Arimidex - Coping with the SE's
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wow Patty. Thanks for all that information! I am going to see if there is one for myalgia. Justpicked up the book on Essentials of oils.
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Hi Chloesmom - No problem. My post was a little long. Sorry. I have the book "Essential Oils" pocket reference by Life Science Publishing I bought on Amazon. There is a section on fibromyalgia in case your book doesn't have anything.
I did check with the leader of our closed Facebook page, she says I can invite anyone that wants to join. It's free to join the group and you can learn, ask questions and then if you decide you want to try the ones (Young Living) she uses, we can help you get started. It's a very friendly and helpful group. I learned a lot in the past three weeks. And, if you decide it's not for you, you can always just stop the group. It's not a group specific to breast cancer, but many issues and uses.
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Just saw on the link from previous post that tea tree oil isn't good for estrogen tumors! Yikes that's what I've been using on my nails for the effects of chemo. Haven't seen that anywhere else. The nurse at my MO suggested it What's a girl to do !?!
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I am currently listening to a talk on EO's and safety. Here is there webpage - http://www.atlanticinstitute.com/ I haven't finished listening to the talk, but it seems they have been researching this a long time.
Just thought I'd share for everyone interested in this.
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My cholesterol has gone up and I know it is the ratio that matters. I don't want to take medicine unless I have to. I do take Arimidex and have since Jan 2013. My oncologoist told me it could make it go up. My skin is dry (everything is dry). I have trouble sleeping. I have 66 years old and still have to take the Arimidex for 2 1/2 years. Someone suggest Niacin. Any other suggestions?
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Claudia, I started anastrozole at the beginning of 2014. I found that exercise is the best means against stiffness and minor aches and pains and it also helps to lower your cholesterol. However, in order to have impact on cholesterol it must be a good aerobics exercise at least 3 - 4 times a week, e.g. jogging, zumba, brisk walking - good cardio - for an hour at a time.
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Yup, you gotta move!!!
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I'm taking Effexor for the SEs of anastrazole. Hot flashes are much better and so is the joint pain. Plus my mood is better. It's changed my life!
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And yes, you've gotta move
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Had my first fat grafting last Wednesday. They took fat from my midriff, lower abdomen, and a bit from my sides. I'm not really sure why PS split it up, but I do doubt they would have been able to get it all off one. He may have been trying to not leave me with too much loose skin in one place because the Arimadex has totally taken away any elasticity.
I'm really sore and don't know when I'll be able to actually get jeans on to go back to work. At this point I can't imagine pulling up and zipping tight jeans.
Anyone else have this problem?
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Scubalady - doesn't your PS have you wearing compression wear after fat grafting?
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Patty9999 I sound just like you. I was getting so stiff, I could barely get around. I have had previous knee replacement and my knee had started hurting again and even stopping the Arimidex for a week wasnt helping. I have high blood pressure, so when I had my recent check up, I found I had extremely low vitamin D. Mine was 12 and my doctor said it should be 35, so I was given prescription for 50,000 vit D. I take it once a week, and have been on it 3 weeks. I have also been trying wearing different shoes, because I know from dealing with my knee, my shoes really matter. Something must have shifted because the shoes I have been wearing, Orthoheel, seem to be aggrivating my knee and legs. So, I have been digging out shoes I had previously bought and could not wear and for the past 3 days, I've had some clarks, and my knee and leg and hip have not hurt. I am praying it is either the vitamin D or the shoes or a combo of both and that this constant nagging pain will stop. My cholesterol was also up at this check up, so guess that could be another side effect.
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My apologies, I meant to post about my fat grafting on the fat grafting thread. I'll blame my mental lapse on anethesia.
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Hi ladies. When I was first dx, after chemo rads...I was put on Tamoxifin. In December 2012 had my ovaries taken out as a preventative then was put on Arimidex. I was menopausal about 3 chemo treatments into my plan. The Arimidex causes joint pain for me and I have hot flashes still... My onc has told me that he would like to see me stay on Arimidex for 10 years total. Anything that may keep the C away, I will tolerate the SE's. I wonder though about Tam vs. Arimidex??0 -
the Arimidex is normally for women who have been through menopause, so thats likely why they have you on that. At least, thats what I was told and I am supposed to be on for 10 years as well.
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The 10 yrs. must be a new protocol. I was on arimidex for 5 years.
