Femara - To take or not to take...

I cant find you at all on there!! in fact not one glenis mcdougall....??

My current pic is of my husband and our little grand daughter and she has a pink rain coat on...

Today I feel like **** .   Bone ache like you wouldnt believe........ Im back in perth next monday... I have to have the bone density scan/ herceptin infusion and heart scan....

Huff Im over it!! x

Yes,I know how you feel - ticking time bomb.Alot of the time I can forget about it but whenever talk of future plans comes up I don't feel confident to make them. Going by my first bout of breast,it took me about 2yrs to mentally"get over it". I'm not sure what you had or when but give yourself time.I was taking flaxseed tabs after doing alot of research.It is supposed to reduce tumour growth.However,there is a question mark about taking it with tamoxifen so I have stopped.The oncologists don't seem to know about natural products nor do they want to.I try to keep an open mind.I find it interesting that my cancer returned after 7yrs.At the 6yr mammo it was all clear and I stopped flaxseed for some reason.Within 1 year it grew back to 3cms.I'm also a believer in high stress levels depleting your immune system and leaving you more vulnerable to cancer cells growing.Every woman I've talked to that has breast cancer can report being highly stressed about 18mths before their diagnosis.Interesting ay?

                                     Tonya xx

Glenis.... I find this site a little frustrating too. are you a face book user? If you are why not add me? and at least we can chat more freely?Ally Gill Western Australia..... Looking for ward to finding you xx

 

Wow Tonya.... thats pretty awful. I am settling into the femara now.... Been on it for 2 mth, apart from the dizzy spells Im not too bad, .

Flaxseed? I havent heard of that being helpful. I know you can get bread with it in there already would that be any benefit if taken that way?

Oh this thing is so awful, I feel like I am just waiting for the next stage to happen.... sitting on a time bomb... I hate it!

 

Ally

I had trouble putting a profile picture on until I scrolled all the way down the page and pressed "save"-bingo!picture came up.Yes,Femara is pretty awful.I tried  it 8 years ago and couldn't stand it after a month.I was 47 then and nothing agreed with me so just took flaxseed tabs.After about 5yrs I stopped flaxseed and 2yrs later my cancer came back in the same spot would you believe.Anyway,had to have mastectomy,chemo last year and am now on tamoxifen.It seems to be agreeing with me.

                                               Tonya xx

Wow!! I have been back onto my profile and I cant work out how on earth to change my picture...so I cant answer your question!! I pride myself at being pretty good on these things... but this has got me!

Where are you? are you in the US?

Headaches still persist.... weight gain,...and downright 'fedupness' with all of this... I hate hate hate this thing..... Bad few days...:(

I believe my Onc said that Femara is a pharmacy name.... and Letrazole will be available soon made by other companies, so may be available under a different name..

Hope this helps in some small way? Take care of yourself

Ally

 

 

Wow!! I have been back onto my profile and I cant work out how on earth to change my picture...so I cant answer your question!! I pride myself at being pretty good on these things... but this has got me!

Where are you? are you in the US?

Headaches still persist.... weight gain,...and downright 'fedupness' with all of this... I hate hate hate this thing..... Bad few days...:(

I believe my Onc said that Femara is a pharmacy name.... and Letrazole will be available soon made by other companies, so may be available under a different name..

Hope this helps in some small way? Take care of yourself

Ally

 

 

Hi there Glenis,

I am glad you found the site!!

Im sorry to hear you are having a bad time with Femara. So far I have been taking it a month. I have had hand tingles and water retention& headaches.. I spoke to my Onc and he suggested to see how I go for another mth, then if Im not happy he will try me on Tamoxifen. mmmm at least he listens to me!! more than yours does! I would be asking to see another Onc and get another opinion .... Au has had Femara for approx 5 yrs I believe.

I hope apart from this, you are doing ok? I still have good and bad. My hair has started to grow back, but is very patchy and thin..... I had lovely thick hair....:(

Good luck to you... and please keep in touch  theres so many of us out there....

Hi there Glenis,

I am glad you found the site!!

Im sorry to hear you are having a bad time with Femara. So far I have been taking it a month. I have had hand tingles and water retention& headaches.. I spoke to my Onc and he suggested to see how I go for another mth, then if Im not happy he will try me on Tamoxifen. mmmm at least he listens to me!! more than yours does! I would be asking to see another Onc and get another opinion .... Au has had Femara for approx 5 yrs I believe.

I hope apart from this, you are doing ok? I still have good and bad. My hair has started to grow back, but is very patchy and thin..... I had lovely thick hair....:(

Good luck to you... and please keep in touch  theres so many of us out there....

Hi Ally,

Well, after taking femera for a week I had a rash on my arms and legs, and a terrible itch in my groin and I generally felt terrible so I stopped taking it.  I have now finished my radiotherapy treatment and am due to see my oncologist next week.  I have spent some time reading about the side effects of these drugs and have discussed this with my husband at some length and decided that I will not take femera again.  I may try another option if the oncologist suggests it but if I still get bad side effects I will stop that as well.  I cannot see any reason to take a medication that can decrease my quality of life with only, according to the statistics, a small reduction in the risk of the cancer returning. Regardless of my decision, you need to discuss this with your partner, family, GP or other person you can confide in and come to your own decision. Find out as much as you can about the drugs and their side effects and don't be afraid to ask your GP or oncologist about the percentages that your risks are reduced based on your cancer figures. I would be interested in your eventual decision if you feel you want to let me know.  I wish you well in your fight and hope that you come through this challenging ordeal.