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08-14-2011, 10:30 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Thornhill Ontario
Canada
Posts: 266
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Pain pain pain
Wanted to put my feelers out her to ask you about pain from Letrozole. I was on Femara for two years and then my insurance now covers only the Letrozole the generic brand. Oncologist said no problem same thing. I have found over the last six months I am in terrible pain at night. I know I have a frozen shoulder and am SUPPOSED to be doing exercises for this and I have been negligent with that. That arm is always painful but what I am finding now is that my whole body seems to ache all night. About six months ago I had a nagging pain in my left leg and my family doctor ordered bone scan and all was good except for a fractured rib. didn't know I had that but I did have a tumble hiking probably from that. When I get up in the a.m. feet are so sore can hardly walk. I know that we get lots of aches and pains from these meds but this is getting worse. We even bought a new mattress because thought that would help with shoulder. I asked my breast surgeon about pains last time I saw her and she said she knows that women complain that when you first get up you feel as though you are about 90 years old and then in a few minutes you move more freely. I guess I just wanted to vent here, anyone having terrible pains like this all night? I will be seeing my oncologist Nov and I will ask him about this, a friend said her oncologist changed her meds because of the pains and put her on something else and she said feels much better. I am going to go to my family doc soon if this doesn't let up. My husband said I should think about having another bone scan but I just had one six months ago and I dont know how often it is okay to do those. Oh well any info would be appreciated thanks ladies and gents Lois
__________________
August 2008
Lumpectomy left breast
1 tumour 0.9 cm
Her2 negative
lymph nodes negative
venous/lymphatic invasion absent
ER+PR-
Stage I Grade 2
Radiation and Femara
November 2008
Lumpectomy right breast
2 tumours .03 cm and .05 cm and extensive DCIS
.05 tumour Her2+
lymph node negative
venous/lymphatic invasion "indeterminate"
ER+PR low postive
Stage 1 Grade 2
January 2009
bilateral mastectomy
chemotherapy taxotere
Herceptin one year
Femara
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08-14-2011, 11:15 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,210
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Re: Pain pain pain
I think alot of us can identify with you, esp regarding the morning pain. I feel crippled when I wake up and it is so painful to walk at first.
You have different issues that need sorting out...various sources of pain. I also had a torn rotator cuff and exercise helped.
But the AI can be changed to a different one. I developed trigger thumb from Femara. Switched to Aromasin and it went away. I seem to have less aches and pains now. My onc said that the AIs are basically interchangable and one can switch around when SEs develop. We all tolerate them differently. I have one more year to go and hope to get to the finish line on Aromasin. Although I am blaming it for my recent weight gain!
Keep the faith.
__________________
Bonnie
Post menopause
May 2007 Core biopsy, Rt breast
ER+, Pr-, HER2 +++, Grade 3
Ki-67: 90%
"suspicious area" left breast
Bilateral mastectomy, (NED on left) May 2007
Sentinel Node Neg
Stage 1, DCIS with microinvasion, 3 mm, mostly removed during the biopsy....
Femara (discontinued 7/07) Resumed 10/07
OncoType score 36 (July 07)
Began THC 7/26/07 (d/c taxol and carboplatin 10/07)
Began Herceptin alone 10/07
Finished Herceptin July /08
D/C Femara 4/10 (joint pain/trigger thumb!)
5/10 mistakenly dx with lung cancer. Middle rt lobe removed!
Aromasin started 5/10
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08-14-2011, 01:50 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Ireland
Posts: 3,463
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Re: Pain pain pain
I've been taking the sister drug Arimidex for five years and hope to continue for at least another two, I had some bone/joint pain in the first year which has now eased, either that or I've simply learned to live with it!
I did'nt have shoulder pain though or pain at night, have you tried switching the time you take this pill, maybe at bedtime could help?
I also take glucosamine/chondroitin daily but it takes about six weeks to notice a difference, exercise also helps so I take long walks daily. I hope you get some answers soon, could this be a frozen shoulder or an issue unrelated to bc???
__________________
Tricia
Dx July '05 IDC 1.9cm Triple positive 3/9 nodes positive
A/C X 4 ..Taxol/Herceptin x 12 wks then herceptin 1 yr
Rads x 36 ..oophorectomy August '06
Currently taking Arimidex..
June 2011 osteopenia/ zometa x1 yearly- stopped Zometa 2015 as Dexa show normal bone density.
Stopped Arimidex July 2014- Restarted Arimidex 2015 for a further two years on the advice of my Onc.
2014 Normal Dexa scan
2018 Mammo all clear, still NED!
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08-14-2011, 04:54 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Thornhill Ontario
Canada
Posts: 266
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Re: Pain pain pain
Thank you Bonnie and Tricia for your comments. You have calmed me down as I was getting a little nervous here worrying something was brewing....Bonnie I have the exact same symptoms with the feet when I get out of bed, my feet just dont want to move! It takes a few seconds and then I hobble off..I will definitely ask my oncologist about switching my Letrozole when I see him in November. I am also going to try taking two advil before I go to sleep to see if that helps as well. I do walk every day with my dog but I have to start the exercises the physio gave me for the shoulder. I was wondering about taking Glucosamine I am going to check with the pharmacist to make sure it is okay with my meds. Thanks again ladies for your support as usual what a great website and caring bunch of women. Lois
__________________
August 2008
Lumpectomy left breast
1 tumour 0.9 cm
Her2 negative
lymph nodes negative
venous/lymphatic invasion absent
ER+PR-
Stage I Grade 2
Radiation and Femara
November 2008
Lumpectomy right breast
2 tumours .03 cm and .05 cm and extensive DCIS
.05 tumour Her2+
lymph node negative
venous/lymphatic invasion "indeterminate"
ER+PR low postive
Stage 1 Grade 2
January 2009
bilateral mastectomy
chemotherapy taxotere
Herceptin one year
Femara
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08-14-2011, 05:11 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,210
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Re: Pain pain pain
Lois, I dont think you should wait until Nov to enquire about switching meds. That's a long time to be uncomfortable. And the sooner you make adjustments, the sooner you will know if the AI is the source of the pain.
I know what you mean about shoulder exercises. SOMETHING ELSE TO DO! lol.
Keep the faith.
__________________
Bonnie
Post menopause
May 2007 Core biopsy, Rt breast
ER+, Pr-, HER2 +++, Grade 3
Ki-67: 90%
"suspicious area" left breast
Bilateral mastectomy, (NED on left) May 2007
Sentinel Node Neg
Stage 1, DCIS with microinvasion, 3 mm, mostly removed during the biopsy....
Femara (discontinued 7/07) Resumed 10/07
OncoType score 36 (July 07)
Began THC 7/26/07 (d/c taxol and carboplatin 10/07)
Began Herceptin alone 10/07
Finished Herceptin July /08
D/C Femara 4/10 (joint pain/trigger thumb!)
5/10 mistakenly dx with lung cancer. Middle rt lobe removed!
Aromasin started 5/10
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08-14-2011, 05:41 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Hershey, PA. Live The Sweet Life!
Posts: 2,005
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Re: Pain pain pain
Lois,
I have "Herman Munster" feet every morning, too! I try to remember to do stretching exercises of my feet before I try to stumble down the stairs. Otherwise, I think I do pretty well with the Letrozole. I know they think that women who take Vit D may have less pain. I take approx. 4000 IUs/day and I also take lots of oil caps, olive, avocado, coconut, and Fish. These are known to tamp down inflammation, so I believe they serve to help with the pain as well. I order them from SwansonVitamins. I only mention that because I find them to be so much less expense than other avenues. It is worth a try.
__________________
Smile On!
Laurel
Dx'd w/multifocal DCIS/IDS 3/08
7mm invasive component
Partial mast. 5/08
Stage 1b, ER 80%, PR 90%, HER-2 6.9 on FISH
0/5 nodes
4 AC, 4 TH finished 9/08
Herceptin every 3 weeks. Finished 7/09
Tamoxifen 10/08. Switched to Femara 8/09
Bilat SPM w/reconstruction 10/08
Clinical Trial w/Clondronate 12/08
Stopped Clondronate--too hard on my gizzard!
Switched back to Tamoxifen due to tendon pain from Femara
15 Years NED
I think I just might hang around awhile....
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