About-to-Start-Hormones Group

Hi ladies, I just wanted to add my latest - my arthritis pain is back. The steroids during chemo did a great job of keeping it at bay, but now they've worn off and I'm feeling my old twinges. The Arimidex will probably exacerbate it over time, at least that's what I'm told. So far, it's just my knees and feet, and is limited to when I first get up in the morning.

It doesn't help that we had a chilly and wet end to last week. Any change in weather, good to bad or bad to good, seems to send it to a higher pain level. I haven't taken anything for it, but the idea that it could get worse has me thinking what I could do. I'm thinking I might just start with Alleve and see how that goes on the days it flares. Normal days are well within the tolerable-without-meds limit. Flare days, it gets annoying.

I'm also sporadically taking calcium and B-complex. I'm not very good at taking supplements regularly. I don't know why. Prescribed meds, I'm fine, but if someone just says, "You might benefit from this," I just can't seem to make it a priority to remember. So I take them when I remember...about two to three times a week.

I haven't taken any anti-anxiety meds since my surgery. Even then, I was only taking an occasional Valium. I don't feel the need for anything else. The occasional sadness I feel is justified, I think, and not anything to be covered up. It isn't debilitating. I'm very much moving on with my life and making plans for when my finances won't be so tied up in my health care. (Hm-m-m...vacation or new boobs?)

Angie, good to see you here. The SE's I've felt are all things I had before BC. Some, like the arthritis, went into remission during the chemo. I have a few more hot flashes than I did before starting the Arimidex. In my natural menopause, they had settled down to only a few a week. Now I have a few a day, again. But they're manageable. If the other SE's are only as bad as they were before bc, I will be fine with it.

Shari1232,

That's what I'm afraid of!  I have been that way for a couple years now, ever since I turned 40.  I joke with my friends that I will soon need to use paper towel rolls for tampons.  I am due for my period towrds the end of this week.  Another friend of mine who is on Tamox also says the same thing: heavier periods.  Oh god!!!!   Good luck with yours.  Hopefully as our bodys adjust, the flow will slow..........

Kathi - Yeah, my arthritis is not that happy either...hip, back, knee, and feet, especially at night.  And, then fingers and toes in the AM.  Since I'm not working out lately, it can only be the Arimidax.  I take naproxin and somethimes Advil PM at night, but my blood work showed some possible kidney problems.  Too much of a good thing with all the meds?

I hope poopy dog made it outside before the sandwich came through!!

As for clothing, I have dozens and dozens of those heavy "what not to wear" teacher sweaters that I'll never put on again!  The best I can do is a very light cardigan or blouse, with a sleeveless top underneath...when the kids go to their specials, I whip off the blouse and open the windows!  I never thought I'd be wearing sleeveless tops in Nov.!!!  As for my teacher sweaters - Ebay, here I come!!

Had the transvaginal US yesterday.  Not at all painful, she put jell on it first.  Just a bit strange. Should hear this morning.  I'm sure everything's OK, so I'm only a bit anxious.  I've always been scared to death about ovarian cancer - never gave bc a second thought.  Go figure.

Susan

Kathi,

They couldn't see my ovaries (not uncommon for post men. women I was told) but nothing showed up, except a cyst on my cervix.  That's not where the pains are, so gyno said to come in for another pap. Hmmm, I may opt to have the whole shooting match out.  That way, I'll know what it isn't when I 'm in pain!

Hi Everyone,

 Found this on another thread and though you'd all like it.  I know it sucks to have to do this everyday and deal with the SE's but it's really worth it.  Here it is:

An interesting article on Tamoxifen:

 Breast Cancer News

Poor Compliance with Tamoxifen Leads to Higher Recurrence Rates

Researchers from St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York have reported that 37% of women with estrogen receptor-positive localized breast cancer are not compliant with prescribed tamoxifen (Nolvadex®), resulting in a higher rate of recurrent disease. The details of this study were published in the October, 2008 issue of the American Journal of Surgery.[1]

A majority of breast cancers are estrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive), meaning they are stimulated to grow by the female hormone estrogen. Depriving ER-positive breast cancers of estrogen can slow their growth. Tamoxifen is an anti-estrogen that has long been the mainstay of hormone therapy for breast cancer. Several randomized studies have shown that treatment with tamoxifen for five or more years significantly reduces the risk of breast cancer recurrence.

Despite this proven efficacy, some studies have shown that compliance to tamoxifen is less than optimal. In one U.S. study of women over the age of 65, compliance to tamoxifen for five years was 69%.[2] A Swiss study revealed a similar compliance rate of 67%.[3]

In the current study, researchers compared the outcomes of breast cancer patients who were compliant to recommended radiation, chemotherapy, or hormonal therapy (tamoxifen) with the outcomes of those who were not compliant. They wanted to determine first, what the level of compliance was and second, the impact this compliance had on recurrence rates.

