FEMARA
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Did anyone lose their eyelashes and eyebrows? Also did anyone have swollen eye lids from using femara? I have been using Femara for only a month and notice that my eyelashes and eyebrows are almost completely gone! I was wondering if it could possiblily be the RAD treatments? I am doing RAD's right now as well as being on the Femara drug.
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Last night I had a first, an entire night without waking up from being too hot and from pain that wouldn't quit. No pain at all. I am rested and I feel good and looking forward to a good day.
Caya, on the weight problem. My suggestion is to get things in hand by keeping a food diary for three or four days and noting everything you eat. Calculate an entire calorie count. If you are eating over 1200-1500 calories a day and not getting exercise you cannot lose weight. To lose weight you need to add exercise, even if it is nothing more than a 30 minute walk every day. Whatever exercise you do make it something you enjoy for other reasons. Also reduce your calorie intake. Make up a daily meal plan based on a high protein diet. Eat fruits for snacks instead of crackers, bread or processed foods. Keep your carbs down to under 100 calories per meal, for ex, 1 small piece of wholewheat or pumperknickel toast, a half cup of rice, a very small potatoe (or half of a larger one), or substitute a starchy vegetable like squash. Eat 6-7 portions of fresh fruits and vegetables each day. The more color you eat, the higher the nutritional level. Sweet potatoes, for example, are better than potatoes (and much less glycemic). Dark green vegetables like spinach and broccoli are better for you than white asparagus.
And here's a trick that will make it all very easy...a serendipity for me. I started taking Wellbutrin last fall to combat the effects of chemo brain. I was tired all the time, unfocused, depressed. My house was a mess and I wasn't getting much done. The Wellbutrin had a dramatic effect: within weeks my house was clean, drawers began getting organized, and messes in closets and hidden places that had developed over a five year period beginning with cancer treatment began to disappear. Best of all, I had much increased energy and much reduced appetite. I am now too busy and happy and engrossed in what I am doing to take food breaks.
There is reasoning behind this, and you can probably find the research on this website; studies have been done to show that chemo brain is real and presents much like ADD. Women who were given ritalin (the medication for ADD) responded dramatically, within a few weeks. My doctor didn't know much about these studies and didn't want to prescribe Ritalin, but she did know about Wellbutrin, which has some ritalin-like components. It worked quite dramatically for me.
Good luck on your quest!
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Ladies - It looks like I'll be switching to Femera shortly. I came back as a poor metabolizer of Tamoxifen and so would like to join this thread. Although I intend to read thru the entire thread, I've got 2 threshold questions that I'd appreciate being answered directly, for those of you also getting ovarian suppression shots,
1) what's the lag time between getting your first ovarian suppression shot and starting an AI - can they be done together ? Wait a month ? Or...?
2) How did you decide between monthly shots and shotes every 3 months ?
Thanks.
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Chris
I had the DXA results no BMD lose this last 6 month folowing the Zometa, although I lost 30% in one year of femara alone. I take 1000 calcium and 1000 d3.
HH
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HH - Thanks. I get my scan on 4/6. Hoping for the best. I am taking calcium and vit. d and magneseum.0
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Chris,
Good luck with your scan... You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Harley
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Thanks Harley, I'll let you all know how I make out with it.
Chris
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HensonChi - Yes, I've been on Femara since June 2009 and I've had a never-ending stiff neck since then. I did chemo March - June and then radiation June - July. By the end of the radiation treatments my neck was so stiff I could hardly turn my head or drive. I had always attributed the pain to the position I was in for the radiation treatments (arms held up very still overhead for 10-15 min.) but after reading some of these posts, I'm wondering if it wasn't the femara! I've been going to physical therapy since November & am now taking a break. My therapist is very surprised that I haven't made much progress so far. She says my muscles are stiff - almost leatherlike. Yuk!
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I started taking femara at night it has helped me .I am not as stiff and achy as I was taking at morning.
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NonniO
So sorry you are having so much trouble! Hope you are feeling better soon!
Nanna
I'm glad that taking Femara at night has helped you.
Harley
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I stopped Femara a month ago, after 9 months, because i couldn't tolerate the pain. I have fibromyalgia, so some of the pain could have been from that getting worse.
