Life on aromasin
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My mom had an aneurysm burst behind her eye and in her brain (she lived 10 years beyond that so it did not kill her) and then a stroke ultimately is what she died from. She had congestive heart failure too. The MO said that because I was a former smoker and my Mom had all this, she would prefer me to be on an AI although it too has risk of stroke/clots, but less so than the tamoxifen. All of these drugs carry risk...just want the benefits to outweigh them
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Here's a silly story----I was given a new drug by a new Dr. for something else now, but here's where it's different--First she gave me samples-for a minute there I thought it was in the 70's, then I came back to reality cuz she said I'm on so many meds that if I notice in just a few days certain symptoms to stop taking it, it wasn't worth the SE's cuz to many have given me so many SE's. That was a first for me anyway, tho she would like me to take the med it's not worth other things. It's not a life saving drug, it a drug for me t feel better with my UTI's, whatever I thought she was nice.
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Cammi, that made me lol when you said "thought it was the 70's" So true...samples? Huh??? LOL
I actually remember home visits from our family doc when we were kids AND once I had a bad ear infection and the Ear, Nose and throat doc came to the house too...imagine that? Service in any capacity is gone from this country. It used to be that someone pumped your gas, washed your windows and checked your oil. The doctor came to the house. The bag boy carried your groceries to the car. Sales clerks paid attention to you and there was no such thing as searching for one! Ahhh, the good old days. That is all gone!
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April my mom didn't have all that and is still alive. BTW I am a former smoker yet my onc didn't seem to even question this. Not sure if she even knows although it is on my records. Quit almost 9 years ago. Like I said my onc seems to fear cancer more although she doesn't seem to like Tamoxifen and said "it's better than nothing" to me.
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hmmm, I am not a former smoker but did grow up with second hand smoke (per my cardiologist as mom smoked and passed of lung cancer)......my docs refer to the second hand smoke issue all the time, times I almost think they do not believe me. However, I have asthma, tons of allergies and worked for 20 years in a toxic environment (printing). Question is what caused my health issues ...
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Hi, all!! I think I have developed a new side effect, after being on aromasin 9 years: acid reflux with the accompanying post nasal drip! Anyone else have this issue?
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I have had post nasal drip for ever, way before this dang pill, I just ended my pill after 5 years and actually recently had some acid stomach issues. I had sinus surgery for polyps in Jan but it did nothing for the post nasal thing. My ENT has me using Simple saline, several times a day and steam whenever I can get to the steam room at the gym. That helps on the post nasal, you need to toot your nose after using the saline.
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I am having some gastric upset this time around but not acid reflux. Indigestion and a feeling of being full way beyond what it should be as well as waves of nausea when I least expect them. Weird. Before I took my "break" from it, had none of this SE. Now, it is daily!
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I was having issues before the pill due to Fosamax. Stopped the Fosamax. No reflux or heartburn on Amomasin so far. Almost 3 weeks in.
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Lago u'r doing goo, I hope it keeps.
Add me to the nose drips, I have to take Kleenex everywhere I go, I never in my life had this, I feel like I should tuck them in my sleeve like they did years ago. I have to have my very own box of Kleenex LOL But I had acid reflux before they called it that--it was called agitta now it's called Gerd, the name changes but the symptoms don't (BTW Lago taught me gerd was the same as acid reflux) kind of makes me sound MDish. But I do have a theory, I think all the hair in some noses did completely grow back and that's our filter and holder of these drippy noses.
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GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease = GERD (aka acid reflux)
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April - I started to have gastro issues last year. Before chemo I'd never had acid reflux, but it was pretty horrible on chemo. It seemed to calm down afterwards, but never really went away.
Last year I started to have a lot of pain in my lower right abdominal area, and we did a lot of tests (thinking the worst), but never found anything. I ended up doing a second colonoscopy in 14 months with an endoscopy this time. I was finally dx with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), and the specialist is pretty sure it's a result of chemo/AI. I'm still finding all my triggers, but the biggest one for me is lactose, that took away the pain (within a day of going lactose free) and the nausea. I'm lucky that lactose is my biggest issue. Gluten is a problem, but I can tolerate a small amount. If I overdose on it (and stupidly did that two weeks ago) I get really bad reflux, nausea, feeling of fullness or that I've overeaten in a big way - and I ended up vomiting.
I still have diarrhea, but haven't worked out all my triggers yet, and it the D is easing somewhat. Boswellia helps too.
It's pretty easy to cut out lactose - there are so many lactose free products available, at least there are here in Australia. The lactose free milk tastes just the same as ordinary milk. I still have yoghurt as most of the lactose is fermented out of it. We can even buy lactose free cream (for special occasions lol). For me, at least, being lactose free made a dramatic and almost instant change.
I also know that I can't tolerate mushrooms, onions or pumpkin very well. I'm on what's called a low FODMAP diet and have a great app from Monash University that lists all the foods and whether they are good, bad or you have to be careful. That's helped a lot too.
So - for anyone that has done chemo and is on an AI - a lot of us - you can have an issue with developing IBS, so if you are having issues, it's worth checking out.
Trish
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I had IBS diagnosed 3 years before cancer diagnosis. I know my triggers. High animal fats
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I get into trouble with hi animal fat as in cheese burgers and steaks! But that all started when I had my gallbladder removed 25 yrs ago!
