For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Peggy- i did not have a bad time during menopause and i am doing pretty good on arimidex- little things that pop up, then i remember wow i had that before i was dx. I also wonder if getting ca has
any bearnig on the how we went through menopause. Of course this would only apply to post menapausal women (i think my mind goes on overload with all these types of question) I mean after all there is a long long list of how we get ca to begin with, Can't be overweight- yet lots of skinny people end up with it. etc. No wonder why my mind goes on overload.
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Jeskia63, I sometimes wonder if most of the "causes" of BC are more anecdotal than real. Sure I remember I ate spinach when I was 4 but then after age 5 I didn't. I'm sure that some things actually DO influence the development of breast cancer, but no one actually seems to KNOW, they THINK. Where the "art" of medicine trumps the "science."
Glad you're doing okay on Arimidex. Good to hear.
HUGS!
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Pegg,
I was put into instant chemopause in my 30's back in 1990, with CMF for TN, so I never experienced menopause, never had hot flashes etc. My MO told me I likely would not experience any SEs from the arimidex and aside from some mild nausea I haven't so maybe having no menopause, and 25 years with nothin' leads to no SE's? Who knows?
Also I was exposed to radiation as an infant, and all my mo's have attributed that as a big factor in my cancer. They've called it "backscatter" radiation, and early very aggressive bc has been linked with that.
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Interesting, Suladog. I wouldn't doubt that the radiation you got as an infant was a factor. How you did you come to be exposed - if you don't mind sharing? Also interesting that you had no menopausal symptoms then or now. Not that you're complaining, I take it.
HUGS!
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Pegg,
My parents were told by the pediatrician that he was afraid of the possibility of an enlarged thymus gland (something that likely wouldn't have happened as it was modern times. I guess he was an old guy) and so they had my chest radiated, a number of kids who had this done ( they stopped doing it in the early 60s ) developed early Breast (girls) or lung or thyroid cancers (boys) I met a guy in a group of us who'd had this done. His mom held him on her lap during his radiation treatments as a baby , about 3 yrs later his non smoking mom was dead of lung cancer, from holding him during treatment. My mom was informed during the late 80s that I was at risk and should be checked starting early so I did. Had a clean mammo but I found the lump myself 3 months later and bingo triple negative BC in my 30s. It was nearly on the chest wall so everybody freaked out. After chemo they tried to restart my periods but no dice. The chemo just wiped everything out permanently. No hot flashes, no nothin, ever again so that's why my docs figured I likely would do ok on an A
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Suladog, that is a really strange story...and tragic. I hardly know what to make of it. Obviously it was good that you starting your mammos and checking your breasts early. I feel sorry for your parents who thought they were doing the right thing. Was meeting with that group of other radiated children helpful? I would think it might be in a way or maybe way to scary. The poor boy and his mother.
Is it common for chemo to put you in permanent chemopause?
Thank you for sharing your story. I would guess that there are others here who may have had the same thing done to them. Has your thymus been fine?
HUGS!
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Well, I went through menopause with no problems. Nothing! My periods just got less and less and then stopped. So, I had my last chemo treatment today and I assume will start Arimidex in a few weeks. I hope I have no side effects and just do the same as menopause.
Does anyone know about how well these estrogen inhibitors work? I mean, I am 98% estrogen positive. That seems like a lot to me......will have a discussion with my MO. Does the medicine work best on high % od estrogen, better on lower, or is there any research on this?
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MySunshine, wasn't it nice to sail through menopause like that? I'm sure you'll do well on Arimidex.
There are several good articles on BCO about Arimidex that you might want to read. I don't have the answers to your questions. I'm not quite as ER/PR positive as you are. I don't know if there is a "cut-off" (besides being negative) where AIs aren't as effective. Perhaps the thinking is "if it's positive at all, give Arimidex."
HUGS!
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Pegg,
Never any thyroid issues just Breast cancer. Periodwise everything just stopped after my first round of CMF. We were trying to get pregnant when I got sick and so were never able to have kids, also being given a poor prognosis at the time made adoption a non starter back in 1990. As to the radiation stories The American Cancer Society has an online group of people who were radiated as kids which is where there are a lot of stories there.
My Dr. In LA and then at UCSF was Dr David Brenner who has written a lot about the dangers of kids and radiation. He 's been very outspoken on the issue of the airport scanners and played a role in getting them removed from a lot of airports. He's now at Columbia in NY
"If all 800 million people who use airports every year were screened with X-rays then the very small individual risk multiplied by the large number of screened people might imply a potential public health or societal risk. The population risk has the potential to be significant… If there are increases in cancers as a result of irradiation of children, they would most likely appear some decades in the future. It would be prudent not to scan the head and neck… There really is no other technology around where we're planning to X-ray such an enormous number of individuals. It's unprecedented in the radiation world."
– Dr. David Brenner, head of Columbia University's Centre for Radiological Research
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Suladog, that statement by Dr. Brenner is scary. Thank you.
HUGS!
