Aromasin
 

Can anyone give me their experience, good or bad, on this anti-estrogen therapy? It's been recommended as the next treatment, but with the way I metabolize, I'm leery of anything new at this point.

My son is graduating in 6 weeks and I am trying to do the least invasive thing in terms of treatment-don't need to be in the hospital after a bad reaction to chemo, so that's out for now. The scans show my sternum is stable, lung thingies are stable and adrenal is stable. However, I am in alot of pain, still, on my left side and after the bonescan last week my physiotherapist is allowed to work on me. She found that two of my ribs are flexed on that side from the sternum to the back shoulder blade. I think that my sternum flared up when my Herceptin treatment was delayed in Feb. and my ribs were unstable. The pain started abit in Oct. when my treatment was delayed and in Jan when I lifted my arms over my head for my CT scan I felt a pulling in my upper back on both sides of my shoulder blades. Then my treatment was delayed in Feb. and the pain really started.

Scans of the bone are so hard to distinguish healing or damage, so I believe my sternum is possibly acting up. My TMs are also the highest now- CEA is 34 and 15-3 is 25, but hopefully that's from exteme inflammation and pain.

Regardless, it might be time to change from Letrozole to Aromasin. Anyone have any thoughts to help me? It's so hard to stay positive-I am sleep deprived, in pain, and angry that my sternum was stable and treatment was delayed twice in four months. I found out from my onc in the larger centre that they don't delay treatment based on fluctuations in echocardiograms.

Re: Aromasin
 

I wish I could help. I have been hormone negative so know very little of what you are asking. I just wanted to send my support and good wishes for relief soon.
Hugs (gentle) Cathy

Re: Aromasin
 

Femara (which you are on) and Arimidex work in the same biochemical mecanism to stop the formation of estrogen in the body. Aromosin does the same thing but in a different biochemical reaction. So, if you need a change for the better, Aromosin is a good choice. I have no experience as I am on Arimidex and have not "failed" it. One thing I have heard is that you need to watch your cholesterol (on all AIs) but especially on this one. So make sure your cholesterol is read and then check it periodically to make sure there are no large increases. Otherwise, its a good change and you may experience some results.

Re: Aromasin
 

I had some body stiffness and of course the vaginal dryness but other than that no real problems