HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Question about Continuing Arimidex past 5 years

caya · 03-31-2011, 05:07 PM

I saw my onc. today for my regular 6 month checkup. I was on Tamoxifen for 2 1/2 years, then switched to Femara - I'm on it a little over a year. I asked him about staying on it past the 5 year total (for both Tamox. and the AI). He said no, he wants me off it, there are no benefits at this time for me to stay on it. In fact, because I now have osteoporosis, and Femara is bad for the bones, he definitely wants me off it when the 5 year total will be up, basically June 2012.
Besides the bone loss, he also told me that prolonged use of Femara can be know to cause coronary heart issues, and between family history of heart disease, plus the fact that Herceptin can cause heart issues at any time, I think I will listen to him. I told him I was scared to go off it, but he assured me that as I am approaching my 5 year mark, and with all the chemo and Herceptin I had, being stage 1, node negative, the chances of a recurrence are low.
Of course, nothing in life is guaranteed - he told me he has had one patient who went 55 years between initial diagnosis and recurrence - you read that right ... fifty-five years. I guess that would make me 103 if I followed that woman's lead... OY!!

all the best
caya

03-31-2011, 05:07 PM	#12
caya Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Thornhill, Ontario Canada Posts: 2,320	Re: Question about Continuing Arimidex past 5 years I saw my onc. today for my regular 6 month checkup. I was on Tamoxifen for 2 1/2 years, then switched to Femara - I'm on it a little over a year. I asked him about staying on it past the 5 year total (for both Tamox. and the AI). He said no, he wants me off it, there are no benefits at this time for me to stay on it. In fact, because I now have osteoporosis, and Femara is bad for the bones, he definitely wants me off it when the 5 year total will be up, basically June 2012. Besides the bone loss, he also told me that prolonged use of Femara can be know to cause coronary heart issues, and between family history of heart disease, plus the fact that Herceptin can cause heart issues at any time, I think I will listen to him. I told him I was scared to go off it, but he assured me that as I am approaching my 5 year mark, and with all the chemo and Herceptin I had, being stage 1, node negative, the chances of a recurrence are low. Of course, nothing in life is guaranteed - he told me he has had one patient who went 55 years between initial diagnosis and recurrence - you read that right ... fifty-five years. I guess that would make me 103 if I followed that woman's lead... OY!! all the best caya __________________ ER90%+/PR 50%+/HER 2+ 1.7 cm and 1.0 cm. Stage 1, grade 2, Node Negative (16 nodes tested) MRM Dec.18/06 3 x FEC, 3 x Taxotere Herceptin - every 3 weeks for a year, finished May 8/08 Tamoxifen - 2 1/2 years Femara - Jan. 1, 2010 - July 18, 2012 BRCA1/BRCA2 Negative Dignosed 10/16/06, age 48 , premenopausal Mild lymphedema diagnosed June 2009 - breast surgeon and lymph. therapist think it's completely reversible - hope so. Reclast infusion January 2012 Oopherectomy October 2013 15 Years NED!!