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Life on aromasin

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  • Shayne
    Shayne Member Posts: 524
    edited June 2012
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    my er/pr was 100% positive on both.  It really is different for everybody - no guarantees.  My mom has both kinds of arthritis and I had a bad reaction to prednisone when i had to go on it a few years ago - so not sure how my body will react. 

  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 486
    edited June 2012
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    Donnajrn: While on Aromasin for three months were your SEs the same as Tamoxifen but more intense? or did you have different SEs. Did they kick in immediately or did they build up gradually over three months. I'm about six weeks into Aromasin now and so far have hot flashes, which are less frequent than on Tamoxifen but are more intense when the they happen. So far I don't have the awful joint pain that people complain of, but maybe that comes on gradually?

  • camillegal
    camillegal Member Posts: 15,711
    edited June 2012
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    QUESTION, QUESTION

    I know we spoke of this before but ???Anyone here who is taking clariton--why do u take it--do u all have allergies or does it just help because of meds,?

  • hopefulhealing
    hopefulhealing Member Posts: 581
    edited June 2012
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    mybee glad your surgery is over.  Thanks for the info everyone on the timing of Aromasin.  I will start next week.  I think this is one of the hard things about BC everyone thinks after your surgeries all is back to normal.  Far from it!

  • dogsandjogs
    dogsandjogs Member Posts: 677
    edited June 2012
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    Glad you surgery went well!  Hope you are not in too much pain today--

  • mybee333
    mybee333 Member Posts: 672
    edited June 2012
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    Thanks. Must have been sleepy last nite.  Sorry Shayne.  Meant that 3% stat for bak94. 

    I just checked.  I am 95% ER positive.

    It's so weird.  When I am reading or on the computer, can't seem to stay awake, put it aside and close my eyes and then, my mind just wanders and I only sleep  10 mins. or so.  I did sleep some in the night which is good. Must be the anesthesia or maybe just trauma to the body. Going to lay down............... 

  • Shayne
    Shayne Member Posts: 524
    edited June 2012
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    Thx - I am considering trying it out.  Waiting for my bone density results to come in.  But yea, I have a young daughter, so feel for her, I need to throw everything at this.  

    I just lost a friend to cancer, found out yesterday....and it kind of jolted me.  Ive got a great prognosis now, I dont want to look back and feel regret that I didnt do everything.  Will keep monitoring this thread and adding when i start.  I will need support.  I cant say Im not scared, bc I am.  

  • Shayne
    Shayne Member Posts: 524
    edited June 2012
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     - I believe all the AIs have a steroid component to them.  Thats my understanding. 

  • Shayne
    Shayne Member Posts: 524
    edited June 2012
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    thanks - it was quite a shock as I read it in our local paper. Had no idea she had cancer.  I still dont know what kind, not that it matters.  But wish I wouldve known.  Its just a reminder that we are all very lucky to be alive.  I bitch about not wanting to be on AIs.....but my friend didnt have that option.  Puts things in to perspective very quickly.

  • camillegal
    camillegal Member Posts: 15,711
    edited June 2012
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    Mybee Just rest today and when u feel better let us know how it all went.  So just relax and relax u'r mind too.

  • camillegal
    camillegal Member Posts: 15,711
    edited June 2012
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    Oh Aromasin--I forgot--I've been taking it for over 1 yr.  Side effect still pretty strong for me--LOL did I say this all before sorry.

  • donnajrn
    donnajrn Member Posts: 31
    edited June 2012
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    I wish I had written down what I did not like about Tamoxifen....I know I had some joint discomfort, as for hot flashes..........it all depended upon the temperature of the room........I found I slept better in a cold cold room.........and working, if the room heated up, I had some trouble..but no hot flashes on either med that bothered me.  I developed stress incontinence while on the Tamoxifen and that is what I really did not like......so when switched to Aromasin, the incontinence stopped...but the joint pain became so much worse...........agree, while working and walking a lot the pain was not there........but at home, after riding in a car and just trying to move then the pain was horrible............the other thing I noticed with Aromasin was the leg aching at night with the joint aching............I took Aleve several times a day to help that...it took about a week after stopping Aromasin for the aching to start subsiding..........so have been back on Tamoxifen for a couple of weeks and so far so good.........not even the stress incontinence...........a little aching is all.............I have to admit, I am really doing Kegel exercises a lot to prevent that from coming back.........I do them the best when I wake in middle of night and try to get back to sleep....you know, exercise does tire you out. :)

    Donna

  • JMW
    JMW Member Posts: 33
    edited June 2012
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    I have now been on aromasin for 1 week. I am sleeping better than I have in the last year. Six or seven hours a night. Not feeling any fatigue in the morning. I've been getting pain in the bottom of my feet, almost feels like charley horses. I work 12 hr. shifts and am getting through them no problem. Hope things stay the same for the next week....month.......year :)

  • Shayne
    Shayne Member Posts: 524
    edited June 2012
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    whats funny - Im not on it.....and have been noticing what joint/muscle pain I have now.  I dont notice it because its just a moment, a second....but when/if I do take this drug, I will be on the alert.  
  • Shayne
    Shayne Member Posts: 524
    edited June 2012
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    Thanks Kayb!

