Has anyone switched from Arimidex to Femara or vice versa - did it help?

626warrior

HapB said:

Arimedex?

626Warrior, doesn't Arimedex cause hair loss. I share your concern about further hair loss and about to start Letrozole. I wonder how the MOs decide which AI to put us on.

Arimedex?

Hi HapB- from what I read Arimedex causes hair thinning, Letrozole causes hair loss. Im also taking GNC hair, skin and nail formula supplements which contain 3k mcg Biotin daily and use shampoo w/ Ketoconazole (Dr Oz recommendation) 3x/week to stimulate hair growth. My laat chemo was on 6/16 and since then my eyebrows, arm and leg hair have grown back and i have 3/4 of an inch of hair growth on my scalp. Let me know what side effects you experience from Letrozole. I picked up my prescription of Letrozole but am sticking with Arimedex for now. 

HapB

626warrior said:

Arimedex?

Hi HapB- from what I read Arimedex causes hair thinning, Letrozole causes hair loss. Im also taking GNC hair, skin and nail formula supplements which contain 3k mcg Biotin daily and use shampoo w/ Ketoconazole (Dr Oz recommendation) 3x/week to stimulate hair growth. My laat chemo was on 6/16 and since then my eyebrows, arm and leg hair have grown back and i have 3/4 of an inch of hair growth on my scalp. Let me know what side effects you experience from Letrozole. I picked up my prescription of Letrozole but am sticking with Arimedex for now. 

626Warrior

I dread taking these pills. 

LouisaP

Different Ballgame said:

No, switching did not help me.
Dear Betsy,

Some people do better on one drug than the other, meaning some do better on Arimidex and some do better on Femara. In my case, that was not true. I was on Arimidex for 7 months and it attacked both knees, my right heel, my hands (nerves), and out of control skin rash on front torso and back. Took 2 months off from Arimidex, then started generic...Anastrozole...which gave me side effects in 2nd and 3rd month which were knees hurting, right heel hurting, calf muscles hurting. Started Femara...after 2 weeks hands developed tingling again and knees...stayed on Femara for 28 days. I did not want to see what else would develop.

I no longer take any of those drugs.

Lots of Love,
Janelle

I tried all 3 AI. I'm on

I tried all 3 AI. I tried Aromasin first. It affected my hands so badly. I have permanent tendonitis in my left thumb. It's swollen too. I got trigger thumbs where my thumbs locked up & I couldn't straighten them. My hands were so painful it took both of them to hold a glass. I couldn't open the doorknob sometimes. I also have permanent neuropathy in my hands. Left on worse. I got cortisone injections & oral cortisone. It helped the right one but only a little of left. Took a few weeks off meds then switched to Arimidex. Severe pain started up again. I am already on oxycodone & oxycontin for other issues but it didn't help the hand pain. Stopped meds, more cortisone injections & Voltaren gel to rub on with not much help. Started Femara but tendonitis flared up again. Rt thumb is pretty ok. Cortisone injection into left thumb didn't do anything. I'm on Tamoxifen now. Still using Voltaren gel, it helps a bit. Wearing spica thumb splint 16 hours a day. 

I guess it's permanent tendon damage. Swollen thumb pad & thumb joint. Painful cyst at thumbpad are joint. Continued pain. Since the AI's are first choice drugs for my cancer, being on Tamoxifen cuts 15% extra of protection from reocurrence. So that sucks. I forgot what my chances are now but 15% more isn't so good. I already had neuropathy in my leg & foot so I'm not sure if it's worse from these drugs or just my other stuff. I'm on Gabapentin for that. But it does seem to help the neuropathy in my hands. Though there's no way to know since I still have it. But maybe it would be worse without it.

LouisaP

Mariangel43 said:

Starting Evista

Pain is unbearable.  My MO changed me to Evista.  I asked my family physician to give me a low anticoagulant drug to reduce the risk of embolisms and thrombosis.  I have to check the cancer antigens before making a new decision.  Have nice dreams.

Mariangel43

Evista isn't a hormone blocker. Are you on a hormone blocker & taking Evista for osteoporosis?

Lola15

Arimidex and Rogaine

Does anyone know if Rogaine helps with hair thinning caused by Arimidex or Tamoxifen?

 

Apaugh

Dont give up! Try try and try again....

Up and down and all around.  This healing is in stages and takes awhile.  I am trying to be calm and patient and not pushing it anymore.  I am taking ea. day and adjusting.  It has been a rollar coaster of a time.  Getting off all the drugs to combat the side effects of chemo has been a long journey.  I have been staying postive and determined. 

I got off the gabbipentin, the pain meds, the nausua meds, the allergy meds, the stomach meds.  I feel better. 

Do I have pain?  Oh yes I do but I am not living my life in a haze.  I take tylenol for pain, hot baths, massage, and stretches.  I try to take at least one short nap a day.  I feel blessed that I have been able to do this.  So many of us can't and may never be able to. 

Doc switched my Arimidex to Tomoxifen and then after 3 mo. back again because I broke my leg which brings you at a high risk for blood clots.  Had a 2 1/2 month break from any anti estrogen meds.  Doc about had a fit.  However, I think that short break and the fact I was reducing my over the counter meds and script meds (such as gabbipentin and pain meds)  and getting the chemo and herceptin out of my system helped me because when I went back to Arimidex the pain was not as bad as first time and neither are the hot flashes.  I hope this last.  

I found that doing stretches before I get out of bed ea. morning helps a little.  I still have not found out how to get rid of that awful pain when getting up out of a chair but once I am out and walk a little it lessens.  I do feel like I am 90 alot of the time.  I am just going to keep on trying.

After 3 mo. i got my to take off my leg brace so there is that strengthening I have to do.  Oh it seems like it is always something ya know! 

Up note, my hair is getting thicker.  I have cut it short short 3 times now out of frustration but I think it helped thicken it.  I believe it is just going to take a long time to get my hair back.  Like years.  and if I dont, well then I dont. 

Due to my broken disc, my back pain will never lessen unless I have major back surgery.  I am just not in the right place emotionally to get cut on again. So I am just going to take it easy and build up the rest of me. 

Due to my lymphedema in my arms, I will always have to do the upkeep on them.  I appriciate all I learned in physical therapy to care for them.    I also got my diabeties A1C level down and my white blood count finally went back to normal! 

Next week they are taking out a lympoma (fatty cyst) from my left thigh that is pressing on a nerve and causing pain. That will be no big deal.  Here is the best part... they are taking out my chemo port too.  I am so happy about that. 

Am I still a big mess?  Sure I am but I think I am in a better place than I was 2 yrs. ago.  

Keep on plugging along people. Take it one day at a time. Keep on praying and finding those silver linings of ea. day. 

Thanks for reading my long post...

Hugs,

Annie