Arimidex for more than 5 years?

cati0314
cati0314 Member Posts: 203
in Breast Cancer #1

Hi, my onco said I could come off Arimidex after 5 yrs which is coming up in a few months.  He said it won't do any good after that.  When I first met him last Sept as I had moved and needed new onco he said the Arimidex puts the cancer cells to sleep and I could stay on as long as I like.  Now he says to come off.  The breast surgeon I saw recently for a scare which turned out to be fat migrating out of my diep flap told me to stay on it.  He is not my onco though.  Does anyone have any opinions on 5 or 10 years?  Would love to hear feedback.  Thanks all.

Comments

  • aisling8
    aisling8 Member Posts: 1,627 Member
    #2
    5 years for me

    I can't even believe I'm almost to the 5 year mark. At my last visit with the oncologist I asked her opinion and she said there haven't been enough long-term studies to say that staying on makes a difference. She said I'm low risk for recurrence and since I now have osteoporosis, she'd advise coming off it.

     

    It's scary though. Except for osteoporosis, I had minimal side effects. And taking it made me feel like I was doing something to keep safe.

    xoxo

    Victoria

  • sbmly53
    sbmly53 Member Posts: 1,522
    #3
    Onc, GYN says 10, or more

    and at 4 1/2 years I have had enough of the SE's. Switched to Aromasin and plan to stay on for the next 5 years.

    Sue

  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #4
    I've been on Femara/letrozole

    I've been on Femara/letrozole (when I started Femara it was not yet available in the generic form - letrozole) for 5 yrs.  I will be on letrozole 'forever'.

    We are each unique as is our DX  (IBC, IDC, ILC, DCIS, Stage, node involvement, etc) so different of us have different prognosis and thus different long term plans.  Also all out Drs are different in TX plans for us individually.

    Winyan -The Power Within

    Susan

     

     

     

  • Josie21
    Josie21 Member Posts: 382 Member
    #5
    Going another 5

    I was on tamoxifen for 2 and a half years, then aromasin and arimidex for the next 2 and a half. Went off the tamoxifen because hysterectomy put me into menopause. Then was prescribed Aromasin which I had to discontinue due to serious side effects. Then my oncologist switched me to Arimidex to complete the five years. Was so excited to stop the medicines and did so for 4 months. I felt great!! Then when I went back to oncologist she said the new protocol was 10 years.  Since I did so good on the tamoxifen before the hysterectomy, she put me back on that for 5 years. She also said the tamoxifen would be better for my bones then Aromasin or Arimidex. I really didn't want to continue for another 5 years, but I wanted to be safe (or at least feel safer). Good luck with your decision!  

    Hugs,

    Ginny

     

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