HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - HELP! Cannot tolerate Hormonal Therapy...ADVICE appreciated!

Renee L · 01-22-2012, 12:30 PM

My Onc first put me on Arimidex, by day 4 I was in a lot of pain, by day 11 I couldn't even walk. I was a fit 5'7-1/2" 120 lbs. and dropped down to 102 lbs, my connective tissue was going to mush, it felt like I was walking on bone no padding under my feet. Onc gave me a 8 week break to gain weight then tried Femara which I was able to tolerate for 2 months, similar symptoms but not as severe as Arimidex. Insomnia, anxiety, nausea, weight loss and then osteoporosis I was losing bone rapidly so my onc said no more AIs. I hoped Tamoxifen would be a better fit, since it can actually help bone loss, but it made me dizzy, vision problems, numbness in my limbs. I tried taking meds at night, with food, but I have a high metabolism and simply cannot tolerate meds. I was shocked to learn Tamoxifen only reduced my recurrence by 2%!

Ironically I was vegetarian for over 25 years but after my diagnosis (no soy) I now eat salmon (wild caught only) chicken breast and some turkey, I try to eat organic as much as poss. I tend to agree it IS a Crap Shoot... genetics, lifestyle, environmental factors like pollutants and stress, all we can do is lower the odds of recurrence.

Thank you!

01-22-2012, 12:30 PM	#12
Renee L Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 5	Re: HELP! Cannot tolerate Hormonal Therapy...ADVICE appreciated! My Onc first put me on Arimidex, by day 4 I was in a lot of pain, by day 11 I couldn't even walk. I was a fit 5'7-1/2" 120 lbs. and dropped down to 102 lbs, my connective tissue was going to mush, it felt like I was walking on bone no padding under my feet. Onc gave me a 8 week break to gain weight then tried Femara which I was able to tolerate for 2 months, similar symptoms but not as severe as Arimidex. Insomnia, anxiety, nausea, weight loss and then osteoporosis I was losing bone rapidly so my onc said no more AIs. I hoped Tamoxifen would be a better fit, since it can actually help bone loss, but it made me dizzy, vision problems, numbness in my limbs. I tried taking meds at night, with food, but I have a high metabolism and simply cannot tolerate meds. I was shocked to learn Tamoxifen only reduced my recurrence by 2%! Ironically I was vegetarian for over 25 years but after my diagnosis (no soy) I now eat salmon (wild caught only) chicken breast and some turkey, I try to eat organic as much as poss. I tend to agree it IS a Crap Shoot... genetics, lifestyle, environmental factors like pollutants and stress, all we can do is lower the odds of recurrence. Thank you!