FEMARA
Comments
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I've been on femara since April 09. I agree, first few months were hard. Good news is it has not affected my hair coming back at all--I actually had to go get it trimmed yesterday. It came back thin where it was thin before, but very thick and curly in the other places. I have the arthralgia almost everywhere. I decided that the medication was just too good for me to not take it as I am Brac 2 positive. I will do whatever I have to to not get this again. I swim every day in a heated pool. I swim very slowly, but stretch well. If I sit too long, it hurts when I get up. I take ibuprophen for it and it does help. I thought about if I were dx with arthritis today, what would I do to manage the pain? That's when I decided to do more exercise and take much better care of myself that I can. Blessings ladies. I hope it gets better for you.
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Just wanted to tell you that if glucosamine & chondroitin doesn't work for you (it didn't work for me), try Omega 3 fish oil capsules. This has really taken away my hand and wrist aches. I'm still stiff in the morning but I do regular exercise so the rest of my body is okay too!
The omega 3 I use is by Health Balance, EPA400 and DHA200, and they are enteric-coated. I take 3 a day.
Linda
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Apple,
I'm very happy to tell you i have hair now,about as long as Jamie Lee Curtis's.I'm 24 weeks out from chemo.My top hair doesn't come down as far as hers over my forehead,but it's on it's way and that's a good thing!! So hang in there,it will come.
Kathi
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Hello all - just to say that taking Femara in the evening works ok for me. I have only been taking it for a couple of weeks but overall, not too bad. I am so willing to give this a really good go because the research I have done provides impressive reasons as to why (if at all poss) I would stick with this drug. It is true, as you have mentioned above, that it does seem to settle with any current problems you may have (I have carpal; tunnel left hand, and a bit of plantar fascitis in my feet).
I see my Onc this Friday and will ask the following : is this muscular or skeletal or both? I happen to have a Powerplate machine which is very good just for massage, so I want to ask what he thinks about that as a palliative. Horses get treated with ultrasound machines for back injuries - I never hear about simnilar tratment for humans but wonder if that would be good.
cider apple vinegar with honey : (Honeygar as it is called here - my granny swore by this for aches and pains.
Could anyone post a list of useful things to do?
I'll post anything useful from my Onc.
Good luck all -
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I have been on femara for 2 1/2 yrs and while it has affected many parts of my body, hair is not one of them. Full head of naturally curly hair. Best wishes to all
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Hello everyone.....It's been a long time since i've checked in here. Been trying to get over a bout of "acid reflux" which I'm sure came from all the stress related to BC. Never had a problem before. In no time it hit my throat and had been irritated ever since. Nexium has helped but it is totally not gone. Anyone else have this problem?? Anyway i started Femara Nov 1st and have no problems with it. I have no hair loss for those of you interested. Aromasin was started one year ago and it was awful, that is why i was switched to Femara. Can't complain and hope it stays that way. Good luck all.....
Artsee
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Ive been on Femara for about 3-4 months. I've been having a problem under my mast side. Kind of a full/heavy feeling in the axillary region combined with pain going the side. Its been getting progressively worse. No discernable swelling. I, too, have the foot pain (feels like they are covered with fire ants), joint pain, stiffness, slow hair growth, etc. But this other pain is new and I'm not sure if I should just chalk it up to the Femara or not
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Hi Jan,
I think the heaviness you are feeling and pain may be the start of lymphedema, is there any swelling? I am waiting to see a lymphedema physio in a couple of weeks as I had been experiencing something similar to you following a recent vacation. You should contact your onc. Femara is known to cause swelling. The onc told me to go for the appointment still even though my episode went away itself, she said it can happen at any time and can be brought on by many things, for me they think it was the flight to Cuba and the hot weather.
Artsee, it's good to see your name again and know you are doing well!
Gaynor
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I have not stopped taking it yet, but I try to take it every 2 days and will wait until I meet w/ alternative doc. I have met several survivors recently who choose to take nothing based on various reasons from $$$$ to s e's
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After reading many of your posts, I see that most of you had either chemo or radiation prior to starting Femara. Is there anyone who has not had chemo or radiation and is just taking Femara? I had a bilateral with immediate DIEP reconstruction a little over 2 weeks ago and will be starting Femara the beginning of September. No chemo or radiation was indicated in my case. I already have osteopenia for which I take weekly meds so I'm really worried about the side effects of bone loss. Please help.
Thanks,
Cathy
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One of Femara's SE's is osteoporosis so you want to make sure you take at least 1200mg of Calcium a day along with Vitamin D3 which helps your body absorb the calcium. I am also on Actonel due to already having osteopenia.
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Well I have been taking femara 6months.Only S.E. so far is the joint pain. I take the calcium and vitamin D3. The only thing that help with the joint pain is taking pain med. I just take one pill a day dont want to get hooked on it. Is there anything you can take that is not habit forming or has bad side effects.Does medication for depression help this pain?
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nann I have also been on Femara for 6 mo.I take osteo biflex and fish oil, se's arent to bad ,nothing an aleve wont handle.I also take Effexor 37.5 mg for the hot flashes. Kathy
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Nanna, I also would suggest trying Omega 3 Fish oil capsules (1,200 mgs/day). It seems to work for me. My pain and aches were concentrated in my hands and wrists. I had tried glucosamine chondroitin, which didn't help at all, and also gave me indigestion! Trying one thing at a time and giving it at least 2 weeks to see if it works seems to me the best path to take. Good luck!
