question

jphilpo
jphilpo Member Posts: 177
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
After 6 months of trying femara and dealing with horrible side effects, my onc. switched me to tamoxifen. Can any of you who done the same felt better ? I know my depression has lifted , but I still have the foot and joint pain. I was just wondering about other experiences.

Thanks,
Jean

Comments

  • Miss Murphy
    Miss Murphy Member Posts: 302
    #2
    Switched too!
    Hi Jean!

    I'm post menopausal and was on Femara and then Arimidex for about 11 months - I had severe muscle and joint pain not to mention hot flashes. Last October my onc switched me to Tamoxifen. The side effects are more doable for me but I do have side effects. I feel like I have PMS 24/7 most days. My hot flashes are down to about 2-3 a night not so much in the day unless it's very hot and humid. And I still have a bit of muscle and joint pain altho some of that could be because of some arthritis I have. So I guess I'd tell you I feel better than I was on the AI drugs but I'm still not 100 % and I'm counting the days till I can go off this drug.

    Good luck with your treatment - I hope your symptoms go away. There are many on this board who have no side effects from these drugs.

    Hugs, Sally
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294 Member
    #3
    Jean
    I went fromTamoxifen to Arimidex which similar to Femara. Initially it was difficult with Tamoxifen but when my body adapted to it I felt normal. Transition from Tamoxifen to Arimedex created additional side effects, including new wave of hot flashes, dryness, and UT problems. I am assuming that going from Femara to Tamoxifen should bring relief and better situation for you as you are young and was pre-menopausal prior your diagnosis. You can send me PM and ask specific questions.
    Take care,
    New Flower
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #4
    All Different!
    I've been on Femara 8 mths - no problems at all.

    Susam
  • Katz77
    Katz77 Member Posts: 598
    #5
    Mmmm
    I'm on femara and have some issues. I have alot of "issues", but thats another story.
    Was on tamoxifin before femara until I became chemically induced menapause. Had no probs other that hot flashes and some insomnia. Femara for around 8 months now. Feel like a 200 yr old when getting up from sleep. Once I start moving around it gets better. I've found the most problem is with my hands and ankles. Some of the larger joints too, but my hands/fingers, can't even make a fist. I do exercises and that does help. Have me a squishy ball. My onc says that is from the femara. It likes the smaller joints. Hope this helps. Best to you on your decision. Katz
  • jphilpo
    jphilpo Member Posts: 177
    #6
    New Flower said:

    Jean
    I went fromTamoxifen to Arimidex which similar to Femara. Initially it was difficult with Tamoxifen but when my body adapted to it I felt normal. Transition from Tamoxifen to Arimedex created additional side effects, including new wave of hot flashes, dryness, and UT problems. I am assuming that going from Femara to Tamoxifen should bring relief and better situation for you as you are young and was pre-menopausal prior your diagnosis. You can send me PM and ask specific questions.
    Take care,
    New Flower

    switch
    I have noticed the new hot flashes. Thanks for saying I am young!! I am 56 and had a hysterctomy. The 3 weeks I was off femara was so helpful. My depression lifted and I did feel better. I guess I'm just afraid about the tamoxifen. So far, I still have the joint pain. I still take a half of a hydro-codeine pill at night. I guess I just want to see a light at the end of this dark tunnel. By the way, did you gain weight?? I gained about 20 lbs and that will be my new focus!

    Thanks,

    Jean
  • creampuff91344
    creampuff91344 Member Posts: 988
    #7
    Katz77 said:

    Mmmm
    I'm on femara and have some issues. I have alot of "issues", but thats another story.
    Was on tamoxifin before femara until I became chemically induced menapause. Had no probs other that hot flashes and some insomnia. Femara for around 8 months now. Feel like a 200 yr old when getting up from sleep. Once I start moving around it gets better. I've found the most problem is with my hands and ankles. Some of the larger joints too, but my hands/fingers, can't even make a fist. I do exercises and that does help. Have me a squishy ball. My onc says that is from the femara. It likes the smaller joints. Hope this helps. Best to you on your decision. Katz

    From Femara to Tamoxifen
    I started Femara at the same time I started rads (which was unusual, according to a lot of you who have posted - most start AI's following rads). Was on Femara for four months, and literally could not stand and walk because of pain in my left hip. I would have to stand up, stay still for about a minute, and then try to walk. My onc switched me to Tamoxifen. That was in 2008. I am still having major problems with my left hip, and it seems that the damage done during the four months I took Femara may have caused some permanent damage. If not better soon, I will seek help from an orthopedic surgeon to see if my hip joint was damaged enough to have a hip replacement. Those AI's do the job on recurrence of breast cancer, but I'm not sure it is worth the pain and agony created in your joints and muscles. Because they are fairly new (less than five years) no one really knows what the long term effect will be. I would talk with your oncologist and let her know you are continuing with pain in the joint, and see if there is some type of physical theraphy/med that may help rebuild the bone density, especially in that joint. (Tamoxifen itself does strengthen the bone density.) Hope you feel better. Hugs, Judy
  • jphilpo
    jphilpo Member Posts: 177
    #8
    creampuff91344 said:

