Life on aromasin
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Bubbe, I am a retired school psychologist and have worked with many students, and parents, who suffer from ADD/ADHD. It is important that you discuss these concerns about your cognitive functioning with your doctor. There are questionaires and other psychological tests that can help determine if you need Ritalin or other related medications. Please PM me if you you would like more information. Best wishes!
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Bubbe - interesting question. I see my MO next and need to discuss all the same symptoms you mentioned. I was thinking more along the lines of anti-depression drugs. I don't know anything about Ritalin but I am in the same situation - I need to work and I am struggling to stay focused. I used to multi-task and be highly productive, now I struggle. It feels like things are getting worse and time passes and it doesn't feel good.
Keep me posted on what you find out.
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Thank you for your comments. I will look into all of them. I'm tired of taking meds to counteract the SEs of other meds.
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Ohio4me, I was wondering how long you've been on aromasin. I started in June. I have improved but still alot of joint pain. I went to my medical dr for the standard cholesterol, routine blood work. They called me back to test for rheumatoid arthritis because my sed rate was elevated. I will find out Monday about that.
Were you treated for arthritis before aromasin?
I didn't have any of the joint pain until I started this. I do have to say it is much, much better than in the beginning. At that point it hurt for my feet to touch the floor. Mornings are always hard to start but once I get going it get easier now.
Thanks
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My PCP wants me to take the shingles shot; however, I have read that is not a good idea if one is in treatment for radiation. I finished rads in January. Do you think this would still apply. Also, why would the shingles shot be a problem? I know it is a live instead of dead vaccine. Is that the only reason? Thanks.
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bGIRL I honestly have no idea but I would think the Drs. would know and someone will chime in with the right answer.
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I didn't think there was a treatment for arthritis. If there is, I would sure like to know about it since my arthritis in toes and knees got a lot worse on Aromasin and the pains are still with me (though not as bad)
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Sorry, I meant I don't think there is a CURE for arthritis. I know there are meds, but after hearing all the SEs on TV I won't consider any of them. But I have atrial fibrillation; maybe they are ok for others.
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dogsand jogs, I'm like you. The "cure" is worse than the disease. The meds have so many side effects and adverse reactions. I'm limping along and hoping to make through the next four years. Scared to take anything even ibruprophen because when I took minimal doses of that and tylenol for my broken wrist it raised my liver enzymes. Now I just use heating pads and therma-patches.
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Fondak - I have been on Aromasin since April 1st this year. I do have some arthritis in my knees and my PCP put me on Meloxicam early last year. My knee pain was not so bad that it prevented me from doing the things I wanted. Last year, before chemo, I was on Femara for 6 months and the joint pain was unbearable.
After chemo and radiation, I started Aromasin. My MO told me it was supposed to be better, meaning not cause so much joint pain and that is probably true - for me, it causes less pain than Femara. I take Caltrate 600-D twice daily and I think that makes a difference.
I still have knee pain - some from arthritis and some from Aromasin. I truly think there are two kinds of pain going on - the arthritis pain is localized and the Aromasin pain it a generalized pain that seems to get worse as the day progresses.
For me, Aromasin is not as bad as Femara so I'm going to hang in there as long as possible.
Hope that answers your questions. I do see all my doctors within the next week. I'm wondering if physical therapy to strenghten my muscles would be helpful. Don't know.
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Ohio4me,
Thank you very much. That is helpful. I am going to get the Caltrate 600-D tomorrow and start it. I have been taking calcium but wasn't sure how much I needed to be taking. Then, earlier this week, I heard on a Dr. Oz show I had recorded that you shouldn't take calcium with your multi-vitamin because the vitamins bind to the calcium and it doesn't get absorbed which is exactly how I was taking mine.
It is also encouraging to hear what your MO said about the aramosin being better. When I first started taking it I had to go back in 6 weeks because she said when she waited 3 months with patients she would have several to come in and tell her they quit taking it 2 months earlier because of side effects. She told me she would change it in 6 weeks if it caused me problems but I read it can take 6 months or more to see improvement so I've stuck with it.
