Aromatase Inhibitor and just walking away.

claireinaz my biggest concern with the hormone therapy is the depression craziness that I had upon surgical menopause in my 30s and last month with the Letrozole...which I stopped taking. Do you think those things - Theanine and 5 HTP - would help prevent the mental thing? I have never had a problem with depression otherwise and am fine now off all meds....but will need to try another when I go back to the Dr Thursday. What do you think?

Ade, please try adding magnesium!!! I'm not the only one it's helped on this thread. Hugs to you..

Yes, it is crazy how we all react differently to drugs. Now I hope I haven't jinxed myself

I'm going to try magnesium as well.

Hopeful82014 I started taking Letrozol in January (bilateral mastectomy was end of December) and seemed ok until 2 weeks ago and it became unreal! Body pain and severe depression like PMS on steroids! I couldn't even think straight. I wasn't suicidal but thought that to check out would be a relief! I would be terrified to ever go there again. Shouldn't I have had the SEs up front and not after 3 1/2 months? I know SO little about these things yet. Hoping to start another med (maybe Aromasin?) soon. Thanks for your post.

I was just at the doctors and picked up a booklet on bone health in the waiting room. We should all be taking at least 1,000 units of vitamin D, 1,200 mil. calcium, and 420 mg. magnesium (which is necessary for calcium transport). I knew about the calcium and vitamin D, but not about magnesium, so I am definitely going to get some and start taking it. (I am done with my 5 years of Arimidex but noticed Barbe's post about magnesium.)

I take a lot of narcotics so I use Sennokat-S every day. It's non-addictive and the S part is the stool softener. Have been using it for about 8 years now and find the magnesium helps as well.

take magnesium glycinate as it is absorbed best. My naturopath says take as much as your digestive system will tolerate. Take it at night as it helps with sleep.

Good luck

Ade I too could not take the letrozole. Believe me I tried for three months then that was it. Next my OC had me on Aromasin which caused numbness and tingling. After trying that for three months I moved onto anastrozole which I guess has been the best of the three. Still don't feel like myself with body aches and pains, and having to push myself to get out and do the things I no at one point I loved doing. I was told I would be on these drugs for five years, but now worry I see some people posting they are changing it to 10 (maybe thats only in the US wasn't paying attention as to where the posts were coming from) I look forward to the day I can stop. There are days when Im still feeling really bad and think this is it no more. Then the next day Im feeling a little better and pop another little pill.

I switched makers for my AI and found TEVA works the best. I will be taking an IV infusion to prevent bone loss as my scan last year was normal and my onc is going to put up a fight to keep me there plus the infusion can cut the risk of bone mets. I have a six year old so it's all in for me. I do take Ambien (ever since orig diagnosis 4 years ago....looks like I'm a lifer though I get down to 1/2 pil sometimes) and I keep a stash of attivan as needed. Lots of exercise and prayers. Good luck to you either way you go/decide. It's a very individual fight and decision.

I can't stress enough the difference that Claritin makes for me! I have to be on "something" for life now so I really needed to find something that worked and it does. I was a NON believer and figured it was a waste of money as Claritin isn't cheap but honestly ladies, it has saved my sanity. I already had enough pain with my horrid skeletal system a FM so something had to work.

OOOooh, thanks for reminding me of it being Loratadine!!! I must remember that when I get the new ones. I'd noticed that was the active ingredient and told DH to get it when he refills my meds but I'd forgotten about it so surely he must have, too! I must admit, Claritin does nothing for my allergies, though!

Dice, I have had allergic reactions to different manufacturers. You could try a different brand or even try tamoxifen. Talk to your onc & but if you're having what sounds to me like an allergic reaction, you should not continue with it til you talk to your Dr.

BTW, welcome to BCO, sorry you have to be here, but you'll get support & answers that you need. GG

KMPOD, That's great news about the clairitin. I take it pretty regularly anyway, since my sister has cats, and I have allergies! Is it the regular Clairtin or is it the Decongestant?

Actually, I believe it is important to take the Claritin without the decongestant. My allergist, when I told her what I was taking and why I was taking it, advised me to use only the one without the decongestant. She also added that, of all the OTC antihistamines, Claritin is the only one that is OK for long term use. I checked with my MO about its use too and he had no objections to me taking it.

By the way, she was surprised when I told her that I was using it for bone pain associated with the use of AI's. She hadn't encountered anyone using it for that purpose before.

I was seeing her for a penicillin challenge test and had to discontinue the Claritin for 2 weeks prior to the test. Within a few days of discontinuing the med the bone pain was back, keeping me awake at night. When I was able to resume taking it it took another few days to quell the pain again.

Why it works (for at least some of us) is a mystery but after my experience I have absolutely no doubt that it works for me.

I should say that it's effective at diminishing the bone pain (I didn't even know what that was until I started the AI) but the joint pain, not so much.

Yes.