HonCode

Go Back   HER2 Support Group Forums > her2group
Register Gallery FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 05-05-2014, 02:54 PM   #1
CarolineC
Senior Member
 
CarolineC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 139
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.
__________________
Dx Age 47 July/09 Stage 2B/3
Left Mast. Aug 09- 1 of 3 positive nodes in axillary dissection (yes only 3)
ER+ 90%, PR+ 20%, HER2+++
4 x AC, 4 x Paclitaxol and H (Neupogen for 7 cycles), Herceptin complete Nov 10
Mar–Apr 2010 25 Rads
Apr 10-Oct 11- Tamoxifen
Oct 11 – 3 cm met to sternum
Oct 11-Letrozole for 3 mths, start Clasteon-bone remodeller
Nov-Dec 11 - Happy 50th Birthday -20 rads to sternum
Jan-April 2012 Taxotere/Herceptin-6 cycles (Neupogen for 5)
Herceptin every 3 weeks-Letrozole added Nov 2012
CarolineC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2014, 03:56 PM   #2
Cat
Senior Member
 
Cat's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 184
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
__________________
3/06 DX stage III er-pr-her2+++ breast, 1+node
age 49 and 364 days
3XAC 4X taxol and herceptin continue herceptin one year
bilat mastectomy w/TRAM
32 rads
9/08 recurrance 4 sternal nodes
mediastinoscopy, able to remove 3
taxotere, carboplatin, herceptin, x6
continue herceptin indefinately
5/10 recurrance in same node/area
mediastinoscopy, removed nodes
added tykerb
27 rads
10/18/10 PET shows inflammation no active disease
8/2011 recurrence one right mediastinal node, xeloda and proton radiation to node.
D/C xeloda due to toxicity
12/5 PET scan clear
2/2012 colon blockage, breast cancer
(never thought it could go there! thought I was constipated)
start abraxane, herceptin, continue tykerb
10/2012 Kidney ablation (renal CA!)
3/2013 CT and biopsy R kidney (BC met to R kidney)
4/4/2013 Begin Kadcyla
7/30/13 Craniotomy cerebellar mets, 1.7cm 3cm
Sept 4-6 post op cyberknife
Sept 23 ablation right kidney (blow up pesky breast ca met)
Oct headaches MRI Oct 10 (only surgical changes ! Yay!)
Short of breath. CT, pulmonary function, echo
New crap in right lung heart good. Pooh!
12/13 DC kadcyla. Begin halaven
2/14 MRI brain NED Yay!
4/3/14 CT mostly stable but breast mets r kidney growing
4/16/14 ablation right kidney again
Continue halaven, tykerb
dc halaven gemzar?
2nd opinion May 14
Cat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2014, 05:41 PM   #3
Becky
Senior Member
 
Becky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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.
__________________
Kind regards

Becky

Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia

NED 18 years!

Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
Becky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2014, 10:20 PM   #4
Saygoon
Senior Member
 
Saygoon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Hot Springs, South Dakota
Posts: 158
Re: Aromasin

I had some body stiffness and of course the vaginal dryness but other than that no real problems
__________________
Paula T. (saygoon means dog, yes I am Native)
DX March 2012
Stage IV w/ 5 bone mets to spine 2 on ribs
Herceptin, Zometa, Taxotere and Anasterole and of course radiation
2/14/2014 2 mets on pelvic bone
Stop Anasterole continue on Herceptin and Zometa start radiation (again)
2/24/2014 start T-DM1 continue Herceptin and Zometa
4/28 more radiation that brings total to 5 (10 days ea) - I think I will soon glow in the dark....
6/01/2014 Great news! Rib mets gone, 4 of 5 spine mets showing new bone growth and pelvic mets shrinking.
8/28/2014 T11 on spine is being stubborn started Perjeta, Herceptin, Zometa and Taxol - goodbye hair!
9/04/2014 Tomo therapy - pain finally gone
1/3/2015 - starting New Year out as still stable. Feeling positive
2/23/2015 - problems with left leg, bone met flaring up - MORE radiation Whew!
2/24/2015 Stress fracture in right side of pelvic - (great just great) back to wheelchair then walker then.....
2/26/2015 Off Taxol!! Still on Perjeta, Herceptin and Hormone Blocker starting to feel a little more human.
4/10/2015 Cancer has spread to spinal fluid - not sure where I go from here
6/29/2015 Omaya Port placed,begin IT Herceptin on 7/7/2015
Saygoon is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:33 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright HER2 Support Group 2007 - 2021
free webpage hit counter