Has anyone switched from Tamox to Arimidex?

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sweatyspice
sweatyspice Member Posts: 922
edited June 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)

After 18 mos on Tamoxifen, I had a d&c to biopsy some uterine polyps, which were luckily benign.

Apparently, Tamoxifen stimulates estrogen activity in the uterus, causing stuff to grow in some people, and I seem to be one of those people. 

So...the end result of a conversation with my onc yesterday was to switch me to Arimidex.  I'm starting to panic, I'm not really sure I completely agreed with that decision, or even had all my questions answered about it.  And I'm not sure that my onc pushed for it either, it was a very strange discussion - one in which he seemed to be minimizing the whole situation b/c it was DCIS. 

Has anyone else switched to Arimidex?  Do I have reason to be afraid?  If I get joint pain and stop taking it, does the pain go away?  Can I go back on Tamoxifen?  Am I better off doing the full 5 years of Tamoxifen, the possibiity of yearly d&c's be damned?  And then maybe doing the Arimidex later?

So confused.  I don't have it in me to go through all the questioning and learning curve and research and pushing back on the Drs and all that .... all over again.

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  • Jelson
    Jelson Member Posts: 1,535
    edited January 2012

    Been on Tamoxifen for 2.5 years, I haven't switched, but I asked my MO a few months ago whether he would be switching me simply due to studies showing starting on Tamoxifen then switching to AI half way through the 5 years works well and he said NO, NOT FOR DCIS - this was without reference to my uterine lining thickening for which my second D&C is scheduled. I will be asking again. Did you see this video? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNbIfbMIM94&feature=related

    It is about AIs, No reference to DCIS - but maybe they actually are in our future.

    Take care,

    Julie E 

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