I am 36 yrs old who like many have had the year from hell…
I had grade 3 lobular BC and had a masectomy Jan 08. Due to complications
I suffered bad side effects from all the drugs etc my bidy went into a sort of shut down. So along with this I then had hypercalceamia that knackered my liver and damaged my kidneys. My liver was so badly damaged that they thought I had liver mets as it was unrecogniseable… Well I am 6 months down the line and over all that I have gained 3/4 of my liver function back and kicked started me kidneys so to speak… But now my Onc wants me to start Arimidex as my cancer was hormone driven! Well I thought I was ok with it - well I’m not!
I am really scared!
I have stage 2 carpal tunnel already!
I have really bad hot flushes thanks to the menopause been brought on early due to the chemo!
And I have good function from my liver & kidney - ok not normal but good!
I know I shoud be grateful that I am alive and well but I am scared that these tablets are going to start making things worse! No one has explained really why and what benefits I will get from these - just you have to take them!
I am sorry for moaning but I just needed to let of steam and for someone to tell me it will be alright!
Can anyone advice me!
I am seeing my anc again but not till the end of Jan 09!
Hi Mel
I’m really sorry to hear that things are have been rough for you and in fact I think I recall reading some of your posts about the difficult times you’ve had. I didn’t have a great time getting through my treatment either and had lots of problems and hospital admissions - it was all very worrying so I really understand your fears behind having more treatment. My BC was not hormonal so can’t advise but maybe your body will be ok with it? I’m sure you will be closely monitored due to all the complications you’ve had.
Just wanted to say I’m thinking of you and sending you big hugs and I know this time of year is really difficult and often there are less people, especially professionals around to talk to.
Thinking of you
Ruby xx
Hi Mel…I found any side effects improved over a few months…it’s a great little pill for some…I was diagnosed with bone mets from the very beginning and the little pill put me into remission for over 2 and a half years. Good Luck with it…x
You have had a lousy time of it - I hope 2009 brings you a bit of respite.
I know some women have a horrendous time with Arimidex - but as Belinda mentioned the side effects are sometimes known to ease up if you stick with it.
Also, this is cold comfort, but the side effects are a sign that the drug is doing what it should.
Good luck.
I’m on Arimidex too (coming off though when my chemo starts, then will go back onto it later). I have had little trouble really, if my bones are achey i take some paracetamol or ibuprofen and have found that taking them first thing in the morning really helps.My bcn also recommended taking Glucosamine (stock up when it’s on offer in that high street health shop!), but said to stop taking them if it hasn’t made any difference after a couple of months or so, as if it hasn’t helped by then, it probably won’t help at all. I do have some hot flushes, not too bad really and certainly not a side effect which worries me.My sleep is slightly disturbed, but i think some of that is down to me worrying about the cancer itself, plus my upcoming chemo sessions and the surgery to my lymphs.so, ask your oncologist why s/he is recommending this, but my guess is that they will say it’s the best treatment for you, even taking possible se into consideration.Personally, i grabbed it with both hands…if it’s going to help keep the nasties at bay, i’m taking it for as long as they tell me to.Good luck with it all xx
It’s not that you ‘just have to take them’ I promise. They are part of the ongoing treatment to try to prevent recurrance in oestregen positive post-menopausal women,
I was put on Arimidex after 2 years on Tamoxifen. However I found the side effects a real pain in more ways than one. I gave the Arimidex 9 months to ‘settle down’ but then spoke to my Onc. She changed me to Aromasin and the effects are less. There are alternative brands to Arimidex.
A tip I found useful. Write down any questions you have and take them when you see your Onc. It’s easy to forget a) to ask or b) the reply anyway!
Also use your Breast Cancer Care nurse, it’s what she’s there for. I could always ring or email mine and ask anything.
I would have a chat with your BC nurse or your GP if you trust him/her. It sounds like you’ve endured a lot and maybe need to talk to someone who knows about these drugs and your health but it’s quite as single minded as an oncologist may be. Ie just get a fresh perspective on it. I would.
The onslaught I’ve ad with chemo and rads has left me teetering on anorexia again so I’m going to have a chat with my GP about nutritional advice. I think that oncs can be a little narrowminded sometimes as it’s their area of expertise and I’m not sure that they always see the bigger picture.
I am going to contact both my GP & Onc today and see what response I get!
