question about taking a five year drug

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Cindy54
Cindy54 Member Posts: 452
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hello Everyone...I was on Evista because I am estrogen receptive and it would also be good for my bones. But it gave me terrible leg cramps and spasms. So I am off it for a month or so per the doctor. Since I will be having a hysterectomy with the ovaries removed at the end of this month, I guess my question is...without the ovaries, do I still need to take something to block estrogen in my body or...am I not understanding? Thanks ladies!! Hugs, Cindy

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  • Joycelouise
    Joycelouise Member Posts: 482
    #2
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    I believe there is some estrogen produced in our muscles. But please check further, there are much better informed women than me to follow! hugs back, Joyce
  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #3
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    If your ovaries are out or past functioning, you can take an aromatase inhibitor like Arimidex or Aromasin (exemestane) to further reduce the estrogen-like substances in your body that are produced by body fat and your andrenal glands (near your kidneys so I'm told). It is twice as effective as tamoxifen. That means if you had 95% chance of disease free survival til the 5 year mark on tamoxifen, you have a 97.5% chance of the same on the aromatase inhibitor. It has some side effects including NOT building bones, so you may want to talk to your doctor about Fosamax or something like it and certainly about further bone density monitoring. I've noticed some tendency toward joint inflamation if I overdo anything, but it is tolerable for me. Different drugs do different things and different people respond differently. You can talk to your doctor about the pros and cons and decide if you should do it or not. As long as I don't carry a heavy purse and baby my toe joints by not doing those down dogs too often in yoga class, I'm practically symptom free for now on the stuff, but other folks have more difficulty. Getting my vitamin D level helped ALOT! Good luck!
  • mgm42
    mgm42 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #4
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    Cindy, it is my understanding that estogen is stored in fat cells and is also produced, although in a much more limited fashion, by other organs in your body. I'm sorry but I can't remember where or who gave me that information. You may want to check with the ACS. I know that I'm through with menopause (I'm 66) and still I need to take Arimidex, and since starting that drug, I've had none of the "change of life" symptoms that the manufacturers says may occur. So, one would think that I had no estrogen, yet there I was with an ER+ tumor - so it was getting the estrogen from somewhere. I don't know if this helps. It's just my experience. Your doctor is your most definitive resource. Hugs, marilynn
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #5
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    Fat cells, and other organs such as the adrenal glands make small amounts of estrogen.
  • redfrog
    redfrog Member Posts: 2
    #6
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    Exercise
    As of about a month ago, I started taking Arimidex and chose not to take any of the bone-building drugs because the "side-effects" were just too scary to consider seriously. This is after a bi-lateral mastectomy in June. Anyway, I do a minimum of two miles walking a day (my doctor recommended walking above all other exercising) on a home treadmill right now, building up slowly each week to more. The reason for a home treadmill is that I could see walking to a place I wouldn't feel like walking back from. Used, they don't cost very much. I have an exercise ball to work on core-strength and an exercise contraption for weight-bearing exercises. So far, so good. When I tried last week to add serious gardening, that was too much. Choose whatever gives you comfort and makes you feel good in your body.
  • mmontero38
    mmontero38 Member Posts: 1,510
    #7
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    estrogen blocker
    Hi Cindy: I am on Tamoxifen to block estrogen. The way the oncologist explained to me was that even when the ovaries are removed. the fat in your body also produces a small amount of estrogen, therefore, they prescribe meds such as tamoxifen, arimidex, femara, etc. You should also avoid all soy products since soy also has natural estrogen. So to answer your question, yes you still need the blocker. Hugs, Lili
  • survivor51
    survivor51 Member Posts: 276
    #8
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    Suggestion
    I had several side effects from the Arimidex which is a blocker but I went to a holistic approach. I see an acupuncturist and it has totally taken away the side effects. I do not constantly kick my legs at night, feel like crud. I'm not sure where you live but if you are interested, I could give you my acupuncturist name, she is well qualified, speaks five languages and I'm sure could advise you for your area. I'm outside of Atlanta, Ga.
  • cruf
    cruf Member Posts: 908
    #9
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    mmontero38 said:

