NATURAL Estrogen Blocker Med

ktmimi2

Hi,

Anyone experiencing the "Femara" pain like me?? It has only been 18months. I just went off of this drug for the Holidays and my pain levels went from 10 to 4. I was tired of waking up with my fingers curled like I had extreme arthritis and I was walking sideways to get down my stairs. I could barely get up off the floor or sofa and getting out of my car was a joke. I can walk for maybe 20 minutes (real slow) with my dog pulling me home. It started off so great and went down hill after the six month mark. My Onc said to "climb the mountain" and basically get over it. I have been trying to climb that stupid mountain with no avail. I am doing research on Myomin. Anyone know of it. It is a Chinese Herb/Estrogen Blocker. Please write if you have used this or know good/bad about this. I am desperate!!!!! I am ready to stop taking the Femara and take my chances. My Onco Score was 18, for of you with ER positive cancer. It is on the low - intermediate scale of recurrence. I don't know what to do. Help if you can.

Aza

I'm on my 5th month of generic Arimidex and have not had any side effects so far ( that's not to say I won't in the future.)  I know someone who's been taking it for 3 years with no side effects. You might ask your onc. if you could switch to Arimidex to see if it helps.

Even if not, there may actually be some hope elsewhere on the horizon.  Mayo Clinic is currently doing a clincical trial to see whether Grape Seed Extract (GSE) works as well as aromatase inhibitors.  GSE a natural supplement that doesn't cause any side effects. The trial was begun in 2007. The results were to be announced in Dec. 2010, but that has now been delayed until April 2011. I am watching with bated breath! You can Google it, or click on

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00566553

ktmimi2

Hello Aza,

Thank you so much for sending a reply to my destressed message. This is very exciting news, if it proves to be beneficial for us. I will be following this link you provided for me. Have you read anything about Myomin or Chrystin? These are also natural estrogen blockers.

I will ask my Onc about the generic Arimidex. I started 15 months ago on Femara. My Onc gave me two months free. When I called to get my prescription, my insurace company would not approve Femara but they would approve Arimidex. So I took it for two months until I went back to my Onc for a check up and he said I should be on Femara. He called the insurance co. and they approved it. Well since then I have been experiencing this pain. Started in my neck, then to shoulders, then to legs, hips and feet. Not fun! Now my fingers are curled in the morning and I can hardly walk more than three blocks. I am wanting to give it up. I did go off myself at Christmas for three weeks. I started feeling better after 3 days off but....it all came back. How frustrating is this. I hope you don't experience this. Well that's my story. Sorry to vent. Please take care of yourself and if you hear of anything, please write. I appreciate the time you have taken to write to me. This is what it is about. Women helping women. Thank goodness for this website!!!!!

Kouragio

Dear Ktmimi, Sorry to hear of your bad side effects. I know a few people who have been on Femara for > 3 years with no problems, and it has prevented their recurrences (they are Stage 4). So it is a good and life saving drug. I agree with the GSE, look into it. Perhaps, you also have a predisposition to arthritis, and the femara just unmasks it (ie it doesn’t cause it, huts makes it more obvious when your oestrogen levels are lowered). Maybe seeing a Rheumatologist would be beneficial, so you treat the real problem, not what you think MAY be the issue. Hope this helps, xox.