Alternative drug to Arimidex

Women are P-H-E-N-O-M-E-N-A-L.  Three cheers for your courage.  From the beginning of time we have been bullied by a male dominated world and have learned not to trust our insights, our hearts or our bodies.  Each time I've had to jump some big hurdle along this breast cancer road, I've come to the breastcancer.org forum and have found the wise counsel of women.

The latest is my struggle with Arimidex.  From the very beginning of my diagnosis, my greatest grief was the hormone receptor positive status.  I was told that this is good news because I would not require chemo and do not discount each good fortune, negative nodes, early stage, good insurance, competent surgeons, etc.  However, I am a huge fan of estrogen and it's connection to vitality and bone health, etc. and have grieved the loss.  Since Oct. I've had much to deal with (3 surgeries including 2 lumpectomies and finally a mastectomy with immediate reconstruction) and put the issue on the back burner.  I saw my onc yesterday for his 15 minute lecture on Arimidex (with no room for questions), was handed the RX and out the door.  He told me to stop reading the internet, this was the only way, you need this, etc...wham, bam, thank you mamm.  I didn't take it personally, actually felt sorry for him..judging from his defensiveness I know it must be a difficult job. 

Bottom line...I'm left to make my own decision between conventional and unconventional.  I'm just glad I'm not alone thanks to all of you.  Remember, that women from the beginning have pushed science toward more humanistic, whole-istic methods. 

All of this is very individual.  Some, not all and not even most, women have bad reactions to Arimidex.  I'm taking it and having a good reaction.  I have more energy and feel stronger than I have in some time and my theory (supported by my onc) is that because arimidex prevents the conversion of testosterone into estrogen, I now have a bit more testosterone.  So I feel great.

 If you find arimidex intolerable (and other AIs as well -- sometimes women do badly on one and well on another) there's no reason not to take tamoxifen, even if you are post-menopausal.   The effectiveness of AIs over tamoxifen are minimal and not worth bad side effects.

Finally, most of the side effects are from the depletion of estrogen, beyond even menopause.  Any alt drug that mimics an AI would, it seems to me, do the same thing because of limiting estrogen, the whole point of the medication.  And if it wasn't producing the same estrogen-depletion side effects, I would wonder what it was doing. Which brings me back to tamoxifen because if your body cannot tolerate the lack of estrogen, it is another alternative that acts completely differently.  

I am seeing another oncologist soon (waiting on the date)...I truly wish I could have just taken the damn arimidex and been fine. I know others are and most of us who post about it are when we have an adverse reaction. I had so prepared myself for it to work...nobody was angrier than I that it ht me like that. Of course Tamoxifen may not work due to the clotting factor...anyway, I will give this onc at md andersen a try...she is big into research/speaking about side effects and quality of life issues. I am grateful that my BC was caught so early but that does not mean I do not want to fight it with everything possible. I have been more depressed since the arimidex crap than I have been since all of this has started. I wanted it to work with my body. It would be a hell of a lot easier to take one pill versus the frigging pile of supplements. The only good thing is they are bringing back all of the symptoms I had when I went through menopause...the hot flashes are a real joy...and I mean that..I was so glad they were gone but now I embrace those drenchers. I am not sure why they aren't hitting me like the arimidex did but then again, I have been cautious with them as well. I only added them one at a time and waited to see what would, if anything, happen. Of course it involves a lot of checking and rechecking to make sure nothing contraindicated but so far so good. We all have to listen to our bodies, that I do know. When my husband was prescribed Baycol 10 years ago for high cholesterol in two days he was in excrutiating pain...I feel so friggin bad now for ever doubting him...and grateful that he ignored me and immediately stopped it as it was pulled from the market following too many deaths. His brother landed up in the hospital with permanent damage from it. Those that died kept on the drug despite the side effects as the majority of statin drugs warn you of "muscle pain" and many thought they had to struggle through. He is now on a different one after literally trying everything on the market and every combo. When he saw what happened to me he knew it was real. That helped because if he doubted me,  I would doubt myself. But he knows me better than anyone. He keeps eyeballing me the past few days making sure I am headed in the right direction. I'm still not *right* but I think I will be. I am just sad about it all. For my mind goes to what if I was a higher risk? and had no choice ...what if it comes back at a higher level...and had no choice. those things keep my mind going like a clock on speed. I am a tough cookie but this brought me to my knees. I can deal pretty good ...the hot flashes, aches (the aches i remember from menopause not slam me to the floor and make cry uncle aches), dry hair, cholesterol rise I can handle it was a challenge before and is now...but it is just the super amplified version I cannot. I can't excercise away the pains and moodiness if I can't move, etc. it is odd, it is like once the menopause was over (it is actually just one day- the last day you have your period) and my symptoms started to abate was when microcalfcifications morphed into BC...so, I guess this is what I will do for the rest of my life...that is another thing...I want something I can do for the rest of my life...going back to how the BC came after my menopausal symptoms abated...nobody has anything conclusive for what comes after the AIs and tamoxifin end..except studying to see if they can keep women on it longer to offset the rise in recurrence after five, ten years. If I can hit upon the right dosages of supplements to keep my body from converting estrogen and have manageable side effects, then it is a regimen I can take my entire life. Unless of course the new onc has a magic pill that I can take. And don't you know, I am still hoping for that.

