Femara and Cholesterol

MJo · 06-25-2009, 06:34 AM

My cholesterol continues to climb. Saw my primary care physician yesterday and she wanted to put me on statins. I begged for one more chance to lower through diet. She said she wasn't aware of Femara raising cholesterol. I googled the subject and found that 15.6% of women on Femara had raised cholesterol. So much for doctors knowing everything. I take fish oil daily, use mainly olive oil and eat a lot of garlic. I am going to add a palmful of walnuts every day. I know anti cholesteral lowering drugs can effect liver, and I've had periodic elevated liver enzymes. This is too bad. I posted before about Lexapro causing me to crave sweets. I've lowered the dosage because junk food will make my cholesterol worse. I am grateful that Femara can lower my risk of recurrence, but I'm discovering that taking these drugs is more complex than I thought.

Hopeful · 06-25-2009, 06:45 AM

Have you tried adding oatmeal to your diet? It is supposed to have excellent cholesterol lowering properties. It is the reason I eat it everyday. It is low in calories and fills you up.

Hopeful

sarah · 06-25-2009, 07:46 AM

my cholosterol has risen on Femara and also I've had bone loss for which I'm taking clostoban.
My onc and I talked about the slight rise in cholesterol and he said he's not worried because of what is causing it and I suppose that it's not that high.
It seems we're always taking another drug for the drug that is helping us!
I hope diet helps you because the statins probably have a side effect also and how far do we go??
all the best
sarah

suzan w · 06-25-2009, 10:36 AM

my cholesterol also rose...no clue why! After trying to lower it with diet I finally gave in and am taking Lovastatin. Just another pill to help my body get its act together!!! Now I am dealing with a diabetes diagnosis! Oh, well, as my 86 year young friend says, "Every day I wake up breathing is a great day!"

Becky · 06-25-2009, 04:10 PM

High cholesterol can be a side effect of all AIs. My mom (who is on Arimidex) had high cholesterol before bc and took Lipitor. She now takes that and ANOTHER statin too (to keep it under control). Thankfully this didn't happen to me (I only got osteopenia, UTIs and vaginal atrophy)

Patb · 06-25-2009, 05:49 PM

I am also on a statin drug after two and a half years
of Arimidex. My cholesterol is going up slowly as the
days go by and its just another side effect of getting
it all together. Good luck.
patb

Laurel · 06-26-2009, 04:20 PM

Has any one tried taking Red Rice Yeast in caplet form? It has been shown to lower Cholesterol. My father uses this, garlic, fish oil, flax (in moderation Er/Pr + gals!) and has successfully avoided his internist's push to take a statin. Now his internist is a believer. My pop is in his early 80's!

AbbyDawg · 06-27-2009, 12:15 AM

After a lifetime of low blood pressure and low cholesterol, I had to start both statin and blood pressure meds after chemo and first year on Arimidex.

Years ago, (BC - before cancer) I even had to take meds to raise my blood pressure because it was too low. My cardiologist at the time told me to put extra salt on my food, but said if I ever told anyone he had told me to do it, he was going to deny it! smile. Now after being on several different BP meds, I still can't get my resting heart rate under 100-110.

Whose body is this that I am dragging around these days?!? Yesterday I convinced myself to buy a 24 pk of pop because it was only $1.00 more than a 12 pk. Nearly collapsed carrying it up the 15 stairs to my apt. and had to stop three times. Got in the apt. with a heart rate of 152 and a muscle spasm in my shoulder for the rest of the night and today. Who took my old body that could carry 80 pound bags of marble rock -- one on each hip -- and still have my hands free?!?

Seriously though, I am three years out from my double mastectomy, chemo, Arimidex, and 9 months on the Tykerb TEACH trial. I stopped the Arimidex a couple months ago cuz my body just said No More and I needed a break to scrape myself off the floor. Will I ever get my strength back?

Diane H · 06-28-2009, 08:32 AM

Same problems with the femara. Just hanging on one more year with it, ugh.

jhandley · 06-28-2009, 09:32 AM

Hi all
Just a reminder that statin drugs deplete Q10. So it is often worthwhile taking Q10 to counteract that effect of the statin. Lower Q10 in the body means rise in bp and heart rate.
Taking 100 mg of Q10 daily over a period of several months causes a heart rate 10 beats per minute lower and lower bp . My resting heart rate is 55 bpm and my blood pressure is 100/70. I have been taking Q10 for 8 years starting off at 50 mg and gradually building up to 200 mg a day(it also has anti cancer effect as well as cardio protective effect.) You cant take it if you are on warfarin and if you come off the Q10 it is best to do it gradually.
Cheers
Jackie (down under)

MJo · 06-29-2009, 01:39 PM

Thanks everyone. I have to investigate the red rice yeast. Sound like it can't have many side effects. We are the first generation to take Herceptin and Aromatase Inhibitors and I don't know what else. I get irritated when doctors tell me that there was no evidence of this or that in clinical trials. But I'm preaching to the choir. Oh AbbyDawg, you are in excellent shape compared to me. I'm certain you will get your strength back, but your days of carrying 80 pound sacks of marble may be over. And that might not be such a bad thing. Suzan I agree with you. I'm grateful to wake up every morning. And I am grateful that I had Est/Prog positive Her2 cancer in the days of Herceptin and Femara. 10 years ago I wouldn't have had a safety net. But dang, I hate having to trade off Femara and bypass surgery!

Patb · 06-29-2009, 05:10 PM

I tried Red Yeast Rice for five months and my cholesterol went way up without the statins,
the oncologist put me back on Vytorin, I cut back
on my lexapro and the hot flashes came back
so its back to Club Meds for me. You just have to
keep trying.
patb

AlaskaAngel · 06-30-2009, 03:45 PM

As Jhandley mentoined, statins do affect Q10, and Q10 helps muscle tissue like the heart.

In regard to cholesterol -- there are several different cholesterol readings (HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol as well as triglycerides) all of which are measured for good reason. So you can't just go by one. Mjo, how did each of yours read?

My total cholesterol is above normal. But my HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) is very high (a very good thing) and my LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) is very, very low (a very good thing). My triglycerides are above normal.

So how does all this measure up in trying to understand whether I am in good shape or bad shape, or somewhere in-between? Does the above normal total cholesterol and above normal triglycerides mean I should take a statin regardless of the good readings of the other two cholesterols?

My NP and I decided to have the cardiac CRP done as a way of measuring the condition of the blood vessels, etc. to use to decide whether I should start a statin. Interestingly, it came back as "low risk", indicating a low level of inflammation. I have refused the statin medication.

I take fish oil daily as well as some walnuts, a very small amount of real butter, and I use olive oil. I eat low amounts of omega-6 sources, and lots of fruits and vegetables. These do help reduce inflammation.

My marker also remains moderately low, and I continue to be NED at 7 years out. I know exercise also helps.

I don't know if any of this helps, MJo, but you might consider asking to have the cardiac CRP done for you to see what it might tell you and your provider.

Here is some helpful info previously posted about CRP:

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sho...&highlight=CRP