An article on AI's

carkris
carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
.AIs= Super Menopause
11/16/2010 (7:39:31am)Tags: AIs aromatase inhibitors hot flashes arthritis menopauseComments: (0)

It's happened again. Now there is a study that validates what so many of us have known: that taking AIs can produce a "super menopause"--meaning that the symptoms of a natural process may be highly intensified. This is a report from a recent AACR meeting, presented by Dr. Lisa Gallicchio from Baltimore. Here is a quote and then the link:


Dr. Gallicchio spoke at a press conference here at the Ninth Annual American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, where she presented the study results.
The symptoms that are apparently associated with AIs are legion.
The investigators compared 100 postmenopausal women who had breast cancer and were taking AIs with 200 age- matched women without cancer at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. The average age of the participants was around 61 years. They found that women taking AIs, in terms of new onset of symptoms during the study period, were:
5 times more likely to report having hot flashes, breast sensitivity, and chest pain than healthy women
4 times more likely to report night sweats, cold sweats, and hair loss about 3 times more likely to report leg cramps, weight gain, sleep disturbance, tendency to take naps,and forgetfulness.
http://tinyurl.com/259k7ao

Comments

  • Miss Murphy
    Miss Murphy Member Posts: 302
    #2
    Thanks
    Thanks for sharing this article. I started off with Femara, switched to Arimidex and ended up on Tamoxifen, which isn't all that great for me either but doable. I had severe side effects with both AI drugs. My worst side effect was the bad muscle, joint and bone pain. I have arthritis in my SI joint now - wonder if it's partly due to these drugs I was on at first. I envy the women who have no side effects from these drugs.

    Hugs, Sally
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    #3
    Thank you for the
    Thank you for the information. The more our docs hear of these se the likelier they are to believe us. Breast Cancer Action did a survey some time ago and I think there were about 30 different se from the AI's. I know for myself it has dumbed me down incredibly.
    jan
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #4
    phoenixrising said:

    Thank you for the
    Thank you for the information. The more our docs hear of these se the likelier they are to believe us. Breast Cancer Action did a survey some time ago and I think there were about 30 different se from the AI's. I know for myself it has dumbed me down incredibly.
    jan

    I am on tamoxifen at the
    I am on tamoxifen at the moment but will go on an AI after a couple of years. It can be frustrating when docs dont believe us. Like we make up this stuff? wouldnt we all love to tolerate the drugs and go on our merry way. I know when Iwent through chemo they just didnt get it because they didnt know what to do. Anyway I thought the ladies would like to know that they are going through "super" menopause!
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    #5
    carkris said:

    I am on tamoxifen at the
    I am on tamoxifen at the moment but will go on an AI after a couple of years. It can be frustrating when docs dont believe us. Like we make up this stuff? wouldnt we all love to tolerate the drugs and go on our merry way. I know when Iwent through chemo they just didnt get it because they didnt know what to do. Anyway I thought the ladies would like to know that they are going through "super" menopause!

    You know I was just thinking
    You know I was just thinking about my hormonal state and my conclusion is that it would take me ...what 10-20 yrs? to naturally be THIS depleted. He## my mother's doing better than me and she's 77!
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #6
    Carkris
    thanks for the info. My onc has already said I would be taking Arimidex soon. I'm 11 years post menopause and have been having hot flashes for 14 years. During chemo I've noticed they haven't been as bad. I also suffer from osteoarthritis and lumbar spinal stenosis. The last thing I need is more bone pain and more hot flashes. I've expressed my concerns and he said we'll talk more. I have my last chemo next Tuesday and have a list of questions.......
    Char

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