For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Sorry for the repost
I am DONE with ESD! My MO feels given the issues I am having and there are still no definitive results that an additional 5 years is beneficial she feels I should stop. I think the fact that I came in with my foot in a boot due to a stress fraction in my foot really helped her decide. She said I shouldn't be getting a stress fraction in my foot when on Prolia. She now wants me to visit with the Rheumatologist again to address this. Can't get an appointment till mid August… and I am not a new patient! What!!! That's nuts. My Prolia is on hold till then but I'm due now.
So I did my 5 years
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Woo Hoo lago - Congratulations! You did it. I'll bet that feels great!
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Congratulations on getting 5 years done, Iago! I imagine there might be some mixed feelings in there as well and it will be interesting to hear if / how you feel any differences with SEs after stopping. And do hope you get a good way forward for your bone health - a foot stress fracture sounds painful.
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Congratulations Lago!! I can't wait to hear how you're feeling a month from now. Have you looked into getting the BCI test done? I understand it's pretty expensive and not always covered by insurance. **Sigh** I still have 3 1/2 years of this ESD.
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Lago = so happy you are done the 5 years
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Lago- so sorry about your foot- but, glad you are DONE! Take good care...hugs.
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My MO said they don't recommend the BCI test. She said there's lots of tests out like this but aren't recommended yet.
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Lago, Congratuations on finishing 5 years! I know it's been really hard for you. That's rotten about your foot. Hope it heals quickly. You've shown that even though there are sometimes really hard SEs with AIs, it can be done.
For ladies just starting out on AIs, some of us are lucky and do not have SEs or they are mild. But even those with bad ones still want to find a way to stay on them like Lago did. I am not saying stay on AI's if they are making your life unlivable. I am saying that most women, if they could mitigate the SEs would choose to stay on AIs. If the SEs can't be controlled then it isn't worth the loss of quality of life to stay on them. I would never tell anyone to stay on Arimidex in that case or any case and I am not doing the following: making light of the SEs or saying stay on AIs not matter what. I am saying that not everyone has problems and you won't know until you try them. Give them a try. If the SEs are bad, change or discontinue them. You will have done all you can possibly do.
HUGS!
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Our very own, ChiSandy- is giving a concert.
Join us on Sunday, May 22nd from 5-8pm at American Honor Ale House & Brewery for a concert benefiting the Vital Touch program at Vitality Anti-Aging Center. This program strives to help women in the greater Hickory area that are receiving active treatment for breast cancer feel better and look better completely free of charge.
Brooklyn-born-and-raised, longtime Chicago resident (with a stretch in Seattle in between), Sandy Andina has been performing professionally for over 25 years (not counting occasional forays onstage in college and law school). She started as a solo folk singer-songwriter and guitarist, soon adding mountain dulcimer, frailing banjo, 12-string guitar, harmonica, autoharp, ukulele and electric bass to her arsenal of instruments. Along the way, Sandy honed her humor chops as a house opener in Chicago's comedy clubs, and was bassist and singer for the rock bands The White Women and Lake Effect; she also lent her bass, guitar and vocal skills to Emanual Congregation's 100% Kosher Ham-it-Up Band, playing rock, Broadway, jazz and klezmer. Sandy is a brave breast cancer survivor.
Admission to this concert is free - so donations are encouraged! All proceeds from the concert will be given to the Vital Touch program, as well as a percentage of sales from Highland Avenue and American Honor Ale House during May 21-22. We will be passing a pink hat during the concert so please give generously to this wonderful program that treats cancer patients through the course of their treatment!
BC.org friends- COME JOIN US! We can make a weekend of this- rooms, meals, golf for DH's, shopping, etc. Let me know if you can join us.
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lago.....congratulations on completing your treatment! Im so sorry you now have to deal with a consequence of that treatment. It just doesn't seem fair. Good luck to you....
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Thanks Everyone. I actually don't feel my SE on AIs were as bad as others. Once I made the switched to Exemestane I did much better. Osteoporosis I knew was going to happen even if I wasn't on these meds but it happened sooner than I would like. Other SE were dealt with meds. Now I can get off all this stuff!
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Hello! Well the vertigo and headaches I was having and thinking was the Armidex actually turned out to be mets to my pituitary gland:(. Will do gamma knife for this.
I am still in denial but hanging in there, having a pet scan today at 1pm and praying for no other mets. I just can't believe this is happening...I feel like I have done everything to prevent recurrence.
Will keep you posted!
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Kthielen, what a terrible shock! Hopefully, nothing else will show up and the gamma knife will do the trick. Sending you lots of love, prayers and hugs.
HUGS!
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Kthielen this sucks. But a friend of mine who is HER2+ diagnosed just before me had mets to her brain last year. She did gamma knife and is still NED! She's watching her kids grew up!
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(((Kthielen))) Thinking good thoughts and praying for NED for you after the gamma knife
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Kthielen, I'm so sorry to hear of your diagnosis of mets. You might want to visit the Stage IV forum and check out the Brain Mets Sisters thread. There's lots of great support there. I had GammaKnife last year in my temporal lobe. I'm currently NED and have been for the last year. Hang in there!!
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Goodie she doesn't have bone mets. It's her pituitary gland
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Lago, I know she doesn't have brain mets, but since the pituitary gland is located at the base of the brain, just below the hypothalamus, I thought she might benefit from sharing stories with other women who have had GammaKinfe to a similar regions of their brains. That's why I offered the support of the Brain Mets Sisters thread...just trying to offer additional support to Kthielen.
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Kthielen...IM so sorry you are dealing with a recurrence. You certainly did do everything you could! It just goes to show what a crap shoot it is! We are all here for you as you move forward to beat this. Best of luck and keep us posted....
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Lago - glad to hear you're finished with the ESD but sorry you're limping around with a cast - it's always something...
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Lago, how long do you have to wear the boot? Are you healing on schedule?
HUGS!
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Kthielen: SO sorry about this new development! You HAVE done everything to prevent recurrence...cancer is stupid!! Please keep us posted. Sending hugs and prayers your way!
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I don't know how long I have to wear the boot. So far it's been 2 weeks. My Podiatrist will be checking my x-ray, that I had Friday, on Monday. I doesn't hurt that much anymore but I'm on my feet so she may want me to wear it longer.
So I just filled my script for Exemesane for 90 pills. I think I only used 10. Wish there was something I could do with them other than have them destroyed.
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I know what you mean. I have a sealed bottle of Anastrozole that I hated to throw away. (May still have it around here somewhere.
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I have a full bottle of both anastrozole and tamoxifen. It's frustrating to let them go to waste.
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Why not ask your local cancer group or center to see if there is someone who could use them? I know I gave unused prescription pills to a group doing medical work in Central America. But it is sad when it is difficult to "re-home" our unused drugs.
HUGS!
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Peggy it's against the law to give your pills to someone else.
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Same here I had just received my 90 day prescription of Tamoxifen when my MO switched me to Anastrozole. Seems like such a waste.
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Lago, that's a shame when we know they could help someone else
HUGS!
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Check to see if any pharmacies are having a "take back" day. Our retail pharmacies at the health system where I work had a day like thisrecently. There probably won't be refunds but they can safely take them back and hopefully use them in some way to benefit others.
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