Aromatase Inhibitors

I took Letrozole for 5.5 years. I forget which AI I started, but it was too much. The Letrozole was not great. I said to myself everytime I took it, "I hate this ****." But I did it. I went off Letrozole in February. My mammograms were fine til that point. Now I am dealing with watching a suspicious area. Anyway, that being said, everytime I would read the stats about not taking an AI, I stayed on the Letrozole.

Hap, I was on Armidex for about 6 mo.  as you know I had terrible pain.  Yesterday was my 3 mo. check up.  My WBC is up and so is my bilirubin.  We are going to watch it.   I told my onc that I could not handle the Armidex any longer.  Too much bone pain all over especially in my hips and lower back.   So yesterday we went to Tomoxifen.  I dont have to worry about uterine cancer, it helps with bones.  Blood clots are a rare side effect.  I told him as much as I did not want anything, I understand my odds and I will give it a try but if the bone pain continues, I wont tolorate it as long as I did the other.  Meanwhile, working on natural ways to clense the liver.  

Hugs,

Annie

Puffin2014 said:

ask about trying a different AI

The lectures I've attended by different MO's have all said if you're having severe problems with one AI to try a different one, and just because one person can't take arimidex doesn't mean you'll have problems with arimidex. There have been several women in my support group who have switched with good results, each having good results from an AI that another couldn't tolerate. Even within the same AI, like arimidex, the fillers in different generics can make a difference. For Arimidex, the Teva generic seems to cause the least problems. My recommendation would be to try one of the other AI's.

For me 6 mos of sheer pain was enough on the Arimidex and I was so jealous when someone would say they had no problems with it and at the same time I was so happy for them.  So I am thankful I get to try another. 

Most days i feel so overwhelmed and I just keep pushing forward.  Hap, your such a kind hearted sweet lady and I feel your pain and I pray for you all the time for an easier day of it.  I pray for everyone. 

Hug,

Annie

I had taken a month off from AI inhibitor because I wanted to enjoy my daughter's wedding without extreme fatigue and pain.  In my mind I was concerned for the 4 weeks about how my body would react when I started up again.  As I feared! my SE came back with a vengeance ( severe joint and tendon pain on Femara), and my mental state is overwhelmed with intolerance and irritability.  My second daughter is getting married in July, and I am not sure I will try a vacation from AI again.  While I felt WONDERFUL throughout the wedding week, I am so upset with the return of my SE.  As always, no one understands, and I fear depression may be setting in, too, which I did not experience before.  I've been soooooo tired since I started AI again -  may rethink this for the next time.

Kathy

I did not have any dryness of skin, but my feet, knees, and hands had excruciating pain.  I would wake up in the middle of the night and it felt as though the tendons in my hands and feet had been pierced sharply.  Walking down steps can be very difficult.  I sometimes worry that my knees will give out or my foot will not function.

At this point I could not figure out what may be age/arthritis and what is SE.  After being off the Letrozole for 5 weeks, I can say it is mostly SE.  It will be interesting to see what my Dexascan and Onco say when I go in a November.

My other concern is the irritability and fatigue.  Onco does not like to hear SE.  Always looking for another cause.  It took me 3 months to convince him I had a sore throat from Armidex.  I hope you can try another AI - like all meds, we just keep trying until we find something we can tolerate.  I keep reminding myself that the chemo travelled all over my body, and I believe great chemical changes have happened.  Things I was never allergic to before not cause problems.  Oh, but that could not be an effect, could it? ( sarcasm inserted  - I don't know how to do emoji)!

Kathy