Arimidex? Evista? Tamoxifine?

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shelly65
shelly65 Member Posts: 11
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I just saw the oncologist, she wants me to be on one of the above meds, I think her first choice is Arimidex. It's so expensive compared to the other 2! I was on Tamoxifine for about a year and 1/2, I ended up going off it cuz I kept getting ovarian cysts - last summer I had my ovaries out and never went back on anything. Now oncologists says she would feel better if I was on something due to my age (41 now, 37 at diagnosis). Anyone on Arimidex or Evista (raloxefine) care to share about side effects? thanks!

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  • Susan956
    Susan956 Member Posts: 510
    #2
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    I am on Arimidex. I have been taking it since January. The biggest side effect that I have had are Hot Flashes ... I take 1000 IU of Vitamin E (it helps a little) Vaginal Dryness (Replens you can get it at the drug store - over the counter - solved that problem.) and Sleeplessness (I now take a sleeping pill at night (Ambien). But in general it is just one more pill to take and if it reduces my risk of the beast coming back then it is well worth it.

    Let me know if I can help more.

    Good Luck and God Bless.

    Susan
  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #3
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    shelly, Tamoifen used to be the gold standard of treatment, but the research has proven the anti-estrogens like arimidex and aramosin (also known as exemestane) as significantly more effective. I hope you had your uterus out when the ovaries came out if you stay on the Tamoxifin. T. also causes more cataracts. You get hot flashes and bone stiffness/pain with both, but not intolerable. I got a cough with the exemestane, so I'm on holiday for a week or two, then my onco.wants me back on it. The pharmacy does tell me that it is expensive, but it's not too bad with insurance and Blue Cross did cover it for me.

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