FEMARA
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Caroleb How many days Femara vacation are you taking? Did your onc approve it?
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nanna,
Two weeks vacation. I called my onc and told her I stopped and she said some stop for 2 weeks. I had two bad depressions in my life - both around hormones so I need to know if my symptoms of anxiety, sleeplessness, fatigue are hormonally caused. I see the onc on 2/4 so plan to take one every other day until we discuss. Also, no one has said anything about my their experience with Actonel. Hope this answers your question.
Carole
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Hello to all my femara friends. Had an appt. today with my family doctor and he had a copy of my PET/CT scan I had done a couple weeks ago (haven't seen my onc. yet). The lymph node under my arm where the cancer was --is significantly smaller!!! Thank femara and the Lord above!! Whoever it is who reads the scans recommended a nuclear bone scan- so this is scheduled for Jan. 19. I hope and pray the results from it are as good as the PET scan. Y'all keep your fingers crossed and pray for me.
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Thanks a million, Harley
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Ok...Im coming out of hiding....
I have been reading this thread with much anticipation. I will be starting Femara in 3-4 weeks after my surgery.
Long story short, after 18 months on Tamox I tested as a poor metabolizer on (cyp2d6) so my onc has switched me to Femara.
Why do I have this feeling that this will be my new home?..lol.
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I'll be praying for you when you get your new scans, Jan 19th... praying for GOOD results!!
lexislove,
I know that you will also be just fine... and you'll do great on Femara. I've been taking it now for 2 weeks, and I'm doing pretty good... I am just trying to eat the right foods, exercise, and taking extra supplements to try to ward off any se's... I'm taking MORE vitamin D3, calcium, etc...
Good luck to us all!!!
Harley
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Thank you Harley,
Ive been in a workout funk the last 7 days....got to get out of it. Must be all the rain we are having....
I went to the drug store and stocked up on Vitamin D3, Calcium, and Clucosamine if need be. I think Im ready to go!!!!!
Just need the Femara perscription. I will be checking back in when I start.
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Hi ladies! I would like to join you all as I will start taking Femara tomorrow. I was wondering about when to take it - morning or night? I plan on taking it with food as I have a sensitive tummy. I used to take tamox. at dinner. Do you think that would be good for Femara too? I am hoping and praying the SE won't be too bad - at least not as bad as tamox was for me. I already have some of the SE that were listed on the pharmcy print out so it may be hard to tell if I am having any! For those who are having SE when did you start to notice something was going on?
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caroleb: I've been taking 35 mg Actonel once a week for the past several months, with no side effects. Perhaps your 150 mg dose is too much at one time?
Linda
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lexislove,
I stocked up on stool softeners before I started chemo...and wouldn't you know it? I had DIARRHEA... not constipation...
go figure... but I think it is a good idea to get stocked up on the supplements you will need before starting Femara.cookiesmom,
I took Tamoxifen at bedtime, so I continue to take Femara at bedtime, too... I haven't noticed much in the way of se's... of course, I still get hot flashes in the evening, and I have some stiffness... but I had that with Tamoxifen, too.... it has only been 2 weeks, so we shall see...
good luck to all of us!!
Harley
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Kookiesmom: I started Femara in mid-Nov. I take it in the morning. My most annoying SE are occasional hotflashes-these started relatively quickly after I started the pill. I have some joint pain, etc. but livable. I take it in the AM because my thought process was it will have a chance to work all around my system while I'm up and moving & then at night, I won't get so stiff in the morning because it didn't "pool" while sleeping. For me, that seems to be working. But you know, who really knows? Joni
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Hi, everyone,
I have been reading some of the posts. I will start Femara tonight, so I will be joining this forum. When I went throught menopause, I had very few problems. I wonder if that will transfer to Femara?
Pat
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Harley44 - hello (and to all the ladies) Well, it's day 16 on Femara. Doing well. It seems as though you are also doing well -- way to go! Applying the same regimen that you are in trying to eat right, exercise and taking supplements in hope of combatting SE's. I was wondering--how much of the calcium and vit D are you taking? I've read that people take quite a bit and maybe I need to re-think that one. I am due for a bone density test in Apr. Being on Femara, my onco wants to stay on top of it. We will see what happens. Can't worry about it now---Apr is too far away. Hope everyone is doing as well as can be and a Happy and Healthier New Year!0
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lindasa - Just noticed the pic of your kitties and I just have to say they are adorable. I have 2 as well--both BluePoint Siamese. They are my best pals!
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Hi Lois: Thanks for the comps about my furballs (Toffee, a champagne burmese, and Abby, an Abyssinian). Until these two, we always had Siamese, one of which was a bluepoint!
As for calcium -- I take Calcium (333mg) Magnesium (167mg) Vit.D3 (133 IU) all rolled into one caplet by Webber Naturals, 3 times a day. Also take 1 1,000 IU Vitamin D3, along with other supplements.
To combat Femara aches and pains, I tried Glucosamine&Chondroitin -- didn't help a bit. So I switched to Webber Naturals Omega-3 (900mg) and that seemed to do the trick.
Harley: Good to hear you're still S/E free!
Hugs to all.....Linda
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reeltchr,
thanks...