Vertangie - I hope you get your anorexia sorted out!
Narnia - I hope all goes well with the chemo etc… It is all doable… and I’m full of tips if you need any…
Caz - I will make a note of the alternative meds as my brain is lacking a few cells since chemo…
Like you I’m on arimidex, I was on Tamoxifen to start with, for about 8 weeks and when I complained about the side effects to my onc, sweats, pain, hot flushes and weight gain, she did a blood test to transfer me to arimidex, to see if I had gone through the menopause, she then found out that the weight gain was due to under active thyroid so now I’m on thyroxine and the arimidex. I have been to my GP 3 times about the symptoms of arimidex, the severe hot flushes, pain in legs and back (can hardly walk first thing in the morning, I know i’m older than you but I hobble around like a 90 year old!!!) I also have the carpal tunnel in my hands they spend most of the night asleep and tingling, where as i’m awake and sweating, I’ve also put on 8lbs since Sept, it is driving me nuts, the GP said I was on them for a reason yeh right well I know that!!! She did say in Dec come back and she could fax the onc to see If Tamoxifen is better, I’m not seeing ONC till March. I have taken the Glucosamine with Chrondroitin and MSM and I did find that helps I also took Red clover blossom for the sweats which was good then I read on here that you should not take it as it’s full of oestrogen the thing we are trying to avoid!! The GP prescribed me Cylizine then I read they make you sick and tired and I thought well no more of those symptoms else I’ll be asleep 24/7. I also take Co Enzyme Q10, the jury is out on that too. I find also that I am fatigued all the time but is that thyroid, Arimidex or post Chemo?
I know you have been through a lot more than me Mel, but I understand where you are coming from I hate Arimidex and its symptoms, then I think well I hate BC more. Like you I just want the life I had before Dec 07, but that is never going to be is it? I don’t know if any of this has helped you? Take Care
Sarah X
You have really been through the mill but i am glad you are taking the arimadex and they are keeping an eye on you via blood tests. I’m a bit confused thou??? your only a year older than me and i was told that arimadex is for post menapausal women so how do they know you are post menapausal? I have been put on tamoxifen?
Hi Sukes I was pre-meno but had monthly injections to shut down my ovaries…lots of pre-meno women have Arimidex along with Zoladex or Prostap injections.
I’m one of the many who have Arimidex with monthly Zoladex injections. Originally I was on tamoxifen but after 7 months was taken off due to side effects and surgeon wanted to see if new combination was better. He did blood tests that showed I was pre-meno (this was in Sept) even though I’d had no periods since Sept 07 after my first lot of chemo so that meant I need the injections to shut the ovaries down each month and fool my body into being menopausal. In the words of my surgeon & onc, I’m just at that age (44) where it’s borderline. The one thing I have noticed is that I get very hormonal a few days before my next injection is due - really emotional and even more bad tempered and snappy - I must be great to live with !!! I started a thread about this under Zoladex emotional wreck a while ago.
Like sarsquatty, I’d rather take the side effects than get the cancer back (or at least have it spread more as I have the start of bone mets - lesser of 2 evils although I may doubt that when I’m having a bad day !!
Hi Sukes…I was diagnosed in my early 40’s so was pre-meno…but I also had injections to stop my periods whilst I was on Tamoxifen (my first treatment) as my bc is very er+
hi Mel
Sorry you are having such a crap time of it but I think you are taking the best option by trying it - I was so worried about it. Im 35 and had my ovaries out too so menopause quite erly and taking bone strengtheners for it. I would say from my personal opionon only 5 weeks into arimidex it wasnt as bad as I expected, however every person is different.
Hi All,Thanks for the replies…I have had no periods since Jan 08.  I have had 4 blood tests 2 months apart to check what stage of the meno pause (pre/post)And all the tests have come back saying that I am post menopause!! Hence Arimidex…  So yep I have to come to the fact that I am a 36 yr old that has gone or going through the menopause… Good job I don’t want any more kids!No one Dr or Onc has mentioned anyother tablets etc… But I do try and avoid taking any extra meds due to my liver! I must agree with you all though on one thing I too do not want mr BC to return - I have to much to live for! Well it is early days for any side effects but not sure if the syptoms I have pre arimidex will get worse - but will keep you posted!Thanks again
TC
X