Life on aromasin
Comments
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Aromasin in the morning? At night? Is it more known for causing insomnia or for making people sleepy?
I've been taking my pill in the morning, but I'm wondering if it might be better to take it in the evenings. This morning, I took my pill as usual in the morning and then ended up falling asleep at the law library.
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I really don't think it matters when you take it. Whatever is the best time for you as far as remembering to take it. I have an alarm set on my phone and take it at 5pm.
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I always took mine with morning vitamins but if it made a dif, sure the docs would have warned us~~
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I started off taking mine at night. I had really horrible se's that woke me up in the night. I swapped to taking it in the morning and the se's eased up to a tolerable level.
Idk if time of day makes a difference though. It could have just been a se that was clearing up anyway?
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Oh, I forgot - they said you can take it at night if you suffer from hot flashes at night and hopefully you will sleep through them.
Maybe if you have joint pain during the night that wakes you up, it helps to take it during the day because you're moving around more?
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Hi bud..., I see you have already done implants and nipples. I had my EX on Thursday with Allergan 410 with 475 cc. What kind of implants did you get? My second full day today. Hardly any pain. My PS had to do some pocket work on noncancerous side to make them sementrical. The only thing thst is driving me crazy is the itching under the surgical bra!! I have to were it for
a week. I too have to sponge bath it. But I also have my DH of almost 40 years to help me. I am not getting nipple reconstruction just 3D tattoos. I am 60 and don't really care if I have them. How are your's looking?
Congrats to all my March surgery sisters
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Hi bc101, yes, I think it is because you move around in the day more. Maybe fluid or inflammation doesn't settle in one place so easily. But tell that to my achilles tendons! They hurt all the time, even if I gently press on them with one finger. My osteopath says to rub an ibuprofen gel on the area. Must get round to trying that:)
Btw, I can cope with most things as long as I get my beauty sleep. How are you doing on aromasin?
x x
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I'm doing great. No problems as far as joint pain, hot flashes, etc. The biggest thing I struggle with is memory issues, but I'm not entirely sure that Aromasin is to blame, lol!
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I take my pill at night and no issues so far.
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Hi Everyone! I started Lepron and Aromasin about a month and a half ago. I just went for my second Lupron shot last week and I've been having horrible headaches ever since. Has anyone been dealing with this? I'm assuming it's from the Lupron since it started right after the shot.
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So I just went to the onc today and she put me on Zoladex monthly and then Aromasin starting in two months. I must say I was rather concerned about the SE's, but it sounds like the main problem is hot flashes and I already have those from chemopause. Maybe this stage of this "journey" won't be so bad!
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home4lreb - welcome to the group. I hope you have minimal side effects. I just started zoladex and aromasin too. So far so good:)
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home4lreb -- I've also just started zoladex and aromasin -- haven't had any SEs really. Even before OS and hormonal therapy, I've been in chemopause -- no period since 9/14 and mild "warm flushes." I'm not sure when SEs might emerge, though.
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The cost of exemestane (generic Aromasin) keeps increasing. I have prescription insurance but the last refill cost me over $200 monthly after the prescription coverage. I've been on exemestane for just shy of two years and am supposed to stay on it for 8 more years, If the cost stabilizes at $250 monthly I'll have to spend another $24,000 on exemestane. Plus it causes lots of joint pain and makes me continually warm. I tried Arimidex a year ago or so because of the joint pains. The joint pains were considerably worse with Arimidex so I went back to exemestane. My insurance will cover Arimidex at half the cost of exemestane but I can't bear the thought of the pain and that's still $12,000. I'm considering dropping the AIs completely. If it wasn't such a huge expense and didn't have SEs I would happily stay on. As it is, quitting is making some good sense. My husband wants me to stay on it but he doesn't have to live with the joint pain.
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Oh I hear you!! Tried Arimidex for 2 months and had so much joint pain I asked to switch to Aromisin. That was even worse in fact I have permenant arthritis pain in both thumbs and wrists. I went off that and trued Tomoxifen for 2 weeks. Got new MO and she didn't want me to use it because of stroke history in family. So I have been on no meds since February 7. I will try Femara end of March. If I can't tolerate it then it is my choice to take nothing. It is scarey to think the Cancer could recurr so it is a tough choice. So far my insurance covers all AIs at $15 per month. They are generic version. I am in constant pain. BMX was easier than taking meds
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Carolyn, I'm so sorry to hear your insurance isn't providing an affordable option for you. I have Medica that pays $30 for a 90 day supply of Exemestane. Does your plan offer a mail order option for RX at a reduced price? Does your doc have any suggestions? Please check with your MO before you do anything. I think it's sad that anyone would have to go off the meds because of high costs.
Robin, I hope Femera works for you. My MO said that was the only 1 of the 3 that doesn't offer a generic. UGH! Seems like there should be better options out there. I've read that acupuncture helps with joint pain, but that isn't always covered by insurance. UGH!
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Hi I just got out of my appt with my onco and after 18 months she's switching me from Arimedex to Aromasin. I know there's a lot of information on the previous pages but if someone could summarize for me what to expect I'd be very grateful.
Aurora
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Well if Femara isn't generic it is $30 a month inteadof $15. Boy you don't know how much I hope this one agrees with me!
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Hello there - I'm hoping to get some input from this forum also. I had a recurrence of breast cancer in my left chest wall in 2010 after being diagnosed initially in my right breast in 2001. My oncologist put me on chemo and then hormone repressive treatment when I developed a liver tumor. I have gone from Arimidex to Faslodex and now am on Afinitor and Exemestane combined. The other meds didn't cause too many SE except of course for the hot flashes, of course, but I've had those for years due to chemical menopause. I have sore back and numbness in my hands. I also have nausea and actual stomach aches when I eat. Any recommendations for types of food that you all have been successful with? I'm having trouble with constipation too. I got spoiled with the other medicines, not too much trouble with the SE's.
