FEMARA
Comments
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I think it is important to look at quality of life vs a 3 to 4 % increase. I have only been taking it a few weeks and have not experienced the SE yet but it sounds like they can be terrible. I did not have chemo and radiation so I do not know what the increase would be for me but if I start having trouble, I will definitely ask!
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Well girls, I have finally had a fairly drastic SE from Femara, my cholesterol has now risen to a point where it needs treatment........ugh!!!! I have been watching it for a few months now and it has been steadily rising with each blood test but this one was the bomb................dang nab it'!!! Oh well, I guess it's not as bad as some and only requires a little pill......another one!
Love n hugs all. Chrissy
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I also had that talk yesterday with my medical onc about going on a statin. I was told that since I will be on Femara for 2 1/2 more years that I couldn't put it off since my cholesterol has been climbing. I did get him to agree to a 6 month wait since I have been having many more aches and pains from the generic and was told that some statins cause them too.
Oh Joy!
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When I posted previously about my two-month reprieve granted by my onc from Femara, I forgot to mention that my cholesterol is now also off the charts. I take a statin for the cholesterol, in addition to Effexor which onc prescribed to combat the sleeplessness & hot flashes from Femara. So I continue to ask myself if, after my two-month break, I really am going back on this stuff!!
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Boy, this doesn't make me happy at all. The odd thing is...my 6 months blood tests never include a cholesterol check. I wonder why, when one of the s/e's is the raise of cholesterol.I'm going to have to asked my Onco about it when I go in in April. I sure don't want to take that statin. then I'd have something else to worry about...my liver.
It snowballs doesn't it?
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I am just wondering....Have any of you taken Femara and had a re-occurance of breast cancer?
I took Tamoxifen for about 14 months, & lost my hearing. I quit that pill about a year ago, and have been too afraid to try anything else. My Oncologist wanted me to take Femara...I don't know whether to try it or not.....I am 74.....Any thoughts?
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emegram - I don't honestly know if I'd go with any of this stuff for only a 3-4% improvement chance. The AI's improve my chances by almost 20%, so it's a no-brainer for me.
Chevyboy - I couldn't take tamoxifen. I had terrible breathing problems, and then got blood clots. I'm on letrozole now (just beginning my 3rd month) and though I'm having some SE's, I'm taking a bunch of supplements which are helping dramatically. It's always you're own call and your own decision to make about your own life. I can only say, that if I were you, I'd give the letrozole a try. Some people have terrible SE's, some have few. Unfortunately, no one knows which group they'll be in until they try the drug. Best of luck to you.
Chrissy - so sorry to hear about your cholesterol. Have you modified your diet in any way in hopes of keeping the cholesterol down despite the drug? I had my 1st blood draw yesterday. I wish they would have done it before starting me on the drug, but oh well. Have you had a bone scan? How is that for you? Any bone loss due to the letrozole?
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I too have been wondering who out there has gotten a recurrence while on an AI.??
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artsee.... I have read on other threads where some of the women get a recurrence, but I forget where I read this....And what they were taking..... Can anyone help us out here? Also how old they were.
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I have been on Femara or Letrozole (sp?) since June 2009, and have had joint stiffness and aches. It's the stiffness that is the hardest for me to deal with. I have arthritis so am used to the aches, but I feel foolish when there are others around and I have to limp around when I first get up. I feel like I look 80! I spend some time working with kids and sitting on the floor with them, and getting up and down can be challenging some days. My cholesterol is also elevated and I have had to go on a statin like some of the rest of you. I resisted for a while and tried to control it with diet, but to no avail. The toughest side effect for me has been the lack of libido and vaginal dryness. Sex has become so painful that it is almost impossible, and of course that is tough on a marraige. I asked my onc yesterday if after the 5 years of treatment this SE would go away, and he said no! Yikes. Slow aging is hard enough, but this speeding toward old age is the pits!
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I met with my Oncologist last Wed and he took me off of Femara and wanted me to go back on Tamoxifen. Though I have SE with Tamoxifen it is not as bad as with Femara. He never gave any #s as how much will I benifit with Femara vs Tamoxifen.
