Life on aromasin

doxie

Amor,

To take aromatase inhibitors like Aromasin you must either be post menopausal or have a lupin shot to shut down your ovaries. Some women switch back and forth to find the drug with the fewer SEs.

MeToo14

Hi all,

I have been on aromasin and zoladex for a little over two months. Soon after I started I noticed I was short of breath often. Mostly when I lay down, it feels like there is a weight on my chest. I was wondering if others have experienced the same thing. Of course my mind goes directly to now having it spread to my lungs. I just wanted to check so see if this is normal. Thanks!

Moderators

MeToo14, there are many treatments that can make you feel a shortness of breath. You may find this page helpful:

Shortness of breath

However, if you are uncomfortable, you may want to consult with your physician.

april485

MeToo, I also had this issue in the earlier days on exemestane. I actually was told it caused situational asthma and was given an inhaler. It actually landed me in the ER one night I was having so much trouble catching my breath! But, have not had this issue for a while now (with the exception of very bad air quality days which I think most people struggle with breathing during those) except on nasty humid days in the summer. I would mention it to my MO if I were you though. I was thoroughly checked by CT scan and nothing was amiss. Best to you!

lago

MeToo14 call your doctor, Primary Care, Oncologist, etc. This is not normal and should not be ignored.

proudtospin

I agree on calling the docs, it almost sounds like an allergy but, you did have radiation and that may have affected your lungs?

good luck, as someone with asthma, allergies to all sorts of things, asthma can begin at any point in your life but can be managed

Anonymous

My first thought was: serious side effect from the drug. Did you check the side effects of aromasin? You might be having a reaction.

bjb01

finished chemo and rad and am now taking ARIMIDEX . It has increased the night sweats! My MO put me on clonidine, a hypertensive. Has anyone else tried this and what has your experience been? I've used it for 4 weeks now and it has helped some.

MeToo14

Thanks for all the advice. I contacted my MO and after blood work and a CT scan, I am fine. It's just that my hormones are off.

feelingfeline

Good news!

ORknitter

MeToo, great! Good news is always welcome.

proudtospin

yeah, hormones can be off but so glad you got it checked out!

Leslienva

This cooling mat has really helped me with the night sweats!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S8OUCVW?psc=1&...

MargoChanning

feelingfeline - thanks for the LOL pic - that perfectly sums up the "choice" we get with the AI drugs! I've been on generics of Femara and Arimidex and the only reason I haven't gone on Aromasin/exemestane is that I get the heebie jeebies when I think about it completely killing off the enzymes that make estrogen. I realize they eventually are created again but with everything else that's gone haywire in my body since cancer, somehow that seems like a bridge too far.

Best to you and all - thanks again for the funny - I'm sitting here with a headache from insomnia yet again - thank you Arimidex - but at least this made me smile.

feelingfeline

Hi Margo Hope your headache is better soon. XXX

On a (slightly) related note has anyone noticed themselves more ratty and irritable on aromasin?

DH commented that he thought I was more grouchy since changing to aromasin, and DS agreed.

Me, I thought I was just ratty and irritable naturally.

Not to mention being sweaty all the time first on tamoxifen and now on aromasin isn't exactly a mood enhancer now is it?

Anyway his comment just gave me pause for thought:

Hey, maybe I could blame my naturally ratty and irritable personality on new drugs!

Whaddya think?

Love to all

feeling a little ratty

Galsal

For me, the first time in my life I've had a UTI. More than once, actually. It's a catch-22...can't take anything with or to enhance Estrogen and seem to get these in return.

Is it just me or any one else? If others, how do you help it or deal with it?

Thanks.

proudtospin

sorry for the UTI, I get them lots but the only solution is a visit to the doc for an antibiotic

contrary to rumors, once you have one cran juice is no help

just finished a round of anti for a nasty one last week

nakedcoffee

Hi ladies, Im having hot flashes, dizziness, and joint pain with the Aromasin. I am also on Fasodelex and Zomata. I get cold easily too. Hope this you. Bleesings

doxie

naked coffee,

Sorry you are having these issues. You are on some powerful drugs, each with its own set of SEs. Quite possible that Zometa is causing some of your bone pain. Can't speak to the other drug.

doxie

I posted this on another thread, but since I'm an aromasin gal, it seemed I should also post it here.