Thank you again. Your post was a big help!
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We all seem to have some arthritis going here when I started with my bone scan I remember the Dr. say u have alittle arthritis, when I was done with everything my scan said I was loaded with arthritis. I think the only place I don't have it is my nose. So aromasin isn't much fun but like u said all the SE's from arthritis meds are horrendous and u know u have to get something so I take pain meds.
Oh I heard on the news tonight that they are finding out that real aspirin can keep cancer away (certain types) but I didn't hear the whole thing. So now that we are trained not to tak aspirin products they're talking about them again. To many maybes, not enough for sures.
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Ptdreamers....When my MO asked me what I was taking for pain I told her nothing because I was concerned about my liver. She told me not to take advil or tylenol but to take ibuprofen and it wouldn't effect the liver. She said that it is secreted through the kidneys. I had never heard that before.
Also, when I started taxol my liver enzymes shot way up. I called my radiation oncologist because he was big in alternative medicine also. He told me to take milk thistle. I did and they were back down to normal for my next treatment and haven't been elevated since. I don't know if that's helpful or not but thought it might be useful.
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Ive heard that about Milk Thistle too......
Ibuprofen IS Advil
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The only pain killer that really worked for me was Ibuprofen. But now I can't take it because I'm on a blood thinner. So I can only take Tylenol if something is really, really painful.
By the way I went to the dentist yesterday because I spotted a cavity. Turns out I have 5, plus I need a crown. He said I have a lot of bone loss. I am trying to blame it on the Aromasin, but he says it is because I don't floss enough.
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Thanks Shayne... I meant Aleve.
Dogsandjogs...I would blame it on aromasin too! It's not with every medication you have to get a bone density scan to see if you can take it.
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If it ain't one thing it's another. This is also a decision I have to work through.
I have been on Tamoxifen for a tad over 2 years and have done very well on it. But just found I have had endometrial thickening and had a small non-cancerous growth removed last month -- all Tamoxifen related. D&C, hysteroscopy and biopsy. Hyperplasia.
Gyn/Surgeon and Onc all have a different POV on this. I also have a discharge no one seems to be able to figure out ... a lite pad every day (maybe 2). Not bleeding, but I'm told I shouldn't be having this.
Gyn says it's OK to stay on Tamoxifen. Onc wants to switch me to AI. Surgeon (a woman) said, "The Onc will shoot me, but you don't need to take anything if you don't want to. It's a quality of life issue"
My concern is indeed quality of life:
1. I have depression and anxiety which have really taken a toll on me life long. I also do not have much of a support system -- I have little extended family as well. People simply DO NOT get the pain of chronic mental illness. It is very difficult to keep my game face on.
2. I am infuriated that I have NO libido, am dried up, no intimacy is possible from bleeding from pretty severe vaginal atrophy -- pain. I'd give anything for a blast of estrogen that I can never have again. And I feel moving into AI territory will only add to my depression, and difficulties with a relationship with a man. The bone pain, the oseteoporosis, and some other charming side-effects.
3. I feel this is like a kick in the head, and I think, what am I carrying on about -- so many women have it far worse than I do and still have a great attitude, but this is too much for me to deal with. One surprise after another.
I get a bone density baseline on 10/31. We work from there. I'm 53 and enraged. I have other health issues as well ... I went to what some would consider an extreme -- bilateral mastectomy -- but this was because I am so anxious THAT was destroying me. I couldn't live with my dense breasts, or even a lumpectomy. I also have chosen not to have reconstruction, I couldn't handle it.Sorry, I feel I'm just venting. I look at the past and see what I have lost, I look at the future with fear. This is who I am. Yes, I'm on psych meds, go to therapy, do what I can. I'm just thinking, should I take the risk and stop the meds completely?
Honestly, this is not a pity party vent. It is indeed a quality of life issue.
