For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
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Thanks for your support! I have now changed to letrozole, will see how that goes!
There is a new proton center in Somerset NJ. I think the national number nis now up to 8 centers, it used to be 2 or 3. The owner entity is called ProCure.
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Wow! Impressive shot! Must have been some storm!
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Did I mention I'm celebrating 3 years NED. 3 years ago I had my BMX. I'm celebrating by playing the lottery and posting all over facebook and pinterest to get people to donate. I'm walking and leading a team again this year.
(sorry if this is a double post for some of you)
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Fantastic Lago. And every year the chance of recurrence declines. God willing this will all be a distant memory decades from now. Great letters NED!
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Woooohoooo 3 years!!!!!
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lago: great picture and beautiful smile! Congrats on the 3 years
. Funny how such a short time in the great scheme of life can seem like forever on this journey, huh?0 -
Congratulations!!! Lago!!
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Congratulations on 3 years!! how great, keep up the good work! we will all get thru this! Great picture as well.
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wonderful Lago!
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So happy for you!!!
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My PCP suggested I take several supplements, primarily to lower cholesterol but also to improve quality of life. One was DHEA. I began taking them without researching them. Last week she went over my bloodwork results and was pleased to see higher levels of testosterone and estrogen. I nearly freaked out because I'm on Arimidex, which I thought was supposed to suck every ounce of hormones from my adrenal gland, bones, etc. My tumor was estrogen-driven.
I've messaged my MO but haven't heard back. On BCO I can only find threads about the DHEA cream. My PCP knows I'm on an AI and said it wasn't a problem, but I think it is. I'm stopping it until my MO weighs in.
Anyone had experience with this?0 -
WaveWhisperer I don't think Arimidex sucks is all out. Check with your onc but I think that's why the also tell us to keep our weight in check.
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That would totally freak me out too! I understand that there is some discussion of "good" and "bad" estrogen, but it sure seems to me that estrogen positive is estrogen positive. Please let us all know what your MO says. (I assume you've had your recent blood tests faxed to him?)
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Started Anastrozole about 6 weeks ago. SE's are fatigue, fogginess at times, knee pain. Some SE's have diminished (insomnia). A few weeks ago after an outing my right ankle was very swollen. When I raised my pants up I noticed that my right leg looked swollen as well. Thought it was just exertion. But my right leg is definitely swollen all the time now so I measured both my large part of my calf and thigh and it is 1" larger than the left all the way down. I am seeing my oncologist on October 7th before leaving on a 3 week vacation. He will see me earlier if important to me. Am I wrong in thinking this could be lymphedema from having 3 lymph nodes removed during my lumpectomy? Should I get in to see him sooner? Thanks for any advice you might have.
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Yes, it could lymphedema, as your missing lymph nodes are part of a body-wide lymphatic system. It could also be lots of other things. You probably want to see a lymphedema therapist, but it is very important that you see an MD first. I'd suggest that you go ahead and call your MO for an appointment early this week. Meanwhile, you're entitled to a lazy day with a good book or tv movie, and with your leg propped up on the back of the couch.
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WaveWhisper - Let us know what your MO says - I, too, thought this medicine blocked ALL estrogen production..
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sandylyn13 my mom (and her uncle) has LE in her legs for years. It wasn't due to surgery or injury. That's how I knew I would get it in my 10 node side. But I do have water retention we think is from Anastrozole. Not a common SE but it is an SE. You might just need a water pill. It can also be a sign of high blood pressure. I would call your primary care on Tuesday… or if you're really worried call today. They always have someone on call. This might not even be related to cancer treatment.
I know someone who had edema in his legs and ignored it for months. Ended up in the ER for 4 days with congestive heart failure and a blood pressure that was almost double of what it should have been.
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Sandy, at one point a few years ago my former PCD noticed my left leg was larger than my right, she sent me for tested to see if DVT....a very serious problem. Fortunately it was not DVT or LE either.....but I had been trying to increase strength in my left leg and was using heavier weights on that side.....I changed my workout and all is norm now
but do check it out as it might be something harmless but if not, you want to know
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Onco at Columbia U told me arrimidex gets rid of all but 2% of estrogen. I just asked my onco here and heard 5%. I'm telling you, there's never the same answer from any two drs. But either way, why MORE estrogen would make anyone happy is beyond me.
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Sandy, is any part of your leg warm to the touch? You could have a DVT, so definitely see your doctor soon. Arimidex makes us more coagulable so clots can form. It might be a little one, deep in the leg, so get it checked out.
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Yes, and when I called my facility to say my doc wanted me tested for DVT, their response was "can you get here today?"
places react very fast on a possilbe DVT so do check it out or even go to the ER
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Lago---Congrats on NED 3 years
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Lago - Congratulations on 3 years, you gorgeous woman, you!!!
