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01-13-2009, 08:58 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Wilmington, Del.
Posts: 1,126
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Cholesterol
After 2 1/2 years on Arimidex and 4 months in the Femara study, I registered a spike in my cholesterol level on my last blood test. I am off the drug for two weeks and will repeat the blood test. My weight is normal and I eat low-fat, so it's likely not my diet. Not sure what will happen. Anybody have this happen?
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MJO
IDC, Stage I, Grade 2
Oncotype DX Score 32
Her2++ E+P+, Node Neg.
Lumpectomy 11/04/05 Clear Margins
3 Dose dense AC (Couldn't tolerate 4)
4 Dose dense Taxol & Herc. (Tolerated well)
36 weeks Herceptin (Could not complete one year due to decrease in MUGA score)
2 years of Arimidex, then three years of Femara
Finished Femara May 2011
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01-13-2009, 05:21 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Louisville KY
Naples FL
Posts: 665
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Yes, my cholesterol went up. I have been on Arimidex
2years and 3 months and now take a statin drug. Just
another side effect from the arimidex. I was eating healthy and exercising but that did not lower the cholesterol.
patb
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patb
Diagnosed June, 06, Stage I, Grade3, ER+PR- Her2positive, No Nodes. A/C X 4. Radiation 33 with boost, Herceptin every two weeks until Nov.
07, Arimedex for 5 years. Mugas and Echo and chest xRay. Bone scan of whole Body, and Back of Brain and spine MRI.
CT scan of Lungs every six months
due to two small places. December
2009, bone scan due to bone pain.
Follow up test in 2010.
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01-13-2009, 06:16 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Virginia
Posts: 116
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Hi,
I've been on arimidix for two years now and my good cholesterol went down (40)while my bad cholesterol went up (124). My doctor is waiting to see if it improves. I am not overweight as a matter of fact I hit the gym at least 4 times/week. Before arimidix I had very low cholesterol (65) so it about doubled. I am in the process of trying to learn more about foods which may improve the good cholesterol. From what I've been reading the good cholesterol may be more important than the bad. Let me know what your doctor does with the info.
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Melissa
04/06, (42), 2cm tumor, 7/13 nodes, one positive node under clavicle
mastectomy/reconstruction
grade 3, stage lllb, er-65+, pr-90+, her2+++(80%)
4/AC, 12wks TH then 6wks rads
40 wks herceptin, and tamoxifen.
onc test tamoxifen resistance = poor metabilizer
04/07 ooph & on arimidex
08/07 completed herceptin
04/2022 - 16 year survivor!
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01-14-2009, 10:11 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Wilmington, Del.
Posts: 1,126
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Liver enzymes, cholesterol, you name it
I went to my primary care doctor today and she told me my liver enzymes were very elevated. Like 150 above where they should be. When the oncology nurse told me my cholesteroal and liver enzymes were elevated, I didn't pay much attention to the liver part, because my enzymes always go up and down a few points. But they've never been this high. The primary care doc told me, and I got very upset. The fear never goes away. I hope I can continue to take Femara or Arimidex.
__________________
MJO
IDC, Stage I, Grade 2
Oncotype DX Score 32
Her2++ E+P+, Node Neg.
Lumpectomy 11/04/05 Clear Margins
3 Dose dense AC (Couldn't tolerate 4)
4 Dose dense Taxol & Herc. (Tolerated well)
36 weeks Herceptin (Could not complete one year due to decrease in MUGA score)
2 years of Arimidex, then three years of Femara
Finished Femara May 2011
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01-14-2009, 03:12 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Virginia
Posts: 116
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Mjo,
It sounds like you are having the same issues as me. My liver enzymes are also high. The different enzymes change, sometimes one is high the other normal and then it changes. At first my onc sent me to have a scan and the liver looked okay. My onc said arimidix would not cause a spike in liver enzymes. Since then I have talked to others who have also experienced high choles/liver enz so I think he may be wrong. I did read that arimidix could cause high cholesterol. So maybe arimidix could cause high cholesterol and high cholesterol then causes high liver enzymes. Arimidix may cause the domino effect. I also worry about not being able to take arimidix, Keep me posted.
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Melissa
04/06, (42), 2cm tumor, 7/13 nodes, one positive node under clavicle
mastectomy/reconstruction
grade 3, stage lllb, er-65+, pr-90+, her2+++(80%)
4/AC, 12wks TH then 6wks rads
40 wks herceptin, and tamoxifen.
onc test tamoxifen resistance = poor metabilizer
04/07 ooph & on arimidex
08/07 completed herceptin
04/2022 - 16 year survivor!
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01-14-2009, 06:40 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Naples FL
Posts: 1,747
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my cholesterol also went up, am now taking lovastatin, 40 mg a day. And NOW my blood sugar is going up.....
__________________
 Suzan W.
age 54 at diagnosis
5/05 suspicious mammogram-left breast
5/05 biopsy-invasive lobular carcinoma with LCIS,8mm tumor,stage 1 grade 2, ER+ PR+ Her2+++
6/14/05 bilateral mastectomy, node neg. all scans neg.
Oncotype DX-high risk
8/05-10/05 4 rounds A/C
10/05 -10/06 1 yr. herceptin
arimidex-5 years
2/14/08 started daily self administered injections..FORTEO for severe osteoporosis
7/28/09 BRCA 1 negative BRCA2 POSITIVE
8/17/09 prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy
10/15/10 last FORTEOinjection
RECLAST infusion(ostoeporosis)
6/14/10 5 year cancerversary!
8/2010-18%increase in bone density!
no further treatments
Oncologist says, "Go do the Happy Dance"
I say,"What a long strange trip its been"
'One day at a time'
6-14-2015. 10 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!
7-16 to 9-16. Extensive (and expensive) dental work done to save teeth. Damage from osteoporosis and chemo and long term bisphosphonate use
6-14-16. 11 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!!
7-20-16 Prolia injection for severe osteoporosis
2 days later, massive hive outbreak. This led to an eventual dx of Chronic Ideopathic Urticaria, an auto-immune disease from HELL.
6-14-17 12 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!!
still suffering from CIU. 4 hospitilizations in the past year
as of today, 10-31-17 in remission from CIU and still, CANCER FREE!!!
6-14-18 13 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!! NED!!
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01-15-2009, 06:40 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Wilmington, Del.
Posts: 1,126
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Thanks for the reassurance. Last night I had to use the ice cream cure for anxiety. At least it was weight watchers brand. In my research I see that 3% of Femara users get a spike in liver panel. That's the initial research. I bet as time goes on the 3% will go up. I was taking Femara and also a mild does of Abilify for mood. Abilify also effects/affects liver. I hope my blood test gets back to normal. If not I will need a scan. I had been considering myself well and unlikely to recur until I got this reminder. I think I'm fine, but the reminders aren't pleasant.
__________________
MJO
IDC, Stage I, Grade 2
Oncotype DX Score 32
Her2++ E+P+, Node Neg.
Lumpectomy 11/04/05 Clear Margins
3 Dose dense AC (Couldn't tolerate 4)
4 Dose dense Taxol & Herc. (Tolerated well)
36 weeks Herceptin (Could not complete one year due to decrease in MUGA score)
2 years of Arimidex, then three years of Femara
Finished Femara May 2011
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