FEMARA
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Don't let me scare you from Femara, even if it is making it harder for me to lose weight I am losing it is just uber slow. And that is why God made tweezers.
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hi Chrissy
Thanks for your very useful suggestion - will take pills at night (why didn't I think of this??!). Also encouraging to think foot pain might wear off with time. And exercise definitely helps.
I don't habitually take medication for anything if I can possibly help it, so pain killers work really well - I took some Ibuprofen for toothache the other evening and woke with pain-free feet! So I might give that a try from time to time.
Thanks again - big hugs
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Hi Ladies.. have a question.. I'm in a drug trial with Pablo and Letrozole (Femara) and I have all but lost my appetite. Anyone have this s/e?Cathy
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Cathy that's not a usual SE of the Femara it may a SE of the Pablo. If you have lost your appetite try drinking a protein shake with a little fruit and chia seeds in it. That will supply a lot of the nutrients you are missing by not eating. Do you have a powder over there called 'Sustogen'? There are two types, Sustogen and Sustogen Hospital.......it can be mixed with milk, oat milk, almond milk etc and is used when people have lost their appetite to give the body vitamins, minerals etc that is needed on a day to day basis. Don't let the not wanting to eat go on too long as we can't afford to loose too much weight even if we do carry a few extra pounds to begin with.
Hope this helps.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Mary, Ibuprofen is an anti inflamatory that's why your feet felt good when you woke. If you don't like medication (Ibuprofen can do damage to the liver and kidneys if taken over a long period) can I suggest you try both Boswellia Searata and Curcumin, both of which are natural anti inflammatory and do not damage the organs. These may work well for you.
Cyber, you may find that the SE from Femara/Letrozole will mimic menopause plus ten........yes, some can be pretty full on such as the hot flashes.......I called then melting moment as that is what they felt like to me......lol. For me the SE came and went and the only one that hang around was the flashes but I have been on the little pill for almost five years and now have no discernible SE at all. Oh by the way, the chin hairs appear because of that lack of estrogen but hopefully you won't end up as the bearded lady!.....lol.
Love n hugs, Chrissy
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Cyber, for me the SEs the first year were definitely related to being hurled into menopause feet first. I was pre-meno, then had chemo, then had an ooph (to make sure I was in menopause), then started femara. It was, uhm, interesting
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Hi all! Been off the thread for a while. Beyond busy at work, which in consulting is a good thing. But it's been a bit much. I read the posts about Femara fits with a giggle. I had a horrific run in with a little old lady at the supermarket about a week ago and I totally lost the plot. Not proud of myself, but... I was in fog brain mode and apparently parked myself and my cart in a manner which blocked her progress. She jammed the corner of her shopping cart into my bum and it hurt! I said "ouch" and looked at her and she said, "I didn't hit you on purpose, but you're blocking the aisle." My husband said, "yes she did" (hit me on purpose). Further on down the aisle, they were stocking shelves, so only 1/2 the aisle was open so I tried to go past the mess to park the cart. However, I again "blocked her way" so she hit me hard in the bad hip with her cart and let me know if was on purpose. I totally lost the plot with her. Nasty old biddy. I blame my behaviour on being tossed into menopause the day I was diagnosed as Stage IV, plus the Femara. I was certainly raised better than that, so it's obviously not my fault.
I'm still on Femara; go to the oncologist in July to see how I'm doing. I have arthritis all over and just ache. I've noticed that my hands hurt a lot all of the sudden. Feels like arthritis in most of the finger joints, but my middle finger on my right hand and ring finger on my left feel like they've been smashed in the car door or something. Hating this little SE. Anyone else have odd finger stuff going on?
Other than aching and being tired, I'm doing well on the Femara. The hot flashes have greatly subsided, and it's winter here, so I don't mind them as much. And haven't had night sweats for several months!
Hugs to all,
Terre
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Cathy.....my first year on L I lost my appetite, had nausea and vomiting.....lost a ton of weight too. One year later it has all subsided and now I can't stop eating....lol....Inhave gained all my weight back plus 20 extra lbs ......with this drug you never know what you are going to experience....my rule of thumb is always check it with your Onc just to be safe.....
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..i do have a loss of appetite, too, there only a few things that interest me anymore, most of which are carbs or sweet. sux. and coffee. but i am still gaining! it is the lack of wanting to move much. i know i should but my interest level in actually getting myself to move, is next to nothing..i really don't like myself much lately.
