Arimidex
Comments
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Congrats suzie14 on the impending countdown. More proof that we can do this. Thanks.
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http://gizmodo.com/5501103/this-is-the-future-of-the-fight-against-cancer
From my college age son.
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Wow!
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My hair is much thinner and slower-growing than it was before my BC dx. I lost it all with Taxotere & Cytoxan. It was growing back nicely but then slowed down after a few months on Arimidex. My onco acknowledged the thinning/thinner hair was probably due to Arimidex; but she said there hadn't been any controlled studies done on the problem. As women age, their hair tends to get thinner. I guess that's happening on an accelerated basis with some of us.
I'm keeping my hair much shorter than it was pre-chemo. I like how easy it is to maintain now; and I read somewhere that a shorter hairstyle works better if you have thin hair. Supposedly, the thinness doesn't show so much. My eyebrows are also much thinner and more patchy; and my eyelashes are way shorter than they were -- probably only half as long. The eyebrows and eyelashes don't seem to be falling out in unison anymore.
Really, though, creaky joints, an occasional (rare, now) hot flash, and thinner hair... I can tolerate those things, if this drug really does keep that danged cancer at bay.
otter
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With the little white pill I have aches and pains and stiff when I sit too long. My fingers hurt in the morning and hurts to grab my hot tea. I do walk everyday and exercise. My dermatologist has me using Cetaphil lotion. I've been on it (arimidex) for 14 months. Hot flashes sometimes. I noticed if I eat anything sweet it causes me to flash. Did hear that peppermint tea will help get rid of facial hair.
I missed the other site but kinda glad I didn't go there. Ya'll did good play by play for it!
Patoo - I have been sanding wood andmy alleriges are killing me now. I didn't have this much problem when I mowed the yard the other day. Off to bed - rigth after I take an allergy pill.
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Drinking the peppermint tea or rubbing it on your face?
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Good question about the peppermint tea, Ruth. Would love to stop these whiskers!!
My hair is much thinner since chemo and have essentially given up the hope that it will get any thicker, oh well.
Today I am struggling with the pain of my 4th absessed tooth.....all 4 since I had chemo and started arimidex. If the disease doesn't kill ya the treatment will!!
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Ouch!! Nothing hurts more than teeth problems! Try Nioxin Shampoo and Conditioner for the hair (on the top of head, not the whiskers
) They worked really nicely for me. Good luck with the tooth. Ruth0 -
Is there anyone monitoring this thread who is into six or more years on Arimidex? I have read such a study is going on. Also that some oncologists leave it up to the patient whether to stop of continue for another five years.
pam
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Also... What decides which AI you take? Do they all work the same; Arimidex, Aromasin and Femara? Is one better than another? If so, why?
pam
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Suzie14 ... I do remember being asked to see my dentist before I started chemo. Not sure re the absessed tooth - do know there are some issues if you need a tooth extraction...you might want to google osteonecrosis for some more info. Hope things improve for you. I share the thinning hair ... the dry skin and the joint pains after sitting. Always feel better after checking back here and knowing I'm not alone.
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OOPS, hit the submit button before I was finished....chemo fingers abound!
I called my dentist's office and he is OUT OF TOWN until next week!!! His office chick did call him and he called in scripts for an antibiotic and pain pills. Maybe I will be able to sleep a bit tonight. I would just like the pressure relieved. I wasn't told to see my dentist prior to starting chemo...I wasn't even thinking about a dentist when I was given the Big Cancer word....duh. I just wanted the beast outta my breast, better yet the beasty breast GONE.
I use Redken's volumizer products for my hair. Ruth does the product you mentioned do the same or does it promote hair growth for thinning hair?
Must run....am still at work................
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It actually promotes hair growth. When I was on chemo, she had me use the 'for chemically treated hair' bottle; because my hair was being chemically treated from the inside out. Creepy, but makes sense.
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I actually consulted with my dentist before my Mx. He told me that if I had to have chemo or other treatments, some of them cause bone loss and if that is a SE that you experience then they need to know if you are on bisphosphonates. Some of the SE's have to do with erosion of the jaw bone. I saw him because I had one lower jaw dental implant placed several months ago and was scheduled to have the second (on the other side) done just days before my Mx. He suggested I do it then, rather than later as the bone may be compromised, but once the implant is in, he felt it was fine. He said it wasn't uncommon for oncologists to refer their patients for a dental workup before commencing treatment (chemo or hormone). I also read in one of the dozen or so books on breast cancer that seeing your dentist before cancer treatment was advisable.
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ruth, are you still using the brand you mentioned? and if so...what type?"chemically treated"? where do you buy it? sorry for all the questions 0
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suzie - one month after chemo and just when starting armidex I had the worst jaw pain. Yes, it was an abcessed tooth and needed root canal. Onc denied it was from chemo or AI but I think differently. I am now in the process of losing more old fillings and facing more root canal and crowning. They can say it's not an SE but IT IS!!
