MO is ordering the test to help me decide if I should extend my Armidex hormone therapy two more years for a total of seven years. I don’t think I could do another five. I also read the SALSA report which indicated there was no…
-
when you finally stop Letrozole, after oophorectomy?
Hi, while the joint pain is a struggle, it’s something I think I can solider through so far. What’s getting to me most is weight. While never slim, now I’m on weight watchers counting carefully, doing a fasting diet of 16-8 hours, walk/hike at least 10,000 steps a day, lift weights 3X a week and…cannot lose this belly or…
-
Well crap (exemestane)
now I know why not a lot of people are on exemestane (aromasin). $60 for a 30 day supply and that’s with insurance. Out of pocket CVS said $499. Holy cow. Those of you who take it may I ask what you pay? Thanks Nanc
-
Tamoxifen and Hair loss?
(UPDATE for those who dont' want to read all 4 pages. After countless tries to figure out what was going on, I settled on this. I got dermatitis from a bad massage therapy session on my scalp AND my hair is thinning due to tamoxifen. I started using the irestore laser helmet and both issues disappeared (my hair looked…
-
Who Currently Manufactures Brand-Name Arimidex?
I have been taking brand-name Arimidex for a few years. I buy it from the mail-order Eagle Pharmacy through Arimidex Direct, which was originally run by AstraZeneca, the British company that created and originally manufactured the drug. For the last couple of year, the Minnesota drug company ANI has distributed the drug,…