    From Femara to Tamoxifen
    I started Femara at the same time I started rads (which was unusual, according to a lot of you who have posted - most start AI's following rads). Was on Femara for four months, and literally could not stand and walk because of pain in my left hip. I would have to stand up, stay still for about a minute, and then try to walk. My onc switched me to Tamoxifen. That was in 2008. I am still having major problems with my left hip, and it seems that the damage done during the four months I took Femara may have caused some permanent damage. If not better soon, I will seek help from an orthopedic surgeon to see if my hip joint was damaged enough to have a hip replacement. Those AI's do the job on recurrence of breast cancer, but I'm not sure it is worth the pain and agony created in your joints and muscles. Because they are fairly new (less than five years) no one really knows what the long term effect will be. I would talk with your oncologist and let her know you are continuing with pain in the joint, and see if there is some type of physical theraphy/med that may help rebuild the bone density, especially in that joint. (Tamoxifen itself does strengthen the bone density.) Hope you feel better. Hugs, Judy

    Judy
    Thanks so much for your comments. I totally agree about permanent damage already being done. My onc. didn't knoww and seemed vague about it. Since femara is fairly new, it's true that they can't really judge the long term side effects. Have you noticed a weight gain while on femara?
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #9
    creampuff91344 said:

    From Femara to Tamoxifen
    I started Femara at the same time I started rads (which was unusual, according to a lot of you who have posted - most start AI's following rads). Was on Femara for four months, and literally could not stand and walk because of pain in my left hip. I would have to stand up, stay still for about a minute, and then try to walk. My onc switched me to Tamoxifen. That was in 2008. I am still having major problems with my left hip, and it seems that the damage done during the four months I took Femara may have caused some permanent damage. If not better soon, I will seek help from an orthopedic surgeon to see if my hip joint was damaged enough to have a hip replacement. Those AI's do the job on recurrence of breast cancer, but I'm not sure it is worth the pain and agony created in your joints and muscles. Because they are fairly new (less than five years) no one really knows what the long term effect will be. I would talk with your oncologist and let her know you are continuing with pain in the joint, and see if there is some type of physical theraphy/med that may help rebuild the bone density, especially in that joint. (Tamoxifen itself does strengthen the bone density.) Hope you feel better. Hugs, Judy

    Started Femara right after starting Rads.
    I started Femara 1 week after starting rads which started 1 week after last Taxol. I think a lot has to do with 'your' type of BC (I'm IBC) and how aggressive your Dr is.

    I have gained back about 5 lbs since the end of Rads but I had lost 45 between both sets of chemo, rads and the burns. At least I'm eating now that I have an appetite back.

    Susan
  • JustRenay
    JustRenay Member Posts: 54
    #10
    I started with Tamoxifen
    Hi jean, I'm sorry to hear of your suffering with side effects. I took Tamoxifen for 2.5 years and then switched to Femara, which I've been taking for about 2 years. I actually had the opposite experience, where (other than major hotflashes) I had minimal problems with the Tamoxifen. In the past year, I've had alot of side effects from the Femara...hot flashes, bone/joint pain, insomnia, weight gain....but am continuing to take it, since I can stop in April, at my 5 year anniversary. I'm not sure specifically what is bothering you most, but I minimized the hot flash "pain" by just trying to keep my environment as cool as possible, since I cannot take any supplements that mimick hormones, to help me out. For the joint/bone pain, I try to walk and soak in a hot tub or use a heating pad, that helps...and just tell myself that the side effects are better than the alternative of recurrance. There are different meds tho, so keeping your doctor aprised of your situation is key. Hopefully they can find something that is easier on you. Will keep you in my thoughts and prayers...best of luck to you. Renay
  • Lighthouse_7
    Lighthouse_7 Member Posts: 1,566 Member
    #11
    try swithching to another of
    try swithching to another of the aromatase inhibitors. Don't suffer. I couldn't take Femara or Arimidex . Just praying that Aromasin will be the one!
    Best of luck,
    Wanda
  • jphilpo
    jphilpo Member Posts: 177
    #12
    Lighthouse_7 said:

    try swithching to another of
    try swithching to another of the aromatase inhibitors. Don't suffer. I couldn't take Femara or Arimidex . Just praying that Aromasin will be the one!
    Best of luck,
    Wanda

    switch
    I have been on tamoxifen for about 2 weeks. I still have pain in my legs and feet, and just don't know what to do. I have been told this could be early onset arthritis from the side effects from femara.

    This has caused some depression for me, which I have never had berfore. The aftermath of all my treatments has been so much worse than anything. My sweet huisband wants me to get off it , but I just don't know what to do.

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