FEMARA
Comments
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I go to my onc next week i am going ask if i can get the zometa one time a year. I only have medicare and i have to pay $300.00 as my copay. I cant afford this.My husband has prostrate cancer and had to have seed implant and 25 radiation treatments and we have so many medical bills.I tried get help with them they say we make to much. we only have social security that is our only income.
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I have a question for you ladies. Has anyone had an ankle cramp or spasm? I had one in my left ankle last night that was so bad I almost called the ambulance but it went away in about ten minutes. Then five minutes later I had one in the other ankle which only lasted about three minutes. I'm chalking it up to not having drunk enough water all day.
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I will frequently get very severe foot cramps, so I can kind of relate. I was told to increase my magnesium intake, which helped. I started buying Citrical + Magnesium.
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I've gotten foot cramps through the years and have found that eating a banana after one strikes is a good antidote.
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I've been on Femara for almost a year now, and the side effects are still just as bad - hot flashes (which take me continuously at night), and aches in my ankles and knees and hips. Getting out of bed in the morning I look 79yo instead of my almost 59! At night I take a sleeping pill and often one or two Tramol (pain pills) My GP says I shouldn't need pain pills any more and she is worried about addiction. Hmmm, addicted to wanting to sleep for more than 1 1/2 hours at a time?
Where are you all on pain medications?
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Hi justagirl....I have been n femara or ne of them now for 3 years and 7 months. One year and 5 months to go......Had mammogram today and get results Friday this was my 4 year point. I am taking cymbalta for the pain and also a pain pill on the side as needed. The cymbalta has helped me more then anything for the pain but has made the hot flashes worse. My oncologist told me some people have more and different side effects the last year on these pills. He has never mentioned I may be addicted to any of the pain meds or anything else........The cymbalta and taking the femara at night helps me to sleep. You may want to give the cymbalta a try.....Hugs and prayers c oming to ya......Jude14
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My onc put me on tramadol 50 mg i only take 1 pills a day. This helps with the pain.
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Hi slousha !!! Long story short since I lost what I was in the middle of typing, I am now on Tamoxifen. This is the third med since finishing my chemo. I am so tired & frustrated with all of this that I would really like to go throw out every bottle of meds I have, but it would take more effort than I have. Now I am faced with the ugly decision of having a hysterectomy or a transvaginal ultra sound every six months. This just never seems to end. Has anyone ever followed everything to a "T" and seen the end on the proverbial tunnel??
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I started Femara 3 mos ago. I was first on Tamoxifen for 2 mos - then had my ovaries removed after my bi mx and 6 month chemo stint for stage 2 bc dx at age 39. I'm BRAC1+. Then did arimidex for 18 months. Experienced pretty severe hearing loss as a result (see side-effects - not a common one, but still is recorded). Switched to Femara and frankly - they are all the same. Fatigue, hot flashes, night sweats, aches, anxiety. Just got to suck it up. I wish you well!
Diane at www.pink-pockets.com The solution for patients with drains after surgery!
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Hi dear ladies,
EPH3_12- about rash, my PCP said it's a reaction of Femara and being exposed to the sun. He ordered to the chemist's to make up an ointment. This and Claritine helped and in one week I was cured.
Justagirl,that sounds as just the same we all Femara ladies experience. All hormonals are causing quite equal SE's!!! To hold on or not, that is the question! In spring I have had so hard times, various SE's were coming and going, I was taking pain medicines every day, now it's a little better I am trying to give them up...
Normayean, my ONCO said Tamox is the most tolerable and is applicable for decades. Many ladies tolerate it well. To avoid eventual uterine cancer (as SE) some checkups are needed. Ultrasound done from an experienced GYNO it's a little nasty, but nothing fearfully. I see hysteromies in USA are often recommended, in Europe rarely only if precancerous-like sights are found or PREVENTIVELY.
About pain medicines I was taking ibuprofen 1-2 hours before my evening Femara, and changed next day to Zaldiar (37,7 mg tramadol with 325 mg paracetamol) After I was sleeping well.
As said, after 15 months momentarily I'm going to be better...
Affectionate greetings
Usha
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Thank you for all of your responses in so far as the side effects and pain, all thanks to Femara.
I'll keep on taking it and if I need Tramol to get some relief at night - I'll see my GP next week and if she isn't happy prescribing the Tramol for me, then when I see the oncologist next month I'll get her to write for it.
