Hormonal Treatment for Stage IV
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hi sumi,
Welcome to Club Mets. If you post your question on its own thread [i.e. "Start a New Topic" button] you will get more responses. This thread is watched by a small percentage of the forum members. I don't know the answer to your question, otherwise, I would be happy to share.
All the best,
*susan*
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Lulu,
I can't answer your question. I put on some weight during chemo, and then went onto the AI's. I gained now weight on them, and then when we added the Faslodex, no additional weight gain.
But, I can't take any weight off, at all. I sit at this number, which is too high, and it doesn't matter what I do, no pounds come off. And, I am definately eating less than pre-AI. So there it is. Hope this is helpful,
*susan*
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Great news Tina and Elisimo!!!! It's always good to hear good news.
Alesta, I couldn't skite (fib, lie) about the weather at the moment and tell you that it is sweltering but I wont because I don't have to.....lol......it's been lovely and cool her ranging in the 70's...........my kind of weather. Having said that, it's suposed to be back in the high 80's, low 90's range by the middle of next week.......sorry all you girls who are inundated with snow.
Elisimo, so good to see you posting.....I missed you and was a tad worried as I hadn't heard from you for a while.
Sumi, that question needs to be answered by a proffessional. Just give your Radiography facility a ring and ask.......they will tell you.
Love n hugs. all! Chrissy
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Hi all, asking for my 72 year old mom with liver and node mets. Reoccurred in her fifth year on arimidex. Anyone here go back to hormonals with good results on liver mets? Thanks and blessings, mary
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Hello ladies.
I need more advice and all of you are typically a wonderful resource for me, so thank you.
I am a 33-year-old and I have mets to the bones and did very well thoughout chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. My cancer has been stable since July of 2011. However, the aches and pains in my body have gotten increasingly worse. I am sure it has to do with the daily Aromasin I take or the monthly Zometa infusions.
Here's my question. I finally called my onc yesterday to ask if it would be okay if I start taking Glucosamine Chondrotin for these pains. I just wanted to know if this would be okay. The onc said I should take a break from Aromasin for two weeks and see if the aches and pains go away. If not, we will do a bone scan and if so, well we know what is causing it. My question is, Does this seem right? Am I being paranoid or does it seem like I shouldn't be off the meds for that long? They are working and I hate to mess with that?
What do you think ladies? Any advice/thoughts would be terrific!!
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keeping,
Two weeks shouldn't make that much difference from a treatment point of view. The aromasin hangs out in our bodies for a fairly long time after we stop taking it.
But the side effects.... I felt SO much better just two days after stopping the aromasin. By the end of two weeks, the improvement was huge. The two week break really should give you enough time to evaluate how your body is responding to aromasin. If the pain/discomfort is still present after two weeks, you might have to look at the Zometa. [But I bet it is the aromasin.]
Since you might wonder... I was on the aromasin for 5 years, 11 months, 4 days and progressed while on it. We had added the Faslodex, so leaving aromasin didn't mean I had stopped my treatment.
Hope this helps.
*susan*
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Thank you, Thank you Susan!
I really needed to hear from someone on this and I REALLY appreciate you taking the time to answer.
Thanks again
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Keepingon
I am on Femera and also started having issues with the joint pain. I started taking Glucosamine and it has seemed to help. I also found out that exercise helps with the side effects.
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It's great to hear the good news that some of you are sharing!!
I get my first MRI check up (almost wrote "cheek up") after 5 rounds of Faslodex/Zometa combo this Wedsday (2/26)...opps!
that's 2/29. I Hope I can join those of you on the good news list!! 
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keepingon, I've also taken Femara breaks and gotten relief. Also once you start taking it again, the side effects don't reach the same nasty level. At least that was my experience. Enjoy your break!
Good luck on the scans, aerial!
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Thanks, Heidihill--I'm hoping and praying!
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Hey, all: A group called METAvivor is trying to win money to fund research in metastatic cancer. If you go to this link, you can vote.0
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I've had four doses of the Faslodex/Zometa and had my first check via MRI. I have been declared stable which is very, very good! I am blessed!0
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Wonderful, Aerial! Happy spring!
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Aerial,
Cool Beans! That is wonderful news!
*susan*
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Aerial - so happy for you. Happy Dance Time.
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Great news Areial! Yeah!
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Fantastic news!
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Aerial, Wonderful news. The Cincy group should get together to celebrate with you. Will your onco keep you on the regime?
I have a question.....I took tamoxifen, but it was a very long time ago. My friend whom I have spoken of before ( was lobular BC) is on tamoxifen now. She has been complaining about how by the end of the day her legs feel like they are going to give out on her....feels like she's just run in the Boston Marathon and she can barely walk around. She thinks it is because she has taken on an extra job cleaning houses and I asked her Do you think it's the tamoxifen? and said she did not know and wanted to know if it could do that? I did not have problems with it in that way, but doesn't it affect muscles as well as joints in some cases? She just had a 3 mo checkup, but evidently her onco did not mention that it could be due to treatment, She said she is not about to stop taking it before she is supposed to, but she would I think feel almost relieved if she thought this was due to the tamox and not just "aging" as they like to blame everything for.
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Marybe - I have been on tamox for 6 mos and I also find that often my arms and legs do feel weak, tired and quite achy/sore. Perhaps some of it is aging, but I don't think it should be this bad at 48. Some days are better than others. I am putting most of the blame on the tamox.
Is your friend able to find anything to relieve the pain? I have been mixing Cherry juice concentrate (3 - 4 tablespoons) with a glass of water as of late (only a couple of days now). My sister swears by it for relieving aches and pains. It sounds like your friend's SE is worse than what I am experiencing, but it might be worth a try. I am finding that I am sleeping better as the cherry juice contains melatonin.
I hope your friend can find something that works for her.
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Hi, I'm new here at club mets. I'm stage 4 from the get go. A few months ago my eyelid started drooping,the opthamologist did a biopsy around the eye and found breast cancer. Now, three months later, i'm finishing radiation behind my eyes and am on femara. The primary site is in my right breast but not having chemo or surgery at this point. i'm looking forward to making some new friends here and comparing notes. New to posting on forums too so here goes.
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Hi Pampam and welcome to BCO and this thread. Sorry you need to be here but I'm sure you will soon get to know alot of the girls here. You will I'm sure feel right at home in a short space of time. Hope the Femara is doing good things for you.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Hi PamPam,
I'm also on Femara and it has done a great job for me for 3 years now. I hope it does the same for you. We're all here for you.
Lane
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Welcome pampam - sorry that you have to join us here, but as Chrissy said, you will feel at home soon. Lots of great support, encouragement and advice from everyone.
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Welcome pampam - I was stage 4 from the get go also and Femara has done a great job for me for the last 18 months. Hope is works as well for you. Keep posting on how you are doing and what you are feeling as this is a place of lots of information and encouragement.
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Hi everyone!
I was diagnosed with stage iv last June. My mom died from breast cancer at 45, diagnosed at 41. I was 42 when I learned, now 43. So, since my mom had BC, I started getting mammos in my early 30s, but I'm small with dense breasts and the mammos didn't detect it. I live in Charlotte, NC but go to Duke. My DR, Blackwell, said with my family history, my mom's sister had ovarian cancer at 20 but she's had no recurrences and is 62, and that I'm dense, she would have recommended that I get an MRI. I've never had another DR tell me this, so I want to get the word out to other women in a similar situation, family history and dense breasts, to speak with their DR and ask about getting an MRI and can hopefully avoid a similar fate!
I'm taking Femara and getting bone/CT scans every 12 weeks. My mets is only in my lungs and I just had scans a week ago and I'm stable. My DR says I have a dumb cancer and I pray that it stays dumb until I'm 100!
I'm ER+ so I had my ovaries removed and I try to avoid meat or buy organic as much as possible, although I haven't been able to avoid a Bojangles chicken biscuit! All the GRITS out there will know what I'm talking about!
I have not had chemo or surgery yet. Since I have practically no estrogen, I'm trying to deal with hot flashes, stiffness, and recently chills. I'm not taking anything for these SE and would like to hear what has helped others. I would prefer more natural remedies, but I know these may affect my Femara so I have to be careful. I've been looking into acupuncture, is this helpful?
I look forward to getting/providing info/support from all of you! I'm new to these discussion boards as well.
God bless,
Kim
P.S. Psalm 6
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I've heard acupuncture helps. What helps me is exercise. I agree with you about dense breasts.
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Hi Pampam - I hope you have much success with Femara...I was also dxed w stage 4 from the beginning and was put on Femara from the start. It has been 5 yrs and I am still on the Femara; things have been mostly stable for some time.
Biggest issues have been the aches, bone/muscle/joint pain and fatigue. Find stretching helps as well as warm baths or hot tubs and lots of rest. Diet also seems to help...more veggies, fruit, grains etc seem to help over all, as if helping body be as healthy/strong in order to deal with the drug effects.
Best wishes.
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BeanCounter42- Welcome to our group, sorry you have to be here, but this is a good place to find support, encouragement and sometimes lots of silly things so laugh about. I am in the same boat with dense breast tissue, but I am the first in my family as far as I know to have cancer so my daughters are aware of their added risks and have had my dx put in their medical records. I have been on Femara for 18 months and the hot flashes/sweats are worse with stress and sugar so I try to avoid those and the bone, joint and muscle pain is eased some with exercise. I do have mets to my lungs, liver and bones so I am on a pain management regime also. Hope you do not get to that point, but it is good to know things are available to help. The Femara has almost completely healed my liver and the lungs are getting better, the bones are stable for now and my numbers all look good so I am doing great for now.
Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing as your journey continues.
Amy Jo
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Welcome beancounter - You will find great support, encouragement and advise here from. Glad to hear that the Femara is working well for you. I am on Tamoxifen with injections of Zoladex every three months.
The SEs are pretty much the same as what you are experiencing. Not much fun, but if the tx is working I am willing to put up with them. I have heard that acupuncture works quite well and am thinking seriously about trying it.
Keep in touch - there are lots of threads here that you will find very interesting and even fun. I hope that Stable boy hangs around for a long time yet!
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