Life on aromasin
Comments
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HI Ladies, I have been MIA for a couple of weeks. Didn't realize I was gone so long! Life has been busy, which is a good thing. Last weekend I took a 3-day respite from the examestane because I was having so much pain. I did start to feel better in those couple of days, but then restarted it. I'm afraid to stay off too long. Pains are coming back, but hopefully with the weather warming up they won't be so bad. I see the MO at the end of April and will have labs checked again then. In the meantime, I keep moving...yoga, pilates, rowing machine which helps loosen the joints. Yoga has really been a huge help in flexibility!
Martha
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Rhody,I see you were on Arimidex and then 7 months later went on Aromasin. Can I ask why, and can you tell the difference?
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Annie, I had really bad SE from the Arimidex. I first started on the generic and had terrible joint pain, dizziness, foggy brain. Asked to change to the brand that I got from Astra Zenec Direct but the SE did not seem any better and I was having terrible hand pain. MO told me to take 6 weeks off and if the SE went away to change to examestane (generic Aromasin). After about 5 weeks off the Arimidex I felt SO much better. I started the examestane and some of the SE have returned, but not all. I have joint pain but not the foggy brain. While I hate the pain I am learning to manage it with exercise and stretching.
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Not sure if any of you have tried this It's ruthbru's recipe from the Arimidex thread to help with bone aches. Her aunt used to use it for arthritis. Many say it works. I haven't needed it yet.
Download the pdf:
Ruth's Drunken Raisin's recipe
I posted it here. This will print out on 8.5"x11". You can fold in half if you like: linky0 -
I made the raisins a while back but I keep forgetting to take them. Does anyone know how long they last once they are the fridge?
Martha
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Mine have been in the fridge for 2 years--I keep forgetting to take them regularly--but they still taste all rifht and aren't mushy!
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hi all...I just switched from tam to aromasin (5 days now). I feel horrible. nausea, dizziness, and swollen hands and feet. Is this normal? does it get better? I read back on some of this thread that dizziness is a SE but does it get better? Im afraid of driving. Im going to have to take this at night to see how I do...or go back on tam
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Call your oncologist. You can even call your pharmacist.
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call the doc for sure, that is more than you should be having
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Annieb4
The buzzing was caused by the antidepressant Effexor. this type is a seratonin uptake inhibitor. The MO Rx this for hot flashes and depression. I knew I couldnt take it but he insisted.
I am now on Wellbrutrin for depression and Megace for hot flashes. No buzzing.
good luck
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Raider,
I am on Venlafaxine (Effexor) for my hot flashes and the dang buzzing started around the time he upped my dosage . And, if I remember right, when I had my Diep surgery, I was off the meds for a couple weeks and the buzzing stopped. I guess I better do a little investigating. Would be nice to get rid of this buzzing. Now if I could get rid of the joint pain in the morning or if I sit for very long I would be doing great. That isn't so bad tho, exercise helps and I guess I need something to remind me of all the fun I have been having for the last couple years dealing with this crap !!
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I am also on Effexor and that buzzing drives me batty at times. I was thinking my thyroid meds being a bit high was causing it.( I have blood work to check thyroid levels on Friday) I was going to ask for them to increase my Effexor as my hot flashes are getting awful since my ovaries have been out but maybe I should ask for something else. Side effects- YUCK!!0 -
ndgrrl --- I have "warm flushes," but they typically happen in the evening which is fine. (Better then than while I'm at work.) Sadly, I already use the upstairs air conditioning and my bedroom's ceiling fan when I go to bed at night. Hope you get some relief soon!
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Exemestane gave me anxiety and depression. I was put on generic Zoloft. I too have tinnitus since January. Basically flatlining sound in my left ear most of the time. I never had mental health issues before until these AIs. (Anastrozole had issues too). I'm scared to try a different drug though.
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You know it isn't so much that I am scared to try something else, but I don't want to just switch SE's when switching meds.