Heck, I don't drink alcohol, don't smoke, my weight is low, I exercise 5 to 6 days a week and breast cancer still found me. I have spent the last 16 months fighting and I'll continue to take the Femara for the full 5 years as I want to do the best I can for myself, son and husband.
It's just that I don't have anyone to talk to here that is going through/or has gone through what we all are with BC.
good night and take care....
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Hi justagirl
Maybe you should ask your GP or Onco for an another painkiller - ibuprofen (or something similar). Taking it before Femara was helping me better as tramadol (morfine - you really could be addicted), Keep posting! Greetings from Europe to Australia!
Best Usha
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slousha,
They tried me on aspirin and ibuprofen and tylenol - din't help and my liver tests came back abnormal.
I just don't get how two pills a day can make me addicted if the information on Tramol says you can take up to 400mg a day and I take 100mg.
I truly would just love to sleep even 6 hours in a row. AS it is now, I have a difficult time falling asleep and then awaken every hour to hour and one-half. Start trying to sleep at 11pm and awake at 7am exhausted. I don't nap during the day if I at all can keep going, as that is supposed to make sleeping at night more difficult. I don't have coffee, tea or coke after 3pm and don't drink alcohol.
Where do you live in Europe, if I may ask?
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Hi justagirl,
To ask only: are you awaken because of pain or psychological moments? I see you have had lots of surgeries, could this be that reason? It's really terrible not could to sleep. You must find some help. Months ago when I was awaked of pain, get up, mowed, walked around, its helped sometimes.
Best Usha
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I took Tamoxifen for 5 years about 14 years ago. Lots of se's with it. When recurrence came to the bones they put me on Femara. No se's at first. Been on it since December 10. Hair loss, hot flashes and not just flashes, soaked and have to change in the middle of the night. The joint pain and muscle pain is pretty bad but I don't know if its Femara, zometa or the cancer! I do have severe ankle cramping on occasion in the night. Walking it off, drinking a glass of water and I eat a banana, yes, in the middle of the night. Lol. I can't change because the Femara is working! My tumor markers are coming down every month. I will try the glocosamine as others have. We just have to find things to combat the se's. I am on some major pain need because so many of my bones are effected. It helps but the I think the Femara is causing a lot of the joint and muscle pain, especially in my thighs. Anyone else with that?
Good luck ladies. God bless us all!
Deborah0 -
slousha,
To answer your question about my problems sleeping: I can't fall asleep because no matter how hard I try, I can't 'quiet' my mind - it keeps thinking and thinking of things I should do, things I did years ago (all negative things I think of) and I wonder what is in my future. I worry about finding a lump somewhere. Just a month before my DM this year, when I saw the PS she said I should have that basal cell carcinoma (BCC) removed from the left upper side of my chest. I freaked out! It was just a little red spot that never quite healed. Ran to my GP and she biopsied it and it came back BCC, so then she did an excision of the little thing leaving a 2 inch scar. Another cancer! First BCC I've ever had and I've lived in sunny warm places for the last 40 years of my life.
Ok, when I finally fall asleep I awake an hour or hour and half later, usually due to a hot flash thanks to Femara. I get up, change pjamas, get a drink of water and go back to sleep and do fall asleep fast. Then awake again in 1 1/2 to 2 hours later all hot and damp.
Lying still makes my muscles ache actually worse than activity so as the night goes on I awake when I want to turn over as it hurts.
If I lived alone I would probably go vacuum or watch tv but that would disturb my family. I am able to fall back asleep easily once I can get asleep, it's just staying asleep. Usually it takes me 30 minutes to 1 hour to get to sleep.
I've never been a good sleeper, probably due to working so many night shifts in the hospital. I used to work 24 hours in a row, so I kind of got used to pushing myself through the nights.
I really don't have any residual pain from my surgeries or my implants....just that darn Femara....and 4 years and 2 months to go. I see the oncologist next month and will ask her what I should do.
Foxlairfrm,
I think the Femara is giving you the sweats and aching ankles for sure. I wake up so drenched I have to change pajamas and often lay a towel down on the sheet as I sure can't change them in the middle of the night - I think my husband might protest. Funny, I too drink water and most nights walk down to the kitchen and get a banana - might as well bring it up with me when I come to bed. Femara is supposed to be one of the best drugs out there, so I'll keep on taking it!
good night.........