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Suzie I had two abcessed teeth at the same time.(2008)~3 months after I started arimidex I never correlated them! My dentist was out of town also!..After ..way too long of a wait ..will I never learn???( just ignored bladder inf for almost two weeks!! typical RN that I am! ) I went to another dentist..I suggest you get to someone SOON ...like tomorrow ..to get pressure relieved...I ended up with root canal and then opted to have the other one extracted..0
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I have had to have surgery on my thumb because the joint was pulverized by "arthritis". I have had three root canals and numerous fillings that have crumbled. I am facing a surgery on my shoulder this summer...if I can last that long. Both of the vitreous in my eyes ruptured within a month of each other (the opthamologist had never seen this before). Good doctors, don't try to tell me this is old age, I blame it on chemo and ariimidex. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
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OUCH!!! Back to hair (which seems kind of minor compared to all the other things but....). You can get Nioxin at just about any beauty salon. Once I was done with chemo, I went back to the 'for untreated hair' for awhile, and then just back to my regular shampoo as I haven't had hair problems with Arimidex. If you color your hair, then you'd want to use the 'chemically treated'. It would be worth a try.
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Here's another tip for creaky feet; a friend of mine who is a PA suggests this for anyone who has any kind of foot problems; walking around barefoot is actually hard on your feet, she suggested wearing shoes all the time, even around the house, so I have a good pair of walking sandals, I keep them by my bed, slip them on right away in the morning and wear them anytime I am in the house. Also got some good inserts and wear them in my not so good daily wear shoes, and it has really made a difference, my feet feel a lot better. Ruth
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The shampoo that Ruth is talking about also can be bought at Walmart. I used it too before the hair started to come back in. Felt weird shampooing a bald head but it must have work. My hair came back in just as thick as before.
Peppermint tea - drink it.
I posted for another reason the other day but forgot when I was typing things in. Either still have chemo brain or else just old age! there was a question about depression and mood swings. I was put on Zoloft during the treatments (chemo and rads). I went off of it last summer thinking I could handle anything. I was also going through a separation. I went back on zoloft in December. I feel better and don't take heads off as quick! I work with the public. Low dosage and made a world of difference with me. Everyone is different and I never had this kind of problem before but it happens! Good luck.
Arimidex, aronmasin and femara are about the same. I tried all 3 trying to find one with the least amount of SE's. I got to pick which one I hated the least. SE's with all 3 but different with each one.
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Does anyone know why the minimum is 5 years. Is it just because that is what they studied? Are there any studies out there on women who only took it one or 2 years. I think I know what an aromatase inhibitor does....how much estrogen does one's body produce after menopause and wouldn't some of the natural aromatase inhibitor's do the same thing? Also how do we know which side effects last forever and which only last while we are on the drug?
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TNgolfer,
All good questions. I can only make guesses at answers....
Perhaps the minimum of 5 years is to cover the period when we are at greatest risk for recurrence. Maybe it is as simple as that was an arbitrary time period chosen for the initial study.
I think the variability of how much estrogen is produced by our menopausal bodies makes it impossible to set a uniform number. To my knowledge there is no routine test to measure it. Mostly the estrogen is produced in fat cells so overweight women are thought to have more estrogen in their bodies. One reason we are advised to lose weight. That is one "natural" way to do the same thing as an AI does. Some people think we should avoid soy (which raises estrogen levels) but that is hotly debated. I know there are lots of natural products for raising estrogen but am not aware of natural products to reduce estrogen. But maybe the Natural Girls threads would have information on that.
Finally, how do we even prove which side effects are attributable to Arimidex, which are stress related, which are age related, which are secondary to chemo or radiation treatments. Sure, there is the information on the package insert which tallies up the reported complaints of the drug users but that info is so anecdotal as notto be really objective. Shoot, I can't even be objective about my own symptoms.
I think your questions are valid and unanswerable.
pam
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'wooden foot massager' - now that sounds great. Off to check on eBay. Night ladies.
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Oh my gosh, that sounds wonderful; putting it on my shopping list!
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JO-5,
Thanks for all the info. Why stay away from flax? I never heard of that before.
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Thanks Jo,
I will continue to read everything I can get my hands on....still don't trust this medication, but as you said before it is the only conventional method we have. I am still investigating the foods that contain natural aromatase inhibitors (broccoli, celery, garlic, onions, etc.) I will continue to look for the "estrogen" answer as well. Thanks again.
Marianne
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Thanks Jo-5,
Great news about broccoli, brussel sprouts, collards and cabbage....love them all!
pam
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A lot of this information is at the library -- it is not new! There are a lot of books about cancer and nutrition and you will find recipe's in them as well. A good one is "Beating Cancer with Nutrition" and there are a lot more.
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Lots of great information, thanks ladies. On the 5 year thing; the first 5 years are 'highest risk of reoccurance' years, which would be the big reason to take Als for those 5 years. I think they found with TX, the estrogen finds a way to sneak around it, and produce anyway after 5 years. We are in the experiment group in that way; they know Al's are effective for 5 years, but haven't studied it long enough to say about more than that.
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