    estrogen blocker
    Hi Cindy: I am on Tamoxifen to block estrogen. The way the oncologist explained to me was that even when the ovaries are removed. the fat in your body also produces a small amount of estrogen, therefore, they prescribe meds such as tamoxifen, arimidex, femara, etc. You should also avoid all soy products since soy also has natural estrogen. So to answer your question, yes you still need the blocker. Hugs, Lili

    avoid soy!
    Hi Lilli(and anyone else who has an opinion!) ! Quick question! I know soy should be avoided in food! How about lotions, shampoos makeup etc... Do we absorb enough in our skin to cause harm. It's very hard to find products today that don't have any in it,including Aveeno. Thanks for your reply. HUGS!! Cathy
  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #10
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    cruf said:

    avoid soy!
    Hi Lilli(and anyone else who has an opinion!) ! Quick question! I know soy should be avoided in food! How about lotions, shampoos makeup etc... Do we absorb enough in our skin to cause harm. It's very hard to find products today that don't have any in it,including Aveeno. Thanks for your reply. HUGS!! Cathy

    Just don't swallow supplements!
    My oncologist said that I could enjoy soy milk or tofu once or twice a week. He just didn't want me to take any soy supplements or eat soy several times a day. Soy oil and soy skin products were okay. Estrogen patches however were not okay. That includes creams with estrogen in them. While just having the ovaries out helps, the amoratase inhibitors like exemestane help even more since they stop the estrogen like substances produced by your body fat. Good luck!

    C. Abbott
  • tapdance
    tapdance Member Posts: 2
    #11
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    cabbott said:

    If your ovaries are out or past functioning, you can take an aromatase inhibitor like Arimidex or Aromasin (exemestane) to further reduce the estrogen-like substances in your body that are produced by body fat and your andrenal glands (near your kidneys so I'm told). It is twice as effective as tamoxifen. That means if you had 95% chance of disease free survival til the 5 year mark on tamoxifen, you have a 97.5% chance of the same on the aromatase inhibitor. It has some side effects including NOT building bones, so you may want to talk to your doctor about Fosamax or something like it and certainly about further bone density monitoring. I've noticed some tendency toward joint inflamation if I overdo anything, but it is tolerable for me. Different drugs do different things and different people respond differently. You can talk to your doctor about the pros and cons and decide if you should do it or not. As long as I don't carry a heavy purse and baby my toe joints by not doing those down dogs too often in yoga class, I'm practically symptom free for now on the stuff, but other folks have more difficulty. Getting my vitamin D level helped ALOT! Good luck!

    aromatase inhibitors
    Do you have any idea what to expect as I'm just now getting off femara? I can't find any reading about it. I've had the sore joints, some swelling and holding water while on femara, couldn't tolerate the arimidex or aromicin. I've only been off a few days, and I'm waiting to see how it goes. I've had to start fosomax too as my bones have gotten worse on the femara, hopefully it will improve now that I'm off. Thanks for your input. Glad to hear you're practically symptom free. I also seemed that way after about a year on femara.
  • Cindy54
    Cindy54 Member Posts: 452
    #12
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    mmontero38 said:

    estrogen blocker
    Hi Cindy: I am on Tamoxifen to block estrogen. The way the oncologist explained to me was that even when the ovaries are removed. the fat in your body also produces a small amount of estrogen, therefore, they prescribe meds such as tamoxifen, arimidex, femara, etc. You should also avoid all soy products since soy also has natural estrogen. So to answer your question, yes you still need the blocker. Hugs, Lili

    Estrogen need
    Thanks for all the info guys, I just finally got back into this new way of posting. I will be asking many quastions when I see my doc next. Hugs to all of you, Cindy

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