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Justagirl, calm down,
"From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Basal Cell Carcinoma)
Basal-cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer. It rarely metastasizes or kills. However, because it can cause significant destruction and disfigurement, it is still considered malignant [1][2] by invading surrounding tissues. Statistically, approximately 3 out of 10 Caucasians may develop a basal-cell cancer within their lifetime.[3] In 80 percent of all cases, basal-cell cancers are found on the head and neck.[3] There appears to be an increase in the incidence of basal-cell cancer of the trunk (torso) in recent years."
I knew some people here having BCC, they had have surgery and are doing well for years. It's a disease that could be seen and treated and therefore not so risky.
As I see some ladies got a medicine to alleviate hot flashes, I cannot give you any advice, because I'm older and haven't had difficulties with, often was felling cold.
But what we have in common is this FEMARA and battling with SE's. I could completely understand and follow you. Dear Dr's don't like listen about, my Onco is looking through window saying "take the pill" or "cancer healing isn't something for weakly souls" So what is remaining? To cope with, or to give up? But we WILL BE ALIVE, WE WANT STAY WITH PEOPLE WE LOVE! And we must to carry on and being grateful for the benefit being ER+PR+.
Before years I wanted to get operate a week vein because of looking ugly and my PCP said: "every surgery, every narcosis, every numbing the body retains in mind."
Dear Debbie, it's heavy for a mother and wife to adjust with her owing to illness.
Please take pain pills cautiously and try an old advice still more: a big cup of warm milk, go to the bed, embrace the pillow and think about much more pleasant moments of your life, being there, living with.....Sometimes it helps!
Sorry for my modest humbly English!
Best wishes
Usha
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Justagirl - additionally
After 6 months of Femara, I was awaking many times at night when turning round from terrible backbone and rib pains. I started taking Vit.D3 at 2 -3 hours before Femara pill at evening (advised by ladies from AI posts) and I must recognize it is much better since then.
When are you taking your pill?
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I have found taking Femara in the morning works best for me. I'm active during the day and the muscle stiffness at it's worst comes hours after the pill. I do experience severe tightness in the muscles when idle, especially at night when I go to roll over or move. Tried in the evenings and it made things worse, especially the hot flashes. The pain meds do help but I am on pretty major stuff because of the severity of the bone mets. I can now walk and get out of bed by myself! I am more worried about my quality of life than I am addiction or side effectsnof the pain meds. If I can find things to combat the se's of Femara, my quality goes up. Hopefully I will live many years and I really want to enjoy those years. It does seem that the SE's I am experiencing are the same as others on Femara. The doc's and I have been trying to figure out if it's Femara, Zometa, radiation, or the cancer. Hard to tell when so much is going on. The good news is- it's working! They no longer want to pin both my legs so they won't break. The pin in my arm is feeling better. My back and hips... Well, they will come along.
Hang in there sisters!
Deborah0 -
You all are scaring me. I have had my big girl panties on through rads, but now that I'm nearing the end of rads I'm staring down a 30-day sample of Femara. I'd love a break to recover a bit from rads. And now here's the pill with the big SEs. My tumor was 100% ER +, so I know I'll have to have some sort of AI. Beyond that, I haven't done my homework on AIs; too busy resting from two surgeries and then rads. I was so taken aback by my RO giving me the Femara today that I didn't even think to ask her about Femara vs. Arimidex, so I guess I need to do some reading on these threads.
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Maybe484-by all means read up - - - I'm doing OK on Femara - 20 months for me so far.
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Maybe, they scare me too, but so far, after 5 months I haven't had any side effects. It seems to work best taking at night and along with Vitamin D3. Excersize seems helpful too. Some people don't get any side effects. There is only one way to find out and then if you do start having problems look into your options then. I can only say that the stuff works. I have not had my tumor removed yet since we are waiting to shrink it and it has been reduced by about a third in this time. I love taking it at this point, but you never know what's around the corner. You've been through the rough part I imagine.
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Maybe and Sherri, I have been on Femara since October last year and other than a bit of fatigue I have no other SE's. It is possible to take these meds and get no reaction so the best thing I can advise is give it a try, if the SE's are bad for you, you can always stop or change to something else.
I was on Arimidex before Femara and it gave me hell but I'm doing this one easy.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Well, I am almost at the two month mark. I am taking my calcium with vitaminD with every meal. I too have knee, hip and ankle pain. My toes are still numb from the taxol and I dont sleep well either. Some days I feel like rosannadanna. (My feet hurt, my knees hurt, I have agita, and gas)
Other days are way better. I spend part of every day in the sun cause I have a pool and its the best part of my day. I'm italian so the sun hasnt bothered anything but my lympedema and I am willing to deal with that.