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Kath it's always hard to accept just what this disease and all the treatments do to our life and our bodies and you are not alone in not liking what has happened. I think the hardest part of all of this is finding away to say to hell with it and what will be will be and mean it but in truth, that is the only way that you can live life the best way you know how and find the best in each day.
I do hope that you can find yourself and love what you find, even if it's only a little bit, it helps.
Love n ((((((((hugs)))))))). Chrissy
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chrissy, you make me get tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat
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Oh Kath, I don't mean to make you cry, that's the last thing I want to do,,,,(((((hugs))))))) and more ((((((hugs)))))).....wish I were closer so I could hug you for real.
Much love. Chrissy
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o chrissy, it's ok, i meant it in a good way.. it is just that, really i can feel your genuine love and concern, all the way from where you are! & coming here to read, and get to know everyone, really it is what is keeping me sane. and i would hug you right back!
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KiwiCatMom - what an old biddy at the market! She certainly would have had wheel track marks down her back had she tried that with me. How incredibly rude and awful! So sorry you had to deal with that.
IT WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT YOUR FAULT!!!
Finger issues are common on Femara. Some feel like arthritis, others are severe trigger fingers. There may be some topical solutions that help a lot.
Yay on the reduced hot flashes and night sweats!!!
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Thanks, Blessings. I feel better today. Just had a high pain day yesterday for whatever reason. My fingers feel better and everything hurts less today. Thanks for letting me know about the Femara - finger thing. I'll look at some anti-inflammatory topical stuff and see if it helps. Just had a whiny day yesterday because of the high pain thing.
Kath - I can understand being concerned about lack of appetite. Wish I had that issue; I'm just chronically hungry. Neither extreme is good; hope your appetite comes back soon!
Hugs to all,
Terre
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OK, Guys, need some advice!!! I am sorry if this is such a repeat, but can't read through all the posts on this topic so putting it out there again...maybe.
I am considering starting Effexor and wonder about any of you who are taking Femara and Effexor. Or maybe you have other advice that will help me as I am at my wit's end
Throughout this BC experience I've experienced all kinds of emotions and mood swings, yet they always seemed to me to be within the realm of normal and reasonable for anyone going through this. I was able to do what I had to do and go on with work and family and the rest of my life. Now, I find myself, almost 4 years out, 1.5 years after starting Femara, and I am an emotional wreck! I am crying constantly, unable to cope with minimal stress (the toilet paper running out can set off a cascade of tears
and am even losing the ability to see joy and laugh. I am also terribly anxious often. Hot flashes stopped for months and have picked up with a vengeance, often precipitated by a feeling of terrible anxiety. I have been taking a half a xanax each night just to get through the night without waking up from these panic attack/hot flash episodes. Without it, i hardly sleep. I think becuase I am so tired, and anxious, I am also not that much fun to live with and find myself irritable and trying not to scream at my family a lot of the time. This is all looking to me like depression, but there is nothing in my life beyond the usual stressors that is causing this, that I can see. I should probably go see someone, but I frankly, don't have the patience and I think this is mostly chemical in my case. I think going down to almost zero estrogen is wreaking havoc on me emotionally, sort of like PMS squared. I can live with the hot flashes though unpleasant in this hot climate, but it is the depression and inability to enjoy life that's really getting to me. But I'm a bit scared to start on yet another medicine... I feel like one med keeps causing the need for more meds. Heard it is hard to get off of. Don't need more weight gain, in case it causes that , too. Just wondering if anyone has had similar experiences and has been helped by antidepressants, effexor in particular since it seems to be ok w femara and it might help the hot flashes too.
Thank you!
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sgreenarch all the things you are describing I felt when I was on Arimidex and it was only the change to Femara that bought them to a close. The hot flashes were something else and my doc prescribed Effexore but it didn't work well for me so I stopped using it. I do hope that you can find what works for you and gives you your joy back.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Hi SGreenarch. I haven't done Effexor, but Prozac is my best friend. Several years ago, I was going through similar emotions to what you describe. I have a friend who's a counsellor and I went to him. He basically told me it was a chemical issue which had put me into mood swings, temper flares, crying jags, irrational feelings, etc. Kind of like PMS squared is right! I was told by my MO that I was having hormonal surges with my hormones going nuts. So, onto Prozac and got myself chemically stable, then went in and dealt with the issues I did have (which weren't many) and was able to wean off Prozac after about a year. When I was diagnosed with Stage IV, it was the first thing I asked for and it's kept me on a reasonably even keel (except for the supermarket issue mentioned above). I still have some mood swings, but nothing like I experienced during my "PMS squared" episode.
