after 5 years on AIs, what?

[sarah]

One more year to go?
Next year will be my 4th year on the Aromatase inhibitor, Femara. Since I've read an article on this site saying you have to balance the AI and Herceptin or the other one will uptick, what happens? Is there something to take after you finish 5 years? or should you stop both Herceptin and the AI? and wait and hold your breath! can you change to a different AI?
I'm sure this must have been discussed at length already on the site but my searching didn't come up with this.
thanks for any thoughts, experience or whatever
sarah
HER2+++, ER+, PR+
invasive cancer recurrance in 2004

[Trudy]

I have taken Femara for 5 years now and I am wondering if anybody has continued
taking this medication longer than that? I remain cancer free and just don't know what to do next. My oncologist is also not sure, as there are no statistics yet in this regard.

Trudy

[Kim in CA]

I have been on Femara going on six years in April. I have been NED for a little over 2 years now, but no where near ready to feel comfortable enough to stop taking the Femara or Herceptin.

Unfortunately, it looks like we are in uncharted territory when it comes to this stuff, guinea pigs if you will....But I'm thankful just to be here and guess I will just deal with whatever comes along, whenever it gets here.

My last bone density showed that I was just reaching the osteopenia stage, but I guess that's not too bad considering the high dose chemo that through me into menopause at age 42 almost 11 years ago.

Kim

[sarah]

thanks Kim, I feel the same. I want to continue on Herceptin and Femara but wonder what they will say here.
I guess most people on this site are ER- since you are the only who has an answer.
sarah

[dhealey]

I have been on arimidex first, now aromasin since last March, having many side effets with both. Wondering what happens if you can not take these drugs? Arimidex caused such joint pain it was difficult to do my daily tasks and work. Aromasin is causing extensive bruising and joint pain. I have read the femera side effects are about the same. I cannot imagine being on these for five years and feeling so bad. Don't know what to do.

[sarah]

Have you tried taking your AIs at night? I take Femara at night. Have had bone loss but now I'm also taking Clastoban which has helped that - improved the bone.

[Barbara2]

I'll post a question I asked of Dr. Pegram this past Spring:


Are the AI’s apt to stop working over time?


No, in fact right now they’re doing studies of 10 years vs. 5 years because in contrast to Tamoxifen which does apparently sort of “stop working” after 5 years, the AI’s may be a different story. They may continue to work. They work for at least 5 years and now there are big studies looking out to 10. There’s some theoretical rational why longer might actually be better with AIs. There may be a little hint of something that comes out from the longer term studies by next year.

[Lani]

years, was recently refuted in the ATLAS study I believe. I will try to post a link to it.

[Lani]

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/567735

AIs have not been used long enough to have similar figures for their efficacy.

[sarah]

well I know all of us ER+ will be anxiously waiting to get the news on AIs for longer than 5 years.
sarah

[Cathya]

I am currently on Arimidex and plan to switch to a different one when my five years are up. I would also be on herceptin indefinitely if it were not for heart issues. I can't imagine any metatastic patient being without these drugs for the long term?

Cathy