I take Citracal, and it's 630 mg of Calcium and 400 IUs of vitamin D... I take this 3 x day...
plus, I take 2000 IUs of vitamin D 3 x day... I read where you can take up to 10,000 IUs of vitamin D daily if your vitamin D levels are in the low range... mine were NORMAL, but LOW NORMAL... I'll ask my dr. to check the levels again when I go back. He may not want to do it since I had 'normal' levels back in Oct.... my primary care dr. doesn't really keep up with this stuff... so I may have to wait til June to get my onc. to retest...
lindasa
I'm experiencing some stiffness, but nothing too bad.
Hope everyone is doing good...Hugs
Harley
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Thanks to all of you for the suggestions about vitamins. I've always been a vitamin taker. Where can I find out information on what to take? I already take 1000mg fish oil and a multi vitamin that contains a pretty good dose of D and E.
I am so grateful to all of you
Pat
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yea so love good news, especially where Femera shrinking things is!!
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I take it at night cause it makes me go to sleep!!
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I took my 1st pill lst night at dinner. I didn't sleep well but but I blame that on the dumb cat screaming all night. At least it was from that and not the pill! Is anyone having weight gain from Femara? I need to get back to walking everyday if that is happening.
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kookiesmom
I have some bad news for you... Femara is making me VERY HUNGRY, much like the steroids did, when I was getting chemo... so FYI... I think it will cause weight gain. I've started to try to adjust my eating and I'm trying to go out and exercise most every day...
I have had a few nights when I couldn't sleep very well... but overall, I think I'm sleeping better. I have been having weird dreams, though... I have been taking melatonin, and I think it was causing weird dreams, but maybe the Femara is making my dreams even weirder....
It's day #17 for me...
Harley
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Pattyfish--I see that you have just started Femera too. I started on the 1st and things are going well. Hope all goes well with you too. Keep us posted on your progress; there are a few of us who just recently started and we can support one another through this journey. Havea good one.0
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Has anyone tried drinking the Elations for glucosamine and chondroitin? I have been on Femara a few months now and am understanding when people say it makes you stiff and your joints ache. I sit at a desk at my job even though I do get up and move around a lot but I may be at work 10 hours a day right now. When I get home it is heating pad time for my back and sometimes my knees do not feel great because I have a tendency to cross my legs all day. I was taking the glucosamine/chondroitin supplements but I was forgetting because of having to work in it around the Femara, Calcium and vitamin D. I thought drinking the Elations might be a more pleasant and easier to remember way of doing it. Anyone heard anything good or bad? I definitely feel better when moving so as soon as things calm down at work it is back to the gym for me. As for the question earlier about Actonel, I had to start on Boniva last month and I had major stomach issues and legs pains that felt like I did when I was on chemo. They lasted only a few days but I am definitely hoping next month is better. If it is not I will ask to switch to something else. I'm only 37 but I joke to all my girlfriends that I am going to start asking for a senior citizen discount and join a red hat society because of all my aches and pains and meds. Gotta love BC.
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Harley44 - Day #17 for me too. I have some difficulty sleeping at times as well, but, this has been a problem for me before Femara so I don't think I can place blame on it (unless it gets worse!) Hungry...hmmm. There are times when I feel a bit more hungry. Other times are normal. If weight gain is a SE of Femara I can afford a couple of pounds but not too much. Other health issues come into play for me, so I will keep a close eye on it. Rev up the walking and Pilates.
Chris
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reeltchr
I am now finding that I feel stiff, and achy in the morning, and the evening too... I have been going out and exercising during the day when I can... only days when I work I can't... and I have to stand all day, which doesn't help me any... I am not sure how well I can deal with this achiness....
nene2059,
I also feel like I'm 80 years old!! I don't know how long I can take this achy... and it's only been 17 days!!
Good luck to us...
Hugs
Harley
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Day 14 for me, I'm feeling pretty good. I take the pill about an hour before I go to bed, I am using the fatigue issue to my advantage as I have not slept well for a few years now.
Some stiffness, but I have fibromyalgia so not anything new for me. I try to stretch and walk as much as I can. Another tip - taking warm baths with epsom salts may help. The magnesium in the salts is absorbed right into your skin, bones, muscles etc., and I find it really is soothing. Try to soak in the bath with the salts for 15 minutes at least 3x/week.
If this is as bad as it gets, I will be okay.
Good luck Femara 2010 girls.
xo
Caya
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Question-I have been taking the Femara in the AM as I posted just a little while ago, but I am having fatigue issues in the mornings. Those of you taking Femara at night, how is your fatigue during the day? Are you taking any sleep aids besides your Femara at night?
Joni
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Joni,
I take Imovane, 5mg. at night, have been for years - but I have found since starting the Femara I have been able to sleep longer most nights. If I get a solid 7 hours (or more if I am lucky), then I am fine during the day, a bit tired, but okay. I am hoping to cut back on the Imovane (taking 1/2 of the 7.5 mg. pill) in a few weeks, and see how it goes.
Insomnia/bad sleeps are a s/e of fibromyalgia, so who knows with me? As for hot flashes, they were so bad when I started Tamoxifen in July 2007, my onc. advised me to take Effexor (which also helped with anxiety issues I was having...) I take a 75 mg. pill in the a.m. - my hot flashes and night sweats vanished practically overnight. I have heard it's hard to wean off Effexor, but quite frankly I have no intention of going off it - definitely not while I am on Femara.
Caya
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Harley44:
Sorry to hear about your stiffness and achiness. Having to stand all day (while working) is not good. Hopefully, with time, it will subside some and be more bearable. Keep up the exercise, it could only help. Caya's tip about warm baths w/epsom salts sounds relaxing. I think I will try that myself. Take care.
Chris
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