I would bet that we get some type of SE with anything we take.
I have half a mind (less since cancer haha) to just stop all of it !! But of course I won't. Not yet, anyways,.
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My side effects have improved, so I am not in as much pain at all.
Trouble is, I now worry that it's stopped working! eek....
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songbird, I think there are usually ebb and flow to the side effects so it doesn't mean they won't return at some point. I have periods where it is better than others and then BAM...I wake up and can barely move due to joint pain. I am sure it is likely working and you are in a "good" period now. Enjoy this...who knows when you will feel yukky again!
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April, I think you're right about the ebb and flow of SE's, and their unpredictability. After a smooth ride on Aromasin for more than a year, I developed pain in both shoulders, both knees, both hips and my left humerus. I could not sleep because every position hurt. I was convinced I had bone mets and persuaded my MO that I needed a bone scan. I was complaining so much, she finally agreed. The bone scan was completely clear for bone cancer. A few days later, the joints got better. Now it's only my left hip, which could either be a SE, or just plain arthritis. I have learned to enjoy and appreciate the pain-free periods.
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mine do seem to be worse on cold or damp days so maybe it is really arthritis? who knows, trying a new physical therapist as the back got crankie, to come if this one is helpful
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I see my MO to be put on an AI on Friday. He took me off Tamoxifen 5 weeks ago because I had my ovaries out and hernias fixed. What I found interesting the surgon who was my bs as well as fixed my hernias his wife is a bc survivor. he told me she started on Tamoxifen. then Femara then had her ovaries out and now doesn't take anything. He told me maybe I would want to consider that and to ask my MO. Anyone else heard you can stop after having your ovaries out?0 -
ndgrrl This is your oncologists call. Remember that although your ovaries are gone your body converts fat into estrogen. If you are overweight this is something to consider as well.
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Annieb4
That buzzing is unbearable for me. I simply cant live like that. its more than buzzing, it like my brain doesnt fit in my head. Weird.
The megace 40 mg really killed the hot flashes.
As for pain, yesterday the MO said to take OTC Claritin. Really, Claritin?
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Thanks April and Wave! You're right, I'm going to make the most of this smooth ride:)
Stay pain-free girls
x x
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Raidergirl,
Surprisingly Claritin does help with pain. My onc has me use it when I get zometa because my pain increases then.
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Bluemm
Soon they will tell us to rub use a suppository in our nose to help with insomnia.
Some of these off label uses of meds dont make sense.
Whatever, glad it exists.
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Raider,I may have to look into that Megace...the buzzing is going to drive me to the loony bin...and my head doesn't feel right either...and yes I was told when I was having Chemo to take allergy medicine to lessen the joint pain. So, hell, what's another pill, I just add it to my daily dose..plus it keeps my nose from running..
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Raider, don't dismiss Claritin. Many of us on a BCO website while going through chemo heard that, for some reason, Claritin could help with the pain of chemo. I asked my MO and she said there was no scientific evidence but that she had heard it often enough that she recommended I try it. It actually did help. She said she hoped someone someday would do a clinical trial with it. This is the regular Claritin....You might try it, at least, to see if it helps. On one or several sites here, a long-time poster recommended golden raisins soaked in gin, and I'm one who now takes them! So who knows what can help??
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The Claritin actually works and both my onc and PCP recommended it - my PCP says it has anti-inflammatory properties - I was having horrible bone pain recently when I wasn't on any AI and I took the Claritin for a couple of weeks and it made all the difference - and now that I am on Faslodex injections I took Claritin when I first had the loading shots and the bone and joint pain was back - now gone and I don't take the Claritin unless the pain is back - it's made a huge difference in my mobility and energy level.
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RaiderGirl and Annieb4 my tinnitus is more like a flat lining. High pitched sound. Note that drugs like aspirin, ibuparofen and Aleve can make it worse.
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Life on Aromasin is not really life as I knew it.............
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