Life on aromasin
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I am quitting the Be Positive outlook for a few minutes to complain; I know that you've been here with me, but grrrr today my body feels like garbage. Aside from the usual aches and pains I feel like I am 16 and experiencing the crazed land o PMS again. My boob hurts (the one I kept, now wondering why I did) and is lumpy and sore, I feel bloated and big, and I could either start crying or yelling at the slightest provocation. I'm reminded that I am in fact 30 years older by the frequent hot flashes that creep up the back of my neck and the sad fact that this PMS will not subside once I get my period. Because it won't be coming thanks to my new friend, Lupron. End of vent. Thanks for listening. I'm going to the grocery store and to Kohl's. Hopefully the crazy lady will stay contained while I'm out in public!
Edited to add- and zits! ☹️
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Best wishes and feel free to give the crazy lady full rein on here.
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Thanks, feline!!
Here's a question for AI takers: anyone ever try a cleansing fast while taking hormone therapy? Each spring I usually follow a week long mono diet, but this year I am reluctant to do anything because I've been so thrown off kilter by HT. What do you think?
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Tomorrow will be the 1st day in 51/2 years without a hormone blocker. I'm throwing in the towel. I did three long, grueling years on Tamoxifen and 2.3 years on Letrozole & 3 months on Exemestane. I've experienced most of the side effects and have decided my quality of life at 60 years of age is important. I've been unable to do any of the physical activities I love due to the pain, dizziness, and lack of sleep. My love life with my husband has been virtually nonexistent. I have high cholesterol now & osteoporosis due to the AI's. Enough I say. I hope there is reversal to some of th side effects.
I met with my Oncologist today and she wishes I would stay on it longer but understands my position & respects it. She feels I've gotten lots of benefit from the 5 1/2 years.
I pray I am given a long & healthy life & I'm going to enjoy each blessed day. I hope each of you are able to stay on the AI as long as possible to also live a long & healthy life.
Cheers
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I don't blame you, newfmama. I hope you get your qol back.
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Best wishes newfmama
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I have been on Aromasin for a year with one month on Femara in the middle. I was having so much trouble with Aromasin I changed to Femara and that was worse. My memory loss is horrible, I can't remember names or find the right words or even what someone told me 30 seconds ago. My oncologist said it may improve or it may not. I have been doing crossword puzzles every day to try and keep my brain sharp. Take care!
Maryellen
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Good Morning,
Today I feel like I am an old lady. Everything aches! Plus my memory is gone. I have been on Aromasin for a year and hate it.
Hoping that this week's aches and pains is just a flare up or something. I can hardly walk today. God bless us all.
Maryellen
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Maryellen, have you tried taking Claritin for the pain? I am sorry about the memory problem. I have word recall issues. I am also very depressed. I think it might be the exemestane.
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Hi Molly , I do take Claritin and took it the whole time I was having chemo and it worked great. Most days now it helps. I take an antidepressant Effexor to control the hot flashes and it also helps with my moods!
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Maryellen, Molly. I know that brain fog feeling all too well. I am 49. My Mum is 83 and as sharp as I used to be.
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I started on aromasin 2 months ago. My hair has significantly thinned out. After every shower I brush my hair & the hairbrush is full of hair & I am beginning to see my scalp. On the flip side my TM has dropped by 30 points. I initially took arimidex for 3 years . My hips hurt & wrists were killing me. I took myself off arimidex. After 6 months of increased hip pain I insisted on PET scan. My RO called as soon as he got results & said my hip may Fx just walking around. Radiation , zometta started. New MO tried tamoxifen, only lasted 5 months. Changed MO again to get on Ibrance study. I got 18 month out of Ibrance. I recently refused chemo, but wanted quadromet & AI. Both MO & RO agreed. So 1st time on aromasin, my hair is falling out, my face is breaking out, & I think my Alzheimer's father has better memory than me. Effexor helps w/ hot flashes & depression
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This is such a quiet thread I think we're all tolerating the drug well? Anyone dealing with panic attacks and depression? I am pretty sure it's the exemestane contributing if not causing it.
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Hubby reckons I am grouchier. Me, I thought that was just my natural personality.
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Molly50,
Yes, exemestane gave me depression and moodiness but that went away, thanks to Celexa. I plan to stay on Celexa until I stop taking exemestane and then I'll taper off.
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I've answered the crazy lady in my head with yoga. Really really helps.0
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ElaineTherese and Falconer, thank you. I will take both into consideration. Falconer, you fine yoga helps your mood? I never thought of trying that. I am trying to increase my exercise to see if that helps. I am nearly at the end of my rope with coping mechanisms for this. I am using essential oils when I remember in the morning. It helps a bit but not as much as before. Anyone use any kind of supplements?
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Feeling Feline, lol. My hubby says I am grouchier too.
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Molly, I did try acupuncture; not sure that helped but my acupuncturist is also a naturopath, so she did give me supplements. Vitamin d for the daytime and melatonin for night.
