Life on aromasin
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I was on Tamoxifen since 4/14/12 ( almost 3 months now )...no hot flashes or night sweats, but temperature sensitive, and my appetite has been decreasing and was losing more weight ( I had been on Wellbutrin for some time before my dx and had lost weight from that, but had to stop it ) ...told my dr and he did the FSH blood test ( should have done that first before putting me on the Tamoxifen) - scale is 23-116 ..my result was 23 so, right on the edge of menopause...honestly, I was a little surprised that he switched med. since I was on the low end of the scale, but I think his concern, as well as mine, was my appetite.....I was scared before starting Tamoxifen, and I'm scared again to start something new....I hope and pray it won't be worse...
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It's interesting about weight loss. I lost a couple of pounds, which was welcome (still need to lose 10 more). I also don't think about food as much as I used to, and feel less hungry during the day. I'd call this a plus for the medicine, but I am not underweight.
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Yay, Kay! I'm going to make you my roll model!
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Thanks for that Kay.......love to hear some good things about this drug!
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I finished chemo inJune and will soon be one one of these. I am post menopausal and ad and oopharectomy in nov 2011 (BRCA1 pos.) had a stressful menopause that HRT really helped- yes, I know, had I but known. 3 years of it. Oh well. Anyway, my sis had tamoxifen and then aromatase but didn't have any side effects. Is that unusual? Hope I am like her....please share.
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lisa - just so you know - I had a hysterectomy in 2008 with thee years of estrogen only hormone replacement therapy - ERT. Research has actually found that reduces a womans risk of BC. We can only work with the knowledge we have at the time.
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Starting Aromasin tomorrow after developing awful SE's from Femara 2 weeks ago. After reading lots of info that you ladies have provided, (THANKS), I've asked for the Greenstone brand and keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I can tolerate this. Happy 4th of July to all of you.
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dogsandjogs thanks for the info. I will be starting in about 1 1/2 weeks and scared to death.
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I had the estrogen/progesteron HRT. The last year I was reducing the dose every month. Ive read that it raises breast cancer risk. However, my sister and my cousin, all with BRCA from father's side, got breast cancer and had never taken birth control pills or HRT or any hormones. My onc says it is the gene that set me up, we have all done things that raise risk but the gene trumps al.Said at most maybe I would have gotten it later if I hadn't done HRT. Still I am mad at myself. But as you say, we work with the knowledge we have at the time.
I am hoping, as someone above said, that being postmenopausal twice (real menopause and a little adjustment when my ovaries were removed) mean I am more used to having hardly any estrogen. I have to also assume that there are lots of women out there who take this stuff and have no or minor SEs and just don't post...
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thats what im banking on!
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ladies, I think you are spot on. Let's face it if the drug isn't causing any problems then we would be dealing with all the other joys of this process and not be here.
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Just called COSTCO to see what my Rx would cost.....they said they couldnt tell me until i processed the Rx. Called my insurance, they said they can only give estimates, but they are usually close. For CVS and Costco, both estimates were $16 and change.
Its a drive to Costco, but my MO said they have the lowest prices.......
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hopeforhealing: Good luck! You can always stop and try another one if you can't tolerate it. But many people have no problems on it.
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Kayb - yea that is per month! I just xeroxed the xerox copy of my Rx and took one to Costco, one to CVS. Both could not tell me while i was there how much it was going to be. Ill take one to Walgreens as well...... thx! Course, it could just be you have better insurance than I do, but mine aint shabby.....
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Dogsandjogs thanks for the encouragement! I need to remember that. I can always go back to the Tamoxifen. I just have had so many things go wrong that I almost anticipate that they will continue to go wrong. I need to rearrange that thinking.
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Lisa 2012, just curious what kind of side effects you had when you were already in menopause and then had your ovaries removed. I've heard that the ovaries do work a little even after menopause, but have also read so much saying that they don't. So your case might offer some clues as to how true either side of that argument is. Also, you really should not beat yourself up over your choice to do HRT. It's very likely that you might still have gotten breast cancer anyway, as estrogen is the fuel, not really the cause. Anyway, with the HRT, you may have preserved your bones, cardiac, and mental status for an extra few years!
