High Risk/Arimedex treatment

dmarie

High Risk/Arimedex treatment

dmarie

I was dx with breast cancer in 2004.  I had surgery (twice), with a partial mastectomy and 3 lymph nodes that were infected.  After that, I started chemo, was extremely ill with it, had a stroke, then went on to radiation.  After being cancer free for over 3 yrs., I have been advised to take Arimidex to prevent cancer from returning in my other breast.  I am having some side effects such as short-term memmory loss and mild depression since I have been taking it.  I worked so hard to recover my life, memmory, vision etc. after my stroke so now I wonder if I really need to take this drug.  Any thoughts?

Dette Kronenberg - Ontario, Canada

roseanne

Arimidex has been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence significantly. I think it will soon replace tamoxifen completely. I also think that quality of life is important also. I was on Arimidex for 5 years, (Stage 3-Mastectomy and chemo) and then put on Femara. I was on Femara for 18 months and had a lot of side effects and stopped it. I will be reinstating the Femara this weekend as the oncologist has shown me statistics that make me think the side effects are worth enduring. Both Arimidex and Femara are aromatase inhibitors and for post menopausal women that are er positive the reduction of recurrence seems significant. Survivors have many decisions to make, and it is ultimately your decision. Good luck

LizM

Actually, taking Arimidex or the other AI's (Femara/Aromasin) or Tamoxifen not only prevent a new primary in the other breast but they also reduce your risk of the breast cancer coming back in other organs (bone/liver/lungs/brain).  Since you had positive nodes as I did you are an increased risk of recurrence to distant sites.  Arimidex or the other drugs I have mentioned have been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence by 40 to 50% which is a big deal.  I have side effects also but I find comfort in taking my pill every day knowing I am doing everything I can to prevent a recurrence.

LizM

Actually, taking Arimidex or the other AI's (Femara/Aromasin) or Tamoxifen not only prevent a new primary in the other breast but they also reduce your risk of the breast cancer coming back in other organs (bone/liver/lungs/brain).  Since you had positive nodes as I did you are an increased risk of recurrence to distant sites.  Arimidex or the other drugs I have mentioned have been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence by 40 to 50% which is a big deal.  I have side effects also but I find comfort in taking my pill every day knowing I am doing everything I can to prevent a recurrence.

LizM

Actually, taking Arimidex or the other AI's (Femara/Aromasin) or Tamoxifen not only prevent a new primary in the other breast but they also reduce your risk of the breast cancer coming back in other organs (bone/liver/lungs/brain).  Since you had positive nodes as I did you are an increased risk of recurrence to distant sites.  Arimidex or the other drugs I have mentioned have been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence by 40 to 50% which is a big deal.  I have side effects also but I find comfort in taking my pill every day knowing I am doing everything I can to prevent a recurrence.

Anonymous

Marie, another alternative to Arimidex is Femara.  I was postmenopausal at the time of my dx, so I didn't have to do Tamo, but I tried Tamo anyway, just because I thought the SEs might not be as bad.  Well, as it turned out, the SEs on Tamo were terrible (lots of fluid retention, weight gain, moodiness) and the SEs on femara have been non-existent.  I did have some joint aches at the beginning, but I started taking calcium, vitamin D, and glucosamine-chondroitin....and now I have no problems at all.  I am a runner.  The hot flashes were pretty strong, but those have tapered off to almost nothing after 8 months.  I think the AIs put you at some risk for stroke, but I think it's minimal.  

I am very sorry you had so much trouble with chemo. 

Miz