Yoga is medicine for me. It is important to find the right teacher. So if the class doesn't feel right, try another. I practice Hatha yoga which really helps holistically. The movement and breath coordination along with a quiet relaxation at the end of class calms my spirit. I can really notice the difference if I don't practice regularly. Good luck with everything as you figure out your path. Best to you.0 -
Hi Molly50! My SE's really went down on a steady diet of daily supplements: Tumeric, Magnesium, Bioten, Alpha omega 3, D3, B12...plus Aromasin and the rx bone meds.
Still had dry eyes, drippy nose, swollen feet and some memory issues - I HOPE - cuz I just finished my 5 years and am hoping this is not the new normal. But it was SOOOOOO much better than before the supplements or the other hormone blockers. Good luck!
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Late this coming week is my LAST appointment with Oncology at the VA. Life with BC hormonal treatment will be over. I have already been released by my private Oncologist. My use is for Five years only, given the Stage, Grade and Node involvement. Heck, even my private Onc deems I don't need a body scan.
Now comes a big decision amidst a conundrum. Either the BC journey and surgeries or the hormonal treatment caused my Rheumatoid Arthritis to re-emerge harshly. For the past five years the word has been nope, can't try a Biologic because of your BC history. We've tried most of the NSAIDs, next to no benefit. We've tried Plaquenil, Methotrexate (by tablet), and Arava, next to no benefit. Rheumatology and Oncology are going to review just what level of risk my using a Biologic would mean for me. I've already decided that if it's a Low to Moderate risk, I'd give it a shot. I've had Arthritis in multiple forms since the age of 22 and I'm almost 58 now. I've been blessed that the RA hasn't caused joint deformity for me and was mild for many years. However, now it's at the very least a Moderate and at times higher issue, involving my joints swelling, exhaustion to the extent I use a small dose of stimulant to stay awake during the daytime, bad chronic dry eye which are almost always bloodshot looking, skin, etc.
My heart-felt wishes to you all who are going through the BC journey. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, truly.
Hugs to you all (((((((((((you))))))))),
Sally
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Thanks Sally and Woohoo CONGRATULATIONS on the Get out of Jail card to you!! Best wishes with the RA treatment. XXXX
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(((Sally))) I hope you find an answer and a workable treatment. I am still tolerating exemestane quite well. Some mild SE's but nothing compared to anastrozole.
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I started taking exemestane last week. A few days ago I started getting--not palpitations, but I can feel my heartbeat, as if it's beating really hard but not faster. It starts about an hour after taking it...not sure how long it lasts, since I take the pill at night and I'm able to fall asleep with the weird heartbeat. The first night I thought I was getting a panic attack (never had one before), even though I wasn't feeling anxious. (Then I started feeling anxious about getting a panic attack for "no reason" because I am the queen of psyching myself out.) But it's happened every night since and I really don't feel any anxiety.
Anyone else get this?
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Canela I have not experienced this but is there a reason to take exemestane last thing at night? Did Oncologist or MD recommend this? My understanding was it should be with food. Just checked my exemestane leaflet and it said should be taken by mouth after a meal at approximately the same time each day. I take it right after breakfast. Now I am in Ireland and so I will have EU packaging and leaflet, but seemss likely that directions should be same in US?
I am sure you are not imagining your symptoms and I certainly wouldn't hesitate to report them to your health care team, but would also suggest you check your own instructions (leaflet and any instructions from prescribing doctor). Very best wishes with all this.
XXX
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Thank you, feelingfeline. My intention is to take it with dinner, but I'm still not used to taking medication daily so I often forget and end up taking it sometime between 8-10 pm. Mornings are bad with all the running around getting ready for work, plus I'm not much of a breakfast eater. I'm going to have to set an alarm everyday until I get into a good routine.
I just remembered that a pounding heartbeat can be a side effect of Lupron, but since it started only after starting exemestane, and it always happens within an hour of taking it, I'm not sure it's the Lupron. I see my MO on Thursday and I plan to discuss it with her then.
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Canela - I have been taking my exemestane with breakfast. I read one of the SEs was insomnia and I didn't want to make sleeping harder than it already is. I am not experiencing palpitations. Definitely mention that to your MO!
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Has anyone had diverticulitis on Exemestane (Aromasin)? Not sure I am posting correctly.
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Canela - My Oncologist has recently agreed to a test of stopping the exemestane for a couple of months. I was having a pounding heartbeat, and my blood pressure would spike to stroke-potential levels. I was hospitalized for a couple of days when it hit 200/150. Tests showed my heart is in very good shape, and my BP is normally 120/84. One of the ER doctors suggested I was having a panic attack, which was utter nonsense, and my oncologist and PCP agree on that. Having been off the exemestane for about a month now, the spikes and tachycardia have decreased substantially, and I expect that in a few more days it will stop completely. It is odd, since I've been on the exemestane for 2 1/2 years, but both docs say that the effects can be cumulative and start at any time, no matter how long you've been taking it.
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CCS648...wow that BP is really scary! So glad they got to the bottom of it realizing that the exemestane was the culprit. Also glad your docs were open to you stopping it to see if it was the cause. Too many times MOs deny the SEs of anti hormone therapy. Hope you can find an alternative that you can tolerate. Good luck and keep us posted.
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