Forum Discussion

happysayls's avatar
happysayls
Member
14 years ago

Femara

Its now 4 yrs on since being diagnosed with breast cancer and still awaiting bilateral reconstruction. I'm just wondering if there's anyone else out there likI me.

The last week has probably been one of the worst since diagnosis, Since the chemo, the radiation and the Tamoxifen then the Femara.... I am now a 46 yrs old woman who feels like I'm wearing the body of an 80yr old.

I have constant problems with my eyes due to chemo knocking our all the oil glands on my eyes, there are also changes that the Specialists says are quite common with people taking Tamoxifen which weren't there less than 12 months ago.

My right hand is nearing uselessness with my thumb and ring finger now locked....apparantly due to the medication. I suffer pain in my shoulders and hips also. I am sounding quite whiney, I know, but I guess I am at my wits end with frustration. I am a working mother of four children my youngest started prep this year.  I collapse into tears because my hands are too painful to do my daughters hair.

Is anyone else having any of these problems??? Does anyone have any helpful suggestions???

Should I just get a grip?? I'm not normally a whinger but it seems to be getting the better of me...Sorry.

10 Replies

  • Chris's avatar
    Chris
    Member
    13 years ago
    Hi Nick, now that I have been on Femara for over 2 years, most of my symptoms have eased. I still take 2 fish oil capsules a day, but I do not have aches and pains anymore. My fingers are still a little stiff in the morning, but my trigger fingers are now only mild, and I have strength back in my fingers for gripping things now. I do not remember having side effects from Tamoxifen. To go onto Femara the Dr will want to make sure you are now menopausal, as this drug works differently to Tamoxifen, and to my knowledge they like you to be fully through the menopause. A blood test can confirm this. As Femara removes very last trace of estrogen from my body, I now have very dry skin, and vagina, my bone density is decreasing, and I am sure my hair is thinning as well. These things also happen with menopause, so it is hard to know I which is the culprit. Maybe both together. Love Chris xx
  • Nick's avatar
    Nick
    Member
    13 years ago

    Hello all,

    I have been on Tamoxifen for almost 2 yrs and thinking of switching to Femara. I am 47, was hoping I could get my period back after these treatments, but now I just want to be without side-effects, or have less! I still have neuropathy from chemo treatments 2 years ago, stiff hands and feet, sore legs, dry eyes, fatigue, etc... the list goes on. And I have had serious chest pains that I still don't know if it was digestive or heart related.

    Anyhow, just wondering if it is worth it to try Femara... 

    I eat fish twice a week and take flaxseed oil & Vit.D. As a yoga instructor, I pratice yoga daily. I think I would be worse off without it. It has been a huge positive in my life since the diagnosis. I also practice meditation most days, it helps a great deal with my mood, pain and general well-being. I've also started working out at the gym, which has been quite a challenge for me (I prefer the great outdoors :), but I feel alot better since doing so. It strengthens the bones and is good for the mind. 

    Any advice you might have on the switch from Tamoxifen to Femara, or if there are other any other meds out there that might be gentler, would be greatly appreciated.

    Be well girls. Keep the positive attitude, and keep breathing :)

     

     

     

  • Nick's avatar
    Nick
    Member
    13 years ago

    Hello all,

    I have been on Tamoxifen for almost 2 yrs and thinking of switching to Femara. I am 47, was hoping I could get my period back after these treatments, but now I just want to be without side-effects, or have less! I still have neuropathy from chemo treatments 2 years ago, stiff hands and feet, sore legs, dry eyes, fatigue, etc... the list goes on. And I have had serious chest pains that I still don't know if it was digestive or heart related.

    Anyhow, just wondering if it is worth it to try Femara... 

    I eat fish twice a week and take flaxseed oil & Vit.D. As a yoga instructor, I pratice yoga daily. I think I would be worse off without it. It has been a huge positive in my life since the diagnosis. I also practice meditation most days, it helps a great deal with my mood, pain and general well-being. I've also started working out at the gym, which has been quite a challenge for me (I prefer the great outdoors :), but I feel alot better since doing so. It strengthens the bones and is good for the mind. 

    Any advice you might have on the switch from Tamoxifen to Femara, or if there are other any other meds out there that might be gentler, would be greatly appreciated.

    Be well girls. Keep the positive attitude, and keep breathing :)

     

     

     

  • happysayls's avatar
    happysayls
    Member
    14 years ago

    I had my first infustion of Zometa yesterday....OMG!! Due to a less than flash bone density test, it was decided that I needed to have Zometa once every 6 months. As I'm sure a lot of you will understand.... just walking into the oncology day unit was incredibly difficult. After the infustion I felt OK, not too unwell, bit of pain in my legs but nothing too drastic.  I awoke at about 3:30am, exactly 12 hours after my infusion, to feeling nauseous and very ill. I felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and every bone in my body was aching. Without waking my husband I went into the shower to stand under the hot water to try and ease the pain and to warm up, I was shaking with cold. After dropping to my knees in the shower as I was about to pass out, I thought, what the hell am I going to do now.  My husband must have realised something wasn't right and he came in to find me a blubbering mess on the shower floor. With all the chemo I have had, I honestly don't remember ever feeling this sick.

    The shaking and chills remained for a good hour. Today, (the day after) I have been in bed all day with high temperatures, very painful chest and back and generally feeling like crap.

    So, I write this as a warning to other women who find themselves in my position. First of all, the Dr. told me it was an "injection", and the information sheet they give you tells you that you may suffer flu-like symptoms.