Thanks all you brave women!BP
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Bellapazza, do you know how Estrogen positive you are, percentage wise? A lot of women who are just barely ER/PR + can maybe take the chance of stopping hormone therapy. If you are highly Estrogen positive, I'm sure you know you will be taking a big chance if you stop the meds. But QOL is also very important. God bless.
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So I pulled out the Wii Fit and started some strenghtening work. Maybe strengthening my leg muscles will reduce the pain. Don't know but it's worth a try.
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Dear Yorkiemom,
Good question and I don't know or don't recall. I will certainly bring that up with my onc! Thank you for responding and for understanding the QOL question.
Take Care! Be well! Be Strong!
BP
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I've been on Aromasin for 3 months now, and after 14 months on Arimidex this feels like heaven.
I developed arthritis on Arimidex and severe joint pain, now I have a few nagging aches and pains now and then, but nothing major. I know the arthritis hasn't just magically disappeared, so woner what the difference is. I think it's the fact that I've lost a lot of weight and combined with a med that's a little easier on my bones, that's helping a lot.
I also had extreme brain fog, pretty much like chemo brain while on Arimidex and that has now disappeared YAY!! I have to work and was getting to the stage where I thought I'd have to go on a pension because of my memory issues that were affecting my work big time. Now on Aromasin I've been given a promotion! Don't get me wrong, I still forget words and names, but was doing that before bc and my BF who'se never had bc is sometimes worse than me in that regard (she calls it old age lol)
Perhaps those of you who are having bad se's on Aromasin could consider changing meds to something else. Each med is different for us - what works for one will be hell for someone else. There are a few we can try - and if one doesn't work, another may. If a new one is worse, then there's always the option of going back to one that's not so bad.
Don't suffer on a med for too long without trying alternatives, it's worth trying a replacement. I didn't realise how wonderful life can be while on Arimidex, but Aromasin has been liberating for me.
Trish
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Trish that's so good to hear, I'm glad it has made such a difference. Wow I wouldn't think ot would be that much difference. Now I have some more stuff to think about. LOL
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Trisha-Ann, I switched from femara to aromasin,in part because of your positive review of the latter. Life has been much better on Aromasin. I can sleep, an impossibility on femara, and have no joint or bone pain. I am tired, and have some heartburn, but don't find it too bad, so far. I also urge others to switch if they are unhappy with their current ai.
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I have been on Aromacin 4 months and thought my hand pain was neuropathy. Afterr reading the ther posts, I think it may be carpal tunnel. Doctor did not get me ready for that-my right hand is almost useless! I will give the wrist brace a try.
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Susannah - I'm glad the Aromasin has been better for you too. I still get tired, but not too bad, and I'm lucky I don't get heartburn, it stopped after Herceptin finished. It could easily have been though, that Aromasin didn't agree with you, but that Arimidex did. We have to try and see which one suits. :-)
Wilsie, I hope your hand get better soon. I did start getting trigger finger and carpel tunnel symptoms on Arimidex, but they seemed to sort themselves out after a few months.
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I have been on Aromasin since January 2012. My left shoudler is killing me. by evening I am in tears. I blamed it on my broken right wrist, thinking I had overworked my left hand and arm to compensate. However I have been out of my cast for six weeks and I am using my right hand now to work the computer etc. My shoulder is not improving and as I said by evening I am in tears and sleep is almost impossible as I cannot find a comfortable position. I will call my primary physician tomorrow as I can't deal with this anymore . I was wondering if anyone else on aromasin has had this type of shoulder pain?
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I am being treated for a torn rotator cup with my right shoulder. They gave me exercises to help and a prescription cream and I follow up in 6 weeks to see how it is at that point. My shoulder was stiff after my surgery and chemo but it was improving until I started aromasin. Since then my movement has become very limited and painful.
My MO said that the limitation was exactly like the limitation she had a torn rotator cup and she sent me to her doctor. I thought my pain was from not using my arm enough as I was trying to protect it from lymphedema. I don't know how I could have torn my rotator cup between chemo, radiation and a hysterectomy. Whatever has caused it, I have had a lot of pain and it increased tremdously after I began aromasin.
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