one more odd thing..the last onc who scorned supplements said...save them and take them in five years...wtf

Yes, I read 30 - 40% stop taking Arimidex due to SE.

Go to this page and click on SIDE EFFECTS AND DRUG INTERACTIONS on the left hand side of the page. Scroll all the way down. http://www.rxlist.com/arimidex-drug.htm

I don't know how recent that side effect profile is but more women are getting heart attacks on it in the three Arimidex ongoing trials. There is still no proven overall survival benefit. It just seems to reduce the number of recurrences.

Look back on this thread and see what women are taking instead of Arimidex via their integrative doctors.

Hi.  I was taking Aromasin, I confronted my doctor several times over a year and he blew me off like it was all in my head.  He gave me a 3 week break and a prescription for Armidex.  I filled it, read the patient information and went to see a naturopath.  I have gone to a totally clean diet, using a vitamix for whole food smoothies 2 times a day, but also eating.  I feel much better.  I had a large battery of blood tests.  My current plan is to work with the naturalpath and see how my blood levels look in 3 months.  I just could not take anymore of the side effects from AI's.  It is a bit liberating--I feel really in control--with a back up plan--will run back to Med onc if needed, but since I feel my diet and supplements are replacing my AI, I am very good about my eating, exercise and blood labs.  I pray that this will do it.  I was so miserable from the AI's, lost 18% bone density in a year, which causes substantial pain, and I was just in a fog...as well as my hair dramatically thinning over that year.  Best wishes to you, to all of us.

all i can say is I was particularly FURIOUS when I read the most ecent guidelines issued by NCCN advising NO AIs for someone with my stage 1 grade 1 no lymphnode involvement...FURIOUS...I will continue my regimen of alternatives and eating correctly. I can LIVE with the SEs from these as they are similar to menopause without leeching to the extreme.

wblibrary, I don't know if this will help you, but I've been on Arimidex for just over a year.  I had on again/off again SE's for the first 10 months or so, but every time they came back, they were reduced.  And now I have no SE's at all. My understanding is this is a fairly normal pattern.  So, FWIW, hanging in there through the SE's (if they aren't too severe -- mine weren't fun at first but they were far from debilitating) may get you to a better place and allow you to continue Arimidex, if that's what you want to do.

My niece is an actuarial, this would be right up her alley, I should ask her what she knows about the stats on things like this (nothing, I'm guessing, but she could be in a good place to find the info!)

swim angel- are you HER+?

I have been on Arimidex for a little over 5 years. I have heard that you may now be able to take it for 10 years. Have you heard of this or perhaps a step down drug that you can take? I read the blog about progesterone cream as an alternative so I will ask my oncologist about that next week.

can you combine IC3 and Tamox?

What exactly is in myomin? I cant seem to find the ingredients. ?..

i take this damm armidex, been onit now for 3 months. Stage 2 estrogen postive lymph nodes all clear, all margins clear. Complete mecectomy, just tobe sure. Reconstructive as well, 4 rounds of two types of chemo as a precaution. Now taking this for the next 5 years. I hate it. When i wakebup in the morning, my fingers are so stiff i have to kerp bending them to loosen them up, joint pain, hip pain, muscle pain, sucks, but if it works, ill continue to deal with it. Cant find any natural things to take. Blaaaa

This is an old post but a good one. Gaye-Doreen....your oncologist's answer about not testing hormone levels is BS! IMO the reason is because most MOs know very little about female hormones. They prescribe a drug that drastically affects our hormones but it end there. As Mandy stated its sloppy medical care. We all need to speak up! This is one of the many reasons why I have chosen NOT to take an anti hormone. I do do other natural things to lower my estrogen levels though. Good luck to all....

Dear HopeUnseen, We are sorry about your mom's situation but glad that you reached out here. We hope that you will hear from others soon. PM us if you need help getting connected. The Mods