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I haven't had a hamburger since 2007. It was only 1/2 a burger and I was doubled over in pain. Mostly with me it's constipation and the fat makes my colon contract… and end up with pencil shits. Granted it's been a while since they got that skinny. I know if I have something bad I need to stay away from fat for several days till things get normal again. If I don't then I bloat and it's not fun.
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thanks, everyone! I was put on a proton pump inhibitor!!
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Well I see some familiar names here! Cammie, you're almost making sense! I'm tellin!
I'll be starting this pill tomorrow should have been today, but the drive thru was out of order and I had the dogs, it's 90 here, couldn't leave them in the car.
I'm going to read back some pages, lurk for awhile
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lol Lago - had to laugh at pencil shits - when mine are whole, they are big and float! I know TMI
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Floating is something you should mention to your MD, if they float all the time.
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Floating is from having a bit too much gluten and also from some of the other triggers I haven't quite worked out yet. They don't float all the time, but often enough for me to know that I've eaten something I shouldn't have lol
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I've had the pencil, and what I call plop, plops. LOL.
Do any of you ladies have experience with Tomoxifen? I've been on a vacation from Aromisin now for about 8 months and am finally feeling like I did before my cancer dx. My MO wants to put me back on an AI and has been mentioning Tamox. I'm loving the old/new me. Any experience with Tomix here? My body can't take AI's for too long.
Thank you,
Katarina
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Hi Spookie! Welcome to the thread for the joint pain challenged! LOL..just kidding. Hope you do ok on Aromasin as many others do.
Katarina, no experience with tamoxifen, but with stage IIIC, I am betting your MO is all over you to restart some type of anti-hormonal. Hope which ever one you choose is kinder to you. I know what you mean about vacation from the drugs and how good it feels since I took a month off between April and May and felt amazing by week 3. It was soooo hard to restart this drug! Best to you whatever you end up doing.
Trisha-Ann, I am not having any problems at all with bowel movements, just a feeling of being full after only eating about a third of my dinner and then having a general feeling of discomfort in the tummy area and some gas and bloating. No lactose or animal fat or gluten issues that I know of. I did not have chemo so it can't be that. Ugh..who knows.
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Katarina if you have pencils you must mention this to your MD. This can be a sign of a blockage. I'm stage IIB with no nodes and my onc pretty much said I am high risk for recurrence because of the size of my tumor and must be on something. She doesn't like Tamoxifen and said "its better than nothing." Well Tamoxifen is better than that but if you really can't do the AI, which is a little better, then try the Tamoxifen. You can always quit but your don't know unless you try.
april485 you could have IBS like me (irritable bowl symptom). I find certain foods trigger it. Also if I eat big meals I'm really uncomfortable.
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I do get it, Lago. None of the doctors felt I'd have a problem, despite Mother's and her Mother's history.
I fought them putting me on Tamoxifen due to the history. They claimed they'd checked and I should be fine. Not quite - no one noticed the test hadn't even been run. Idjits! It went through all these without noticing - Primary Physican, Oncologist, Cardiologist (needed clearance to have the Diep procedure), Surgeon, Plastic Surgeon, etc.
Lo and behold, several times during the Diep Flat, I threw blood clots which caused the surgery to be aborted. I just happened to have a genetic blood mutation factor that no one knew about.
Caveat to others - this does NOT mean others will have the same outcome with the Diep as I did.
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I think Humana screwed up. Big surprise. Anyway, went to pu the rx. Clerk says $160!!!! I said, when I picked my jaw up, that can't be right! Yes, been through your insurance. Uh, no thanks!! Tried to call Humana, their system is down.
So. If this is correct, does anybody know if there is assistance from Pfizer for this med?
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ooo, I know someone who was getting it direct from them for zero but she was on Medicaid
can you handle the generic?
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i got a 3 month supply of the generic for $20.00 copay. Are you in the Medicare donut hole? There is a $4.00 copay card for the brand , google for it. I know my insurance will not cover then brand at all since there is a generic. It must be working since I am getting the hot flushes form hell
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Spookiesmom I wish I could buy mine at that price. I need to hit my deductible first. The generic drug is $340 last time I checked. I purchased mine through GoodRX at $180 last month but I see it is now $210 using their coupon. I think once I hit my deductible it will be $40.
Anastrozole was costing me $10. Once I hit my deductible it would be free.
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Spookie, that price is correct, even for the generic, I paid 155.00 per month. I have an HSA type of insurance. I have a big deductible ($6,000.00 ) but my employer gives me a credit card with 5,500.00 loaded on it towards my deductible. Then I hit the 500.00 donut hole where I have to pay that full amount and then it is a 10.00 copay for scripts and then my doctor visits and everything else is zero and I pay nothing for even tests and/or hospital stays/surgeries after that donut hole.
It saves the agency (I work for a non profit) lots of money cause most people never hit that huge deductible or come close to it, and buying insurance with large deductibles is much cheaper, but I sure use it! Last year with all of my treatments and surgeries, I was well over the 100K mark! My employer is great about giving us the majority of that deductible in that Care Credit mastercard. They pay 92.6% of our premiums. Used to be completely free for me when I started with them 9+ years ago and I only had to pay for hubby but with prices so high, they had to charge us. They take 36.00 out of my pay every two weeks for my premiums.
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April it could still be IBS, but it could also be something else, maybe something you need to talk to your MD about?
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