Linda
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Does anyone take lyrica and femara . I have fibromyalgia and it suppose to be good for this.
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nana,
I don't know about Lycra but when I was on Remeron and another antidepressant Elavil they helped with some of the pain. Unfortunatly I cannot take any form of antidepressant side effects are too strong,specially dry mouth, almost made me loose my teeths, tried them all, you could give it a try.
Welga
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Does anyone have numbness/tingling in arms and back too? I have the 100 year old feet (I have increased the glucosamine to 1500 mg and that REALLY has helped) but now am waking with this numbness - feeling week in my right arm (not my bc side) - is this normal or do I contact my onc???
Thanks!
Lisa
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How long can you take a break from femara? I am thinking of taking a break from it but, dont want to stay off too long. Should i ask my onc first?
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Hi Nanna...my onc told me I could take a 30 day break if I wanted to here and there but to go back on these darn pills after. He said he has had women who take a couple months off because of the pain and have no problems. He also told me if you take 30 days off and the cancer returns in that short of time it was probably going to anyway. I have all kinds of problems with weight gain and my joints are about shot I think. I cannot walk far at all and having trouble finding shoes I can wear that do not kill me.....Good luck God Bless...jude14
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Okay... only been on Femara for a little over two weeks and the joint pains are horrendous. How long before they get somewhat better? I'm taking glucosamine/fish oil/ and now celebrex.
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it's been a month for me now.. a month and 6 days. the first week was definitely the hardest. I think i started it too soon after my last chemo (2 days later). i guess i can handle it ok. my lower back hurts.. shoot everything hurts, but i'm used to it. I've had arthritis for years anyway.
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I am taking glucosamine and fish oil daily and celebrex every other day and a pain pill the alternate day and still cannot walk with the joint pain from femara. Going to be on these things 2 years in Dec. and when that gets here I intend to take a month break off of them....I tell myself everyday one more day and that is how I am getitng thru them....I feel 90 years old and walk like I am 100...lol What a wonderful day though I am alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! jude14
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I've been on it for 4 months and my feet and legs still kill me. I saw onc last week and he seemed perplexed that I described my feet as feeling like they are covered with fire ants. He said he found that unusual. It sounds pretty usual from what I've read here. I thankful, though, that it's only my legs and feet. I guess it could be worse.
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Cathy -(Aug. 2nd post) I have commenced Femara immediately after the op and haven't yet started chemo.
I have got a bit of feet trouble, but try switching around the time you take the tablets to see what works best for you. I am into my 3rd week, and the problems have eased up.
EVERYONE have you tried cold pads on your feet at all, preferably with feet slightly raised. Bags of frozen peas will do. This may help with tingling etc. Presumably the pains are chiefly inflammation? I've used this succesfully for a foot problem called plantar fascitis, and am monitoring things a lot due to previous pain with the Plantar f. thing.
I am also taking all the supplements. At the mo I am not too bad overall.
Fire ants - worth trying the cooling effects of aloe vera maybe?
best wishes to all -
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HI All
This is my first post. Been on Femara for slightly over a year. I think I am lucky my pains are on and off. joint stiffness in the morning or after a long drive. My problem is that I now have osteoporosis, Onc wants to put me on Zometa, i am stage IIb (Jan 06) any one taken Zometa for osteoporsis? at what dose?
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Hi Everyone, haven't been here for a little while, was in the "waiting room" instead. Had my 3 monthly onc visit yetserday and on discussion of the side effects I've been experiencing recently we've decided I can take a 30 day vacation from Femara,Yeh! I have had a lot of major stress over the past couple of months and foudn that the stress seems to exagerate the side effects of Femara significantly so insteadof taking extra drugs for stress and insomnia we opted for the "vacation break" instead to see if helps. I had go to the point where I have constant pain, swelling, insomnia even with meds, exhaustion - you name it. I just hope this break works, how long before the side feects start to go off?
Well that's me caught up. Hope you all have a good weekend, summer's nearly over.
Gaynor
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I STARTED TAKING MY FEMARA 6 DAYS INSTEAD OF 7 TRYING TO BE CONSERATIVE WITH THEM SINCE I FELL THROUGH DOUGHNUT HOLE ON MY MEDICARE PART D.HOPE WILL GET SOME HELP FROM ONC MAYBE GET SOME SAMPLES. WISH THE DRUG CO WOULD LOWER THE PRICE ON THIS MEDICATION.SO PEOPLE CAN AFFORD THEM. I
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informationworm... I'm getting blood work done on Thursday in preparation for a Zometa infusion on Friday. The infusion will evidently take about 30 minutes or so. My onc ran it by my insurance company and they will pay for it.
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What is a Zometa infusion? Did I read you have only been on Famara maybe 3 weeks now? I just started it 2 weeks ago today -- so far just some night sweats and soreness when I get up in the morning. I'm holding my breath though since some have indicated their SE did not start for a month or two. I hope the SE's lessen for you -- at least in severity. It seems for some the SE from this regime can be worse than chemo (at least some reports on this site sound worse than I experienced with chemo). I guess I have been very lucky so far.
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montrial... I'll know more after Friday, BUT my onc really likes the U.S. and European studies on the effects of the Zometa infusion. It is to help bone density for someone like myself. Prior to BC, I had the bones of someone much younger due to exercise, etc. However, since my dx, I have had my ovaries/tubes removed and have started on Femara. Therefore, I am at much greater risk of developing osteoporosis than before. The Zometa infusion is given every 6 months, I believe.
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