Arimidex - Coping with the SE's

Just polished off two boxes of Junior Mints, so will not be offering any profound weight loss advice this evening!!!

edited to add that they were not the small boxes, but the big '2.5 serving per box' boxes.....

All right Ruth....go for it.   I am a Hershey bar girl myself.

Ladies I did put on weight after a few months on A but found that nothing white..no pasta...bread...rice...no candy,sweets. Lots of vegies...low sugar fruits and lots of water and chicken and both my husband and I were able to drop it.

Have a good week everyone...catch my hugs

Teresa

Why can't they just take the clips OUT? Of course, they could be irritating the area!!! Although with no clips inside me, it still took me 2 1/2 years before I could sleep on that side because it was still so tender; they are right when they say it can take a long time, but why add more potential problems to the mix by leaving metal inside of you?!

I had numbness in both my toes and hands since having chemo (Taxotere), and it got worse when I started Arimidex.  The numbness in my toes has subsided, but is worse in my hands and fingers.  My onc said that she felt it was a SE from the Arimidex.  I agree with sunflowers though if it is sciatica, it's worth getting it checked out.

My problem with Arimidex is the intense joint pain in my shoulders and muscle pain in my upper arms.  I helped pack my daughter's apartment this past weekend, and when I went to bed each night I told my DH that it felt like my arms were broken.  We were staying in a hotel, and I had forgotten to bring any pain reliever stronger than ibuprofen.  I barely slept for two nights due to the pain.  We got home Sunday, and I got two hours of sleep that night.  I stayed home from work on Monday as I had to take my 85 yr. old mom to the doctor.  This morning I had an appt. with my BS, and had a meltdown right there.  I was embarrassed because I couldn't even tell her why I was crying.  I'm completely exhausted.  She gave me a prescription for low dose Xanax and made me promise to take it this entire week in order to sleep.  I feel like I'll never be myself again.  I left her office and went to my job.

My co-worker and dear friend reminded me that I haven't taken any time off except for a few days since my dx in January.  I've had bi-lat mast, chemo, rads, and a hyst/ooph (a month ago tomorrow) and I've only missed a few days of work through it all.  I feel like I'm always expected to be superwoman at work, church, and at home to my family.  Sometimes I just want to crawl into bed and stay there for an entire week with no demands on my time.  It's like once you've completed your treatments, everyone expects you to just return to your old energetic, happy self.  I don't feel at all like that person anymore. Sorry for the rant, I'm just so tired and needed to vent to people who understand.  I guess I should send out invitations when I want to have a big pity party!    Thank you Ladies for being here.  It's very comforting.

I now get numb toes and puffy hands after a couple/few miles at a brisk pace. Didn't really give it much thought until reading this. Never happened before Arimidex, not even during radiation. So, at least for me, my bet is it's the Arimidex.

Rocket - You're not ranting; you're way overdue for a break ! For godness sakes lady, take a vacation ! Even without BC, you'd deserve one. And if you can even conceive of it, leave hubby and kids at home. Go someplace where you can sleep in, relax the days away, eat well, and get pampered, maybe a massage or two. A spa ? The country ?The beach ? The weather is still great and both prices and crowds have dropped. What are you waiting for ?

I'm sure my numb toes (only on one foot mind you) are from the taxotere - my back and legs are fine no pain at all. I did put my back out during rads and my physio soon fixed it up.

I figure the Arimidex is working seeing my hot flushes are so bad

Rocket - hats off to you - take a break. I was fortunate to be able to have the time off work for treatment and I'm still tired. I can't imagine how you cope.

Sue

Sharlene, you are amazing!

Rocket, definitely take the stuff to help you sleep. Without any rest, it just gets impossible to cope; and also, at least, give yourself a 'mini vacation' at least once a week; schedule a facial, lunch with friends, a bubble bath, a walk; anything that you enjoy and that would be relaxing to you. Not only do you deserve it, but it is crucial to your recovery!!!

somany, my 'bad' side actually is still kind of achy. I'm thinking, by now, it's my new 'normal'. But like I said earlier, at first I was so tender/hurting that it was 2 1/2 years before I could even lay on that side, and then, BAM, suddenly it felt really, really better.....likes going from 7/8 on a pain scale down to 1/2.  I do think time will being healing for you also. (Although the whole clip thing still seems creepy to me!!).

Good morning ladies, so sorry to hear about the awful pain and numbness.  It's like we're living with our own personal terrorists in so many ways.  McKenz, it was my first instinct also to see if that A pill could be cut.  I asked askanoncologistnow.com and learned that the amount 1mg for all had been determined to be the daily level that is effective ... no more, no less.  I'd like to thank you for the conversation on manufacturers.  I called my pharmacist at CVS and discovered my script was from Mylan.  I asked if I could request Teva and she said she will try to do that for me, again thank you very much.  The research doctor on the Dr Oz Show, sorry I don't recall his name, named 5 foods that act as an anti-angiogenesis.  These foods counter the development of the blood vessels to the tumor.

1. Bok Choy  This type of Chinese cabbage contains brassinin:  a powerful cancer-fighter, also found in broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts.  Bok Choy should be eaten 3 times a week, in 1/2 cup servings to obtain its full benefits.

2. Cooked Tomatoes have more cancer-fighting properties than raw tomatoes.  Both contain the molecule lycopene, but heating the tomato changes its chemical structure and makes the benefits more readily available to your body.  You should eat 2-3 (1/2 cup) servings of cooked tomatoes a week.

3. Flounder This fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury.  Three 6-ounce servings a week is ideal.

4. Strawberries The antioxidants in this berry help fight cancers.  You should eat 1 cup a day, including the juice.

5. Artichokes contain 3 different cancer-fighting molecules.  Enjoy 1/4 cup of hearts per day.

Rocket - you should take some time for yourself. I can't believe you didn't take a lot of time off work for all your surgeries. No wonder you are exhausted. You deserve to get some rest! I agree with the rest of the ladies. Do something good for yourself even if it is only for a day. It will help you feel better.

And may I recommend a massage!  Even if you have the to only do the ones at the mall who do just the shoulders, back and arms, it is simply a marvelous 20 minutes of pampering.  Take some "me" time - everyone else does.

I have decided to start taking Arimidex, and in preparation,am going to go gluten-free. I found an excellent bread from Rudi's gluten-free bakery- a multigrain sandwich bread that does quite well when toasted. Their web site is www.rudisbakery.com, for more information.

All of the gluten-free brown rice breads are truly foul, in my opinion.

Thanks to patoo for reminding me about massage. I've been meaning to do it again for several years, and this seems as good a time as any.

paamboli

Diagnosis: 8/18/10, IDC 1.1cm.,0/2nodes, ER+/PR+,HER-. Because I am over 70, and met all the guidelines, I did not have to have radiation! 

Sunflowers ...regarding hand therapist ,,yepper they are out there and one is our son Jim1...works in WI He is a physical therapist. Did a year home study when he lived and worked in CO  to become certified hand therapist,,,His forte'  and what he was hired for is ergonomics.LIKE RUTHBRU,,, you will love this what with your awareness of WI,,he goes to place where people pick up like 1000's of chicken a day something like that haha and he tells them how to do it to prevent injuries..In CO he was hired by people who had employees who worked at computers all day ,,.There was that a great lead in for a mom to brag ????? HE is mentioned in my hunting article ....there is a family photo ,,he is one on the left!

Ruth.....

Have been doing the generic for at least 6 weeks (first month could have been Arimidex packaged in a generic bottle) and no different. 

Anyway, I am having computer virus problems along with all sorts of work crises.  So I am fine.  Only thing is I didn't get to exercise quite as much as I would have liked today, as trying to fix the bug that screws up my registry files.

I can find more than one use for the $130 or so I save monthly. - Claire

Believe it or not Ruth, I am more a "native".  So there is also another factor going on....interest.

The dividing line is somewhere around 25 so even people much younger than us still are out of it relatively.  (I know this fun stuff from research studies I have worked on.)

I am amazed at the extent to which I live my life online.  Cell phone, not as much, but that is because I work at home.  I do remember texting my friends from the recovery room to let them know my surgery had gone well.

The bizarre thing with me is that I didn't grow up with television, so still don't miss it.  Would be lost w/o internet though.

I have a couple of friends I use to stay current.

I interviewed with a group about a possible research assignment, but since I couldn't find an online presence, I decided that I didn't want to be the person to clue them in on social networking

They won't make it over the long haul either.

Wasted a lot of time on the virus.  Time for the Geek Squad....or getting my money's worth out of my service contract!!! - Claire