Transition from Tamoxifen to Arimidex/ Femara

New Flower
New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hello Ladies,
I need your input and help making transition from Tamoxifen to Arimidex/Femara.
I had my 6 months check-up yesterday. I did ask my oncologist for CYP2D6 test because I was taking tamoxifen and was never tested.
He believed that due to severe side effects, which I have had is good proof for metabolizing Tamoxifen.
Anyway, instead of testing he offered to switch to Arimidex.
So i have pills for 30 days to try, I need to do bone density base line.
Please tell me what side effects should I expect from this transition switching from Tamoxifen to Arimidex.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
New Flower

Comments

  • roseann4
    roseann4 Member Posts: 992 Member
    #2
    I heard they are similar.
    Hi,

    I have never been on Tamoxifen but from what I have read, the obvious side effects are similar. More bone loss is a concern with Arimidex so it is good that they are doing a base line. Personally, I have very few side effects which makes me think it may not be working. My onc said they don't check for estrogen levels. Odd.

    Roseann
  • marywest
    marywest Member Posts: 132
    #3
    roseann4 said:

    I heard they are similar.
    Hi,

    I have never been on Tamoxifen but from what I have read, the obvious side effects are similar. More bone loss is a concern with Arimidex so it is good that they are doing a base line. Personally, I have very few side effects which makes me think it may not be working. My onc said they don't check for estrogen levels. Odd.

    Roseann

    Thats a tuff one
    I had to get off arimdex, it crippled me,and my joints hurt baaaad. My doctor prescribe tamoxifen for me, that was over a week ago and I have not had the prescription filled yet. I am a chicken to do it. From what I have read (the posts) some feel it some don't.It is such a tuff call for me to make. I dont' want the BC to come back and at the same time I do not want to be crippled up. The chemo ruined alot of nerve damage that left me extreemly weak and in pain, getting a little better. But I am still wondering about taking tamoxifen. hmmmm, I didn't help you at all, you just got off of it, well I guess you could try it and see how you do, because you can always quit. So tamoxifen was pretty tuff on you???? Arimedex was on me. I am very curious to see how you do on it. please let me know. I am standing on the sidelines.
  • elizarose
    elizarose Member Posts: 124
    #4
    marywest said:

    Thats a tuff one
    I had to get off arimdex, it crippled me,and my joints hurt baaaad. My doctor prescribe tamoxifen for me, that was over a week ago and I have not had the prescription filled yet. I am a chicken to do it. From what I have read (the posts) some feel it some don't.It is such a tuff call for me to make. I dont' want the BC to come back and at the same time I do not want to be crippled up. The chemo ruined alot of nerve damage that left me extreemly weak and in pain, getting a little better. But I am still wondering about taking tamoxifen. hmmmm, I didn't help you at all, you just got off of it, well I guess you could try it and see how you do, because you can always quit. So tamoxifen was pretty tuff on you???? Arimedex was on me. I am very curious to see how you do on it. please let me know. I am standing on the sidelines.

    I just started arimidex last
    I just started arimidex last week and it's not as bad as I thought it would be. The first day was bad because I took it in the middle of the day. The rest of the day was one big hot flash. Now I take it at night and don't really have a problem with the hotflashes so much. My feet, hands, knees and elbows hurt but so far it's not unbearable. I don't know if this is a s/e or not but my skin seems even drier than before, and I've always had very dry skin. Hopefully you'll be one the the ones with no s/e's.
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #5
    elizarose said:

    I just started arimidex last
    I just started arimidex last week and it's not as bad as I thought it would be. The first day was bad because I took it in the middle of the day. The rest of the day was one big hot flash. Now I take it at night and don't really have a problem with the hotflashes so much. My feet, hands, knees and elbows hurt but so far it's not unbearable. I don't know if this is a s/e or not but my skin seems even drier than before, and I've always had very dry skin. Hopefully you'll be one the the ones with no s/e's.

    Joint pain, yeah. Hot
    Joint pain, yeah. Hot flashes at first....but they stopped. It's all been bearable and worth it. xoxoxoxox Lynn
  • fauxma
    fauxma Member Posts: 3,577 Member
    #6
    lynn1950 said:

    Joint pain, yeah. Hot
    Joint pain, yeah. Hot flashes at first....but they stopped. It's all been bearable and worth it. xoxoxoxox Lynn

    Last night I woke up and I
    Last night I woke up and I had the sweats, clammy skin and felt awful. I thought maybe it was the arimidex but I also felt really weak. So I tested my blood sugars and they were 55. So I drank some OJ, ate a piece of chocolate and retested in 15 minutes. They were back to normal. I haven't had a drop at night in ages and I am so glad that I looked beyond my arimidex. So far I have had no side effects from it. So I hope that you have none either.
    Stef
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #7
    fauxma said:

    Last night I woke up and I
    Last night I woke up and I had the sweats, clammy skin and felt awful. I thought maybe it was the arimidex but I also felt really weak. So I tested my blood sugars and they were 55. So I drank some OJ, ate a piece of chocolate and retested in 15 minutes. They were back to normal. I haven't had a drop at night in ages and I am so glad that I looked beyond my arimidex. So far I have had no side effects from it. So I hope that you have none either.
    Stef

    Thank you
    ladies.I have been taking Tamoxifen since March after I finished Chemo and radiation. I have had Stage IIIC, so I think I do not have too much choice.Tamoxifen was tough at the beginning, but now I am Ok on it. Still having fatigue and lack of energy, but at least can function.
    The reasons for switching is no periods for 1 year and potential side effects if using for long time,
    Thank you very much for your comments. I appreciate you help and let you know how will my body take Arimidex.
    New Flower

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