[Becky]

I have been on Arimidex 8.5 years. When I had my ovaries removed, I had my first Dexa scan that showed the beginnings of osteopenia so I started Zometa every 6 months. I also started being very serious about vitamin D. I don't know what my starting level was but since others in my immediate family tested low, I figured I did too. My levels are now above 60 and when that happened, my DEXA scans started reading normal so I don't get the Zometa anymore (my insurance probably wouldn't pay for it anyway since I had a normal reading). My onc thought this was amazing and never saw a woman who was ostenpenic change to normal especially with an ooph and an AI. He said while on an AI a good DEXA result is no change.

However, my mother is on an AI too and has bad osteopenia. She may actually have osteoporesis. She had been on Fosamax prior to bc and does Zometa now. She has been on an AI over 9 years and I have been pleading with her to stop because she broke a rib twice - one time from coughing too hard. She needs to be careful and I think enough is enough with the AI.

My mother also goes to an endocrinologist but she also has low thyroid (prior to bc) and benign adrenal tumors (but they cause a bit of havoc for her due to fluctuating adrenal hormone issues).