    It was only my personal investigation and talking to other women who have had this drug that prepared me, somewhat, for what I was to go thru.

    I'm seriously thinking of writing a book called, "Things I would do differently".

    They tell me that the first lot of Zometa is the worst, however, I can honestly say that I'm still not sure if my appointment in 6 months time will be kept!!

    Just sayin!!

  • Jaci's avatar
    Jaci
    Member
    14 years ago

    Have been following comments about side effects of Femara.  I have been on this drug for almost 12 months.  The oncologist also prescribed another drug Bondronat (an bisphosponate) which is used to couter-act the effects of the Femara.  Still have some bone aches and pains, but part of that is of course the cancer in the bones being secondaries.  When asked straight out the oncologist advised that the Bondronat is used to temper or counter the effects of the Femara.  Ask your doctor about this.  I got the impression from the doctor and the breast care nurse that these two ususally went  together.  Bondronat can be taken daily as a tablet or via infusion from what I read.  Hope this is useful information to some of you.

  • Jaci's avatar
    Jaci
    Member
    14 years ago

    Have been following comments about side effects of Femara.  I have been on this drug for almost 12 months.  The oncologist also prescribed another drug Bondronat (an bisphosponate) which is used to couter-act the effects of the Femara.  Still have some bone aches and pains, but part of that is of course the cancer in the bones being secondaries.  When asked straight out the oncologist advised that the Bondronat is used to temper or counter the effects of the Femara.  Ask your doctor about this.  I got the impression from the doctor and the breast care nurse that these two ususally went  together.  Bondronat can be taken daily as a tablet or via infusion from what I read.  Hope this is useful information to some of you.

  • jo1234's avatar
    jo1234
    Member
    14 years ago

    Funny stuff really, we have to laugh at these side effects dont we. Yes Chris turning over in bed is just so hard, i have to hold onto the head board and semi lift myself over. I wonder why and what happens to our bones or muscles  with this cancer medication. It has got to be strong stuff .  I dont think it is arthritic as it feels totally different than my arthritis pains.  Hope you get some answers and look forward to seeing what he says .  Take care  and Thanks. cheers Jo xx

  • happysayls's avatar
    happysayls
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi Jo, in answer to your question.... after chemo, surgery and radiation I was on Tamoxifen for about 2 years which I didn't have any trouble with. After having a hysterectomy I was taken off Tamoxifen and put on Arimadex. I was on this for abIout 6 months before I stopped taking it.  I was a mess. I was in soooo much pain in my hands especially, my husband would come home to a blubbering mess of a wife and he would massage them for me..(love him!).

    I saw the oncologist and told him I couldn't do it any longer as the pain and aches all over my body were sending me into such depression (which I have never suffered from before).  He the changed me to Femara, which apparently has less side effects.  I beg to differ.

    I see my oncologist early March so I will discuss it then, but like you, I was always a pretty healthy person before being diagnosed with cancer.  I didn't/wasn't sick even when I was diagnosed....but since the treatments and the drugs I feel like an old woman.  Sometimes I wonder whether I'd be better off not taking anything. Who knows?!

    Heather

  • Chris's avatar
    Chris
    Member
    14 years ago
    Hi Happysayls and Jo, I too am well and truly over Femara. I am 53, and started femara 6 months ago after 4 months on Tamoxifen and 4 cycles of taxotere and cyclophosphamide. I had a dreadful time with dry eye during chemo, but this problem had been with me for some time before chemo. Chemo really exacerbated it, but now it is back to pre chemo days. I find Refresh liquifilm drops very soothing. I didn't get side effect from femara till I had been taking them for 3 months. Now I feel like an old lady. My legs ache, and I'm very stiff in my joints, so getting up out of a chair or out if the car is difficult. I also find turning over in bed hard and I wake up stiff in the morning. I can not crouch down as I can't get up again, and I am also struggling with the the stiff fingers and the starting of trigger fingers, which sounds like what you have Happysayls. I can still open and shut them , but they sort of clunk open and shut and are getting caught along the way. I find that taking fish oil has taken the edge off the pain. Over Christmas I went off fish oil as I was having my reconstructive surgery and fish oil is a blood thinner. I was off this for about 4 weeks, and my side effects were much worse, so I am now back on it. Next week I see my oncologist and, boy, do I have some questions for him. I will post anything he can tell me re this Femara. I want to know whether this pain is arthritis, or side effects of the drug, and will it ever ease up. Good luck ladies with this drug. Love Chris xx
  • jo1234's avatar
    jo1234
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi, i too am at wits end, so dont feel like you are whining. I  also feel like i am wearing a body of a 80yr old and i didnt even have chemo to trigger the effects. I dont know if it is the Tomoxifen or Zoladex or radiation or just life?. Up until recently my bones were mainly aching in my feet & legs, now  the pain has gone into my hips and lower left side of my back, enough that i struggle to get out of bed or off the lounge. It only lasts 5 mins or so as walking seems to ease the pain. Seriously  I am curled over so much i would put my 97yr old grandmother to shame.  I know its not arthritic pain but could it really be side effects from the medication?  I am booking a appointment with Doctors next week as something is going on with my body and i don't like it.  I am only a couple of  years older than you and i really feel i am on my way out.  Did  you go on Tamoxifen  and Zoladex to start with? and how long was it before they put you on Femara?........Femara sounds just as bad as Tamoxifen. I was never sick before i had cancer. Hope you can find some relief with your pain soon as four years is pushing it don't you think. I'm still under my first 12 mths .

    Good luck and cheers Jo xx