Arimidex

[Jacqueline]

I finished radiation th. a few months ago, for DCIS + IDC 0.6 cm, clear nodes & margins, ER/PR+, Her+. My onc. recommends Arimidex. As I'm premenopausal, I will need to go into menopause chemically. I am very allergic/sensitive to many things, and am worried about the side effects. Now I read that some women have metastases despite Arimidex. Can anyone tell me what their experiences are with Arimidex, Zoladex (?) and side effects? I need to make up my mind soon. Thanks for your help. Jacqueline

[Lisa]

That's the frustrating part of this disease to me. So many choices. Yes, some women will still get mets after Arimidex. I did, but I didn't take it 5 years AND my mets turned out to be ER- unlike my original tumor which was ER+. So it wouldn't have mattered how long I took it. Other women on Arimidex will never get mets. The same would be true for those women who do NOT take Arimidex. So damn many possibilities...

If you trust your doctor, follow his/her advice and your own instincts. My side effects on Arimidex were two-fold: weight gain and (primarily) very achy joints. After 1 year of Tamoxifen and 6 months of Arimdex, I quit taking it. The joint aches can be a common side effect, I was told.

One question, why is your doctor just now recommending Arimdex?

Love and healing light,

Lisa

[celina]

Lisa, I'm not totally certain of this, but was told that Armidex is NOT something that would be taken during chemo..not sure why. In fact, I was under the impression that these "maintance" drugs are taken once chemo is completed.

[celina]

Jacqueline,
My sister was on it for 3 months with no side effects at all. It didn't work for her, but I know that it can be very effective for some.
Good luck with your decision.

[Al]

Hi Celina.
I posted a response to this question earlier:
I just asked the same question today about stopping arimidex, from my wife's second (consulting)oncologist. She said that hormonal therapy may have the opposite effect on chemo we might expect. My non-professional interpretation: the chemo is supposed to target fast dividing cells. Arimidex will cause the (cancer)cells to slow-down or stop replicating. This may actually protect the cancer cells from the chemo by causing the cancer cells to act like normal ones. I hope this helps.
Al

[jacqueline]

Thanks for your input. My surgeon consulted with bc specialists who recommended just lumpectomy and radiation. Then the Netherlands' National Cancer Institute, where I had my radiation tx did a Fish test and came up with her2 pos. So I asked my radiologist about it, he asked an oncologist, and then they recommended Arimidex. It's supposed to work better than Tamoxifen, but I dread the side effects. Having been very ill for years because of food intolerance and allergies, I started working and functioning normally again 4 years ago. It's hard to become ill, but even harder to get better and then go back to being a virtual invalid. I might not get these side effects, I know, but so far I got all the side effects with every kind of meds I ever tried.

[Lydia Diaz]

Hello! I am nearly a 3 year survivor (with node involvement)who has been on Tamoxifin but recently my onc switched me to Arimidex. I'm 47 years old now and have stopped having periods since chemo was done back in 3/01. My concern is that all that I read about this drug states that it is for post-menopausal women only. I've had a clean bill of health since chemo & rads done, but I guess my question is--am I considered post-meno? I plan to speak to my docs again, because maybe I'm just missing something. Thank you for all help you can provide and God Bless! Lydia

[al from Canada]

Dear Lydia,
All of the research has shown that Arimidax is a far superior drug to tamoxifen. If you haven't had a period for over 2 years, I would think you are post-menopausal. In any case, there is a test the doctor can give you, (the name escapes me), that will determine your hormonal status. If you can get it, arimidex would be the drug of choice.
Good luck,
A.