Arimidex - Coping with the SE's
Comments
-
Here's an arimidex question...anyone get "loose" joints? My right hip is very stiff, after I walk for about 20 minutes, it almost feels "loose"...hard to describe, but weird.
I had popping hip syndrome in it about 6 months ago. went to an orthopedist who checked me for reflexes, pain, rotation, all OK, just reccommended stretching alot.
Can I chalk this one up to good ole' arimidex also do you think?
0 -
p.s. he also said no, to arthritis or bone issues.
WTF? Arimidex, the gift that keeps on giving...
0 -
Hi Lowrider,
My problem is I don't get thirsty, except once in a great while. I have to FORCE myself to drink water. It isn't that I don't like water. I just don't get thirsty. We got a new fridge a while ago, with the built-in ice and water dispenser. That does make it easier. I get myself a big glass and try to sip on it. But sometimes it sits there for hours. I drink a cup of coffee in the morning, and drink a glass of water with my meds. The rest is a struggle. Crazy. I do drink lemonade in the summer, and an occasional soft drink. And, yes, wine and the occasional cocktail I don't have problems swallowing! I hate the Zometa treatments, partly because I have to force the water. Such a silly thing to complain about. But, there you go!
Lane
0 -
Hi Wenweb,
I really do wish I could tolerate Restasis. I have a new eye doctor, who told me she can't tolerate it, either. I tried several times to keep going with it, and the headaches were intolerable. Every time I see that commercial on TV, I turn it on mute. I spent all that money for NOTHING! I am glad it works for you, though! I have been using Systane, and some really thick stuff in a tube, which I put in after I get in bed, then lie there and luxuriate in the cool, soothing pleasure it creates.
Lane
0 -
Hi again LWD,
I'm sorry that you don't tolerate the Restasis also. It "helps" me, but it's the fish oil/flax oil that I think make the biggest difference. If I miss a day or 2 (which I rarely do) of the oil's, I can really tell. I highly advise it. I work for an ophthalmology practice that recommends it for pts with dry eye. It's good for inflammation, skin, hair, heart,eyes... I don't know if you are on Tamoxifen or an AI, but I feel strongly that having the estrogen taken from your body exacerbates the dry eye issues.
Good-luck, it's hard enough dealing with the BC issues in addition to everything else that goes along with it.
Wendy
0 -
Hi Wendy,
Yes, I am taking fish oil. I was told it also can help cholesterol levels, which I'm also dealing with now. Everything seemed to fall apart with menopause: high cholesterol, high blood pressure, low thyroid, etc., etc. That low estrogen wreaks havoc on the bod. Haven't noticed much change with my dry eyes after taking fish oil for a year, but maybe it would be worse without it now that I'm on Femara. Thanks for the info!
Lane
0 -
Hi, I was on another thread discussing Arimidex caused joint pains and acupuncture. Now that my knees feel 100% better, and I am walking a lot more, my feet hurt. Just a sore, achy, heavy feeling. No sharp pains. I noticed my ankles are swollen at night also. I am going to consult my acupuncturist this coming week. But do any of you have this too?
0 -
Ronna - congratulations on your good news! I'm so glad everything came back negative. What a nice thing you are doing by volunteering at the hospital.0
-
Ronna, congratulations on the best possible results. Wishing you continued success!
Lo, I'm with you on boring old water, paleease! Daily, I have a couple of cans of Polar Brand seltzer containing the natural flavoring, lemon, calorie free, sodium free carbonated water. Lifting a glass of the bubbly to y'all, have a great weekend!
0 -
My PCP wants me to take something (niacin or a statin) for cholesterol, even though with my numbers I only have a 1% risk of problems. So I've been doing some research. One thing I've found in the medical literature that taking 235 mg of aspirin half and hour before taking niacin stops or decreases the flushing effect. Since I've also seen some research that a daily dose of aspirin may protect against bc recurrence, I may go that route. Still researching and deciding.
Caffeine is well known as a "booster" drug to many other drugs. Caffeine adds to the pain relief of Tylenol (acetaminophen), aspirin, and even morphine. Caffeine is also a mood booster, in fact it's the most commonly used legal mood altering drug in the world. Sometimes the cheapest way to get something like Excedrin is to by generic aspirin and generic NoDoz. There are generic aspirin/caffeine and acetaminophen/caffeine combinations out there that are a lot cheaper than Excedrin. And taking it with a cup of coffee adds to the effect, and gives an excuse for another cup of coffee, very handy for those of us who are caffeine addicts!
Ronqt1-Hurray for negative results! You must feel so relieved!
Lowrider-if you don't like water and the add-in packets don't sit well with you, maybe it would work better to get fluid in other forms. Many fruits are high in water content, fruit juices are mostly water, non-caffeinated drinks count as fluid intake, too. Think clear liquid diet-jello, broth, popsicles, ices all count as fluid, too. The big problem with this approach is that there is more calories in these things than in water, but you can get sugar-free versions of most. Be sure to use salt-free broth and boullions, if you go that route. Another thing to try is water at different temperatures. If my water is ice cold I will drink lots of it and not realize how much I am drinking. If it's cool, I'll drink some but not as much. If it's tepid or warm I won't drink it all. I have a cousin who lives in Vegas who cannot drink water unless it's room temperature. Temperature makes a big difference for a lot of people. And yes, Tonic Water counts as water! So does Club Soda (just watch out for the salt content).
