Arimidex - Coping with the SE's

Claire, You are so right I really need the strenth training as well. I know I was unable to do most anything for so long and am aware I am very weak. I see the BS in July so hopfully I can begin with the weights. I've been restricted to lifting 5 pounds max for the past year. But that shouldn't stop walking. At least he gave the ok for swimming in January, but have to be careful if I strech to much the dang breast still opens and oozes.

Claire, you are absolutely correct and I applaud you.  I do mostly water aerobics and walking but know I need to do more weight training.  I will use you as an inflence for that!  Actually adding more and/or extra exercise  or just changing up also is good as it keeps you motivated and your body from staying on the plateau.  Thanks.

She is an exercise thread all by herself!    Don't invite her over - she'll put us all to shame!

kira1234:  I hear you - I was on strict restrictions for almost 4 months due to wound healing - no lifting, stretching, sweating, exercising, etc.  Walking was about it and I got behind track during our many months of extended rainy weather.  Nearest mall is 20 miles away.  We have stairs in our house so every time I had to use them I did them five times (up-down-up-down-up) .

Tina......no excuses with wet weather unless dangerous out there.  I cycled in the rain during chemo.  I will never forget the day when my cycling buddy Jim said: "I thought we were going for coffee."

This was at the end of AC. 

I got soaked to the skin doing the 45 mile course of LIVESTRONG last year.  At least, I didn't need the space blankets.  One of the most miserable rides I have ever done and this was 12 days past radiation.

I am looking forward to doing the Seattle-to-Portland in three weeks.  202 miles over two days.  My friend Amanda and I are doing indoor camping just after the half way point.  One of the highlights of this event is the problem of making sure you eat ENOUGH.  Woo-hoo.

I can't wait to do it this year as have more energy now than anytime during my whole adult life.  I can tell from a training ride I did recently.

I am also able to do more reps of lifting 10lb weights over my head at this point than ever.

I have whipped my abs into submission.  They have given up complaining.  But have to stay on top of them as they are sneaky.

I hear you on upper body toning. I had the JP drain what seemed forever. Once out, I asked my surgeon if I could lift again and went out and lift again. She said "yes" so I went out and bought 5 lb weights. Three weeks later, they felt like feathers. This was at the start of chemo, and I got more buff.

So it can be done. Good luck everyone.

One final benefit................never lost my "mojo" either. That one is right up there with eating

Well Claire you are an inspiration. There are so many benefits of exercising. Having gone into early menopause, now I have bone loss and higher cholesterol so all the more reason to get off my ass and weight lift again. I am not a big cardio fan. I am going on a couple of vacations in Agust and my goal is to feel better by then by exercising regularly

Blurry vision was gone when i got up this AM but i'm going to check with my Onc and pain management Dr.  I won't stop arimidex because THE CURE FOR SE'S IS EASIER THAN THE CURE FOR CANCER.  I may stop the gabapetin because I don't notice any relief from joint pain, scar pain, or neuropathy pain but have only been taking it a week. Constant pain is such a downer!

You might try taking gluten out of your diet. I'm not as good as I should be, but I do see a difference when I am careful.

Kira is right about gluten.  I find that as long as I keep my gluten consumption to a minimum ( an occassional piece of toast is ok), my joints are so much better.  Keep moving and keep stretching. What my 60 year old Arimidex ridden body needs:  yoga, an hour of brisk walking and acupuncture!

I have to thank Lowrider for the gluten tip. A few months back I was in pain,and about ready to stop Femara, she suggested the gluten which I will be forever grateful. I will agree the Dr.'s just shrug it off, or say try another AL because they are about the same in reducing estrogen.

I try to remain compassionate with doctors who shrug off information that doesn't fit their experience and training. I know most have our best interests at heart, but I do weigh the overall picture. Do I benefit from the treatment they do recommend, do they treat me with respect and believe I'm having the symptoms and not making them up? If yes, then I find someone to add to my treatment team who takes the symptoms seriously. If no, I find somebody else, period. It's ironic that my preventive medicine doc's treatment are mostly not covered by insurance. Hello Medicare and Blue Cross-Blue Shield! Can you say PREVENTIVE?

Lakewoman,

me too on the NO WHEAT GLUTEN!  It was a friend with celiac disease who spoke to me about 2 years ago ( YIKES, can it have been that long?) an her doc told her several of his patients with osteoarthritis were feeling MUCH LESS JOIINT PAIN stopping all wheat gluten.  That was all I needed to hear.  Cleared out my freezer of about 6 of my Trader Joes Three Seed & Honey lloaves of bread ( I live about 25 miles from stores, in very rural area)  The birds were thrilled, I was bereft.

UNTIL - within 3 weeks, I lost about 10 pounds, and went from taking 10 Ibeprofen a day to none!  I still have creaks, when I'm sitting too long, or not walking enough.  BUT, I wish I could help every woman with joint pain, muscles spasms ( woke me up at least 3 times a night!) - back, legs, to at least TRY going gluten free.  I wasn't too strict in beginning.  Now I won't have ANY thiing with wheat gluten.

Lots of food where you'd least expect it have wheat, or ADDED gluten in it.  Soy sauce?  Who knew?  I sometimes bake with a NON GLUTEN flour from my local Food Co-op.  I buy in bulk, so it's true it could have a "contaminent" from other flours - but I'm too cheap to buy the prepackaged gluten free breads.  But there are lots of different flours - and  WONDERFUL gluten free  cookbooks.

Ok, I'll get off my sopabox before I get splinters in my toes.  But please try gluten free

ritaz

Your nurse is correct - in many people guten IS an inflammatory - and if you think about it,  wheat is used mostly in the Western world - except, of course, where it is exported - for maximum profit for the agribusiness growing it.  I am very happy with rice, msotly brown, but like "sticky rice" too, and Quinoa.

I used to miss pasta, so tried the brown rice pasta, decided I didn't miss it that much!!! Being pain free is so much more iimportant to me.  Also generally FEEEEEEELING better, lighter, less weighed down ( pardon the pun) - so much more weight to get rid of.

I agree with forgetting if we have taken it or not. One night a month or so ago my husband was convinced I had forgotten my pill because I had taken his instead of mine. Talk about chemo brain, well anyway I knew there had been a pill in his meds the same color. Well long story short he convinced me to take another. Boy was that a mistake, I had the worst hot flashes I have ever had that night. When I set the pills out that morning I must have put one of those lovely pills in both containers.

Thanks Jo-5, Kira and Zenith - I'm committed to making this work through the 5 years (or longer if the standard of care changes). I'm fine with remembering to take my pills, my problem is I start talking and in mid-sentence can't remember "the point" I was trying to make. No chemo. Just finished radiation.