For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Stage1, so you don't have the joint pain anymore? That sounds promising!
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hi, Lee, pretty much pain free. I have osteoarthritis and osteopenia and the Anostrozole just amplified the pain. I will finish out my 5 yrs with Tamox...it's not as bad as the AI. I think the MOs are just baffled about what we should be taking, also.
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I recently was talking with someone whose sister was a stage 2a to start with, but very aggressive cancer. She was at the 7 year mark and decided to go off the arimidex because she was gaining weight. The cancer spread and she passed about 2 years later. Her sister blames it on her stopping the medication. Who knows? But lately I am hearing of many women with early stage cancer to start having recurrences and passing. Another survivor I know works in my Oncologist's office. When I think about quitting the medication, I remember when I asked her if she ever wanted to quit, and she replied, "Yes, but I am too afraid too." I am not trying to be a Debbie downer, but lately I am questioning if recurrence is really more downplayed than we are led to believe.0 -
hopefortomorrow My understanding of the new research (10 years vs 5 years) is the first 5 years on Tamoxifen will reduce recurrence in the first 10 years. An additional 5 years on Tamox (after the first 5) will further reduce recurrence in the following 10 years. Basically:
10 years Tamox = 20 years of reduce recurrence
5 years Tamox = 10 years of reduce recurrenceThey are hoping that the AIs will prove the same. The latest is they are treating breast cancer, even for early stage as a chronic disease like diabetes.
So as far as your friend's sister it may have had nothing to do with her going off Arimidex. I know my changes of recurrence with all my treatment and staying on the AI for 5 years is 16% in the 10 years after diagnosis. Someone falls in that 16%. Granted I don't expect that to be me. Now if I went off it. (I'm considered high risk for recurrence due to size and aggressiveness) my recurrence risk would double to 32% in 10 years after diagnosis.
Until the studies are out we don't know what the additional risk reduction is for taking any AI over 5 years. Many women for decades have done just fine only doing 5 years of tamox and never dealing with this disease again. Also your friend's sister may have had other risk factors. We know that exercise and keeping a healthy weight decrease recurrence risk. Heavy drinkers also may increase their risk. And then there are the risk factors that we may have no control over that your friend's sister may have been exposed to.
This is an old article but I find it interesting as it talks about risk recurrence after 5 years. Note in this study it also included women that didn't to AIs: linky
Passing the 5 year mark is still a big deal!
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What day do they use to figure passing the 5 year mark? I know it's been talked about somewhere here on BCO.
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I could be diagnosis date but I personally prefer to use NED date. Some people are diagnosed 10 years after their cancer started and some like me 4 years so that diagnosis date seems too arbitrary to me.
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When it comes to the AI's, I count from the date i started the pill. Easy to remember--I started arimidex on April Fool's Day, exemestane on the 4th of July. This website, which allows these dates as part of my signature, helps me, and I guess, all of us, remember the when's.
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My MO counts from when I started the medicine. Just in the process of of switching from Tamoxifen after 2.5 year to Arimidex (Anastrozole). Am to take a week's "vacation" between the two. Will take my last Tamoxifen tonight.
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I was diagnosed initially early June 2008, took me until end of the summer to get past 3 lumpies and ready for the rads, they ended Fri before Xmas so to me, I use the June08 when thinking about stuff but the MO used of Jan as the date she let me off the AL.
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Good idea about putting the dates for hormonal tx. I've added mine. Now to hit submit and see if they show up!
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I've listed all that in my biography. Just click on my name and you'll get the info.
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thanks for the info Lago, I have dr. Appt in august, I will request change. Hate feeling like an old "stiff"
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At what point did any of you decide to have an anti-depressant discussion? As many of you have expressed, I am far from the same person... (Anastrozole adventure began late November '11.) Just don't want to start something new that will add even more SE's, but am tired of the grumpy blue listless lump that is trying to take over the old me! Have an appt. in a few weeks with mammo and BS, and wonder if I should attempt "the talk." (Yes, I'm a coward.) Thanks...
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Monterey, I never had the "talk" with my Onc, because I had been diagnosed with bipolar depression before my bc dx. What I can tell you thou is the difference it made when I stopped taking my anti-depressants due to insurance problems. My se's from Arimidex went through the roof and I almost ended "divorcing" my daughter. After I went back on my Psych meds everything returned to normal. The specific se's from Arimidex that differ from my bipolarity is the hot sweats and joint pain. The meds I take is Cymbalta (anti-depressant which has been proven to help with pain) and Risperidone (mood stabilizer which helps with the hot sweats).
I would suggest you consult a Psychiatrist who can prescribe the right combination of meds. Some people are afraid of becoming addicted but from my counseling and reading I thinnk that as long as I take them exactly as prescribed and not abuse them but use them for their intended purposes then I'm ok.
Also, make sure the prescriber knows all the meds you're taking. For example, the most commonly prescribed anti-depressant is Prozac and that one interacts with Tamoxifen making the Tamox less effective, so be careful.
If I can be of any help don't hesitate to pm me.
Aurora
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just started arimidex was curious if it's a good hormone tx Was on tamoxifen for 2 years.
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Sherry67 I believe all the AIs including Arimidex are good for reducing recurrence. Some people exerience SE, some minor some a bit more difficult. Usually people switch because they are having difficult SE. I was on Generic Arimidex for 3 years and I'm still NED. This past year though there were some SE that got a bit difficult for me so I switched to Exemestane (Generic Aromasin). So far this has reduced my SE. It's more expensive for me.
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Montery, my MO readily gave me anxiety meds when I showed up in her office crying~~Doubt you will have a problem asking for something, really! I only took them when things got bad for me and some of my docs thought I should take more. I really tried hard to use my gym as my therapy but that is me. Ask and do not be embarrassed!
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I just started arimidex Friday after being on tamoxifen for 2.5 years. My question is how do you know if it is working.
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thanks logo. I was getting severe Charlie horses and foot pain from the tamoxifen. I hope for no SE.
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I have been on anastrozole (generic arimidex) since March 2013. I am 61. Prior to BC I had knee surgery for ligament repair. Not very active but able to walk around school all day at work with no issues. Walk in local parades etc 3 miles with no issues. Stiff during the night or after sitting for a while but not sure if this is normal for my age. Hard to get up from stool when pulling weeds but again not sure if this is related to meds. What is the effectiveness of the different AIs for our age group. Would change if there were no negative impact on preventing recurrence but not willing to change if there is......
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according to my MO, they are all the same on effectiveness, some have dif SE for folks but usually the MO has not problem switching between them
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schoolmom all the AIs work the same way. I think it's the fillers that might cause the different SE.
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Just asked my MO last month about differences among the AIs since I'll most likely be trying one after another year on tamoxifen. You probably could get five varying answers from five different doctors but this was his take on them:
Arimidex and Femara work in the same way chemically on the body; while Aromasin accomplishes the same thing but in a very different way.
About 1/3 of women trying any one of the 3 AIs will have significant side effects; but if they switch to another AI they may not have those same side effects.
At this point, we should consider all 3 AIs equally effective.
My own thought on this last statement is that a little searching shows research trials are trying to pin down differences among the AIs for various types of tumors but it is still in progress and I don't think an MO will make a strong statement for one over another in terms of results. Anyone hear different information from their physicians? I wish we could fast forward another 5 to 10 years when there will probably be many more answers about this available.
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You might want to read this abstract:
Exemestane versus anastrozole in postmenopausal women with early breast cancer: NCIC CTG MA.27--a randomized controlled phase III trial. (2013 Jan 28)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23358971
Basically no difference.
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Hi ladies,
Another Chicago area lady. I just finished rads on July 3 and I saw my MO a couple days ago to get ready to start Anastrozole. I have fibromyalgia already and am of course concerned about the SE. I won't start for about two weeks. I asked him about this study that was published in May 2014 regarding the 5 yrs vs. 10 yrs. He said it took so many years before they came to the conclusion that Tamoxifin should be a 10 yr course that he didn't expect any recommendation like that for Anastrozole for many years to come. When I pressed him for more info on the Onchotype DX ( my score was 16) about it revealing low risk for recurrence in another part of the body he acted like that was not the case and said it was only to show if chemo was warranted or not. I am like what?????? So I am not sure what I think of this guy after that statement. Are some of these doctors afraid to commit to recurrence rates and if so why? Liability?
Bandwoman
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Bandwoman your MO sounds like he's making sense regarding oncotype. Chemo only attacks fast growing cells. So if the cancer is active chemo should kill it. But if some cells got a way and the are just hanging out, not growing, chemo may have no effect on them. Given that you are grade 1 (slower growing) I would think the hormone therapy would be more beneficial that chemo. (Please note I am no oncologist though).
They still don't know who for sure will recur but since you kept your breast it is even more important that you take hormone therapy because it will also help reduce your chances of a new breast cancer from forming. Even if you had an BMX there is still breast tissue left. They can't get it all.
Granted my MO thinks the results of the AI study will be out sooner. I am considered high risk for recurrence so I'm in a different category than you. I do believe the 10 y ears will be offered to those that are high risk sooner than those who may not be… or the low risk may not get that recommendation at all.
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Hi Lago,Chemo was ruled out before I started rads so that is not on the table. Maybe I was asking questions for the general population and he (MO) was answering with specifics to my case. I was considering the possibility of getting a new MO. Not sure yet what I will do. I think I may have a discussion with my nurse navigator and get her sense of things since she works with this guy closely. He is very young. Just graduated in 2008 which I was not aware of until last night. I just don't feel a connect with this guy yet and certainly don't feel any compassion at all. I know he doesn't have to be my best friend but I had such a great rapport with my RO I know what a good fit feels like.
Thanks for your input. Good suggestions help me to see things from different points of view.
Bandwoman
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Bandwoman get a 2nd opinion if you must to be for sure but if you don't connect move on. This is going to be a long relationship. There is an advantage to young. He may be more up-to-date on the latest stuff and he won't retire before you do
My onc is older (60's) and is outstanding but she is not everyone's cup of tea. If you want a teddy bear don't go to her but she cares deeply about her patients.Breast cancer is more than one disease so your MO will most likely be answering for your specific case. Technically I have a different disease than you because I was triple positive, grade 3, luminal B (I believe you are luminal A) etc.
feel free to PM. If you want to chat on the phone pm me your number and I'll call. Being we are both in IL
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Anastrozole begins tonight. Ugh! Not looking forward to this, but realize it is my best bet.0 -
thanks for all the info. I believe I will continue on current meds for now. If se's get worse I will reconsider.
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