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Pegg,
He read all my scans etc at cedars sinai in LA, then when he moved to St Johns in Santa Monica where we lived I followed him there. When he moved to UCSF a few years ago I saw him there. Haven't followed him to NYC however. And yeah you want scary go to the cancer survivors forum at the ACS and read the stories from the cancer survivors who were radiated as babies evidently there are about one million of u
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Suladog, a million? OMG. I'll take your word for it being scary. You certainly had the right doc at the right time!
HUGS!
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last August 2014 I had a shoulder replacement due to a fall, in February I started chemo and always feared the shoulder did not have time to heal. My ortho said if chemo affects shoulder he would put another one in. I have been having issues with it, pain, aching and tenderness. Now that chemo is done, and arimadex started, not sure which is causing symptoms? Will probably go to ortho in fall if this continues to bother me.
Feel better gals.
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JerseyGirl, HUGS!!
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radiation was supposed t be the cure all for everything in the early 60's. my Dad had radiation treatments on his hands for a skin issue. I think it turned out he was allergic to a chemical he was exposed to at work as it resolved when he retired. The did multiple radiation treatments at the dermatologist of course with no improvement. Dad got cancer later in life. It was a crazy time. X-ray machines in shoe stores to see how your shoes fit!!!!
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Suladog, I also was radiated for a so-called enlarged thymus, after an episode that now sounds like a SIDS near miss. You are the only person I've ever come across who also had this experience. I'll look for that site you mentioned. I've only ever been aware of the danger of thyroid cancer after this particular treatment, not breast or lung. Anyway, I have my thyroid checked regularly. My head & neck guy says the danger of thyroid cancer drops way down after about 20 years, so he thinks I'm fine, but i remain on high alert. I don't blame my breast cancer on the radiation.
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ChloesMom, I thought those x-ray machines at the shoe store were the coolest thing ever! I loved seeing my bones RIGHT THROUGH MY SHOES. So far feet are fine and still functional at 70. But of course, it was not a good thing.
That's interesting about your Dad's hands. Did the docs think that it was related to his radiation exposure? I think we're quicker to think of allergies or some kind of reaction now than maybe in the 50s. I also had problems with patches on one hand. After many years I finally figured out what was causing it: the "wave set" I used when putting my hair on rollers. Stopped it and the rash went away. I am so allergic that I have always looked for an allergy as a cause of my ills.
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Brookside VT, isn't this site the greatest? We make great friends and find out that other people have gone through the same thing we have though totally un-related to our BC. For me, that is comforting - we're not alone!
Glad that your thyroid is good!
HUGS!
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I wonder about the prior injury as well. I had knee replacement in 08 and the only real problems I have had, and I can't prove it is due to Arimidex,but my knee has really bothered me since starting these meds.
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Well, I am sad to report that the anastrozole SE's appear to be coming for me. I am nearing the end of Month 5 and I really thought I was going to be one of the lucky ones. To date, I haven't gained any weight or lost any hair. I had been experiencing some morning stiffness, but not unbearable. The last couple weeks I have been noticing more and more pain at the base of my thumbs. Then that went away and major stiffness developed in my fingers. Now it looks like I'm developing trigger finger on my right hand. When I'm flexing my hands, sometimes the middle finger won't straighten out. Very disturbing and distressing. (And I really need that middle finger these days!!
). When it does finally straighten out, it makes a popping sound. Today, my left knee is so sore I am actually limping. The knee thing is brand new. I have been running 3 - 5 miles a day or biking in addition to strength training. If this drug takes away my ability to run, I'm done with it! So much for my moronic MO telling me that if I didn't have SE's during the first month, I never would. Sorry, I am angry today. Here is an interesting article I found on AI-induced Arthralgia. A lot of stuff I knew but a few things I didn't. http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/03/06/annonc.mdt037.full
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I got bad joint pain from tamoxifen. It didn't start for several months and then got gradually worse until at about one year in, it was unbearable. Those docs know perfectly well that the SEs can take months or even years to show up. Something like bone loss, a well known SE of A.I.s, is not going to show up overnight. They are all a bunch of liars, that's all. Do they really think if they tell us it won't happen, or deny it is caused by the drug, that we will believe them?? We know our bodies.
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ah ha...............just heard on the news about the 110 yr. old female veteran that met with the president, afterwards they asked her what was her secreat for the long life...............and she said drunken golden raisins ...she eats nine every day!!!
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HAHAHA!! I missed that part of the interview, Mary!
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oh dear, must go get em but I really do not have enough money saved to live till 110!
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You and me both, Iris. Won't my kids be thrilled to support me for 20 or 30 years???
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not thinking my nieces or nephews will either! but I live lean and mean! so keeping a lo profile
enjoy your evening!
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I've a different philosophy: spend it all! And the kids are good with that - at least for right now
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me too, not trying to leave behind but just enjoy my life! a fancy night out is dinner with pals , local, no drinks and cheap but good talk! cause non of us have bundles of money!
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Got that right. Just being with friends is the best!
HUGS!
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wine on my deck is just dandy, may I toast to a nice evening?
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