Aromatase Therapy Timing Key in Breast Cancer Survival

I support, ruth, we started on this journey about the same time. Know, it is doable. I did rads and then went to Ireland and then when I returned started Arimidex. I have one more prescription to fill in March and I am done. My docs get trained in Germany and Arimidex is what they use with us, post Menopausal ladies. Big hugs. Before you know it, you will be writing like I am.

Thank you so much. I am doing some more research and will keep you posted.

I'm postmenopausal and have decided to try the regimine of tamox for 2/3 years followed by an Al....provided I can tolerate any of it.  I just passed on rads and didn't need chemo, so I figured I would give tamox a try and see how it works.  I plan to start on a 1/2 dose to see if I can tolerate it and then step it up.  Not looking forward to hair loss and vaginal dryness!  I had a complete hysterectomy at 50 and was put on HRT for 20 years.  Now bc, so off everything.

The only persons who are supposed to be taking aromatase inhibitors are POST-menopausal women who are worrying about dying from cancer!! They are serious drugs, and certainly should not be taken as suppliments taken by ANYONE. 

The bone issues are the reasons we should get bone density tests, take extra calcium and vitamin D, do weight bearing exercises etc.

No man should be taking it ever; so if they are; I'm not suprised that it would cause fertility and prostrate problems.

One of the reasons we get regular blood work is to check to make sure our liver, kidney, and other functions are doing OK.

Probably the moral of the story here is not to take suppliments which have not been approved by both your doctor and the FDA.

It is not about men taking AI in small amounts  or that breast cancer  is not a serious disease.  It is about choice.  

The side effect sheet attached to the AI, I am taking, did not list kidney or liver complications.  Future more these side effects absolutely should be discussed with the patient, first for the sake of clarity.  

Hi everyone. I found this thread just starting to check out what I have to look forward to with armidex (generic). I've been on it about three weeks. I'm wondering how often you have liver/kidney checks?

3bells, Your MO will follow it I'm sure.When I have my next check-up they told me to come a few days early to have my blood drawn so that all the results will be ready when I see the MO. Hope that helps you. I am very concerned about my liver as it is fatty already so I want to know if the drugs are doing anything.

By the way I found out I had a fatty liver when my ALT's were elevated on a routine blood test. I was taking aspirin and ibruprofen for arthritis. I stopped taking them and my allergy meds and the values returned to normal. Now I am super cautious about what I take.

Ruthbru

Exactly my point-a womans right of choice.   I wish you a very healthy future.  

What are the percentages? My onc never told me ---and since I'm having bad SE's I'm wondering if my chances are really that much better if I take it.  I also have severe osteoporosis (have mentioned this on other threads too) and am very worried about further bone damage. Before I was diagnosed with this cancer I broke my wrist, then my hip and last year had 3 spinal fractures. And that was before I knew I had the cancer and therefore had not started Aromasin. 

So does anyone know what my odds are of a recurrence without taking the Aromasin?

And do the Aromase inhibitors keep tumors from starting in the first place or do they just slow the growth of any new ones that might pop up?

Oh my gosh!  I really think docs should be up on all drugs. I'm sure they get lots of literature about them. My onc said there was no generic for Aromasin. After finding out the high cost I called my insurance company and they said there was: Exemestane. Huge difference in price!

Hello ladies,

I tried to take AI's and Tamoxifen. Both made me ill. So, I quit after several weeks of misery. I do take some products from my naturopath oncologist that act like Tamoxifen but don't cause any side effects.

I wish us all the best of luck, whatever we do.

tucker

Saw the oncologist today and she suggested Aromasin.  I am stage 0 with no invasive cancer, so I was hoping she would say HRT not necessary.  I'm 54 now.  This may reduce my chances of DCIS in the good breast from 12% to 7%.  I absolutely cannot wrap my head around the side effects.  My son suggested I try it for a couple of months and stop if I can't stand it.  Anyway, I'm just going to start researching as much as I can find.

Every time I try arimidex I get the most severe headaches of my life, at some point into treatment.  There has been talk of keeping me on around the clock vicodin or sending me to a neurologist for medication to treat for migraines.  They just keep wanting to add more and more meds!!  I just don't know.  I would like to forgo but am scared.  I am with a new oncologist.  I see her again next week.  I wish I just didn't have to deal with the whole thing!!

Medigal, dont worry about the milk, Asian women usually use no dairy products at all but get lots of calcium from seaweed and bok choy and of course tofu is rich in calcium but i would ok with the dr b4 I ate that due to conflicting info or any change in diet for that matter. i would think the bok choy should be fine,it looks kind of like leeks and doesnt have much of a taste,I would just throw it in with whatever veggies I am eating. I am on Arimidex despite me telling the MO that I had osteo and inherited it from my Dad who was 6 ft all my life but when he passed he was only about 5 ft due to spine totally destroyed by osteoporosis. My MO just says take calcium but it constipates me even when I take with magnesium!