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Re: Tamoxifen Issues
Kimsmo,
Such severe side effects are not common but they do happen, as you know (wry smile). What is your menopausal status? I'm guessing you'll be offered an AI (aromatase inhibitor -- Femara, Arimidex, or Exemestane) if you are definitely postmenopausal, and perhaps ovarian suppression with an AI if you are not.
There's no way to know if you'll do better on an AI except to give it a try. Even within the same class of drugs, some women do better (side-effect-wise) on one vs another, but figuring that out is again a matter of trial (take the drug and see) and error.
There was an interesting study a few years ago about switching from one AI to another to reduce side effects. It was effective in many cases (alas, I don't remember the percentage). But the interesting part to me was that the switching was equally effective no matter which one was switched to or from. There's someone on this list who reported that she takes one AI until the side effects (muscle/joint pain) get too bad and then switches to the other -- back and forth. I thought that was a clever solution.
Good luck, and let us know what comes of your conversation with your oncologist, okay?
Debbie Laxague
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