toremifene/fareston

Options
Chocolaterocks
Chocolaterocks Member Posts: 364
edited December 2019 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

Hi All

 I am switching to toremifene from tamoxefen it actually had to be ordered. My MO cited two articles one from 2004 and the other 2010.

The 2010 article "Excellent Outcomes with Adjuvant Toremifene or Tamoxifen in Early Stage Breast Cancer is one of them.

Anyway, thoughts? Anyone also premenopausal taking this? Side effects?

thanks

I love chocolate.

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • sammolisa
    sammolisa Member Posts: 180
    edited July 2011

    My onc started me on Fareston because the Tamox interacted with my Cymbalta.   Side effects have been okay so far.  Get a little headachey and head feels a little woozily when I first take it, so I lay down sometimes for a bit and its better.   Constipation was a problem for the first 2 weeks then let up.  Other than that, it's ok.   I expected alot more problems like our tamox sisters are saying.  I hope it works well for you.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sweetbean
    sweetbean Member Posts: 1,931
    edited July 2011

    if this is just as good as tamoxifen, but has fewer side effects, why don't oncs prescribe it first?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Chocolaterocks
    Chocolaterocks Member Posts: 364
    edited July 2011

    Sweetbean

    thank you for responding to me- I feel so alone.

    I don't know- Why?

    My onc says I am the 3rd person she is switching over and the other 2 are doing well- that is why I am asking- I know the medication came from Finland and tami the USA. So I am sharing.

    thanks for responding

    Chocolate

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sweetbean
    sweetbean Member Posts: 1,931
    edited July 2011

    Oh, I will ask my onc the next time I see her!  If there is something out there that works just as well as Tamox, but without all the unpleasant side effects, I want IN!  

     Why do you feel alone?  ((HUG)) 

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • every8thwoman
    every8thwoman Member Posts: 147
    edited July 2011

    Hello everyone,

    I am on Fareston (2 years now).  I am perimenopausal and a poor metabolizer of tamoxifen according to the CYP 2D6 test.  I too have found the side effects to be less than tamoxifen.  Please see my other posts.

    Best to all.

    Every8thwoman

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sweetbean
    sweetbean Member Posts: 1,931
    edited July 2011

    Thank you so much, every8thwoman!  I am going to talk to my MO.  I am pre-menopausal (37), but haven't had a period since January.  I will see her in a few weeks.  I'm not supposed to start Tamox until after rads, which is next Friday.  So I will probably start and ask if I can switch when I see her. I love the idea of fewer side effects!  (I'm worried about hair loss and voice changes - I'm a professional singer, so that would be a huge problem!)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • every8thwoman
    every8thwoman Member Posts: 147
    edited July 2011

    Sweetbean,

    You may want to go to another page on this website for more info on Fareston (Toremifene).  Go to the treatment and side effects tab at top of page -click on hormonal therapy-click on selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMS)-then click on Fareston.  Fareston DOES have side effects, tho none dealing with voice that I'm aware of.  Please note that Fareston IS prescribed for premenopausal women contrary to what the page says.  Hope this helps.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • every8thwoman
    every8thwoman Member Posts: 147
    edited July 2011

    Sweetbean,

    There is also a side effects comparison chart too.  When you get to hormonal therapy page, click on side effects comparison chart and you will see a comparison of SE's between Tamoxifen and Fareston.  Good luck.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sweetbean
    sweetbean Member Posts: 1,931
    edited July 2011

    Every8thwoman, thanks again.  That was interesting stuff!  So it is now being prescribed for early stage cancer?  And for pre-menopausal women?  This is very encouraging!  How expensive is it?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sweetbean
    sweetbean Member Posts: 1,931
    edited July 2011

    Also, do you have anything that talks about prescribing it for pre-menopausal women?  (Although since I haven't had a period in months, who knows if I am still pre-menopausal?)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Chocolaterocks
    Chocolaterocks Member Posts: 364
    edited July 2011

    Every8thwoman and Sweetbean,

    hey thanks for the follow up and sharing where to look for info. I appreciate it- my rx's are a copay so I am not sure of the cost. I felt alone because- a pretty big pharmacy I went to did not have this rx and also it seems that no one is taking the rx. I posted on newbies and nobody responded.  Also I feel alone because I am still  sad- hopefully a couple of more medication free days will assist in the process of me feeling less sad. In the 5 days since I have been off tami- my body feels so much better- so few aches and pains.  So I am hoping that this medication will be like a miracle (no problems with short term memory, depression, acne, aches and pains, loss of libido, watching every calories....) so we will see. It definitely cannot get much worse!

    thanks every8thwoman- i will try to find all the information you cited

    Have a great weekend!