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As I had my hysterectomy at 50, with subsequent HRT, that is a nice thought. Thank you
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So confused with these AI'S right now. Did not take my femera tonight, been on it 1 month and I am more fatigued, depressed & achey than when I was during chemo. Had PET scan this morn, no call back, not sure if that is good or not? Failed Tamox, which I started right after uterus and ovaries removed. Felt terrible on it, then swiched to Arimidex. Toleralted for about 5 months & was just thrilled, because it is a good drug. But woke up one morn, could barely walk and had intense wrist pain. Bone scan and dexa later were normal. Which brings me back to the Femera. Why do I even have to be on these AI'S? I feel like such a wussy. I have read here before that the SE of these drugs were "being alive", but the quality of my life on them is what I am questioning. Are there any ladies out there that chose not or who cannot take the AI's? I feel like a failure. Why can't I just suck it up & take the tiny pill?
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My sister was on Tamox for about 6mos, suffered severe depression and weight gain amoung other SEs....and went off of it. To her it was not worth sacrificing quality of life..... She's a 5 yr BC survivor this month.
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Thanks!.......yea, even among sisters, there is really no telling how our bodies will react. Starting Rx tomorrow.......
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Darn, I also want the sister thing! Of course my sister was diagnosed with a 3cm tumor, in the nodes, had 8 rounds of chemo,radiationa lumpectomy, a year of Herceptin infusions, then Tamoxifen, then Aromatase. And 6 yrs later, this Feb, the preventative BMX when she found out she was BRCA! pos. All this started for her at age 44 with small kids. BTW she is doing fine now.
I'm lucky that i differed: age 56, tumor 8 mm, no nodes. kids in 20s. So some good differences.
Rgiuff, I did notice a month or two of mild hot flashes after ovaries were taken in November 2011. It was strange, nothing for the first 2 weeks after surgery. Then it started. My gyn said sometimes the ovaries are still "sputtering" after menopause which had been a few years. But it subsided and no flashes since- *8 mos)
I will ask my MO when I see him and somehow I know the answer will be "Everyone's different." Just going to plan on it being OK and deal with it if it's troublesome. I do get confused when people point out how much it does or doesn't help. My MO seems convinced it's extremely valuable. Thoughts?
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I have a ? I took my first dose last night with dinner, because I had just picked it up from the Pharmacy that afternoon. Has anyone had better luck taking it at a certain time of the day - does it matter? I am just really hoping that it agrees with me because I think I am out of options if it doesn't. Thanks for your time.
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im starting today.......so would like to know this too...... Im in Prescott Phxsunshine!
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Timing seems to be variable. You will have to experiment. I tried taking it after lunch but was quite uncomfortable several hours later. Now I take it after dinner in the evening and by the time my joints start hurting I am generally in bed and asleep. Some ladies say it keeps them awake if they take it in the evening. We are all different. The key thing to remember is that it should be taken around the same time every day and after a meal. Good luck.
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Kayb: So true - I started out with a positive outlook, did fine for the first few months -then everything went wrong. So you just don't know. Others start out with lots of SEs then do better as time goes on.
I really feel age has a lot to do with it too. I'm 76 and must have very little estrogen left. So the Aromasin took whatever was there and my body rebelled big time. The dosage is the same for everyone (which makes no sense to me) and I've heard they don't use too many senior in trials (of any type) I've heard that, don't know if it is true. Maybe someone who is part of a trial can chime in?
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I just picked up my Rx.....and it says dont drive after taking it as it could cause dizziness. Is this true? Anyone? Also said no alcohol.......so maybe morning would be better for me
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Hi, I have now been on the aromasin for 2 weeks. I feel great. I take my pill at bedtime and am sleeping good. The one big thing I've noticed since quiting the tamoxifen and starting the aromasin is that I am not constantly eating all the time. My appetite has diminshed considerably. I have not lost any weight yet but at least have stopped gaining. Hopefully I will start dropping the 15 extra lbs. I gained on the tamoxifen
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I take it in the am, eat a bit of something first, and drive 36 miles to work most days
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So my Rx was only $6.36, not $16.36! But they only let u buy one month at a time - the pharmacist said that is my insurance, not their policy
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I have a glass of wine two or three ties a week. I take my med in the evening after dinner. No problems that I am aware of. My liver ,cholesterol and triglycerides are all okay. My cholesterol is high but has come down since I started these meds and supplements.
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