femara after tamaxofin

dorisferner
dorisferner Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I had terrible joint pain,shoulders, hips, pelvis and knees.....debilitating..excruciating..anyone out there with similar side effects?

Comments

  • cruf
    cruf Member Posts: 908
    #2
    Hi! I too, switched to femara after 5 years on Tamaxofin. I also had alot of joint pain. After 8 mos, I switched to Aramosin. I still have joint pain and hot flashes but somewhat less. Also, my cholesterol went up very high and it definitely is from the meds. Speak to your MD. Maybe you will tolerate something else better than the Femara. They all do pretty much the same thing but everyone tolerates things differently. Good luck. Let us know how you're doing. HUGS!! Cathy
  • LesleyH
    LesleyH Member Posts: 370
    #3
    Joint pain is a known side effect. It's hard to know if it is a menopause problem or a drug problem. I agree. Ask about the switch. This treatment is so important in keeping you alive, but your quality of life is important too.

    Hugs.

    Lesley
  • Susan956
    Susan956 Member Posts: 510
    #4
    I am on Arimidex. I have some joint pain and stiffness but not too bad. However, I do try to stay active. I walk a couple of miles most days. Keeping moving does seem to help. Also drinking lots of water seems to help the hot flashes... Don't know why... but if I don't drink much water for a couple days they get wicked.

    Also I have become a fiantic about healthy eating and just loosing 5 to 10 pounds will provide a major relief for your joints. Know it hard. but I worked and lost 15 pounds which made a hugh difference in how I felt.

    Take Care.... God Bless...

    Susan
  • kathydaly
    kathydaly Member Posts: 81
    #5
    Hi Doris,

    I must respond to you and tell you my reactions to arimidex were absolutely as bad as yours to femara. I thought I was going crazy, I didn't know these reactions existed. I had decided if this was my quality of life on arimidex I had to stop and take my chances. Then I found out I had options. In the time of taking nothing I did have a new BC. I started on aromisin, and while I do still have joint pain, it is bearable w/pain medication. Barely any hot flashes, which were killers on arimidex for me also. I didn't believe it could be this much better, but I was very wrong! Aromisin is definately the ticket for me. I also had done the tamoxifen for 5 yrs. already. It wasn't til I had a new BC that I was put on arimidex(stayed on it for 8 mo.'s) waited for the side effects to be gone, another 5 mo.'s or so. I foolishly didn't start the aromasin immediately after stopping the arimidex(8 mo.'s,) then I had a reoccurance of 1st BC from 15 yrs. prior. So, there was an 8 month period when I was on nothing before this last tango I had w/the beast(July-August '06). Needless to say, I started on aromasin as soon as I could(which was after surgery and recovery). I have just completed my third month on it from the surgery in Sept. My Onc. had said w/aromasin many of the side effects lessen or go after the 3rd month and I do think that's maybe happening now!!! Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

    Talk to your Onc. about switching, definately.

    I understand your pain fully and it is possible to change that, I believe. My heart goes out to you in this, truly.

    Prayers and many, many huggggggs, Kathy

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