    Chocolate

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • kmur
    kmur Member Posts: 912
    edited July 2011

    Hi I love Chocolate; I am also a Fareston girl. I am also a poor metabolizer for Tamoxifen also found out after doing the CYP 2D6 test. I  have been in chemopause since the middle of my chemo treatments which ended in Sept. The last time I saw the ONC he did do another round of blood work and according to this round he can tell I am still not truly in menopause so the ovaries are still kind of sputtering I guess. I have really had no problem with it. I did start off with hot flashes and still have them but they are not too bad. I also have had a little bit of fluid retention...it is difficult to know if this is from the drug or if I am still kind of trying to lose some of the steroid water weight. I think his plan is to continue with Fareston for another year or so then switch once I am really menopausal to the next round of drugs . I have had no depression or bone pain at all. I have been really pleased and I'm hoping when we switch the next round will be the same..

    Good luck to you hope you will find very few if any SE with Fareston.

    Kim

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • every8thwoman
    every8thwoman Member Posts: 147
    edited July 2011

    Sweetbean,

    My onc prescribed it (Fareston) for me knowing I am early stage  and pre-menopausal.  This is contrary to what the literature/label says (metastatic and for post-menopausal).  Because I was a poor metabolizer of Fareston, he (and I assume other oncologists) prescribe Fareston in patients who would not benefit from Tamoxifen.  It was either that or lose the ovaries route, which he was against doing.   I'm OK with it, but I do get aching joints now and then.  I'm 54 so maybe that would be happining anyway (w/o Fareston).

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Chocolaterocks
    Chocolaterocks Member Posts: 364
    edited July 2011

    Hi All

    Every8th women,  I had a 2nd opinion big city hospital and med onco who indicated that I should just have my ovaries out (I just turned 50) since I was having problems with tami. Interestingly my onco does not want me to do this ( they sent me to this big city mo for opinion) and decided to rx the fareston.

    Not sure why opposition to having the ovaries out. I realize once you take them out its a done deal. Sorry to have my week medication vacation end- aches and pains went away, no crying and feeling smarter.

    thanks for the advice

    Chocolate

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • every8thwoman
    every8thwoman Member Posts: 147
    edited July 2011

    I love chocolate,

    Let me know how the Fareston works for you.  You can PM me anytime.  Good luck.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • peggy_j
    peggy_j Member Posts: 1,700
    edited July 2011
    Chocolate, yeah I wondered about having my ovaries removed.  When I asked my nurse educator, she said some women do it (usually those with the BRCA genes) and that it should reduce the risk of recurrence by 40%. I think the downside risks are that our ovaries continue to secret a small amount of estrogen, even after menopause (hence, the use of AIs for post-meno ER+ women). So losing that estrogen creates other risks, like increased risk of heart problems, etc. And most docs will point out that even routine surgery carries risk etc. (I know of several people who had surprise complications after routine surgery). Seems like there are no clear or easy answers here. arg!  Anyway, thanks everyone for the info on Fareston. I may be joining you...maybe...
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • hiiamher
    hiiamher Member Posts: 2
    edited July 2011

    Hi sweetbean,

    I was also switched from Tamoxifin to Fareston due to metabolism issues.  I am pre-menopausal. I've only been on Fareston for about a week.  No side effects to speak of (a few hot flashes).  But, I did want to let you know that my insurance does not cover name brand prescriptions and I was told it was over $800 for a 30 day supply.  I was lucky enough to get assistance from the drug company.   

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sammolisa
    sammolisa Member Posts: 180
    edited July 2011

    Been on Fareston now for a few months and it seems fine.  Hot flashes didn't really change that much - had them before from chemopause.  So I have a cold pack from the freezer with me usually all the time lol.  Oh!  and a fan.  :)    I try to eat something before I take the meds.  Seems to help with any SE's.  My ins is fine with Fareston - I think the copay is 20.  Not bad at all.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • changes
    changes Member Posts: 622
    edited August 2011

    Hi all,

    I am also early stage and pre-menopausal, but having a rough time with Tamoxifen. My oncologist has mentioned Fareston as an option, but wants me to give the Tamoxifen another try. I'm glad to hear that people seem to tolerate Fareston a bit better.

    Karen

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Margaret22
    Margaret22 Member Posts: 12
    edited May 2019

    I just found this topic and I’m curious if those who responded are still tolerating Fareston? After a full year of tryin hard to find a way to take tamoxefin I had to give up. Can’t say I didn’t give it a go! So now I’m staring at the bottle of Fareston and thinking -brother, do I want to start this again after feeling healthy now for two months off of everything? I Had stage 1, grade 1 hormone positive left sided breast ca. I’m really hesitant. The last year was hell because of those drugs. Not due to anyth

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Salamandra
    Salamandra Member Posts: 1,444
    edited December 2019

    Hi Margaret22,

    I’m relating so much to your post. I feel like I lost about 9 months of my life to tamoxifen. I just started toremifene two days ago, basically as a last ditch attempt to avoid OS+AI. I had to argue with my oncologist to get it.

    For me the tamoxifen was basically instantly sedating, and the effect never went away no matter what brand I tried or how low a dose. I’m really hoping toremifene will be better.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories