Hello ladies,
I found out today that I’ve developed osteoporosis (via bone density scan) and that it is the the result of hormone treatment. I’ve got to go and have my medication assessed at the HRT/endocrinology clinic in a couple of weeks time. My fear is that my horomone treatment will be stopped because of this development. Does anyone have any similar experience - I’d be interested to know what happened.
Many thanks
Victoria x
Hi Victoria
It happened to me as well on Arimidex. I now take Adcal D tablets daily and have an IV infusion of zometa every six months to repair the damage. It has never been suggested that I stop the Arimidex.
Good luck!
Dilys
Hi Victoria
I think that you will find that this is unfortunately a common side effect of hormone therapies. I was given alendronic acid a bone strenthening bisphosphorate and Adcal tablets as I began to take Aromasin after 2 years on Tamoxifen because the bone scan showed bone density lower than my chronological age. I had also had an oopherectomy earlier in the year. I was led to believe that anybody who had gone through the menopause too early due to chemo/hormone treatments etc. was at risk. I believe that you will stay on the hormone therapies and the bone strengtheners are to prevent/counteract bone problems so that you can stay on the hormone treatments.
One word of advice see your dentist before starting taking any bisphosphorates, mine was cross that I hadn’t been advised to. As apparently some dental treatments can cause complications, so you have to have the best posibble dental health before beginning treatments.
My treatment is currently 2 adcal tablets a day and a weekly tablet.
Any more questions just ask
Nicky
Hi,
I have read this thread with interest. I have been on arimidex of rnearly five years and I have had an oophrectomy. I had a bone density scan done when I had my oophrectomy in 2005, but nothing since then. I found out (accidently) that this density scan showed that I was preoeteoporitic, and when asked if I should have a further bone density scan I was told it wasn’t necessary. My GP is very raective rather than proactive, and her laid back attitude makes me anxoius. I am not on calcium tablets other than Osteocare from the supermarket.
Is this the norm?
XX
Thanks very much Nicky and Dilys for sharing your experiences. My mind is more at rest now about not have the hormone treatment stopped. I wish you both well for the rest of your treatments.
Happyshopper, I was told that it is common practice to have bone density scans at regular intervals if there’s a risk of osteoporosis - so if I were you I’d go back and check to see how you are now.
Victoria x
Hi all
Here’s a link to the BCC publication ‘Osteoporosis and breast cancer’ which you may find helpful to read:
Best wishes
Lucy
As my Mum had bone problems, I asked my GP if I could take calcium with the Letrozole, although my bone density scan showed I was just about normal. My reasoning was that, as I had been on HRT for many years, I had hoped I would be above average and because I was stopping HRT and having hormone therapy, I would need a top up. So I take one Adcal-D3 each day.
Ann x