Aromatase inhibitors long term side effects

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Rosa_Aurora184161
Rosa_Aurora184161 Member Posts: 73
edited April 2016 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

Hi! After having been taking Tamoxifen for about 2 years and a half I might be switched to an AIs med in a few months. Could you please share what type of aromatase inhibitor you have been taking and for how long you have been taking it? Also, could you tell what short and then long term side effects you have been having? any health issues due to AIs med? Thanks.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited March 2016

    I've been on Femara/letrozole for 6 yrs.

    I have gone from osteopenia to osteoporosis in that time frame. However, I was osteopenia for yrs before IBC DX and TX. I have a huge family HX of osteoporosis so it was a foregone conclusion I would have gone from osteopenia to osteoporosis anyway. Fosamax/ alendronate has kept it under control.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2016

    Arimidex: bloating, weight gain and inability to lose, swelling in hands and fingers, painful trigger fingers, painful joint issues in other large body joints, stiffness, and finally mood swings (extreme).

    Aromasin: all of the above resolved. No ill effect so far.

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  • Jennie93
    Jennie93 Member Posts: 1,018
    edited March 2016

    I lasted 20 months on tamoxifen, it was horrible for me. Switched to anastrazole a little over a year ago. So far it is better. Still gaining weight..... but not as fast. Still have joint pain..... but not as bad. The fog of depression lifted pretty quick and it was only then that I realized how bad it had been. The horrible muscle cramps in legs & feet are almost completely gone. Do I worry about my bones, yes, they were checked before starting on the A.I. and was already osteopenia even though I'm relatively young, active, and was on tamox which is supposed to be good for bones. So it is a concern. They will check again after 2 years, until then all I can do is take my vitamins and exercise as much as possible. My cholesterol went up but not enough for any concern. Blood pressure has stayed low. And it costs the same as tamoxifen.



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  • Rosa_Aurora184161
    Rosa_Aurora184161 Member Posts: 73
    edited April 2016

    Thanks for your comments. After oncologist appointment she told me I have to take Letrozol (Femara) when I finish with Tamoxifen tablets that I have at home (after a month) I fear the bone mineral density lost, increase of cholesterol levels and joint/bone pain mostly :(

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited April 2016

    I really can't afford to gain any more weight!!!! I was on Arimidex for a couple of weeks and got so very sick with a bladder infection (2 rounds of penicillin!!!) that they took me off it for a couple of weeks and now I'm back on it again.

    I have Fibromyalgia and horrid arthritis so it's been a very painful journey even with the narcotics I have on hand. I have to be on it, or something like it, for the rest of my life so I need something that isn't going to hurt me worse.

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