0 -
Yes,I have occasionally swollen ankles....
I loved the fish oil, but my onc said absolutely NO to it, as i am an ER+ person. Apparently it has phytoestrogens and he is against it. My GP said yes, but he overruled her.
I miss the fish oil.....can I just eat tons of salmon??
0 -
Well, now I read on another thread that an onc warned against taking fish oil if you're ER+. My onc told me to take it for my cholesterol and joints. Go figure. Can't win for losing! Guess I'll do some more research.
Lane
0 -
My oncologist told me DURING CHEMO not to take fish oil, or ANY anti-oxidant, as it inhibits the chemo meds from working properly. But, AFTER all treatments, by all means to take the fish oil. As I said, I take 9grams a day for my cholesterol/mostly triglycerides. I get great skin, no constipation all that I attribute to the Omegas. Ask your oncologist for sure. ~juli
0 -
Maybe it's Omega 3 vs. Omega 6? From what I can see, the Omega 3's may be more beneficial than Omega 6 in preventing the growth of ER+ tumors? Confusing. I've been taking Omega 3. I'm on Femara, so don't know about fish oils during chemo treatments.
Lane
0 -
Ok Gals, I am new to this thread - have been on the Tamoxifen train for 1 1/2 years and have a script in hand for Arimidex to get filled today. What am I in for?
What I would really like to do is to take a month off and take nothing. My fear though is that I'm going to realize how good I feel and not want to go back. Probably better that I'm just blissfully unaware of how good I could feel. I guess the good news is that the 5 year countdown can start. My Onc wanted originally to keep me on Tamox for many years, then do the switch with 5 more on Arimidex. If I start now, I will be done 2 months before my 50th birthday! Maybe I'll feel great by my 50th!!
Btw, it's like 80 degrees here in Indiana and LowRider54 a gin and tonic sounds like the ticket!
Laura
0 -
Tagging this thread.
0 -
Laura, just saying hello to a fellow Hoosier, I'm nw of you in W. Lafayette! Yes, it's a bit warm for Oct., isn't it? (and too blasted dry). 90 tomorrow -- geez!
sunflowers, rotfl!!! I hadn't heard that one before!
I'm a water lover so I can't help those who're having trouble drinking it . To neurotin takers (back a few pages), I take a low dose (300 mg) of it, nighttime only, and I was told that drowsiness and fatigue are common issues with it (it's also listed on my drug sheet), but your body should adjust to it and that should resolve itself. Ideally, anyway. Rocket, as suggested, you might talk to your dr. about your meds overall, or as you're thinking, reduce it a little for a few days and see what happens. Also, as mentioned, you aren't that far out from treatment... I'm over 7 months out and although I saw progress all spring/summer, I'm really only starting to feel my oats again. It's not uncommon to have fatigue for quite awhile.
I can't find anything that says fish oil has estrogens so if anyone does, please direct me, because I'd like to see what anyone else finds. In fact, one source I found says fish oil suppresses estrogen production, but I didn't research this more so I'm not sure if that's true or not. And definitely it's an anti-inflammatory, along with a lot of other good characteristics. My onc. is the most conservative & cautious I've heard of and he allows me to take fish oil, so I'm thinking maybe your dr. mixed up fish oil with something else.
My patio's open for anyone who wants to join in with their beverage of choice!
0 -
I saw that -- but I also saw that anniealso said her onc. said no specifically to fish oil -- so I was curious.
0 -
No flax for sure if you are estrogen positive.....I haven't heard of no fish oil for BC, but I think it can raise your LDL (bad cholesterol) numbers. I'll try to look it up late,r but need to get out and walk right now because it is beautiful here but gets dark early! Ruth
0 -
I knew no flax, but i thought fish oil was good for us. I've been taking it daily suggested by my family Dr. Of course he's the fool who thought it was my daughter who had breast cancer as he looked at the report that said 57 year old patient. Maybe he was wrong for the fish oil as well.
Karen
0 -
Fish oil is good for you. My cardiologist put me on it. The idea that it raises LDL has been shown to be only mildly true for some people... and not a significant raise. And it's also been shown to raise HDL and lower triglicerides.
Here's a couple of places that discuss it; you can probably search and find more:
http://www.healthcentral.com/cholesterol/c/7986/20087/fish-oil-raise
(be sure to read to the end, where it summarizes by saying:
"Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil therefore provide the appearance of raising LDL cholesterol, but the actual-measured-rise is usually small to none.Omega-3 fatty acids have been convincingly shown to reduce risk of heart attack, stroke, heart rhythm disorders, and are powerful tools to reduce triglycerides. It's a shame to avoid this wonderfully effective and healthy tool because of the appearance of rising cholesterol. "
also see:
http://newsletter.vitalchoice.com/e_article000740291.cfm?x=b11,0,w
"We should note that fish oil can raise levels of LDL cholesterol slightly in people with high blood levels of triglycerides.
