9 years out & Goodbye Arimidex!

[tricia keegan]

For anyone not on Facebook I'm pleased to say my Mammo was clear so I'm officially nine years out now, also my Onc said she really felt I had done all I could, and done everything right and at this stage I should stop taking Arimidex and enjoy my summer!!:) She'll update me yearly anyway but she said the results of the study in taking it for longer than five yeara won't be in for 2-3 years and there's really not enough evidence for me to continue taking it (in view of me telling her I was going back on Glucosamine as the joint aches were getting worse, So, I have mixed feelings, scared to be losing my crutch after eight years but very excited too and hope it won't be too long before I feel "normal"....she did remind me I'm almost ten years older though lol!!

Tricia Keegan...From Ireland Dx July '05 IDC 3/9 nodes pos..triple positive..a/c x

[donocco]

Tricia

Congratulations. I can imagine the feeling of insecurity after stopping Arimidex. There have been reports after reports about the anti cancer action of Nsaids like Motrin. If your oncologist agrees perhaps you could take one 200mg Motrin tablet as a preventative. Also a Vitamin D supplement to keep the Vitamin D levels up. I remember an article in the American journal of Epidemiology where women who took Motrin (Ibuprofen) at least four times a week had a 50% decrease in their breast cancer rate. This was in the 1990s. Another anti-cancer supplement seems to be Selenium 200mcg daily. Talk with your oncologist about these.

Paul

[suzan w]

Congratulations Tricia!!! 9 years feels good!!

[lkc Gumby]

Congratulations and welcome to the 9 years club. Its wonderful.

[tricia keegan]

Thank you Linda and Suzan and I'll be sure to call her tomorrow and ask about that Paul! I do take calcium/vitd daily though and she prescribed an anti inflammatory although I can only take these for three days at a time she said to ease any pain due to my hiatal hernia which I take a daily Nexium for since the chemo.

[sassy]

Big congrats Tricia!

I took a break from Arimidex for a year following my femur stress fracture dx. My onc has now started me on tamoxifen. Still a safety net!

Best wishes

[Bunty]

Woo hoo Tricia! Enjoy your summer - I believe it's shaping up to be a good one.
Best wishes, Marie

[Pray]

How wonderful for you�� Gods blessings to you and yours��

[tricia keegan]

Thanks everyone and it'll seem odd not taking it after all this time. Rhonda did your joint aches improve while off it??

[chekmark]

Fantastic news, I never get bored with these stories, can't wait to be off of the femara but my oncologist is telling me 10 years, 7 to go, man that sounds like a lifetime but I plan on being here to post that I'm done like you did. So happy for you. Enjoy your summer indeed, enjoy life cancer free, cherish every day..... There is hope for us all...

[tricia keegan]

Thank you Chekmark and I'm sure you'll be posting here too one day, I was prepared for ten years on Arimidex but Onc said no studies out yet so we decided on a break for now:)

[Laurel]

Tricia,

You will feel improvement very soon. Just to squat down to pick up something from the floor without severe pain will surprise you, because my bet is you have become accustomed to the chronic pain. I have switched back to Tamoxifen after my 3 years of Femara. My joint pain is so much improved. I do take 2 caps of Tart Cherry Extract, which is a mild anti-inflammatory, to help when I overdo things! The aging process continues!

[caya]

Great news Tricia! You'll feel better soon - it took about 6 months after I was off Femara to realize that I had much more energy, my hair and nails were growing more quickly, just felt a lot like the "old" - read before BC - me!

all the best
caya

[Becky]

Congrats girl. I'm thinking about you.

[tricia keegan]

Thanks Becky, Caya and Laurel, Laurel you're so right and I've become so used to feeling ninety I've forgotten whats normal anymore!

My Onc said if I really want to go back on it after a few months I can, but its a good idea to take a break after eight years anyway.

[janieR]

Tricia

9 years. So very pleased for you.

Try and enjoy every moment of the summer and hope coming off arimidex you will feel somewhat better. You deserve it.

Janie

[tricia keegan]

Thanks Janie!!!

[CLD14]

Hello everyone...did any of you have your oncologist counsel you on what to do to help your bone health...once beginning Arimidex? Mine has just told me he will do a bone scan yearly to check...that aches most likely will occur.
I have been taking Vit D for some time, even before bc diagnosis.
Try to get calcium through my diet and do exercise/walking.

Have some arthritis going before bc also. Have not taken anything like Motrin on going...just grin and bear my aches....if I worsen because of the Arimidex sounds like Motrin will be added : )
Thank you
Cindy

[tricia keegan]

Cindy, I think its a Dexa scan your Onc will do, this will give a baseline to detect any bone loss and hopefully, its better to take calcuim and vit d together if possible daily and exercise if you can.

[CLD14]

Tricia,
Thank you : )

My diag. July 2013 (63 yrs old) .....sounds similar to yours.... IDC Stage III C Triple +

I have had chemo, lumpectomy, radiation
I have been on Herceptin and soon will be finished : )
All is looking well.

I wish you continued health and feeling better !
Cindy

[tricia keegan]

Thank you and I wish you the same Cindy, if you do have any joint stiffness a daily Glucosamine/Chondroitin may help!