Anyone trying lower dosage for AI due to side effects?

[harrie]

It took me a few months to feel any joint side effects. I woke up in th middle of the night one night and my thumb was locked and I had to manually unlock it. I thought....."wow, that was REALLY wierd"....I had no idea it was from the Arimadex. During the day it was like nothing happened, then at night when I woke up, sure enough same thing.
harriecanarie

[lainy]

Here's a new dilemma...from a Newbie

Apropo of AI discussion: I am post-meno, a Senior, and have 2 diseases: OVCA Stage 111C, Grade 3 very aggressive. Separate Estrogen Receptor Test scored very high at 87%... very bad for OVCA. Responded very well to Firstline TAxol/Carbo, was also briefly put on Femara by GYN ONC to control , but Medical ONC disagreed, too risky (this was in 2005) and we used Evista which also is anti- estrogen and good for bone density. Post- Surgery, with optimal debulking, even before chemo, I went into remission since FEb. 2005.

Here is my dilemma, was dx'd and had surgery for left breast cancer last year in June 2007, a Lumpectomy: Stage 1, invasive ductal carcinoma, tumor 0.9, no lymph node involvement, (think, margins clear...am drowning in paper lately, can't find Pathology report at the moment) but remember all the other specs which are "lousy"!! Grade 2, Her2 high positve, BUT, contrary to most of you that I've read about thus far... I am estrogen and progesterone NEGATIVE...the exact opposite of my OVCA... not only bad news for breast CA, also a conflict in terms of choice of adjuvant therapy. Am painfully aware that what would help my breast cancer could harm my Ovarian remission. Know that my Grade 2 NEGATIVE's, combined with a High HER2 positive puts me at greater risk for tumor growh and recurrence. Thus far I've had 6 weeks of Radiation, (plus a breast infection), followed by Herceptin, every 3 weeks which I'm tolerating very well with one exception...my Muga score was good but right ventricle may be under-expressing. Have Cardio appointment on Monday to check. Also, ONC uses the 2729 tumor test and my numbers have slowly gone up, slightly past the normal cut-off point. He's not concerned yet.

Am still using Evista, but need to find out more about newer chemos, ( found out latethat I could be a candidate for chemo, either systemic of IV along with the Herceptin...( I'm at the halfway point of one year of treatment.) Is there anyone with Negative Estrogen specs similar to mine who has looked into Tykerb, Xeloda or anything else that might be compatible with my 87% Positive OVCA ER test reults.?

Im still learning how to navigate this website...so thankful to have found it. Looking forward to participating.

[TSund]

Kriss,

I think it absurd that he won't try switching you. It doesn't seem like it would hurt trying. Some of these docs have certain pharmaceutical "allegiances".

If you are in that much pain, it doesn't make any sense not to try. I'd be insistent!!

TRS

[TSund]

Lainy,

I didn't know that anti-hormonal treatment is bad for non-ER+ bc. I know it doesn't HELP the bc, but I am not so sure it is a "negative". (?)

Also, a chemo like TCH could be effective for your bc and also effective on the other, as it would likely throw you into "chemopause".

Wishing you the best,

TRS