HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - anyone having trouble taking aromatase inhibitors?

michka · 01-02-2008, 06:55 AM

I started by Arimidex. I had terrible joint and muscle pain and almost could not walk. I switched to Aromasin after 6 weeks. Not much better. I have joint pain in my hands (the worst) wrists, toes, knees and my back kills me. I feel terrible. I have been on it for 6 months. I asked to switch to Femara but my onc. said it would be the same and that I had to be patient. I figure he wants to see how I am going to feel now that I finished Herceptine (end of Sept.). But as I started Tykerb, all the side effects are going to mix. And on top of all this, I have severe neuropathy in the arm for which I take Neurontin (it helps for the arm, the hot flashes but not for joint or back pain).
I feel my onc. does not care about my pain. I am afraid to stop hormonal therapy because I am 90% ER+ and that the chemo+herceptine did not wipe out the cancer. I will just insist the next time to switch to Femara.
Ask to switch. Maybe it will be much better for you. We are so different and in fact the oncs do not know why AIs generate side effects for some and not for others.
Michka.

01-02-2008, 06:55 AM	#11
michka Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Paris, France Posts: 858	I started by Arimidex. I had terrible joint and muscle pain and almost could not walk. I switched to Aromasin after 6 weeks. Not much better. I have joint pain in my hands (the worst) wrists, toes, knees and my back kills me. I feel terrible. I have been on it for 6 months. I asked to switch to Femara but my onc. said it would be the same and that I had to be patient. I figure he wants to see how I am going to feel now that I finished Herceptine (end of Sept.). But as I started Tykerb, all the side effects are going to mix. And on top of all this, I have severe neuropathy in the arm for which I take Neurontin (it helps for the arm, the hot flashes but not for joint or back pain). I feel my onc. does not care about my pain. I am afraid to stop hormonal therapy because I am 90% ER+ and that the chemo+herceptine did not wipe out the cancer. I will just insist the next time to switch to Femara. Ask to switch. Maybe it will be much better for you. We are so different and in fact the oncs do not know why AIs generate side effects for some and not for others. Michka. __________________ 08.2006 3 cm IDC Stage 2-3, HER2 3+ ER+90% PR 20% FEC, Taxol+ Herceptin, Mastectomy, Radiation, Herceptin 1 year followed by Tykerb 1 year,Aromasin /Faslodex 12.2010 Mets to liver,Herceptin+Tykerb 03.2011 Liver resection ER+70% PR- 04.2011 Herceptin+Navelbine+750mg Tykerb 06.2011 Liver ned, Met to sternum. Added Zometa 09.2011 Cyberknife for sternum 11.2011 Pet clear. Stop Navelbine, continuing on Hercpetin+Tykerb+Aromasin 02.2012 Mets to lungs, nodes, liver 04.2012 TDM1, Ned in 07.2012 04.2015 Stop TDM1/Kadcyla, still Ned, liver problems 04.2016 Liver mets. Back on Kadcyla 08.2016 Kadcyla stopped working. mets to liver lungs bones 09.2016 Biopsy to liver. no more HER2, still ER+ 09.2016 CMF Afinitor/Aromasin/ Xgeva.Met to eye muscle Cyberknife 01.2017 Gemzar/Carboplatin/ Ibrance/Faslodex then Taxotere 02.2017 30 micro mets to brain breathing getting worse and worse 04.2017 Liquid biopsy/CTC indicates HER2 again. Start Herceptin with Halaven 06.2017 all tumors shrunk 60% . more micro mets to brain (1mm mets) no symptoms