Our local BC support group gives each woman one of those cheesy Mardi Gras necklaces (in pink) for each year of survivorship. It's always wonderful to see the ladies who are wearing 25 or 30 or more of those necklaces... "Pinkwashing" aside, it just speaks volumes when you see them laden with beads at the Komen races.~~~~~
WaveWhisperer – you wrote My PCP knows I'm on an AI and said it wasn't a problem
Oh, really? Is he Board-Certified in Oncology? This is the very reason I fired my old PCP and found a wonderful new doc who is a true team player. I got so tired of being the intermediary between the PCP and the MO - the PCP always wanted to argue with me over something my MO prescribed, or insisted that something HE wanted to prescribe was not harmful. Sorry, but Oncology trumps Adult Medicine.
Now, your PCP be right – I know very little about DHEA, but if you are taking a drug to REDUCE estrogen, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to take something that causes a RISE in estrogen.
I don’t think it is physically possible to remove every bit of estrogen from our bodies, since it is chemically produced in so many different ways, but I would react the same way you did – wait and see what the MO says.
I adore my MO, and my new PCP thinks the MO is great as well. She is holding off on prescribing certain meds until my drug holiday is over, as she actually understands the SEs of AIs. (Hallelujah!)
I hope you can talk to your MO as soon as possible… and please, if you would, share the results with us!
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Lago, so proud of you and happy to be here to celebrate your 3 year anniversary. You look great...
I am going to walk in the Making Strides Walk on the boardwalk near Atlantic City (Ocean City)NJ on Oct 20th - this year I'm getting my family to walk with me... I also love the picture you posted from your window but gee wiz how long does it take you to get outside from the 17th floor???? Hope you don't have a dog to walk... I live in a small town and we have a 2 story home and a grape vineyard on 6 acres of land = can you smell the wine..Ahh...
We are so different yet so much the same...Keep well girl...
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Okay another questions for those who have been on the hormone therapy for a longer period. Did you find that you just ended up chasing the side effects? By that I mean adding more medication to combat the side effects and then of course adding another medication to counter that side effect and so on and so forth. I went from taking nothing daily (pre breast cancer) to taking up to 5 different pills everyday. I'm not sure if this has actually helped in anyway or just made things worse. I have not faired well on the estrogen blockers and can honestly say the last 3 years have been the worst. Even comtemplating another 5 years on this stuff makes me want to cry. I had back issues going into this and those issues were just worsened with the estrogen blockers. Hot flashes so bad that they would steam up my glasses and high levels of anxiety. I'm off work right not on Long Term Total Disability because of depression/anxiety/fatigue/bone pain/muscel pain - I worked through radiation after my chemo so this seems unimaginable to me to be off now. I have about 1 1/2 months left and then get to take a 3 month break before seeing my oncologist again and discussing if another 5 years is even possible. I think someone hit the nail on the head for me when they said they breezed through surgey, chemo and radiation and it was a little white pill that ended up being the hardest.
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5LuvBugs - walking in OC,NJ.. living on a vineyard - you must live not far from me..
= Millville here..0 -
5LuvBugs Our walk is the 26th. Hey if anyone one wants to support me just click that picture.
My 30 floor building has 4 elevators. 2 go to the lower floors and the other 2 to the upper level. As long as an elevator isn't broken it doesn't take much time. Also when you live in the city you are much closer to things so I spend no time in a car Mon-Friday. I'm on the bus for a total of 30 minutes (round trip) a day. So how much time to you spend in your car? Bet a lot less than I spend on the elevator
roberta37 I take 2 pills, 1.5 pills. Anastrozole and 1/2 a diuretic (sometimes a whole one) to control the fluid retention from the Anastrozole. I don't feel so bad on this drug but I have a sneaking suspicion I will feel even better once off it. I was still having SE from chemo when I started taking the drug. I think some of the soreness in my feet, etc might not be permanent damage from chemo or menopause but from the Anastrozole. I won't know till I get off it.
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Nancy = about 20 miles from you.. "H" can you guess? I knew you'd get it... Maybe we can meet at the walk...
Lago - Well that's how you stay so thin. I have to drive everywhere! My walk is in the cemetary around the block, it's up and down a hill, a great walking place - no one says a word
)
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5luvbugs I wish it was that easy. Yes exercise helps but I do watch what I eat and the portion control… well at least for 5 days a week. If I did it all the time I'd be a size 4-6. Not worth it. I like to eat
(and the 2.5-3 inch wedge heels make me look thin as well)0 -
5LuvBugs: one of my favorite walk/run routes includes a trip around the local cemetery roads too. One trip around the inside perimeter road is almost exactly a mile and the cemetery is about 1.25 miles from my house. Lots of small hills in that mile so I get a good mix of level, up and down.
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