Here's an aches and pain story that may be of interest.

I went on a three hour hike yesterday at the Indiana Dunes and Lake Michigan beach with a good friend in her mid 60s. We stopped at a local place to eat afterwards.

Both of us struggled getting out of the car and up from our chairs. Both did the little old lady AI walk. But the difference is that my friend is not on AIs. She's 6 years older than me.

What struck me is that now I've been on AIs for 3.5 years, maybe I'd be creaky each time I get up any way. Maybe I didn't notice some of this before BC treatment. And on that thought, maybe some of this arthritic pain is just normal aging anyway.

When I think of it this way, I can't really complain about my rather mild SEs right now.

april485

Doxie, this was exactly the reason my MO had me take a 3 month holiday from exemestane. She wanted to see what was normal aging (I am 60) and what was caused by the AI. I have to say, after a month off, I felt soo much better! My aches and pains had diminished considerably. I was able to walk easier and move easier. I did go back on so now am doing the AI shuffle again....ahhh, this drug, so maddening yet we are so lucky to be able to use it due to being ER+. Anyway, that is my take on this.

feelingfeline

April that's this kind of shuffle right?

My family are so sick of me complaining / explaining about my oestregen deprived fuzzy brain, gnat attention span etc.

That is a really good point that we are lucky to be able to do something about ER+.

Will have to remember that (hopefully )

Lily55

IRRitability is a side effect of this drug, which basically makes us a lot older than our biological age.......

marijen

Irritability was the first thing, first day, but the sides have mellowed out TG. On onc's questionaire no check box for irritability.

doxie

April,

I cannot be convinced that my shuffle is anything but caused by AI. I come from a long line of people who live well into their 90s. My 82 year old mom does not shuffle! I'm actually embarrassed to be seen getting up from a chair at the same time as my mom.

Edited to add: But my mom has not had chemo, rads, and been on AIs, so maybe I should accept that I cannot expect to meet her standards.

marijen

How long have you been on it? i'm slower due to muscle pain and stiffness. My onc blows it off. Some mornings I wake up and I this must be what rigor mortis is. It's only been six months

feelingfeline

Doxie i totally get you about you and your Mum. My Mum's 80 and in better shape mentally and physically than I am. She says "see you Tuesday" and I look at her blankly and say "Mum, tell me what am I doing on Tuesday?" because I cannot get my brain into gear to connect to the info!

It IS embarrassing.

God no wonder we're irritable!!

Welcome Marijen, sorry to hear you are going through some of the "rigors" of Ai's. Definitely joint pain is listed as a common side effect. Oestregen provides some sort of aid to smooth joint working. So far I am actually better on aromasin than tamoxifen which used to cause the most massive muscle knots in my back. I switched from tamox to ai's with my onc's approval hoping to get relief from the mental fog effect but actually found relief from the muscles. Hope yours settles down, it is a very sudden deprivation for your body to adjust to.

april485

Amen Doxie. I am absolutely positive it is the drug after my long holiday. I feel at least 20 years older than my 60 years...aggggh! It hurts most of the time just to get up to pee at night. I hate how this makes me feel but am still trying to see how blessed I am to have the option.

Professor50

Hi, I am no longer taking exemestane but I was taking it for a couple of months. I ultimately couldn't handle the joint pain. HOWEVER, one thing that did help, a lot, was celebrex. I told my MO about my joint issues and she was almost irked, "Why didn't you say so sooner? I'll put you on celebrex." I REALLY didn't want to be in a situation where I was taking a drug to fight the SEs of another drug. But in the end, I'll tell you, the celebrex worked. I felt SO MUCH BETTER. So, I recommend exploring the possibilities that there might be another way to handle the SEs. Good luck!

marijen

gee professor50, I just complained to my onc last week about joint pain and she said keep moving. I guess I didn't whine loud enough! I would have thought theree would be meds for that, celebrex, or muscle relaxer? i have muscle pain and stiffness pretty bad