Doc put me on amitriptyline for a month. He asked if I was depressed and I said I wasnt. Just angry that its been a year and I still feel like crap. I take it at night along with the femera. I have been sleeping a bit better.
It certainly isnt a disease for weanies....Big hugs to all of you.
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Have´nt much time to go into things ( should be cooking dinner ! ) have any of you ladies been on the generic form of Femara .....Letrozole ?
I´ve been on both and would love to kow if any of you have had the same experiences as me . Will hopefully post tomorrow .
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I started Letrozole about 2 weeks ago. So far I see no difference.
Onward-love, "It certainly isn't a disease for weanies!" I want that on a Tshirt.
BREAST CANCER-NOT A DISEASE FOR WEINIES!
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Well my onc changed me too generic arimidex. I ask if this did the job femara does. She said they were same that femara was first one to come out.I ask why was difference in price generic femara is $1239.00 and generic arimidex it is $117.00 for 90 days supply also.She the only thing was drug company everything else was the same just the price.Which both copays are $26.00 BUT I AM ON MEDICARE PART D AND WITH THE ARIMIDEX I WILL NOT FALL IN DOUGHNUT HOLE!!! HOPE THEY ARE SAME I DONT WANT MESS UP GOOD THING KEEPING CANCER FROM COMING BACK
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I'm amazed, though I shouldn't be, how oncs downplay the SEs of various treatments. I see a team of docs at a nationally recognized comprehensive breast cancer center associated with a teaching hospital. And yet.
Yesterday my RO suggested--to my surprise--that we cancel my five boosts and end with my final rad tomorrow (still ambivalent about that, since I for sure don't want a local recurrence, but my axilla--where my tumor was--and my arm are both swollen and my axilla very very red). But anyhow, she just casually handed me as I was leaving a 30-day sample of Femara with a P.S. of "oh, you'll want to take Calcium and Vitamin D and set up an appointment for a bone density baseline scan and with Dr. F (the team's MO)."
I'd prefer to have the scan before beginning the AI and would prefer to meet with the MO before taking any AI. That seems more--dare I say--logical. I have lots of questions, such as why Femara (as opposed to other AIs), how much calcium and D, what if I decide not to take an AI at all--what is my risk of recurrence, etc.
I called his office to ask if there would be any harm in delaying taking the Femara till I met with him (the RO wanted me to begin it immediately) and received the following circular non-answer, via his nurse: "I won't know until I evaluate you."
Thanks to those of you who've had the patience to read this ramble from an increasingly emotional and frustrated person at the end of her rad rope and facing the prospect of going even more postal, i.e., post-menopausal. Those of you who've had lumpectomy/rads, when did you begin your AIs? During? After? Or did you choose or were you allowed a window of recovery before beginning? TIA!
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Maybe-- i started femara 3 weeks after my last chemo. Then started rads about 3 weeks later. Noone ever even mentioned to me to take calcium & Vit D. I started Vit D3, 5000 iu a day after I asked to have my level tested and it was 31.
Oh, just reread your post...I didn't have a lumpectomy/rads, I had a mx/rads......hope you get some answers soon.
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Maybe, sorry for your frustration but it is very understandable. You asked why Femara as opposed to one of the other AI's which are Arimidex and Aromasin. They all do exactly the same thing but are put together a little differently and docs sort of have a favourite that they like to use first. For me, my doc started me on Arimidex. They all bring very similar side effects and there is an added one with Aromasin because it has a steroid base and of course brings the SE's of that.
The dosages for Vit D and calcium depend really on your levels and that needs a blood test to determine. The usual for people who have a normal level is 500mg Calcium and 1000iu of Vit D but should your levels be low, you could need a lot more. The reason it is recommended is for bone health as it is these two that help the body to put the calcium into the bones where it belongs rather than excreting it through the kidneys. The DEXA scan (for bone density) will give a baseline that can be checked to make sure you are not loosing too much bone structure due to the meds and is a good idea for everyone over 50 as we do loose bone mass as we age which leads to osteoporosis.
As to your risk of BC return if you choose not to do an AI, I'm sorry I can't answer that one. That question belongs to your doc but I do hope I have helped with the others. Goodluck!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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