FEMARA

Sharon, I think my se's were noticeable after about 2 weeks. Hang in there!!

I have found that the caution in the fine print about sun sensitivity is all too true. If I stay in the sun, even with sun screen, my forearms become red and really really itchy. Sometimes the red turns to little blisters. My current plan is to stay out of the sun and/or to get one of those shirts with long sleeves that advertizes itself as acting as a sunscreen.  Any one else have this reaction?

I took Femara steady for about ten months and the side effects snuck up on me.  I quit for about six weeks because of arguing with my ins. co.  Went the the onc and he read me the riot act so I started back and the se came roaring back with a vengence.  They were nowhere near this bad before.  I am rapidly developing trigger fingers on my left hand and the shoulder on that side stays sore all the time, and the bone pain is far worse and more widespread than before.  I am starting on a study next month and will start Zometa.  Maybe that will help with the bone pain.

I just got one of those shirts they sell on HSN with the built in sunscreen but haven't tried it yet. Will let you know how it works.    Darla

PS I had massive liver mets with new spots on lungs and bones and the Femara has cleared them. They were not visible on my ct or bone scan, so I guess the se are worth it.  Darla

kdeit, what is reclast?  Is it a bisphosphonate?

Welcome to the boards Deidre.  Yep, you do learn heaps here and it is 'real' information from those who have been there before you.  When you are reading however, remember that everyone's experience is influenced by many factors other than their cancer's characteristics, so read lots and then decide on a middle ground.  You will also find friendship, support and real understanding here so visit often and keep in touch.

I agree, I like having my marbles too but some days I feel definitely ditzy.  I find that I can usually think alright but it is thinking translating into doing where the problem lies for me - the body just doesn't seem to get the message straight sometimes.  Now that I am aware of it I just make sure I check after I have done important things and when I am driving I don't have any music on anymore - too much distraction - I need to concentrate.

Rae

lassie11 -  lol!   Doesn't seem to have affected my tennis - I am playing better than ever since getting back into it following dx - maybe brawn is more important than brains after all! 

Hi Weety,

Reclast is Zoledronic Acid.  Here's a link to their website:

www.reclast.com

There's more information there.

The way my onc described it, is that Reclast is about 100 times more powerful than Fosamax, and so I'm hoping it'll help get my T-score back up again.

Hugs,

Karen

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Well here I am back on Femara, or should I say letrozole now as it seems we are now on the generic brand here in Ontario.  I had a little vacation as the rash thing on my one foot got so bad I had to stop taking the little orange pill till it more or less cleared up.  I tried arimidex for a short time too but had the same problem.  The insomnia quickly returned but instead of being constipated it's now gone the other way, not good either - not sure which I prefer.

Had my annual mammo & ultrasound just over a week ago and I haven't heard anything yet so I'm taking it that no news is good news.  I feel some lumps and bumps and I get strange feelings in my armpits but if nothing shows on the mammo etc then hopefully I can assume everything is ok and it's just my imagination.  Does the paranoia ever go away?  I guess not!

Luckily for my so far I have not had any weight gain issues - still at 95lbs or there abouts, remained that way throughout treatment - excellent metabolism rate I assume.  I do wonder about the bone density problems as my last bone scan showed a loss but I am not eligible for Zometa even though it was advised by my onc, it is not a standard of care in Ontario yet so I will see what alternative they come up with next month at my onc appointment.

Well just thought I'd touch base as I haven't posted in a while, wishing everyone well.

Gaynor

So reclast is the same as zometa???

Hi weety,

 I believe it is, but it's not as strong.   My onc is hoping Reclast will work, if not, then I'll go on Zometa.  Are you on it?

Also, I just did a little research, and both Reclast and Zometa are zoledronic acid (which you already knew) but I found that zoledronic acid is a form of bisphosphonic acid, which I had not realized.

Hugs,

Karen

Is anyone else experiencing headaches on Femara?  Every afternoon I develop a mild but annoying headache which sort of feels like a sinus headache, which eventually dissipates with an advil.  I've been on Femara for 2 years and this seems to have started at just about the time my hand and wrist aches disappeared.  How about that?  The aches just move around.....

jeanie - I am sorry to hear you have had a cancer dx again - it must be horrible to be having to go through all this emotional turmoil again not to mention treatments.  I don't get the anxiety but I do have the fuzzy brain/ lack of concentration problem, sleeplessness and the fatigue, which sounds very like what you are experiencing when you say you 'hit the wall'. The fatigue is there from the minute my feet hit the floor in the morning but I get up and make myself keep going but sometimes by 4 or 5pm I just have to lie down for a while - my body also just feels like it can't go on.  It is very like the tiredness I had post bmx for many weeks but I didn't have chemo so I can't say what that tiredness feels like.

lindsa - I don't usually get a headache but most days I feel like there is one lurking in my forehead and quite often I take a painkiller just to clear my head.  About a month after I started Femara I had to go on a hayfever prevention nasal spray as I was getting stuffed up noses most afternoons and it was hard getting to sleep with it bunged up.  I hadn't had to use one before and I thought is was just the very dry summer we had had getting at me but when I went off it last winter the stuffiness came back so I am sure it was the Femara doing something to my sinuses. The nasal spray keeps my nose clear but the 'almost' headache is still there quite often.

Oh man, how many other 'annoying' SEs are going to raise their ugly head over the next 4 years?  I AM SICK OF FEELING SICK ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Wblibrary - that's exactly how I feel too - no desire or energy to do things.  Yep, I think wedding planning, the thought of recon surgery and Christmas shopping in August! would have me stopped in my tracks too - just can't get my head around that many stressful things at once nowdays - I walked the dog today, I've done my one thing!  I seem to have heaps of energy to read and post here though 

I had bad migraines until I became post menopausal then they lessened dramatically but since being on Femara I haven't had one!!! Must be the only good luck story associated with Femara I reckon!!!   Estrogen was definitely never my best friend it seems!

nanna, I take Walgreens brand Calcium 1200 mg for bone and colon health with Vitamin D (1000 IU) and Minerals.  They are chewable and I usually get them when Walgreens has their buy one get one free sale.  I have taken them for a couple of years with no problems.  I have trouble with other calcium pills, they bother my stomach but I do not have any trouble with these.  Hope this helps