Life on aromasin
Comments
-
I started arimidex sept 2011 and se so bad onc swithed to aromisin. se have progressively gotten worse. i took an early retirement as my job as a flight attendant. i take one norco a day to help me get around and have some quality of life. about 3pm im ready for ibuprofen. I walk my dogs every day, use mini trampoline and have joined an aquatic center. this will be the first time i have swam since the bilaterl mast. the se of the aromisin are very bad for me, along with this weight gain. I weigh 180 and have always been a good weight manager until this drug. i usually weigh 140. i am 58 years old and feel like i am 90. i take omega 3, and it does not help with the extreme stiffness, pain. i moved to oregon almost 2 years ago and welcome the cool weather since hot flashes are daily
i am counting the days until i can get off this drug...........i want to loose weight so bad. i think i will try the mini meal and low carb routine.0 -
Got the "green light" to start Aromasin today - one last question...is it better to take it in the morning or at night or doesn't that matter? And, do you usually take it with food or on an empty stomach? I have taken Synthroid all my life so I am careful to take that on an empty stomach early in the morning before other meds - anyone have any issues with Aromasin and Synthroid? Don't know why I'm so nervous about this but I am...thanks for your advice:) Maureen
0 -
Maureen, I take it in the morning with food. It actually says on the label to take with food. Although I haven't heard about interactions, I take my Aromasin by itself. I will take my Effexor and supplements at different times. Guess I don't want to take any chances that I won't get the full benefits. Maybe you are nervous because this is a life saving med, which we really want to work. At least that's why I am nervous about taking it correctly! Oh, and I don't know anything about Synthroid.
0 -
I also take it in the morning with food, if I remember. When I forget and take it later in the day it will keep me up at night.
0 -
Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly...I really appreciate the advice and support...I agree with you, I really want this to work so I guess it is normal to be nervous about it, I just had a late breakfast so no time like the present to get started...
0 -
maureen, I take synthroid also. I take my aromasin afteer the evening meal. Ecah person seems to react differently so experiment and see which time works for you. Just be sure that it is after a meal.
0 -
thanks for responding ptdreamers...glad to hear it isn't interfering with the synthroid:) Since I know I need to take it I started it today so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it works out:)
0 -
Maureen - I toss down all my meds in the AM. I take synthroid and Aromasin plus others. The only thing I watch with synthroid is not to take calcium. I don't take any meds with food - I wash them all down with coffee. Everything seems to be working together.
0 -
Akit---I'm sorry u'r having such a difficult time with these drugs--Most of us know--None of this is easy and the hurt comes easily for alot of us. I'm always so glad when I hear women have little SE's, cuz I think they're tough. Good Luck
Maureen--I'm like ohio4me-I just take all of them in the morning and the rest of my pills thruout the day--But I do also take it with my synthroid---just see what time works best for u--it doesn't really matter. Ihope no SE's for u too.
0 -
Maureen I take mine straight after dinner. Aromasin makes me tired, so for me taking it in the evening makes sense. When I first started taking it, I took it in the morning for a few days before realising it was the Aromasin that was making me so tired I couldn't stay awake during the day :-)
As ptdreamers said, everyone is different so see what suits you best.
Good luck!Trish
0 -
You've all been very helpful...Thanks so much for all the tips...looks like there are certainly options so if one thing doesn't work I'll try something else...
0 -
Maureen, best wishes for many routine and non-eventful years with Aromasin! My big gripe now is that I have gained 3 stubborn pounds which I just can't seem to shed. Was about 10 lbs. overweight before the 3 lb. gain so it does seem like a lot to me. I'm exercising an hour a day, watching my carbs and cals, but it just won't go away. Arrrrrrgh. Seeing my MO tomorrow and will bring this up.
0 -
Darn...thanks for the warning...I was hoping I wouldn't struggle too much with weight gain issues...I picked up almost 15 pounds since diagnosis with the surgeries and dose dense chemo cycles, nothing like eating all those processed carbs to keep the nausea under control AND the extreme decrease in activity due to the fatigue and muscle pain...I have been trying to get more active but still have quite a bit of surgical pain so that's not working out yet and for now, my diet is still much heavier in carbs because my GI tract has just not returned to normal from chemo. My oncologist said it will take 6 to 12 months so, guess I won't be losing any weight anytime soon, just don't want to gain anymore:) I'll stay positive and keep my fingers crossed that I'll be able to start walking again in a couple weeks - that usually helps...
0 -
Thanks to your onco for providing that info..6-12 months for the GI tract to return to normal! I had no idea. I'm up 60 pounds and it's no fun hauling the extra weight around on aching joints, muscles, etc. Like you it's hard to excerize and eat right. But my year was up last friday so I'd better get busy!
0 -
The odd thing is that initially I lost a few pounds. Then my weight was stable for months. It's just the last couple of months that I've been having this problem. I have a stationary bike, which is my main source of exercise. Even after almost 1 1/2 years I still have to be careful on my lump side. If I exercise that side too much I get shooting pains. I did not have chemo so I can't blaim that for the weight gain. I think it must be Aromasin.
0 -
Had to share - saw my family doctor and got a 6-month pass; saw my surgeon and got a 6-month pass; saw my oncologist and got a 3-month pass! Labs are all good (cholesterol needs some work) and all is well! Makes the LE and Aromasin side effects tolerable.
Life is good.
0 -
Yay, Diane! That's the kind of news we all love to hear!
0 -
Diane...I am just starting Aromasin, your good news is so encouraging for me, thanks for sharing it:) It's only been a week, so far just some slight nausea and hot flashes so I'm hopeful:)
0 -
Ohio4me ---Great news--It's so nice to to have to see Drs. all the time--Relax and enjoy.