However, that otherwise slightly negative impact is insignificant when seen in the context of all of the effects that omega-3s exert on blood fats, blood cholesterol, arterial inflammation, blood stickiness (platelet aggregation), and other relevant risk factors for cardiovascular disease ... such as the ability of omega-3s to lower levels of lipoprotein lipase, which traps LDL cholesterol in artery walls."There's a ton of good information on WebMD, which includes this:
" Omega-3 fatty acids: These essential fatty acids have a favorable effect on cholesterol. Supplement sources include fish oil capsules, flaxseed and flax seed oil. Omega-3 fatty acids decrease the rate at which the liver produces LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. They have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body, decrease the growth of plaque in the arteries, and aid in thinning blood. If you are considering taking omega-3 fatty acids, you should first discuss with your doctor if omega-3 fatty acid supplements are right for you (especially if you are currently taking blood-thinning medication)."
WebMD also has good information about how to chose a fish oil so you get the benefits and not the dangers (like mercury).
And finally, from Mayo Clinic, it's one of the things recommended to help with cholesterol:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cholesterol-lowering-supplements/CL00013
I don't have any quesitons about the benefits of fish oil and cholesterol. I'm still wondering about anniealso's dr's statement but I'm also still thinking he meant something else (like flax oil or primrose oil).
As mentioned/suggested many places, always check with your dr.
0 -
While flax oil is not as good, ground flax seeds contain lignans which are extremely beneficial for er+ cancers.
http://www.flaxhealth.com/breastcancerupdate.htm
http://www.007b.com/breast-cancer-prevention.php#flax
Flax is the main holisitic tool I'm using to reduce estrogen in my body, resulting in levels so low that my onc is considering taking me off the AIs b/c they are redundant. You all should do whatever feels best to you, but it really upsets me to see people still telling folks to stay away from on of the best tools we have to boost our omega 3s and reduce both estradiol and 2/16 estrogen ratios. There are many many studies out there at this point showing that flax is both safe and beneficial!
0 -
I agree, jessamine, but it's a touchy subject for some people and I've quit trying to explain it. It's also hard for people to go against what their drs. say. I know I trust my own dr., but if there's any question at all I do my own reading and research. There's just no way a dr. can stay up on all the research, especially outside their immediate field, and few drs. have a nutrition background. I don't know if the preponderance of evidence for flax seed will get past the negative impressions people have until the drs. get caught up on the research and make recommendations based on that. And in the meantime, everyone really does have to decide where their comfort level is, and I always support people doing what they think is right for them.
0 -
Sunflowers,
I think that you misunderstood what I was saying to LWD. I was merely letting her know that flax oil OR fish oil were good for dry eyes (among other things). They are both Omega 3 Fatty Acids. I have also never had anyone tell me that flax is not good to take if you have BC, so that was all new news to me.
Jessamine: thanks for the links that have clarified some of this.
Wendy
0 -
Here's more 'fuel for the fire' from the American Heart Association. Whatever else we do, we should probably all eat more oily fish.
Can fish oil help lower cholesterol?
A: Although fish oil may lower levels of blood triglycerides and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, it does not seem to significantly lower the LDL, or bad type of cholesterol. However, fish is a great protein source that is very low in fat and saturated fat. Eating fish two to three times weekly does helps to lower risk for heart disease, possibly by interfering with the ability of blood to clot. The American Heart Association recommends that people eat fish regularly but does not advise taking fish oil supplements.
0 -
Ronna,
Best news I have heard in a long time....think I will have an "adult beverage" in your honor...then one for myself.
Teri
0 -
I posted this on anotherr thread when I meant to post it here.
My take on the fish oil statement - whenever I look for fish oil capsules, the shell is always made with soy as one of the top ingredients. I know the jury is out on soy (no debate here please), but maybe the dr. was refering to that?......
Trish
0 -
Trish, maybe that's what he was refering to, but you can get fish oil capsules without soy.
0 -
If anyone knows of brands of fish oil that don't have soy, can you suggest them? My internist prescribed GSK's Lovaza fish oil and the packaging says don't take if you are allergic to soy - the capsule or some of the oil is soy. Most OTC brands just list vegetable oil and don't tell you what it is. I'm on Femara and don't want to counter the effects of keeping estrogen down by taking a supplement with hidden soy.
0 -
Try looking at your health food store -- I use our locallly owned store's brand -- the labels of many of their products have a list of what isn't in the product for those with allergies or whatever (no soy, corn, dairy, that sort of thing). I also talked with the people there. At least at the stores in our area, supplements have become one of their mainstays, so they've become pretty knowledgable about the products they carry; if that's happening here I would think it's happening other places. Not as cheap as the box stores but not overly expensive, either.
Also check out the Nordic line (available at health food stores); I believe most or all of their fish oil products are without soy, although they may have the warning that they "may have been manufactured on the same product line as soy products" or something like that. Chances of getting even trace amounts of soy that way are slim.
Watch for products that are properly purified to remove any PCB's, heavy metals, etc. I probably wouldn't be taking it except my cardiologist wants me to but I don't discount the anti-inflamatory benefits.
0
