Headaches

After a lot of discussion between the Endocrinologist and the Oncologist it was decided, just before Christmas that I had probably gone through the menopause. (They were having to rely on blood tests to decide as I had a hysterectomy in my thirties).

This meant that I could swap from Tamoxifen to Exemestane. Since then I seem to have had a headache almost permanently. Has anybody else had a similar problem.

I am thinking of stopping taking it for a while to see if they stop.

Hi Merlyn,
Like you i also swapped from Tamoxifen to Aromasin about 6mths ago due to now being menopausal , I havent had the headache like you describe, though with both of the two different meds i have had an increase in my Migraines , maybe you could ring your BCN or possibly the helpline on here, to get some advice about the headaches before you try stopping taking them?, often when we start a new medication there are some inital SEs but they often settle down after a few weeks, I know that doesnt help much when your having a lot of headaches, but the headaches may just be a coincidence and not due to the Aromasin.
Hope your headaches settle down soon, all the best to you.
Linda x

Hi there, I’m on tamoxifen but in the past few months I’ve been having spates of bad headaches. I might be taking paracetamol every day, full dose for a week or two and then they stop. Like you, I’ve had a hysterectomy so I’m shown as menopausal with blood tests.
I think there are still quite big hormone fluctuations during this time. My last hormone blood test wasn’t the same as my most recent.

It may be that or may be your new meds, it’s probably hard to tell. Did you know that you can stay on tamoxifen even if you’re post menopausal. My Onc says he’ll probably keep me on tamoxifen as I have some joint problems already. I would speak to someone - whoever you feel will help most, GP, BCN or ask to speak/see the Oncologist again. If they do feel its the meds they might switch you back to tamoxifen rather than you having nothing.

Hope it all settles. Elinda x

Thanks for the replies. I didn’t take my aromasin last night and am headache free today which certainly sounds like a coincidence as I wouldn’t get such wonderful relief so soon.

I will take it tonight and give it a few more weeks before I rethink.

I could have continued on Tamoxifen but that made me feel generally unwell for the last three years.

I wanted to stop taking anything at all but like most of us there is always that niggle at the back of your mind that it will come back at some stage, and i will think it is my fault if I hadn’t taken advice.

Merlyn

Please don’t stop taking hormones altogether. Mention to your doctor about the headches, that is a valid reason to stop Aromasin, but there are alternatives. Femara and Arimadex, have the same fumction as an AI, but have different ingredients.

I have tried Tamoxifen, Aromasin, Femara and Faslodex, they all give different side effects and all affect people in different ways. Don’t suffer in silence!

Good Luck and I hope that you are headache free asap.

Nicola XX

I was switched to Femara after taking Tamoxifen for 3 years. I am currently sitting here white as a sheet with a migraine type headache that has been going on for the past three days. This is the 3rd or 4th time this has happened since I switched to Femara. Didn’t have any side effects with Tamoxifen.
I did recently switch to taking my tablet at night as I couldn’t sleep. I have slept better but started the headaches. Don’t know if there is a link but am going to switch back to taking it in the morning.

Jo

That is exactly what my GP has recently suggested about Aromasin. I now take it in the morning and the headaches have stopped. (Unless I have had too much wine the night before).

Thankfully I only have ten months to go and I will be discharged, no more medication for breast cancer at least. Counting down now!