Then I had a blood test, had asked for vitamin D to be included, and lo and behold the D level was only 18 out of a new standard of 50 - 80. I found a medical article that came out only a week ago which said the formula to increase D level is for every 1ng/mL you are low, you need to add 100 units of D to what you are already taking.
I was taking 1200 units D already. So for 18, I had to add 3000 units a day just to get to 48. That's enough for now since the weather has changed and I am getting out in the sun most days. I will have the D level checked again when I get another blood test in the late fall. I expect to have to go higher then since our bodies don't store D very long.
Increasing my D level dropped my muscle pain by about half overnight. Unfortunately it didn't help my bone and joint pain, but that is partly arthritis.
I took 3 pills of Aromasin and immediately had trigger fingers, which is the reason for the "vacation." That side effect is very slightly better after 3 weeks off. I will consult pain clinic about injections.
I am planning on restarting Femara after I've been off AIs a month.
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Alcie1
I've been on Femara since Jan 1st, and I seem to be doing ok with it. I have a few extra aches and pains, but nothing I can't handle.
Good Luck with Femara. I hope it works for you.Hugs
Harley
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Harley - Thanks. I started Femara in April last year, when there was sunshine, and I had little trouble with it for a long time. Then over the winter the pain got worse and worse until I couldn't stand it.
I thought the increasing pain might just be a cumulative thing or maybe a fibro flare, but now I am hoping it was just due to low vitamin D.
Having tried Arimidex and Aromasin with disastrous results, if retrying Femara becomes intolerable again I'll just give up on AI therapy. It makes no difference to the doctor or his nurses.
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Hey Girls, haven't posted for a couple of weeks. I had mentioned aways back that I felt so much better in the warmer months. I too after my last blood work showed low "D". My doctor prescriped a super "D" pill, I think it's called Strovite. It's huge like a vitamin pill (oh great more pills!), but I do feel better. We had some beautiful Spring weather here in NY over the weekend and I just sat outside with my face in the sun. It felt sooo good. This along with the PM Femara has made quite a difference. I too get occasional nasty headaches, but with all the different things we are taking you just never know what's causing what. I feel more achy when it's rainy and cold, etc. Thus I am VERY happy Spring is here. Will be even happier when the onc tells me my almost 6 years on Femara has ended! Hopefully this stuff doesn't cause permanent damage. On the weight front, have gained almost 30 lbs since chemo, rads and 8 plus years from Tamoxifen through to Femara. I never had any problems with weight and always ate healthy. Now it's a struggle which is very frustrating. At least with the pain at bay, I feel more like doing things and look forward to getting outside and walking, biking, etc. I have 2 tubby dogs that could use the exercise too!
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Alcie 1, and Holly Hates...
Glad you are feeling better Holly!
I also think that we will find it easier during the WARMER, Spring and Summer months! It's a theory of mine... I had some arthritis issues with my fingers several years ago, before my bc dx... It only happened in the Winter months, and I really think that the colder temps is what trigger these kind of problems.
Hugs
Harley
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Harley,
I'm the one who had some severe bone pain after 4 weeks on Femara. Strange, but I only had it one night. I'm fine now, but my onc did take notes on this. I'm still taking it before I sleep. I feel a little stiff and I'm trying to get more exercise in and some yoga for more flexibility. I get my pet scans every 3 months and will have this done again April 5th. I'm confident I will know soon if it's working or not.
Terri
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I have been taking it since 12/8 and it is ok, told the dr. today that I am tired, but mostly do not have alot of energy, have been lucky with the losing of thing.
Sandy
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Dr. said that the Femara is working better than chemo would have.
"Since the prior study, significant improvement in the size of the right chest wall metastasis and to the extent of hilar or mediastinal lymphadenopathy...(didn't know it was in the chest wall, they said "under the pectoral muscle, didn't say anything about the chest wall!!) Since tiny intrapulmonary lymph nodes are noted along the tissues of both lungs. The majority of these have been stable since the prior study, although there are a few which appear only slightly more prominent than on the prior study. The significance of these finding is not clear.. There are no definite parenchumal nodules of concern for parenchymal metastases. (Guess that is a good thing, it is not in the lungs, yet but there are nodules which he said aren't big enough to biopsy yet.)
Stable appearance of 3 nodules along the right minor fissure the largest of which measures 5mm in maximum diameter (not that big, but there). Also stable appearance to several nodules along the left major fissure. Slightly increased prominence to tiny nodules along left major fissure as well. There are 3 lymph nodes that have gone down with the Femara one by 50%, 67%, 62% and the subpectoral metastasis went down 60% in 3 months,
Thanks for reading!
