FEMARA
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Will finish rads Dec 1 and should start Femara on Dec 13. Had tried Arimidex before starting rads and had to stop after 3 weeks. nausea was too much and med onc stopped it and said we would try later after rads. He wanted to get a start on HT but said it did not matter when I started.
Looking for info on Femara. What kind of side effects should I anticipate? When are ladies finding it best to take it? Any info would be appreciated.
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Well, week one down and not too bad. The mouthful of ulcers I had when I started Femara have finally healed and so far I don't feel another coming as was the norm for me. Heres hoping they stay away for awhile. Eph, thanks for the night suggestion, have done it the last two nights and don't feel so fatigued through the day. The only problem is, I tend to want to sleep twelve hours straight, guess I'll have to start going to bed earlier if this continues. Scalp tenderness, itch and hair loss continue, sometimes I feel like a monkey with fleas the itch drives me nuts. I'm using a shapoo recommended by the hairsresser for sensitive itchy scalp and it does have tea tree and lavender in it as thats what I smell so it should help, and I guess it does a little.....grrr. The aches and pains? in general not too bad although sometimes it's hard to tell if it's the arthritis or a SE. I think overall, that he Femara is better for me than the Arimidex, but, only time will tell. Hae a good day all!
Peace, strength, love n hugs. chrissyb
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I've been on femara since April and I'm having intense hot flashes again. The weird thing is that they had seemed to die down a bit back in Aug/Sept and now they seem to be back in full force! What's up with that?
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Just got my script for Femara today. Woo, and indeed, Hoo.
So my onc said to take it in the morning. After reading some of your comments, now I'm wondering if I should take it at night instead. I need to be at my best early in the day because I'm a homeschool mom.
Any words of wisdom, ladies?
lulubee
"God bless us, every one." -- Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol
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lulubee -- Your onc probably had no good reason for telling you to take it in the morning! I take it in the evening after dinner, but you need to experiment with it and find the right time for YOU! Best of luck,
Linda
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Weety - I am in the same boat as you. I started Femara in April too and was doing so good with the hot flashes, but lately they are happening more often. I take Effexor to help with them too. Hope it is just a short lived phase.
Lulubee -- I take my Femara dose in the evening like Linda. Good luck to you!
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cindy and weety - hang in there - it should get better. My hot flashes really revved up for the first year on Femara - even had some night sweats which I had never had before - but now 18 months on they have settled to a few mild ones during the day - just have to take a layer off for a few minutes and they abate - but in bed at night I still wake up 3 or 4 times overheated.
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I also take it at night after dinner.
Weety,where in S.Ca are you?? I'm in oceanside.
Kathi
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I'm live in the Long Beach area.
I'm going to try taking the pill at night. I'll see if that helps any. I wake up at night drenched in sweat sometimes. It's really getting old!
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I took it at night but got such bad insomnia from it that I started taking it in the morning. That solved the problem for me, and I'm now sleeping soundly again. But I think when you take it all depends on what side effects you develop.
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I've been taking Femara since the end of August. I take it at night but it doesn't help me sleep. I've got a good prescription sleeping pill for that problem, which I use a couple times a week. I haven't noticed any significant side effects. I'm a decade past menopause and have experienced hot flashes during that entire time. They are no better/no worse than before. I also have osteoarthritis in my knees and my hands, so I already take anti-inflammatories. And I don't feel like anything is worse, which is good. I had a bone density scan in September and my bones are perfect, so I'm hoping that I escape the osteoporosis side effect. I have upped my VIt D so I am taking 2200 ius a day. My test in August came back at 45. I'd like to be closer to 70, but it's getting chilly and darker now. So I won't have many hours of sunshine to help.
Things could be worse for me, for sure.
Michelle
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I started on Arimidex in Jan 2008. In June of 2008 I thought I was going down a black hole. Switch to Femara. Not so depressed however when I work over 40 hours I pay greatly for it later. I tried to switch to Tomoxifin(sp) and that was horrible. I don't handle steroid based drugs well. I am now back on Femara with 3 more years to go. I admit at times I just want to take my pills and flush them. My hips feel like they are 80 years old. I just take it day by day and hope for the best. I have been feeling like an outsider at work and no one understands. My doctor suggested I find a site for BC. Glad I found you all. Now I know I'm not just crazy. God Bless.
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Hi Jan and welcome. We're glad you found us so you do know that you are definately not alone. There are many lovely ladies here to give support in any way that you may need it. Come visit often.
Peace, strength, love n hugs. chrissyb
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birenegn: Hi, saw your post awhile ago re: denial of Novartis coupon. I just came back from CVS. After using the coupon once, I was told today for my 2nd time, no good. I refused to leave the store until they called Novartis to see what was going on. They called whoever they had to and I paid the $10.00 with the coupon on file for me.
I would call Novartis to see what is going on. They should stand by their word.