  • camillegal
    camillegal Member Posts: 15,711
    edited June 2012
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    OK ladies my stupidity rears it's ditzy head again----why are some steroidal and some not what's the difference.?????

  • dogsandjogs
    dogsandjogs Member Posts: 677
    edited June 2012
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    I was told Aromasin is not actually a steroid. It just "mimics" a steroid.   However I found a web site which mentioned that weight lifters take it!

    Don't know about the other AIs

  • Shayne
    Shayne Member Posts: 524
    edited June 2012
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    it has a steroid component.  I thought i had read the others did too....but cant find the site where i read that.....

  • camillegal
    camillegal Member Posts: 15,711
    edited June 2012
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    OK I'm using this for a reason I can't loose weight--Now don't talk me out of it. I'm stickin with this story. LOL

  • Shayne
    Shayne Member Posts: 524
    edited June 2012
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    LOL!

  • dogsandjogs
    dogsandjogs Member Posts: 677
    edited June 2012
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    Well, it would be nice if the weight I gained was muscle weight, but nooooo the spare tire around my waist is def. fat!

  • camillegal
    camillegal Member Posts: 15,711
    edited June 2012
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    kayb another one of my brain ignorances is popping up

    So do u know what that actually means re: SE for Aromasin (steroid inhibitor part)?

  • Shayne
    Shayne Member Posts: 524
    edited June 2012
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    Thank you Kayb!

  • ginger_mea
    ginger_mea Member Posts: 135
    edited June 2012
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    weight lifters???? wow, why would anyone want to be on these is beyond me!

    I have no energy and sleep great on it! no weight gain either but do have a little bit of a belly which of course is the hardest thing to get rid of, when I do exercise that remains there!  I need to build muscle though they have really turn to mush, and I used to have good muscle tone, I guess its just the lack of estrogen, like a old lady I am :(

  • JMW
    JMW Member Posts: 33
    edited June 2012
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     kayb  thanks for the info  I thought I had read everything possible. Didn't know the one I chose was a steroid. Its just that everything I did read made the Aromasin seem like it had the least side effects. The Armidex sounded horrible.

    Guess I'm just going to have to be ready when that goatee starts coming in!  :) 

  • MaryNY
    MaryNY Member Posts: 486
    edited June 2012
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    Men have the enzyme aromatase too. When bodybuilders/weightlifters take large doses of anabolic steroids, the aromatase in their bodies can act on extra testosterone to produce more estrogen than that found in a normal woman. This can cause SEs including excess water retention and gynocomastia (breast tissue development in males). So then they use exemestane to counteract these SEs.

    Sorry ladies, it's not going to help us build muscle mass.

  • rgiuff
    rgiuff Member Posts: 339
    edited June 2012
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    MaryNY, I had the same experience as you, comparing tamoxifen to aromasin.  So far, I'm almost 4 weeks into this aromasin.  I find hot flashes much more intense and longer lasting so far, although they seem to come less often and to come mostly at bedtime and again throughout the early morning, but not in the afternoon, and rarely in the evening.  I had some mild wrist spasms and bad foot pain the 1st week on aromasin, but now, really not feeling much pain at all.  On tamoxifen, I had noticeable joint pains in knees and neck, which would sometimes go away for awhile, then come back.  I used tumeric powder for them, which worked well within a few days.  I am having terrible disrupted sleep worse then ever now, so if this effect doesn't settle down, I won't last on this medication!

  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 1,032
    edited June 2012
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    We're all so different. I sleep like a log on Aromasin. I take it in the a.m.

  • camillegal
    camillegal Member Posts: 15,711
    edited June 2012
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    kayb i'r super about research and my stupid questions TY so much u and everyone ar so patient with meand underdtand I'm like this. TY again

    My brain feels all fuzzy today--and I feel strange LOL noone can tell but me hahaha.I should know so much more by now but I don't--u'r all so kind and someone always gets back to me when I'm confused on a subject.

    I feel bad cuz when I started here I thought I could help anyone with my experience and it's me who needs help so myy advice is very little

  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 4,671
    edited June 2012
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    Shayne, sorry about your friend, sucks

    I have DCIS, take aromasin but after my mamo last week, got new junk so now doing biopsy to figure next step and if I should just get rid of the boobie now.  I seem fine on my aromasin if you do not count the fact that I can not remember sh*t but who knows what that is from.  Joint pain, sure but who knows from that either.  I keep doing the gym to keep moving and the doc says that is good to do.  Course she thinks I look good and I feel like crud

    doc says if the biopsy is bad, then the boobie is not my friend and she recommends a mastectomy

    the word creeps me out but all this back and forth on tests creeps me more

    sort of kills any summer vacation plans now

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