Femara and Crestor

One of the reasons I joined the blog was pain in my right foot. Finally I know why I have foot pain - I have a fractured foot! So that's all being managed now with wearing a special boot so I can walk. It took ages for a diagnosis - I even went off the Femara to see if that was causing my issues with foot pain. I am back on my medication now, but also taking Fish Oil, Calcium & Vitamin D each day to help my bones. Hoe everyone is doing OK out there.

Hi everyone

I would be pleased to hear from anyone who has Bone Mets and has used Femara for almost twelve months and is now on Tamoxifen. I did take it for the original Breast Cancer sixteen years ago  and was surprised when the Oncologist  after I mentioned the pain in my hip and feet  which may be Planter Faciitis or maybe not suggested that I should go onto Tamoxifen.I would dearly love just one day when I feel normal and without pain.

Thank-you morry

Hi,  I too am sorry to hear of your diagnosis.  I was diagnosed with a Grade 2 Lobular carcinoma just four years ago at age 50.  I had a mastectomy and a sentimel node biopsy done where they removed 4 nodes and found a tiny bit of cancer in one of them.  Five days later I had more surgery to remove another 12 and thankfully they were all clear. A month later I started chemo and had 6 treatments, 3 weeks apart and then radium for 5 weeks,  as my cancer was very close to the chest wall.  I had my yearly mammo and ultrasound this week and all was good.

I know only too well how you must be feeling.  I fell into a big heap for about a month.  I can only reiterate Debbie's good advice, go with the flow, take one day at a time and yes you will be stronger and life will be a little different.  There is still not a day goes by when I don't think about my cancer journey but I try to keep busy and have a wonderful network of family and friends.

Best wishes to you as you begin your journey.  Stay in touch and we can all help each other.

Jill    xx

Hi Morry,  I have been on Femara since February 2010 (prior to that I had 12 months on Tamoxifen).  Femara does cause aches and pains.  When I  first started on it I had trouble with my feet and ankles, especially first thing in the morning when I got out of bed.  I could barely walk, every step hurt so much.  After a few minutes I was able to walk much better.   These days the pain is much better but still there.  I must say I do feel better when I am standing and walking as I seem to seize up if i sit too long.  And of course,  I feel worse when it is cold. Walking is great exercise for the bones.  I play social tennis once a week and I have just started doing a couple of minutes skipping a day ( hoping as my fitness improves I can increase that).  My bone density is an issue on Femara and had deteriorated considerably since starting on Femara.  I now take a calcium tablet daily and am due for another bone density test in a few months. Morry I don't know how long you have been taking Femara but if it is only months the pain should improve.  I  think your pain is caused from Femara and I can only recommend doing some exercise as your body permits.  Best of luck with it all and keep us informed.          Jill

Hi, so sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  It is a lot to take in all at once and you will find things will progress very quickly now - just go with it and let the doctors take care of you.  There is no point wondering and stressing just now what your outcome will be - believe you will get through this major hurdle in your life, be positive and strong and once they get that sentinel node result you will have a better idea of what your treament will be. 

I am on the other side of the journey you are about to undertake - next month it is 5 years since I was diagnosed and even though I already believe I am cured will be able to officially say I am :)  I had a grade 3 Invasive ductal carcinoma - I had three surgeries but still have my breast. 30 radiations, and now 5 years of medication.

This journey is not all bad - you will find wonderful support from many different places, you will find an inner strength you don't know you have, you will find out your most caring friends and family and the people who can't cope with you being sick.  If you are having chemo can I recommend you get your wig organised as soon as you can as that was the one thing that really was awful - losing my long hair - if I ever have this happen again and I am touching wood as I say this I will have my head shaved and wear the wig straight away as it is quite awful when your hair comes away - you think it isn't going to happen then it comes off in chunks - not so good.  A silk bandanna is good for wearing around the house and you can wear that with a baseball cap or hat to have a swim and people hardly notice.

I found that if you are open it seems to make people more comfortable to ask you how you are.  I also found I had to be the strong one - my husband fell apart but was and is wonderful to me all throughout.

Good luck to you - I so hope all goes well for you, another pink sister.

Debbie x

Hi there, I have just joined the network. I was diagnosed last week with grade 2 invasive lobular carcinoma.  I am 47 and have 2 daughters, aged 12 and 15.  My family and I are still reeling from the shock.  I have been to see a specialist who has booked me in for a lumpectomy on 7 November.  I am so worried that the sentinal nodes will show ;positive yet the ultrasound scan showed that there was no sign of 'axillary 'lymphadenopathy'.  I would imagine that no one can confirm that until they take the nodes away.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  I never thought I would be here on this website asking for advice.  My life has completely changed in this last week.  I need to talk with people who are going through or have already gone through these first few weeks of the realisation that they have breast cancer.

Hi Jill

Thank you for that information it is just so helpful to hear from people who are experiencing the same symptons.

It will be interesting next month as the Oncologist has now put me on Tamoxifen instead of Femara to see if this will help. He is also talking about going back to Zometa rather than Xgeva. Do you ever feel you would just like a little stability in your life as I sometimes come away thinking I am just a Guinea Pig.

I did take Tamoxifen for five years when I was diagnosed with BC but now 16 years later it is Bone Mets.

Thank-you everyone for your input as it makes me feel I am not on my own out there.morry

Hi Jill

Thank you for that information it is just so helpful to hear from people who are experiencing the same symptons.

It will be interesting next month as the Oncologist has now put me on Tamoxifen instead of Femara to see if this will help. He is also talking about going back to Zometa rather than Xgeva. Do you ever feel you would just like a little stability in your life as I sometimes come away thinking I am just a Guinea Pig.

I did take Tamoxifen for five years when I was diagnosed with BC but now 16 years later it is Bone Mets.

Thank-you everyone for your input as it makes me feel I am not on my own out there.morry

Hi Dar Travelbug/Friends

I was pleased to hear your comment about Femara. For months now I have been having terrible pain in my feet and ankles and days when I can hardly walk. The Doctor said Planter Faciitis. Strangely enough I have been reading up on this subject from women who have Bone Mets and they say surely we all can't have Planter  Faciitis.I would love to hear from anyone if they have experienced the same pain in their feet. I still take Femara, Xgeva and Vit. D.It just takes the life out of me as I hesitate even to play nine holes of golf or go shopping.I think I would be relieved to just have someone say it could well be the Femara. Thank -you morry