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I am a little confused on the differences between Femara & Tamox. I know that Femara is an Aromatase Inhibitor and I think that Tamoxifin works by suppressing Estrogen. I was originally told that Femara was used post menopause and Tamox. was used in pre-menopausal women. I am confused as to why they seem to be used interchangeably? I started out on Arimidex and switched to Letrozole when the joint pain became unbearable. When I was telling my onc. about SE's this last weerk, he said I would get the same side effect from Tamox., so sounds like he was maybe thinking about what he could possibly switch me to that would be more tolerable. Just wondering if any of you had any insight on that.
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Well girls, I'm still with the Femara thread. The doc and I, after discussions decided that I will stay will the Femara as the new progression is small and as I'm grade 2 not terribly aggressive so a little while longer is not going to put me in jepardy and will give me a lot longer before I need to think about running out of the AI's.....................now that's a good thing!
Mboss, sorry you have had so much trouble with the Femara and good luck with going back on the Tamoxifen. I sure hope the SE's are more managable for you.
Gardengumby, there are two different types of bone scan, one called a DEXA which measures any bone loss and the nuclear bone scan that looks for any bone metastisis. I had the second kind last week and there was some new tumors noted on my skeleton so I have had some progression. I'm okay with that as I knew it would come sooner rather than later and I've had a pretty good run since May 2009. I had a DEXA scan done last year and my bone density was good, only a small amount of loss at the base of my spine but wether that was due to the Aromatase Inhibitors or the arthritis I wouldn't know. I have to wait until the next one is done in twelve months time to make a comparrison.
Lindatwo, check with your gyne there are some things that can be done to combat this as well as check the boards for a thread on this very subject. There is some great information on it.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Linda- my understanding is that premenopausal women can only take tamoxifen but post menopausal women can take tamoxifen or an AI. Some women take tamoxifen followed by an AI. At least this is my understanding of it.
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Ginger, your understanding is correct although a pre menopausal woman can take an AI if her ovaries are stopped by other drugs or surgery.
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linda...The Tamoxifen doesn't stop you from producing estrogen, as the other Als do, it binds to the estrogen so that any stray cancer cells can't feed it. I think that is why it is easier on your joints, and bones than say Femara or Arimidex. Those are estrogen blockers.
http://www.srspharma.com/chemotherapy-drugs-for-breast-cancer.htm
We still produce estrogen, even after menopause, but it comes from our adrenal gland, liver and breasts. So estrogen IS good for us, because it keeps us more youthful....
Chrissy is right, in that younger women take Tamoxifen, & Femara or Arimidex is usually prescribed for the rest of us....But I WANTed Tamoxifen, because my friend took it, & she did great for the 5 years on it, and she is out 14 years now....
Tamoxifen was about the first drug to help "prevent" cancer from spreading ...but now the "newer" drugs are out there for us to take... They've come a long ways, but just wish these meds could be "tailored" to each of us, after maybe blood-tests, to see what side-effects we will have....
The cyp2d6 test only determines how well we metabolize Tamoxifen.... And some oncologists don't believe in that test.
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i was told by my ortho guy that trigger fingers are from the tendons not sliding through the spaces allowed as we open and close our fingers. prior tohaving cancer i had surgery on one finger and it was a breeze and loved the relief! as trigger finger progresses it locks up more and gets way more painful ! best of luck
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It appears letrozole is the best we could be taking.
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Well, I am 2 weeks back on Femara after a self-imposed hiatus of 6 weeks. So far (knock on wood) my stiffness, hot flashes, and generalized migratory joint pain hasn't kicked back in.
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Lindatwo...there are other ways of being 'sexy'. Lots of people have too much pain or even the DH
maybe can't. So there are lots of toys to jump start your inner self. There's a thread called
'The solution to painful intercourse!!! yippee." They found a cream that does take the pain away and are quite happy. Check it out.