Hugs to all
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I've been on Femera for 8 months (preceded by Tamoxifin) - original S/E of joint pain and hot flashes has gotten better (no pain reliever involved)...I still have an odd heel pain, but overwhelmingly better than the first 3 months when I resembled a 87 yr old. My main frustration is the ongoing weight gain. Onco tells me to keep working out, because my body benefits - but the weight gain is mentally a major problem. I didn't gain on tamoxifin - then had my recon surgery which added 20 lbs, started femera, and have just keep going up. Going on anti depressant will add pounds - and I'm not ok with that approach...any thoughts?
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Hi everyone, back again after posting a few minutes ago. I am on an anti depressant when needed and did gain a few pounds. Now feel nauseous so hoping to lose some of the few pounds.
With severe wrist pain I have from A and continuing with Femara, my general practiontioner gave me a script for physical therapy, even though it might be neuropathy. The physical therapist said all we can do is try and hope it helps. I start Mond. Can't wait.
Yes, I agree with you Ruth, mentally I can't stand the weight gain. I only had not flashes once since starting Femara full time in Oct. BC and the fight after BC really is crap. Sorry. No other way to put it.
Hugs to all again, Have a peaceful day.
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Well I started Femara 2 days ago. I'm already finding my neuropathy is acting up. Does anyone have any advice, it kept me up most of the night last night. After looking at this thread, I'm thinking it will be a month or two before I really know how I'm going to react.
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kira -- I found that L-Glutamine (500mg at bedtime) really helped with my minor neuropathy (which was mostly in my hands). It can't hurt and it might help!
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lindasa, I will give it a try. For me it is in my hands and me feet and legs. It was a very unpleasant feeling.
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Hi Girls! started Femara on the 5Th of Nov. after being on Tamox since April. Had a hysterectomy at the end of Sept. so that is why they switched me.... Now they want me to take an infusion of Zomedia once every 3 months.... Does any one else do this treatment ... What are the SE of Z..???? I must admit I had so much more energy on T then I do with F...Aches and pains with F but stated to walk in morning so that it works the pains out. Hopefully it doesn't get worst.
Donna
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I have been on Femara since Feb and I have had bone and joint pain I am seeing a pain management dr next month. any advise about Femara would be great
Sue Ann
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Hi -- I've been on Femara since May and was on Arimidex for just over a year before that. Onc switched me because of SEs. Have had a rough couple of weeks -- implant removal after second capsular contracture and then huge hematoma surgically fixed last week. Also had blood work done and learned that my cholesterol is pretty high, which is SE from Femara. Finally starting to heal, but am seeing Onc on Thursday to see what's next to get cholesterol down. Also have the typical aches, pains and low energy, plus the foot and leg neuropathy from Femara. Neurontin helps with the neuropathy at night. The rest is just something I live with and try to accept.
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Hi Nana,
I purchased Calcium with Vitamin D softgels from Puritan's Pride [check their website]. While they are still quite large, being a softgel makes them go down a bit easier. Hope this helps.
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Well girls, day 16 and actually all things are not too bad at all. Loss of strength is a bit of an issue, but I also had this on Arimidex so not much of a change in that direction. The best thing that has changed for me is the all encompassing fatigue that I was experiencing has retreated and I find I'm actually looking forward to finding physical things to do, within reason. This started to change about three days after I changed to taking the little yellow pill at about 8pm each night. Yahooo! One SE has finally been put to bed and for that I am very happy. The joint pain is still there but not as bad and I'm guessing that what I do feel is from my arthritis and not the Femara. All in all, the change has been good for me so far....here's hoping things continue to improve on the SE side and that I get a good long run with NED on this drug.
Peace, strength, love n hugs. chrissyb
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Well, it's day 5 for me. I'm taking the L-glutamin at night, so more numb hands and feet. The only problemI have is a feeling of fullness, which has resulted in a 3 pound weight gain. Boy I hope that resolves itself, I know weight can contribute to cancer, anad I have enough trouble with my weight already.
Chrissy, glad you're feeling better on the little yellow pill and hope it continues. I take mine at night too.
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ariesrottie,
There are quite a few women on femara or another AI and zometa. I am waiting for clearance from my dentist, and then I'll start zometa also. Do a search for zometa--there is a ton of info and lots of threads on it.
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Interestingly, but probably coincidentally, since implant removal on Oct. 26th, my aches and pains are about 50% better. I have a routine appointment with my onc tomorrow and will see what he thinks about this.
Someone suggested oat bran to help with the feeling of fullness, so I've been adding a couple of TBSPs of fine oat bran to my morning cereal and it really has helped me.
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Bonnie, Glad the oat bran help with the full feeling. I will have to give it a try.
I don't know if it is the meds, or going back to work, or everthing I've been through but I'm just down in the dumps today. I feel like a good cry is what I need, but of course I won't.
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kira -- Among the many possible SEs of Femara is mild depression. In my case it comes and goes (although lately it's been staying awhile...).
You mentioned that you're taking L-Glutamine but I don't understand your second-to-last post. Do you mean that it's helping or not? Hope it is!!
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lindasa-I think Kira meant to insert a "no" more numb hands & feet-altho I could be wrong.
I have a "full" feeling too girls, but it's because I eat like I'm feeding quadruplets-not every day mind you - just 6 out of 7! Ha! My walking routine helps works off some of it, but we have the dreaded weight gaining time of year just around the corner-yuck!
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