Managing the side effects of HT

This is a great idea, exercise_guru!

Zoladex + Aromasin originally made me moody and depressed. My MO prescribed me Celexa and I've been on a more even keel ever since.

Hormonal therapy also gives me hot flashes, especially at night. I sleep in a cotton, short-sleeved shirt with a ceiling fan on all night.

I have long suffered from insomnia; I'm a fan of generic Unisom (Doxylamine Succinate), which is also an antihistamine and helps when I have a stuffy/runny nose (like now -- thanks, allergies). I also use Melatonin and Ativan (emergencies only) for sleep aids.

I have gained weight since I finished chemo (about 10 pounds). I am trying to exercise more and eat less. It's the "eating less" part that I'm having problems with. I work at a university; I have deliberately scheduled my classes in buildings far from my office so I have no choice but walk across campus for forty minutes on the days I teach. I have also been taking more walks with my sons.

For night sweats and warm spells (not really hot flashes), I sleep in summer nightwear with the ceiling fan on. For insomnia, I need to take Zyrtec anyway so Unisom or Benadryl would make me feel too dopey. Under a lot of stress so I do take 1/2 mg. Xanax at bedtime along with 1-2 mg melatonin ( the higher doses don't really do anything). If I eat close to bedtime, it's usually something high-protein. Weight gain has been a major problem--stress gave me carb cravings and a week of prednisone for laryngitis ad then a back strain when it wore off led to undisciplined eating and a 20-lb gain since diagnosis. Trying to walk more and have joined a gym--will meet w/trainer Friday. Am trying to cut back gradually on starch & sugar rather than go cold turkey, until I am comfortable eating cold turkey instead of a donut. Joint pain is helped by Celebrex in the morning and two Tylenol at bedtime; sometimes a little Bio-Freez or Voltaren or Traumeel gel. No knee pain because my knees are fake. For memory loss....I forget....

I, too, am anxious to read the posts here. I started my hormonal therapy of Aromasin in November. I already have moderate arthritis and now everything hurts that much more. Although, how do I really know it's from the Aromasin? The hot flashes and dryness I can deal with. But the insomnia and the bone/joint pain make me want to scream at times. I haven't gained more than a few pounds (which is good because I am already overweight) I dance and teach dance so I am glad that activity is in my life. I love dancing and it helps me forget the pain once I can get on the dance floor. However, I feel like I am 100 years old some days just getting up from the chair and to the floor. And if I am having a fairly good day, then the sciatica starts to kick in. Geeessshhh But...I am still here and smile every day that is offered to me.

I imagine there are different formulas of the AI. Has anyone switched to another and felt better?

I had a bone density test done a couple of weeks ago because I want to keep track of what damage might be occur. I was surprised at the results. I went from "better than average" 10 years ago to the beginnings of osteopenia. Shame on you chemo and steroids! :-(

Falconer, I am jealous. You have enough hair to use conditioner. :-)

To those using Unisom or like products...do you feel they work? My melatonin has stopped working for me. I even tried a spray version which is supposed to work faster. My Nyqull ZZZ doesn't seem to help much either. :-( I thought about asking my doctor for Ativan as my mom uses it successfully. The Onc. had initially prescribed Ambien but once I realized what the script was I chose not to take it. I've heard too many horror stories about that med.

~Heidi

I think I will ask about the Ativan and buy the Unisom as well. I have Percoset for pain and sometimes use a 1/4 tab of that before sleep when the limbs feel especially bothersome and won't let me relax. But I try not to do that too often.

Heidi - Your experience with AIs sounds like mine. I only made it a total of ten months on two of them, then back to Tamoxifen. For joint pain, and I do still have it, I do clairitin, magnesium, one alleve daily. For hot flashes I do Effexor and magnesium. Sleep is generally fine, if I do have an occasional bad night I do this visual imaging thing of places I love to go to (like our farm) and I drift off, or I sing a song verse by verse in my head. I'm weird like that. I started vitamin D, fish oil, biotin and a baby aspirin since the oophmenopause.

Guru - it's hard for me to know what is menopause and what is the med.

I have some leftover klonopin from the year I was diagnosed and I very occasionally take half of one for anxiety.

Hugs all around. Great to "see" everyone!

Off topic, but the picture above is tonight's sunset at my happy place - our farm.

My cat Heidi also likes to climb on my chest and nuzzle and purr me to sleep (in fact, when she sees me put on a nightgown, she starts circling the bed and chirping to nag me to get the blanket & pillows ready so she can hop on).

I was told by my MO to avoid valerian because it can have an estrogenic effect (as can St. John's Wort, which is also contraindicated for those on letrozole). As for the Unisom (doxylamine), be aware that it's an antihistamine—it is marketed for sleep instead of allergies because it's too mild to be one's primary antihistamine, but does make one drowsy. Before Unisom, Benadryl (diphenhydramine) was used not just for allergy but also as an OTC sleeping pill—in fact, most OTC sleeping pills (and the “PM" components of nighttime analgesics) are diphenydramine…even the capsule and liqui-gel versions of Unisom! It is also one heckuvan antihistamine—in fact, they will give it I.V. for severe allergic reactions after initial emergency treatment with epinephrine. But it is also the most soporific (sleep-inducing) antihistamine out there.

If you are taking any antihistamine for sleep, be prepared to have to get up and pee at least once a night…or wear a heavy duty pad.

My guess is that there may be something in that homeopathic remedy that acts as a bladder stimulant. And as to why estrogen deprivation can cause insomnia, well, as we age we need less and less sleep--and estrogen deprivation can accelerate the effects of aging.

Farmerlucy - what a beautiful sunset .... I can see why it is your happy place ... so peaceful

Farmerlucy - did your doctor give you a script for the marijuana lotion.... I don't know anything about it or how to get.

I have aching legs and having issues sleeping.

I go back to work on Monday and won't be able to rest during the day.

Farmerlucy - Thank you for the information and link!

I also like Arnica Rub for help with achiness. I have some wonderful Argan oil that makes the skin dryness go bye bye for awhile.

~Heidi

hi Tamoxifen sisters.

I posted this before too, but I just started Tamoxifen- and I have numbness and tingling in hands and my face. My forehead feels like I got Botox, but I didn't. Anyone else deal with this? Cd it be SE of the Tamoxifen? It's really prevalent now, been on drug only2 weeks!