Sandy
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ibcmets,
I'm glad you are doing better with Femara.
Sandy,
Glad that the Femara is working for you!!
Harley
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I started taking femara at night time about 1 month ago. I cannot believe the difference .I have very little joint pain now sleep has improved. I have been taking it for 16 months. what a difference it made by taking at night time
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Hi ladies! Am a Femara newbie (on Tamox for just under 2 yrs.). I have been taking Femara for about 12 days and am noticing a very itchy skin rash. It appeared on my left hand this morning and seems to be moving up my arm . Actually now it is on both arms. Just wondering if anyone has had this type of reaction. I am trying to figure out if it's the Femara or one of the other lovely drugs that I am taking. Yikes!!
Ellen
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fritzellen, I have no experience involving a rash w/Femara. I'd call the doc! Joni
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Been taking femara for almost three months. Knock on wood. No side effects to speak of. It helps that I already had foot pain, ankle pain, tingling hands, sore back - so if femara caused any of that, I wouldn't notice anyway! Actually feel better since taking it, but I attribute that to regular yoga practice.
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Hello all, Been taking Femara only 3 months with no noticeable SE. Could it be that because I am 72 and the change Is a fog in my misty mind, that so far things are going good? Or will it take longer to build up in my system. Don't even seem to have anymore fatigue than I did before. Is there anyone out there that is my age on Femara??
Wish I could give you all hugs and make things better.
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Kayok,
I just turned 72 earlier this month and am also on Femera,and have been on it since June last year.My biggest and most annoying problems are my hands and feet.They are ok for the most part when i'm moving around,but let me sit in my recliner for a power nap and they both hurt so much i can't sleep more than a couple minutes.My fingers,the palms of my hands,toes and feet in general hurt too much.My right arm gives me problems all day and night ,i personally think that is from the lymph node removal,and the damage that may have been done to the muscles and tendons.I go to a new dr for that next week.
Also noticed that my hair is falling out again as well,not as much or as fast as it did during chemo,but falling non the less.It didn't come back in as thick as it was b4 chemo in the first place,but having it falling out again is very depressing.
I'll accept your HUG and pass it on.Thanks
Kathi
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Kathi and Kayok, could I just say that I am honored to be reading your posts here. You gals have a bit of age on and that is what we all fantasize about!!! Kathi I have the same problem as you so I take a simple painkiller (paracetamol mostly) 15 minutes before my nana-nap and I nap without interruption. Thanks, you two, xxxxx
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61 and counting and I do think there is some research that shows the further you are away from menopause, the fewer the femara side effects. Makes sense, since you are already estrogen depleted, so the change is not as dramatic. Good luck to all.
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I was glad to find the info. on Femara. Started taking it a week ago and so far so good. My toes do seem to get numb. I am not sure if this is as a result of the chemo that I just finished up on Feb. 11th or Femara.
Barb
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I am HURTING from the Femara after almost one year of being on it. My hands hurt so bad. I can not open my hands in the morning. Throw in the hot flashes, weight gain, joint pain., not sleeping..and the trigger finger. It is not getting any better. I find it interesting that the trigger finger is more prominent in the MIDDLE finger...could it permanently be held in this position?? As if it was saying F^&% You Cancer....
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Hello everyone, I haven't posted for a good while. Dr; had prescribed advair for my breathing problems (se from the femara) and my system just could not tolerate it. Breathing got so bad that a walk from the living room to the bath room got me down! It even made my arms and legs hurt. Quit taking it and after a few weeks, am feeling better. Went for a check up last week and it was just wonderful. Everything was just perfect; so I know I am beating this cancer once again. The side effects of the femara are worth putting up with.
In regards to the arm hurting and you think is is from lymph node removal. It probably is because this happened to me. My dr prescribed a lymph press and it works wonders. It is a vinyl sleeve that fits all the way up to the top of your arm and when you turn it on, it massages your entire arm and works the fluids out.
I think my worst side effect now is the thinning of my hair. I am taking biotin and it helps BUT I am still thinning. Seems like the top is worse than anywhere else.
I feel so good now that if it wasn't for having 2 bulging discs in my back, I think I could do most anything!!
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