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5 years for me too. 10 has not yet been recommended by the studies. If doctors are recommending it, they are doing so on a 'hunch'.
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Wonder if perhaps the 10 years is more for people with ILC since recurrence is often after 10 years so as much as I hate it I hope to be on it a long time.
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Very possibly so. I have a ILC friend who is staying on longer and her doctor told her it was because ILC is so sneaky and hard to detect by the usual means.
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nope, I have IDC, not ILC and I go to a breast cancer center. My oncologist told me the studies had found that after 5 years of meds, many people were having recurrence, and they are now recommending 10 years. She said you know how things change and by 5 years, they may change and say stop. I was just diagnosed 6/14 and at that time, she said it was a recent change.
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I'm on cymbalta to deal with the joint pain from the Arimidex. I was told after taking tamoxifen for 3 years then starting the Arimidex it would be for 7 tears 6 more to go.
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angelia5 - That is interesting about the 10 years. I reach my 5 years end of Nov 2015. Last time I saw my oncologist a year ago she said plan was to stop in November. I told her I was afraid to go off, although was looking forward to stopping because of the SE's. I know that exercise would probably help some, but I am still having issues with my bulging disc in my back. Seeing the physiatrist on Tuesday to see about getting another handicap placard for our trip to San Francisco. I'll probably get injections in both knees, but not the spine yet. I did just finish a health program with someone who guided me through my recovery and is a survivor as well. She stated I'll probably notice a huge difference when I can go off the Arimidex. So, torn right now as to what I want. We'll see what happens September when I have my checkup.
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Good luck, Patty.
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patty, I can imagine how you feel. I see lots of ladies say they couldn't wait until the day they came off the meds and then, when it happened, they felt fear. I can imagine that, because I sure didn't want to hear chemo but when my doctor said no chemo, I felt like saying, are you sure? My main problems with Arimidex have been with stiffness. I have already had knee replacement, and since starting these meds, I've had more pain than in the past. I did find out I had extremely low vitamin D a couple of weeks ago and I have to say, since starting those meds, I am feeling much better in my legs. I couldn't even think about going to the gym the past few months, I could barely walk, but now, maybe I can force myself to go back.
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American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) still recommends 5 years of Arimidex. They have changed their Tamoxifin recommendation from 5 to 10 years. Although I was very glad to take Arimidex for the whole 5 years, I was really happy to be done too. I would say, at this point, doctors should NOT be making blanket '10 years of Arimidex' statements, but should be looking at each individual patient's unique diagnosis. I guess if they DID say 10 years, I would want to know specifically WHY. If you are just starting out, I wouldn't even worry about it yet, they will probably change their recommendations three or four times by the time you hit 5 years!
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Maybe try yoga.
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Yoga is wonderful!
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Gentle yoga is working well on my AI joint pains.
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Well believe it or not I have either 2 or 1 year left on arimidex. I can't remember. I went off twice just to feel better for a month, but went back on this last time about 2 months ago. It took exactly 3 days I swear, for my crown hair to start falling out again and about a week for the sides of my hands and pinkys to curl up and burn during the night and wake me up, but I would sure be P###ssed at myself if I quit it and BC came back. Oh, I see by my icon that I have one year left to finish 5 years. NO I don't want to do 10 years!! The alternatives gave me really high BP
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Hello, dear new friends, I never dreamed in my wildest dreams I would be staring a bottle of Arimidex in the face again. But I am. I began taking it 3 days ago, this second time around. I was going to say nothing noticeable yet, however yesterday I did put the birthday cake for today's birthday party into the freezer instead of the fridge, and, when I carried my bedroom slippers into my walk-in closet, instead of dropping them on the floor, I threw the iPhone I was holding in my other hand down on the closet floor. Does any of that count?
I've been taking the Arimi after breakfast each morning, but tomorrow morning (Friday) I'm going to the hospital for a CAT scan and Nuclear Bone Scan, and the only way I can think of to do it is to take both Levothyroxine and Arimidex together as soon as I awaken, without food, wait an hour, have breakfast, and then three hours of nothing but clear liquids prior to the procedures, and an Ativan one hour before the first procedure. I hope that will be okay. I did read here that one of you takes her Arimi first thing upon awakening, together with her Levothyroxine, and that information has enabled me to make this decision. Thank you so much for this Arimidex thread!
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