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Aurora, there's no way to tell you what to expect because every woman reacts differently and apparently some SE may depend on the brand you use, whether generic or not and where manufactured. From personal experience, I can say my joint and bone pain lessened on Aromasin, after being on Arimidex, but I'm experiencing rather severe hair loss. That's just one person. If you read back through posts here, you'll see a little of everything, Sorry, no handbook. This is an unpredictable journey, smooth for some and bumpy for others.
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ORrm_54,
It could be that you have more than one thing going on at the same time. Maybe not all SE are exemestane?
I've had acute back pain, but I blamed that on age and the activity that brought it on. Gone now as well as some recurring hip pain that is bursitis and may or may not be aggravated by exemestane. The numbness I get in my hands is minor and I've blamed that on Taxotere. Again, ex may make it worse. Arthalgia I do blame on ex, but my hand doctor wants arthritis ruled out first. Same with foot pain.
I've not had nausea or stomach aches. Maybe someone else can chime in.
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Hi Gals, I have not had nausea or stomach aches.
I have posted on here before about wrist pain and hand/finger numbness and burning sensation. I am pretty sure it is the aromasin, because I did not have these symptoms before. These symptoms are getting less now. I'm mostly sure it was swapping to taking the pill in the morning rather than at night that helped.(thanks to info from you wonderful ladies! I wouldn't have known the significance that time of day to take a pill can have on side effects otherwise)It's such a misery with these side effects that drag on. It makes you doubt your own body. I can honestly say I have forgotten what it was like to just get out of bed in the morning, stretch, and get on with the day - pain free unless I actually did something that pulled a muscle! Wow, thinking that has made me sad! Ah those were the days.
Wavewhisperer, I am sorry you are having hair loss:( Is it all over or in one patch? I had hair loss at the front and bought a clip in fringe piece to cover it. I had a blood test (very tired) and it came back as chronic anaemia. I have been on ferrous fumarate(and laxido haha!) for 3 months and my hair has stopped falling out. Hair loss can be a symptom of low iron. Have you got low blood iron? I see in your strapline that you are trialling metformin. I am really interested in this. How is it going so far?I hope you don't mind me asking.
Sorry about your memory issues bc101. What strategies are you using to combat this?
x x
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Songbird, I have consulted with an OT who is going to do some cognitive therapy with me. I'm anxious to get started! I'm scheduled for weekly sessions for 6-8 weeks. The first thing she asked me was "Do you have a smartphone?" I don't and my DH thinks they are too expensive, but I'm going to look into it. Right now I use an online calendar and a To Do list, but these don't help me when I'm not at my computer. I think I must be the only one in the world who still has a flip phone, lol!
I'm very hopeful that I can learn some strategies to work within these limitations. And I'm crossing my fingers it's due to the Aromasin and not something more serious like early Alzheimer's. If the OT doesn't work, then I'll investigate further.
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bc101, I have a four year old smartphone(almost as bad!). I use it in the way your OT has suggested - you go to calender, write in what is happening on what day and set an alarm to go off to remind you. I also use to do lists, but unfortunately can lose these haha! Same thing with a diary!
When I make appointments(hair, opticians, dentists etc) I ask if they will text me a reminder on the morning of the appointment. This helps:) I also get my friends to text/phone me a couple of hours before we meet up to make sure I remember - so far so good!
You don't have alzheimers!
x x
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Yup - those all work. I use the alarm on my phone for meds. I haven't missed a dose of my AI's since I started. Losing track of time, not being able to complete tasks, forgetting to turn off the gas burner on the stove, getting lost driving around or going the wrong way from what I had intended, having arguments and forgetting what I was arguing about in the the middle.....those are the things I worry about.
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bc101 please don't worry!
Your mind and body have been through a heck of a lot these last few years. I think I will use your tip and set an alarm reminder to take aromasin - sometimes I can't remember if I took it or not because it's something I do every day. I have to say to myself "did I take that this morning?". the reminder will definitely help, thanks:)
Take care and big hugs.
x x
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Oh, thanks Songbird. It feels good to hear it from someone else.
Yes, set that alarm! I also fill up all my meds and supplements in one of those plastic meds reminder cases each Sunday for the week. That way I can see what's been taken and what's still there.
Hugs!
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my ;little case also helps me know what day it is~~
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Songbird, thanks, but all my blood tests look fine. I'm pretty sure it's the Aromasin. And I recently dropped out of the Metformin clinical trial. Not because I don't believe in it, just because the medical facility has switched trial coordinators so often that, when it came time for me to get my next supply of pills, the young woman said she didn't yet have a password to get into the system. I just got frustrated. I'm pretty sure I was taking the placebo and may even ask my PCP for a metformin script.
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ORm, I had nausea when I first started Aromasin, but it only lasted about a month.
I had really bad burning in my hands, but that was on Arimidex and stopped when I stopped it.
I'm also having hair loss on Aromasin, a couple of bald spots are appearing on my head, it's really annoying, but so far I'm able to cover it with my hair. I'm lucky I have curly hair, so they aren't too noticeable yet, but my hair is thinning all over my head.
I'm currently on a month's holiday from Aromasin till I see my onc next week. I started to get very bad brain fogginess, dizzy spells, vision distortion and headaches. I can't work when I'm like that, so went off it, and will ask if I can try something else, or try Aromasin again to see if those ses stay away. I've been on it for three years with manageable ses.
Trish
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