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jaykay · 09-18-2013, 12:52 PM

Hi Karen,

I was on Femara for 5 years and had the same joint stiffness, but mostly in the morning when first getting out of bed and after sitting for a while. Like Tricia, it didn't stop me from doing anything. It did contribute to my existing osteopenia and I've been doing Reclast every other year. I am holding my own on the bone front.

I am back on Femara again due to the 2nd breast cancer. I was originally put on Aromasin (a newer AI), but my body didn't like it, so my doctor put me on Femara. It's been almost 3 months and I haven't noticed anything different. I will also attribute the joint pain to the aging process :-).

I have found Femara to be MUCH easier for me than Tamoxifen was. I know others have had the opposite experience. We are lucky that we have 3 choices for AI's.

Best
Janis

09-18-2013, 12:52 PM	#4
jaykay Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 646	Re: Would You Choose Arimidex Over Femara? Hi Karen, I was on Femara for 5 years and had the same joint stiffness, but mostly in the morning when first getting out of bed and after sitting for a while. Like Tricia, it didn't stop me from doing anything. It did contribute to my existing osteopenia and I've been doing Reclast every other year. I am holding my own on the bone front. I am back on Femara again due to the 2nd breast cancer. I was originally put on Aromasin (a newer AI), but my body didn't like it, so my doctor put me on Femara. It's been almost 3 months and I haven't noticed anything different. I will also attribute the joint pain to the aging process :-). I have found Femara to be MUCH easier for me than Tamoxifen was. I know others have had the opposite experience. We are lucky that we have 3 choices for AI's. Best Janis __________________ March, 2000: 48, Post menopausal (5 yrs HRT) Left breast, IDC 3mm/DCIS 1.6cm, ER+/PR-/Her2+++, mod differentiated, MIB low, lumpectomy, node neg via SNB, rads=33 Stage 1a June, 2000: Tamox 4.5 years,Femara for 5 years (end in Jan. 2010) Sept, 2012: 61, Via mamm, ultrasound, biopsy, right breast, 2.3cm tumor, ER+/PR-/Her2+++, poorly diff, KI67 60-70% BRCA 1 and 2 negative October, 2012: Bi Mast with tissue expanders, port placement Final Path: IDC 2.8cm, DCIS, 1/4 sentinal nodes positive (@#$%). Stage IIB Nov 29, 2012: Begin TCH/6x/every 3 wks, H for 1 year/every 3 weeks. March 14, 2013: Finished chemo April 9, 2013: Begin radiation 28x May 22, 2013: Finished rads June 1st, 2013: Started Aromasin for 5 yrs. July 15, 2013: Switched to Letrozole (Femara). Probably for the rest of my life October 16, 2013: Exchange surgery October 31, 2013: Finished Herceptin December 5, 2013: Port removed Glad this year is over!