Choosing not to take Arimidex?

jacksnana

Choosing not to take Arimidex?

jacksnana

I have just finished my chemo and now have to make a decision about taking Arimidex.  Really going back and forth about this - of course I want to prevent recurrence but also want a good quality of life.  Anyone with my same diagnosis (ER+/PR-, node negative) who have chosen not to take it?

ruthbru

Why not try it? You can always quit if you find you have bad SE. I have been on it 2 1/2 years with no problems. (It gives us double the chance of being OK that chemo did.....I sure don't want to have done all that crap and have it come back!)

darsura

Been on it a year and a half and like ruthbru, no problems with it.  But I was anxious about it at first because of all the bad side-effects I had heard attributed to it.  I gave it a shot, and so far, so good.  Just made sure I did whatever I heard might help - excercise, calcium, enough Vitamin D.

Good luck with your decision!

Susie123

I take Arimidex too, no problems. I agree with ruthbr, for us ER+ girls it greatly reduces our chance of recurrence. I know you've seen alot of negative posts about Arimidex, but try to remember those are probably representative of only a small percent of those who actually take it. Only the ones who have problems post, there would be no need to post about it's side effects if they didn't have any se's. When my breast surgeon went over my biopsy path results her exact words were " your cancer is estrogen receptor positive and that is a good thing because we have a treatment for that". Please at least discuss your concerns with your oncologist before you dismiss Arimidex. I can't tell that I'm taking it.

jacksnana

Thanks so much for your encouragement!  There are probably lots of women like you all who have no problems with it and are just out there living your lives.  I love hearing positive feedback about Arimidex!  I will try it for sure.  I was also afraid of chemo and found it totally doable and not nearly as bad as I had thought it would be.  Guess I need to stop worrying about stuff that might not happen!

ruthbru

Just as futher encouragement; with my Stage II tumor, doing nothing meant I had only 46% chance that it wouldn't come back, chemo brought it up to 64%, and adding arimidex brings it to 76% (of course, I would prefer 100%!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), but a real, significant increase in non-reoccurance. And another note, I know 5 other ladies in my little town who were all diagnosised about the same time as me or shortly after; all Stage I or II, five (of us 6) of us without node involvement, one HER2; all of us on Arimidex; none with any significant SE; achy joints & hot flashes were the biggest annoying things, and the flashes tappered off with time and the achiness with exercise. I think the others are right; usually the people who post are those having problems with any particular treatment, the rest (except us computery ladies) are just off living their lives. Best of luck! Ruth

ICanDoThis

The other thing to remember is that you can switch between the AIs (Aromasin uses a different path than Arimidex and Femera), and you can always go back to Tamoxifen, if AIs are just too much for you.

The most important thing for all us ER+ women to remember is that hormonal treatment is very powerful for us, in many cases giving better results than chemo.

bev1116

Hello all! I'm new here. I too am on the fence about taking the Arimidex. I was diagnosed in June with stage 1, grade 1 Papillary Carcinoma, <1cm, and no node involvement. I had a lumpectomy with clean margins, and because of the location of the tumor, a cosmetic breast reduction and lift for symmetry. I just finished 33 radiation treatments, and my radiologist wants me to wait for a couple of weeks before starting the Arimidex.

As opposed to lumping myself into the general pool of breast cancers and following protocol for that, I'm weighing everything that's particular to the type of cancer I had, and I'm not seeing the benefit of Arimidex outweighing the risks of exacerbating my pre-existing health conditions. I already have hypertension, high cholesterol, osteopenia, and arthritis in my right knee and left hip. I'm 56 (next month) and post-menopausal due to a complete hysterectomy at age 40. I'm also about 40 pounds overweight, and with a bad knee, it severely limits the type of exercise I can do. I have no ACL, no meniscus, so I'm bone-on-bone. I took Celebrex for 8 years for it but DC'd it before surgery and never started back up. Unbeknownst to me, I was suffering side effects from it that I attributed to IBS and the Htn. I'm feeling pretty good right now and I'd like to keep it that way.  

Another concern of mine is I am single, and have a commute to work each day. My job is mentally demanding, detailed, and very time-sensitive. I cannot afford to have a diminished capacity because my income is the only one I have. It provides my health insurance, too.

According to everything I've read and been told about Papillary Carcinoma, it's a rare and well-behaved form of cancer, and the chances of mine returning is about 4%. If I take Arimidex for 5 stinking years, the odds of it returning are reduced to 2%. I'm guessing I'm going to die of something else long before this would ever return. I'm meeting back up with my oncologist at the end of October, and she will have to give me some really compelling data before I will feel comfortable taking this drug. - Blessings to all.

Fearless_One

I believe everyone (that is ER+)should at least try it.   However, after losing 10% of my bone density my first year on it, I am considering going off it.   Bisphonates have their own set of problems, as well.  

For what it's worth, I had virtually no side effects from it (until I learned of my DEXA scan result).

MissTessie

After mastectomy, with no radiation or chemo reccomended,All margins were pristine.  Arimidex was prescribed. Three weeks in, my legs, feet, hands and arms went numb. Stomach severely distended, abnormal weight gain. Insomnia.  Been off of it two weeks, lots of improvement, but feet still numb. My question is, does anyone know if drinking Essiac Tea would be safe for me, since my tumor was estrogen positive? Or what other 'natural' supplenments are out there, besides DIM, and 13c? Thanks

annwill64

Hello, I am on the fence about starting Arimidex, just wondering if you did take it and how the outcome was for you. Hoping you are well. Like you I don't know if I want to do something that will make me feel bad as I am just finished with radiation and I am feeling great!

Castigame

Ann,

It is a very personal decision. You have to decide what is right for you.

As for me, I agonized over it. I did not like potential side effect such as joint pain. And mood swings etc. I am 47 started taking Arimidex about 3 wks ago. I am blessed w minimal joint pain. To me, AI makes me more conscious about diet and exercise. I have been eating right and walking 10000 steps almost every day.