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update- mother has been admitted to hospital yesterday morning for rehydration, I had no idea she wasn't drinking I fell asleep for 6 hours... after not resting through caring for her. I now feel incredibly guilty and to blame. She is not doing well, she can't move her arms or legs and is on heavy pain killers. She refuses to eat-- I fear the worst...as , for me? at home alone no one here just the cat who is having depression..just feel devastated. Good thing though mother's hands that were swollen have gone down since being given anti biotics but due to dehydrtaion very confused. I need prayers please.
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Praying for you and your mother, Azura.
I am a mother of two grown daughters, and I think I can tell you with confidence that your mother would not wish for you to be in such distress and guilt over her. She wants you to have hope for a happy future, come what may.
Breathe, dear. You will feel joy again, and you will be given grace to face everything that lies before you. Your mother is blessed to have such a loving and compassionate daughter.
Peace to you.
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I had to switch to anastrozole because it was cheaper than the generic femara. I made the switch 6 months ago.New ins and i can get my generic femara 90 days only $10.00 i wont fall in the doughnut hole. My other ins the femara generic was $1,234.00.which my copay was $70.00 for 90 days.So i am switching back to femara.I like the femara generic better. S.E ARE NOT AS BAD!!!!
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mother has worsened they are sticking her with needles she has been begging the Dr's to let her go, I am devastated as been to drs myself got prognosis mine is a year I have a tumour that's sprea din my lung. I will see my mum soon then, but i refuse to go into hospital and go the way she will be, it is pain..constantly chekcing her gas in her blood her arm is black and blue..Im hurting...It's driving me insane...God wish God would help. Hvaing a nervous breakdown myself...cna't cope not eaten for 3 days not taken my chemo for 5 days. i have given up...want to join my mum...0
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Azura, please don't give up on yourself or your mum. I'm sure if you insist on speaking to her doctors, they will tell you that all is not lost. Her pain should be controlled with medication and if it's not, again insist on speaking to her doctor. Sometime we have to rely on ourselves as much as God and I think this is that time. As for not taking your medication for 5 days, well, that is punishing yourself for no particular reason! Speak to your doctor about how you are feeling and get some meds to help you through this difficult time.
Azure, you will learn, that as hard as it is to loose someone you love, life does go on and you can live with out them.
For your sake and your mothers, talk to the doctors and get some medication to help you.......do not give up!!!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Yes, Azure, please listen to wise Chrissy! You need more support there locally to get you through this, and that help is most likely there but you have to raise your sights and look up from your sorrow and pursue it. Now is not forever, Azure, and there are better days ahead. But you are in the midst of a storm and need help navigating. The storm will pass!
Grab a doctor by the sleeve and don't let go until you get helps -- some anti-anxiety medication to take for a little while. An antidepressant would be golden for someone who is where you are, but in the meantime a little Valium or Xanax is an amazing thing and could give you enough peace to catch your breath and think clearly.
Your mother would tell you to take care of yourself!!!
Please do. Please.
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Azure please don't be so hard on yourself. See if there are any support groups close by you or if you have friends talk to them. Talking to someone who will understand you will help you a lot. I am sure your mother would not like you to beat yourself like this. I used to constantly feel guilty when my mother passed away few years ago. As some of my friends said no one stays on this earth for ever. Every one will have to leave, some go early and others later. Hope your mother will get better and come out of all this. I can very well relate to what you are going through. Take care. If anything I said here hurt you please pardon me.
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I'm a little bit late, but a few days ago the topic was of increasing cholesterol. Mine went up 50 points in 4 months after starting femara. I wonder if I should have it rechecked periodically. I didn't imagine that it would keep going up!! But it did for you ladies!
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I have trigger thumbs from Femara..........never had it before.........the left is worse then the right..........thanks cancer..............you just keep giving us more and more..................
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Weety, you should be having your cholesterol checked every six months and don't forget, to get a correct reading it is a fasting test. Here's hoping yours hasn't risen and if it has and it is high you may need a statin to help control it.
Awe Ducky, that's awful. I had it but just for a couple of weeks and then it went. I guess I have been lucky as most of the SE's have come and gone within a few weeks until now, I almost have none that cause troubles on a day to day basis. Here's hoping yours passes too.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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