Aromasin

JudyAS
JudyAS Member Posts: 48
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi Everyone, hope you are all doing well. I haven't been on for a week or two, went to my Oncologist today, remember, I couldn't take the Arimidex and had a Hemotoma where I had my mastectomy which happened after the radiation was over. I then had a drain tube put back in for 3 weeks, got that out and now have been fighting an infection called Cellulitis. It is still not healed, so my oncologist won't put me on another cancer drug until it is all healed.
He is going to put me on Aromasin. Anyone on that and are the side effects as bad as the Arimidex was? I have a month before I go back to see him, so hope my infection is cleared by that time. Any info you can give me about the Aromasin would really help. Thanks to all of you and God Bless.
Judy

Comments

  • dmc_emmy
    dmc_emmy Member Posts: 549
    #2
    Aromasin and SE
    Judy,

    Aromasin was the 2nd med I tried after Arimidex. The primary SE was joint pain that was not remedied by moltrin. In some ways, I think the Aromasin was worse than the Arimidex because the Arimidex was probably still in my system. The 3rd med I tried was Femara and I was on this one for a little over one year, of which the last 8 months were straight through without modifying the frequency. I stopped all meds on May 12th of this year.

    I am not recommending not taking the Aromasin, much less stopping your med regiment prescribed by your onc. However, it was the best alterative for me due to the build-up of side effects as time progressed. It took nearly 3 months for the meds to be out of my system.

    These drugs are powerful, as they need to be, to fight its relentless enemy. Some women have few side effects and the meds are tolerable, some women have no significant side effects, then there are others (such as myself) who fall in the less than 5% of ocurrance.

    That said, you may have no SE from the Aromasin.

    I tend to not read the SE list until I start to have problems (I don't want my mind conjuring up symptoms that are not really there :)).

    Wish you well.
    Donna
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #3
    Aromasin
    I have 1 sister on aromasin, 1 sister on femara and I am on arimidex. My sister on aromasin says she has had no side effects. My sister on femara and me (on arimidex) had problems with fatigue. I could not function taking the drug in the AM. I recommend switching to taking the drug in the PM if at all possible. That helped both of us a lot. Also, I had some neck and joint pain at first, but that has really subsided. I have been on the drug now about 5 months. My sisters have been on their meds about 3 years. Hope this helps and I am really rooting for you. Hope you infection clears up fast!
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #4
    I am not on Aromasin Judy,
    I am not on Aromasin Judy, but, wanted to wish you good luck with it. I hope that others that are on it will post and give you info.

    Hugs, Diane ♥
  • JudyAS
    JudyAS Member Posts: 48
    #5
    dmc_emmy said:

    Aromasin and SE
    Judy,

    Aromasin was the 2nd med I tried after Arimidex. The primary SE was joint pain that was not remedied by moltrin. In some ways, I think the Aromasin was worse than the Arimidex because the Arimidex was probably still in my system. The 3rd med I tried was Femara and I was on this one for a little over one year, of which the last 8 months were straight through without modifying the frequency. I stopped all meds on May 12th of this year.

    I am not recommending not taking the Aromasin, much less stopping your med regiment prescribed by your onc. However, it was the best alterative for me due to the build-up of side effects as time progressed. It took nearly 3 months for the meds to be out of my system.

    These drugs are powerful, as they need to be, to fight its relentless enemy. Some women have few side effects and the meds are tolerable, some women have no significant side effects, then there are others (such as myself) who fall in the less than 5% of ocurrance.

    That said, you may have no SE from the Aromasin.

    I tend to not read the SE list until I start to have problems (I don't want my mind conjuring up symptoms that are not really there :)).

    Wish you well.
    Donna

    The Aromasin
    Thank you Donna for the info. After the terrible SE of the Arimidex I am hoping that the Aromasin won't be as bad. I just have to wait to take it until this infection clears up and it seems like it is really taking a long time.

    Hugs Judy
  • JudyAS
    JudyAS Member Posts: 48
    #6
    CypressCynthia said:

    Aromasin
    I have 1 sister on aromasin, 1 sister on femara and I am on arimidex. My sister on aromasin says she has had no side effects. My sister on femara and me (on arimidex) had problems with fatigue. I could not function taking the drug in the AM. I recommend switching to taking the drug in the PM if at all possible. That helped both of us a lot. Also, I had some neck and joint pain at first, but that has really subsided. I have been on the drug now about 5 months. My sisters have been on their meds about 3 years. Hope this helps and I am really rooting for you. Hope you infection clears up fast!

    The Aromasin
    Thanks so my Cynthia for the encouragement. With all 3 of you sisters on something different and all three have different side effects makes me feel better. I am so sorry to hear all 3 of you have had breast cancer. I have two sisters and hope they don't get it. But they are really supporting me. But first they have to get this infection cleared up, I took my last antibiotic yesterday and it still is not cleared up. I go back to my surgeon Monday and they are going to have to step up the treatment or I will never get on the Aromasin and that worries me. I at least want to give it a chance. Thanks and God Bless to you and your sisters.
    Hugs Judy
  • JudyAS
    JudyAS Member Posts: 48
    #7
    DianeBC said:

    I am not on Aromasin Judy,
    I am not on Aromasin Judy, but, wanted to wish you good luck with it. I hope that others that are on it will post and give you info.