The researchers found that 7% of patients were not compliant with recommended chemotherapy treatment and 4% of patients were not compliant with the recommended radiation treatment. In startling contrast, 37% of patients did not comply with the recommended adjuvant hormonal therapy treatment of tamoxifen. Noncompliance with tamoxifen was associated with an 87% survival, compared with 96% for compliant women. In other words, women who are compliant with hormonal therapy are significantly more likely to survive longer without a recurrence.

The researchers concluded that noncompliance with tamoxifen is common and results in significantly increased risk of recurrence. More study is needed into the reasons for noncompliance. In this particular study, older age was associated with noncompliance to radiation and chemotherapy, but younger women tended to be noncompliant with tamoxifen. As physicians and researchers gain an understanding of why patients fail to comply with the prescribed hormonal therapy regimen, they may be able to address these issues in order to improve compliance and as a result, improve survival rates.

References:

[1] Ma AMT, Barone J, Wallis AE, et al. Noncompliance with adjuvant radiation, chemotherapy, or hormonal therapy in breast cancer patients. American Journal of Surgery. 2008;196:500-504.

[2] Lash TL, Fox MP, Westrup JC, et al. Adherence to tamoxifen over the five-year course. Breast Cancer Research Treatment. 2006;00:215-220.

[3] Guth U, huang DJ, Schotzau A, et al. Target and reality of adjuvant endocrine therapy in postmeopausal patients with invasive breast cancer. British Journal of Cancer. 2008;99:428-433.

Just came back from the oncologist.  He gave me the prescription for Tamoxifen which he says I can fill at my leisure and start whenever I want.  He explained all the possible side effects, but says they are usually milder in pre-menopausal women.  He said it could make my periods irregular.  Didn't mention the heavier part, hope that doesn't happen, cause I'll be with Makraz using the paper towel rolls, ha!  Other precautions he told me to let him know if I planned any elective surgery or long trips in a car or plane as he may take me off it temporarily to prevent clotting.

I'll probably fill it through mail order so I guess I won't start til after Thanksgiving.

Good point on the compliance Makraz.  I was always so bad taking vitamins and calcium supplements, so when I had to start taking blood pressure medicine 2 years ago, my husband bought me one of those Sunday through Saturday pill dispensers as a stocking stuffer.  Funny enough I had bought him one for his stocking also.  We decided we were officially old now that we have them and are using them!  Ha!  Anyway, it really works.  I will still occasionally forget to take a pill, but I can see exactly what I forgot and it's a reminder seeing that forgotten pill in there all week that I have to stick with my pill routine at morning coffee and dinner.

pattyk, I've been on Arimidex for two months now. So far, I have had an increase in my hot flashes from a few a week back up to a few a day (similar to earlier in my menopause), and my previous areas of arthritis have come back (knees, feet) but that may also be because 1) I'm off the steroids I took through chemo, 2) I'm getting older and the winter is setting in.

Hi NancyD,

Thanks for your response.  I had a few aches and pains before, osteoarthritis, and seem to have the same amount now too.  Here's hoping our SE's never get any worse.  Regarding the hot flashes I have been telling people I haven't been cold since around 1999!  I think I can tolerate the hot flashes.

I want to thank you for all your postings.  They are informative, sensitive and always helpful.  It's nice to see one of my Sept. rads gals on this thread too.

Kathi -- Do you mind sharing your dosage?  I'm on 150 mg/day, just upped last week from 75.  Still down lots of the time. 

Hahahahha at the crying forehead!!!!!!

I guess the best news is that my extremely heavy flow that made me feel like I needed transfusions eventually DID stop without intervention.  I hope next month is better.

I don't get the part about Tamox NOT causing early menopause.  If it makes periods irregular and hot flashes and stuff, then aren't we thrown into meno, or is it just temporary?  I guess it doesn't really matter, and everyone's SEs and reactions are different anyhow...

Where DID this tire around my waist come from?

Blah.

I've had a poochy tummy for years, it seems.  But, now I can grab on to it and shake it like an apron right under my belly button (or is that TMI?) 

 Probably because I'm not doing ballet or Pilates class right now.  Or even an occasional sit-up! 

 I'll really be doomed if the Arimidex makes it worse!  It'll be a Mack truck spare tire, not just a sub-compact!!

Too funny!  I have to say, I was hoping for a mast so that I could get the tummy tuck!  Not so much for the boobs, I never had much anyway, but I'd be thrilled to see my toes when I stand up straight!

Some days KAK, some days