I know there are others here on Effexor so I'm sure they can give you better advice than I, but I wanted to let you know you're not alone; it's likely a chemical imbalance, and help is out there.
Hugs,
Terre
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sgreenarch, I have been on Effexor since about 2004. When I started on Effexor, I was on Tamoxifen, until 2006, and then started taking Femara from 2006-2008. I was taking the lowest dose of 37.5 for years, and when I was going through a separation and divorce in 2007, my doctor upped the Effexor to 75 mg, which I'm still on currently.
It has definitely proved effective for me, and has taken the edge off, saving me many tears and alot of depression. I am loving life, and have even handled this recent second diagnosis very well.
I really didn't have any weight gain while taking the hormone therapy for 7 years, from 2001-2008, nor from taking the Effexor. I am fairly active, walking and Jazzercise, and some free weights and tubes during the week. I do suffer from insomnia, and usually use Ibuprofen PM or Ambiem occasionally to get a good night's sleep.
I still have hot flashes and night sweats, but it doesn't seem as often as it was in the past.
It looks as if I may be back on Femara in a few weeks due to DX #2. So, here I go again. I am curious as to how my body will react during this repeat performance, since I'm 6 years older now. Well, I guess I'll soon find out - lol!
Hope this helps...
One love,
tp4ever
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I do not have experience with Effexor but know friends who are taking it for hot flashes for menopause and say it works very well.
Yeah, I am thinking that grocery cart woman must be on Femara AND testosterone lol. I wish we could wear a sign, "treat me more nicely since I have been through a lot of crap", but some people would not be any nicer.... sorry you went through that Kiwi.
I would love to have a loss of appetite from Femara but I will say I am not starving all the time like I used to be. Kath I agree, love yourself, because you are wonderful and special and made of a whole lot more important stuff than that number on the scale. I refuse to let my size or number dictate who I am and whether I am worthy or accepted. I guess it is just easier since I lost weight before cancer and now still feel thinner even a few pounds up from when diagnosed. I will keep plugging on being healthy cuz I owe it to myself but won't jump off a bridge if I am doing all I can and it doesn't do what I want.
Love to you all, you are the best!
Cindy
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I'll weigh in here too about Effexor and Femara. I was already on generic effexor when I was diagnosed with mets, mostly for anxiety that also became depression. thank god because I can't begin to imagine how much more difficult it would have been without the meds. I'm having hot flashes from the femara (generic letrozole) and they might be more severe if I wasn't on effexor but since I will never ever ever go off effexor we'll just never know. :-)
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sgreenarch - one of the worst SEs I had on Arimidex was the depression. I couldn't find a reason to get out of bed. Fortunately, I didn't have it that bad on Femara, before I went off the drug.
As a retired counselor, I am wholeheartedly in favor of any medication that will make life easier for you. I just caution folks to strongly consider concurrent counseling.
No matter the reason - PTSD, situational depression, whatever - it helps to be able to go in and talk with someone and rant and rave and cry and never be judged (hey, like here on BCO!) and come out of it with a new set of skills for coping with all the changes.
I got my referral to my therapist from my MO. She specialized in working with cancer patients. After my surgeries, I was fortunate to not need chemo or rads. But something was missing.I should have been so happy! I was cancer-free, I'd lost weight, yet - I no longer had any idea who I was.
I didn't use any meds during counseling, but so many women say they help. If they help you, by all means try them. Just think about having a place where you can do some mental housekeeping at the same time.
Hugs and good wishes....
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Blessings - I totally concur. Easier said than done, I know. I don't know about Israel, but when my mom had cancer, both the hospital and the American Cancer Society had free counselling. Here, I got it through the District Nurse and the Cancer Society Nurse. Religious organisations often have counselling services too.
I had a wonderful counsellor in the US who gave me a safe place to say anything I needed to. The experience here in NZ hasn't been quite as good, but the counsellor did help to an extent and was time well spent.
Terre
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Yes to concurrent counseling! I didn't mention that when I started on anti-depressants I was in counseling and was blessed with the insurance to pay for it. If anyone is near a Cancer Support Community (the former Wellness Community and Gilda's Club merger) they provide both individual counseling and support groups (I attend a support group) and it is all FREE!
