HER2 and tamoxifen then Femara

Options
Heathersmom
Heathersmom Member Posts: 46
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

Anyone get switched from Tamoxifen to Femara after only one year? My onc says that tamoxifen doesn't perform as well in HER2 patients and wants me to switch to Femara (he checked my hormone levels to make sure I was in menopause for sure, not just Chemopause).

I am curious to know if the side effects of Femara are a little less severe in those who have been on tamoxifen first.

I asked my onc to wait to switch me until I was a couple months out of the herceptin treatments to see if all the aches that I was having was from herceptin. Well it has been 2 months and apparently not all the aches were from herceptin.

Here's hoping the Femara isn't as bad as I have been reading about from others. I hope that I can do this. (I find myself saying that alot since all this began). 

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • helena67
    helena67 Member Posts: 357
    edited January 2010

    Hi,

    I have never been on tamoxifen, I was on Femara from the beginning. I just wanted to be a little encouraging, by saying that for me, the side effects from the Femara are really not that bad. No hair loss or anything. My hair grows slower but it has not thinned. I do get the occasional hot flash (just like you would have with tamoxifen). And I do get some achiness in my joints, especially my hands and feet. But it is not something that I would need medication for, it is just a minor annoyance. I guess my point is, not everyone gets tremendous side effects. It may not be so bad.

    Good luck!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sheila888
    sheila888 Member Posts: 25,634
    edited January 2010

    Hi Heathersmom....I am on Femara since March 2006.

    Maybe I am one of the lucky ones not getting any SE, no joint pain no nothing, except at the beginning I had some hot and cold flushes, not every day or night time.

    And I have some bone loss. but not bad enough to go on Boniva. I just take Caltrate+D twice a day.

    Good Luck to you.

    Sheila

    I hope youll be lucky like I am.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • kim40
    kim40 Member Posts: 904
    edited February 2010

    Hi!

    I've been on Femara since the beginning as well and any SE's that I'm experiencing are pretty mild.  The most I get is stiffness if I'm sitting for too long, but other than that, that's it!

    Good Luck

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 2,645
    edited February 2010

    Yes.

    I did test as a poor metabolizer of Tamox and will be starting Femara this weekend.

    I was on Tamox for 17 months.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories