Arimidex - Coping with the SE's

Ruth:  YOU GOT IT!!!!   Yep, totally post-menopausal according to labs past 2 1/2 years at least.  No periods since taxol/Oct. 2006--hot flashes/night sweats daily since then.  Tamoxifen 2/2007 after radiation.  Since showing menopausal, switch to Aromasin 9/2010.  Period starts up Xmas Day, a 'regular' 5-day period, heavy bleeding first 2 days.  Call Oncologist, says to see Gyn.  I say YEP, BUTTTTTTT....I'm on a medication that this should NOT be happening...they call me back, GO OFF THE Aromasin...I see Gyn. Wed. this week....I do not feel she will have a clue what's going on.  I feel that I should've stayed on Tamoxifen a bit longer (perhaps the full 5 years, instead of 3 1/2, but what do I know?).  So, agreeeeeeeed with you Ruth...this SHOULD NOT BE happening!!!   ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...VERY frustrating, and disturbing to ME to be OFF any anti-cancer med only not even 4 years after end of rads.  Hopefully we can get to bottom of all this in next couple weeks (Onco appt. next week, all bloodwork will be done then thru my lovely port, which I will keep forever if I can -- very teeny tiny veins, takes 2 hours in a lab just to draw blood, will take the port anyday, and lab requested my onco replace my port-a-cath that developed a sheath that I had implanted for chemo 2006, power-port implanted 4/2010).   LOTS of info I'm giving, I know...but this is just ridiculous to me...and confusing, there's NO info I can find on this.  My onco said NO WAYYY should the AI be causing a period after menopause so many years, so STOP the Aromasin.   I was writing here to see if anyone else had similar experience...I see the other post, but no reply back to mine. 

Can you feel my extreme frustration????   NO hot flashes either since 12/24/10.  NOT good.

Thanks for listening, I know there's nothing anyone can do, just gotta run it thru the docs...thx.  I'm not an idiot, I keep all my medical records, and there's the consistency of lab reports for 2 1/2 years as to post-menopause, hence the switch to the AI.  And, no I don't go right to the ovarian cancer thing...but sure enough, I am releasing estrogen once again...yep, estrogen-fed tumor.

~juli

Take up kickboxing or get a punching bag. It is quite refreshing to hit and kick at things!!!

Ruth, I think I would destroy anything in my path at this point!   (No people will be harmed  ;)Thx...juli

LOL Ruth, if only my daily migraines would allow any kind of exercise at all (let's not get into THAT one!)...this will all pass as soon as we figure it all out.  AND no furnace today!   15 degrees, ready to start a mega-snow 'event', luckily have a gas stove in living room, heats up whole house.  BF will have to check it when home at 7pm (yep, he's the one I hardly ever see).  Good gosh, got me-self going again, didn't I???  I SO apologize to all...but Ruth you've always been very very kind, I always appreciate your optimism, some days I'm just not as chipper (I used to always be, not since BC...truly).       ~juli

Very true, Ruth, thank you!  You are always so kind, I'm so glad you are here.  Hangin' in for sure, waiting for Gyn. appt. tomorrow, then onco next week.  (I still bet it has to do with either the tamoxifen-going off too early-or the Aromasin itself)  We shall see.    ~juli

Hi Mary~~PM on its way, thank you!  Yep, good ole Albany.  Originally from Syracuse and don't miss that lake effect (tho yes, we're predicted for tons of snow later today & tomorrow here, don't ya love it??   NOT!     )    Are you originally from Albany?  We are not, BF is from Canajoharie (west of albany).  THX!   ~juli

Thanks susgul, yeah, if you guys really knew how I truly felt...I used to be like some others, that BC is 'no big deal', one does what one has to to get thru it all, yada-yada-yada...right now I just feel like I could care less about any of it, and just have to deal with what's going on right now best I can, as usual.   THX all...juli

Caerus:  I have had migraines daily for 30+ years, and most meds (98%) make the head pain worse, including anti-depressants (one of the first lines of treatment).  No, I just have the right to finally let myself be ANGRY, I never have yet.  Too much all at once, is all, it will pass.  Thank you, now see, you ARE nurturing!!!        ~juli

wenweb:  Yep, had botox twice, no wrinkles~~~but head pain the same, there is nothing to be done, sorry I mentioned it.  It usually gets people started on 'have you tried ________'....lol.  (yes, 30+ years, been-there-done-it).  I'll stick with BC topics!   THX~~~juli

HI Katie Jayne- I have heart palpitations too and a rapid heart rate, also a PFO. I am also taking effexor.  The Onco said the rapid heart rate is from the effexor not the arimidex.  Are you by anychance taking effexor or something like it to combat hotflashes.  I think Onco is going to try the Effexor normal, not the XR ( extended release) to see if that helps.

Spring, spring - did someone mention spring.  Yea, only 2 more months (yeah, I know we can still get snow in March/April).  Can't wait.  (do you think I just came in from shovelling for an hour).  Now off to work.  Have a great day all.

Thanks PJ - that's the plan actually.  The Villages by July 2012. (sooner if I can swing it!)

Can we come and visit (hint, hint)?

wenweb:  My apologies, you did NOT get me going!!  I was already there...:)   ~juli

(If there is something one has worked on for decades and cannot change at all, acceptance/adaptation is the only way to go--in my own opinion, can't keep fighting what can't be prevented...just treat pain daily and do the best one can)

Ruth:  I found your post very interesting since I have been on Arimidex for 7 years.  My gyn has advised me I do not need pap smears since I had a partial hysterectomy in my late 30's (many years ago) and the one ovary that was left has shriviled up over the years so there is basically nothing left in there for me to be concerned about.  I don't know if this means that I have a cervice or not.  I have lived a celibrate marital life for over 30 years (due to DP problems he refused to take care of) and was not concerned about this until the "vaginal atrophy" issue turned up.  I don't know how bad off I am but I will discuss this with my gyn if I return to see her this year.  I was using Replens every 4-5 days but stopped for a while.  I may return to it after reading your post to get some moisture in that area.  

BTW, what do "nuns" do who may get bc who have to live celibrate lives due to their church vows??   I always wanted to be a nun but had no idea when taking my vows with Bozo, I was going to become one any way!  Life is full of surprises!  

Thanks for sharing your very informative post!