    Hugs, Diane ♥

    Thank you Diane for the well
    Thank you Diane for the well wishes. Judy
  • dyaneb123
    dyaneb123 Member Posts: 950
    #8
    Hey Judy
    I just started
    Hey Judy
    I just started Arimidex...So what are these terrible side effects I can expect....Right now the worst SE is the cost! $75.00 is my copay.... are any of thses other meds less expensive? I know the ONC. said it can cause joint pain....
  • JudyAS
    JudyAS Member Posts: 48
    #9
    dyaneb123 said:

    Hey Judy
    I just started
    Hey Judy
    I just started Arimidex...So what are these terrible side effects I can expect....Right now the worst SE is the cost! $75.00 is my copay.... are any of thses other meds less expensive? I know the ONC. said it can cause joint pain....

    Arimidex side effects
    For me the Arimidex just about put me down. I have arthritis to begin with and have had a bad back for years. Well the back pain from the bottom of my spine to the top of my head was terrible. My ankles got so stiff I could hardly walk, there wasn't a joint in my body that didn't hurt 24 hours a day. Nothing seemed to help. After 36 days on it I just couldn't take it anymore. My husband agreed I needed to stop. So I did and called my oncologist and told him. So now it has been over a month and don't know when, but he is going to start me on Aromasin. I am going to have to tolerate any SE because I have no other choice. But for some they have no problem what so ever. Maybe you won't have any SE. I think it has a lot to do with age, I am 69 years old. I think if you are a lot younger hopefully you will do fine. Let me know how things go.
    Good Luck Judy
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #10
    JudyAS said:

    Arimidex side effects
    For me the Arimidex just about put me down. I have arthritis to begin with and have had a bad back for years. Well the back pain from the bottom of my spine to the top of my head was terrible. My ankles got so stiff I could hardly walk, there wasn't a joint in my body that didn't hurt 24 hours a day. Nothing seemed to help. After 36 days on it I just couldn't take it anymore. My husband agreed I needed to stop. So I did and called my oncologist and told him. So now it has been over a month and don't know when, but he is going to start me on Aromasin. I am going to have to tolerate any SE because I have no other choice. But for some they have no problem what so ever. Maybe you won't have any SE. I think it has a lot to do with age, I am 69 years old. I think if you are a lot younger hopefully you will do fine. Let me know how things go.
    Good Luck Judy

    My manager at work went
    My manager at work went through all 3 drugs. I think she is now on femara? Anyway, she says that she can function on the last one that she tried. Just wanted to say, don't give up as everyone is different and all 3 drugs are a little different. I am praying that you get better soon!
  • tigger99
    tigger99 Member Posts: 44
    #11
    dyaneb123 said:

    Hey Judy
    I just started
    Hey Judy
    I just started Arimidex...So what are these terrible side effects I can expect....Right now the worst SE is the cost! $75.00 is my copay.... are any of thses other meds less expensive? I know the ONC. said it can cause joint pain....

    I am taking Arimidex in the
    I am taking Arimidex in the evening and having no side effects at all. I thank my blessings every day for that, and pray for all of you who are having horrible side effects from it.

    My co-pay is $80 for this, but if I buy 3 months at a time, it comes down to $60/month. But some of my BC friends pay $5 and $15 for theirs. All depends on your insurance.

    And while I'm at it, may I vent about my insurer? They won't pay for my OncotypeDX test. It saved me having to undergo chemo and saved them all that expense, which they would have covered in full, but they won't pay for the test. I just don't understand. Harrumph!
  • lovelylola
    lovelylola Member Posts: 279
    #12
    tigger99 said:

    I am taking Arimidex in the
    I am taking Arimidex in the evening and having no side effects at all. I thank my blessings every day for that, and pray for all of you who are having horrible side effects from it.

    My co-pay is $80 for this, but if I buy 3 months at a time, it comes down to $60/month. But some of my BC friends pay $5 and $15 for theirs. All depends on your insurance.

    And while I'm at it, may I vent about my insurer? They won't pay for my OncotypeDX test. It saved me having to undergo chemo and saved them all that expense, which they would have covered in full, but they won't pay for the test. I just don't understand. Harrumph!

    Patient Assistance Program
    My insurance won't pay for it either but I found out I qualify for the Genome Health patient assistance program. It was payments from Genome or borrowing money but by beg, steal or borrow, I was going to have the testing. The waiting is the worst. I'm hoping to hear by Friday.
    I agree with you on insurance companies. Don't they realize that they will save the cost of the test in just a couple Neulasta shots alone, not to mention the actual chemo, if we low recurrence scores and don't have chemo?
    I wonder sometimes who runs them. Don't they have common sense or even a heart. Nuff said. Lola

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