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blllaaagh, you guys? why would my patient id bracelet all of a sudden change from always saying 'outpatient' to 'reccuring/therapeutical', right after my last weeks MRI? i went there today to do vad flush, and picked up results of mri, which was basically the same as the one i did 3 months ago, but did not even take note of all the enlarged lymph nodes that were noted on the one three months ago. just non- mass enhancing area just under the scar. insurance billing? do they know something i don't? why didn't they call me? and plus, while doing manual lymph drainage, i am pretty sure there are some new hard and enlarged lymph nodes right in armpit, that were not hard and enlarged (to my touch) that i only noticed 4-5 weeks ago myself. no note was made of any of em, this time, only last time. i am not looking for trouble, only trying to understand. it just always wigs me out a bit when i see on bco, where women are stage 4 with a lot less positive nodes than me, and i did have lots of extravascular invasion too.(and heck, how many lymph nodes can you HAVE in one area?? help. and i am alone today, because my man had to go to beach without me, i made him, because i had misplaced or lost my housekeys, after the truck was all packed, and he was willing to wait while i found them, but after we both looked for them for an hour, i just felt like i wanted to have a private nervous breakdown.then i found them, and i asked him to just please go, and have fun. what is the matter with my brain, that i cannot keep track of stuff? i thought a day or two alone, would give me a chance to clean up all my crap paperwork and other things that if they weren't so cluttery, totally not like me, then maybe i would be able to find something, and go to the beach...
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kathec- I can hear the fear and panic in your words. I am so sorry for you to have to battle this alone! I think it is definitely time to call your MO or at least talk to your oncology nurse and get some answers to these questions. I know our minds can tend to run wild with all the possibilities and I have been there. And yes I am one of those who had 1 positive node only. Yet I'm stage IV. For two years I had two tiny spots on my lungs show up CT after CT but with very little change I was told it probably wasn't cancer. Yet I didn't know for sure.. and as it turned out they were wrong. I know the torture of wondering and its the worst. You have to get some answers ASAP. Sending hugs and wishing you the best. Wish I could do more.
Cathy
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thanks, Cathy. it is just that over the course of time there they have told me, a couple of them anyway that i ask too many questions.. and i am just so tired of feeling like they would rather have me be dumber, and not read or notice things.
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Kathec- Wow.. that is just too bad for them! I can't believe they would even say that. If your not getting treatment and questions answered to your satisfaction maybe you need to try another MO or go over their heads and report them to hospital/clinic board? Still shaking my head over that one! My oncologists have all been great in that way. And trust me I've had some questions. Don't back down now.. you need to know for your peace of mind. If they can't handle that they are in the wrong field I would think!Keep your chin up, think grandkids. Smiles and hugs.
Cathy
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Kath- When I lose stuff I am either tapped in too many directions or tired or stressed or all three. You don't sound crazy you just sound like you have a brain, and you want answers. If you don't get the answers you need then you may need to change those you are working with. Even if means nothing you need it explained to you. I am not a person who likes change but if I did not feel like at least one of my caregivers was an advocate for me I think I would consider changing.
Regarding the counseling, I agree wholeheartedly. Our church has a licensed counselor who is wonderful who regularly comes to my house to catch up and talk and pray with me. I may very well also start to see another counselor if I think it is needed, have not been depressed on Femara but the reality of it is that you sometimes do baby steps to get through things and then it hits you later. I don't think our brains can process the entire lifetime of dealing with things all at once.
I feel like a poser sometimes since I did not have nodes or mets that they can see on initial screening, but they pulled up my mammos from two years ago and last year and said the cancer was there then- there have been cases of mets with no node involvement. I choose to live each day fully and I refuse to let that beast ruin each day for me. Of course it is easier for me, but who of us really knows the future? I am just mad enough at cancer to kick it in the teeth by choosing to eat well, stay active, and try to be positive. You are all my heroes who have stared down mets or recurrence, I don't profess to know what my attitude or demeanor would be with that, but I have seen nothing but real courage and human feelings from you all.
#cancerdoesn'townus #Iwilleathealthybutdon'ttakeawaymycoffee
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kathec,
Gosh, that is a lot of wondering 'what's going on here?' - I also get raised eyebrows when I ask (too many) questions. I know it is hard battling with the medics just to get straight answers. It's tedious, but I think you are the kind of person who wants to know. It's not fair to keep you pondering constantly.
I am sorry you are feeling alone and scared. It's such a horrid feeling. Is it possible you could email and ask for clarification from the medics? (I don't know how your system works over there). Or to take someone in with you next time you go? I hate to think of you panicking and having this constant uncertainty.
I really hope you manage to get to the beach.
X
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