Maureen stay hopeful.
0 -
I've been on Aromasin for three months. The last few weeks I have been in so much pain.
One leg, aches. I can't walk. I can't sleep. From the hip down to the ankle, it's like a tooth ache.
I woke up this morning and it was gone. but i can feel it coming back.
The pain is bad enough but it scares me. So i decided to stop taking it for awhile to see if it will go away.
Anyone else have anything like this happen to them? The muscle hurts, the bone hurts, it even feels as though
the tendons and nerves hurt. I'm really scared. I see my onco April 19 and my hope is that if I stay off of it, it will be gone by then and I won't have to go through all of those tests.
0 -
Timbuktu - I have some leg pain that is probably due to Aromasin but not as painful or annoying as yours seems. It does feel like a toothache but is mostly when I drive! I'm thinking it is nerve thing and that nerve just gets more aggravated in the 'driving position' and from the design/pressure of the seat in the car. Nothing much helps except changing position - thank goodness for cruise control.
When on Femara the knee pain was really, really bad. I am sure it was tendonitis. I look Meloxiam which is an anti-inflammatory and it helped to take the edge off and make life tolerable. Have you tried Motrin or Alleve? Do they help at all?
These meds have side effects and they are different for everyone. Hang in there - you and your doctor will figure something out.
0 -
Timbuktu I've had horrible pain, and I'm not trying to scare u but if u feel that bad, please call u'r Onc. I know u dread to but sometimes there are other factors involved nothing that has to be serious just a nerve pressing or low on some electrolyte, but a couple of months is a long time to go without relief, I'm on pain meds to help and they do so I'd call. Then I thought of changing meds also so that's a possibility some are just to much for us. I don't know medically speaking just talking from my own experience. I just hate to hear u in pain like that.
0 -
Thanks to both of you. I do think it may have something to do with the nerve because it started after I sat for a very long time in one position. Still...
Well, it seems a little better today. I will give it a week or so and see if it improves off of the aromasin.
It seems for every pill I take there's another pill to take away the se.
I'm resting today...
Thanks for the feedback. The pain has not been here the whole time I've been on aromasin, just for about the last month or so, on and off. Part of me just doesn't want to know...
0 -
Timbuktu I really don't blame u I personally hardly ever call the Dr. but wen I go I always hear why didn't u call? Cuz I don't want to know anything anymore. LOL Like u said they just keep on adding meds on top of meds--I used to know the names of my meds cuz I only took a couple Now I know nothing. There's to many with long names I don't have a clue what they are and I don't even look them up. I see what Dr. they came from and it gives me some idea. LOL
0 -
Timbuktu ...I started having severe hip pain one month after starting Aromasin. Scared me to death. Called oncol. And they did an X-ray and it showed nothing. It still comes And goes but not as bad. Mostly when I'm sitting. The onc. Said only to be concerned if a pain starts, is consistent and only gets worse. The pain also radiates down my leg at times like yours. SE's are hard to deal with but she said SE's from estrogen blockers are a sign that they are doing their job. Hope you feel much better.
0 -
I had pretty severe muscle and joint pain, starting around month 3 and progressively getting worse in the 3-4 months that followed. Im 54 and felt like I was 94. Along with the other severe SEs, I finally called my Onc and they took me off. Its been two months and Im just starting to feel better and get back to my regular routine. I cant believe it, but it was worse than my dx and tx combined. Dont wait, call the Onc.
0 -
Thank you so much obx, that is very reassuring! I really appreciate it because it sounds exactly like what I have.
I rested today and didn't take the pill and it's so much better. I just got back from the movies. I had to elevate that leg and put my weight on the other hip and it was ok. It does feel worse sitting. I feel so relieved!
It's the xrays I wanted to avoid if possible.
I did hear somewhere (don't know how true) that pain was a good sign. For some reason it gave a better prognosis. I don't know what to believe anymore though, after a while none of it seems to make much sense. But I sure hope it's true!
0 -
shayne, they already took me off of arrimidex and femara and the sloan dr said that I may be one of those people who just can't tolerate these meds. My onco here really urged me to stick with it and he promised that after 6 months the se would get better. I know what you mean about feeling 90. I have a friend who is old enough to be my mother (84) and she has twice my energy and stamina. But my main fear was ...you know what. lol Can't say it!
0 -
I also was told to wait till the 6mos mark - thats when it got worse with heart palpitations (stroke and heart failure are listed in the SEs). Thats when they took me off. Im not afraid of being off of them. I went and saw an ND for diet/nutrition counseling and will be on top of my screenings. For me, it was a quality of life issue. I was miserable, in pain, had no energy and was becoming depressed bc I couldnt work out and didnt feel like it. I was so in it, I didnt even realise how bad it was until I sat down to write a list of my SEs for my ND appt. I feel and look so much better now....not 100%, but almost back to myself. Its your decision - i know what you mean tho - about the fear. But i didnt want THAT to make my decision for me either. I wish you all the best in your decision!
0 -
It's very encouraging to hear how well you are doing shayne. It's interesting that the Sloan dr did not hesitate to take me off of the drugs. I guess she could see how I was suffering. Every dr is different.
I don't have much pain today, just some stiffness. What a gift! Everything you describe, I have felt. Well, if nothing else at least I will be able to tell the onco that the symptoms went away with the pills. I was really afraid of what he might do to find out what was causing the pain. And if I do decided to try again, at least I'll know what is causing all of the problems. So glad you are feeling so much better!!!
0
