Forum Discussion
Letrozole Joint Pain & Exercise
I've been on Letrozole since August 2018 and have had a lot of joint pain and for the last few weeks, soft tissue issues with my knee as well (area of an old ligament injury). I'm cautious about saying things are improving because I've been caught out before since starting the AI, but for the last week I've been doing some resistance exercises in front of the telly every second night (the weights are by the couch so inability to go and get them is no excuse). I have noticed a slight improvement, particularly in my knees. I'm just doing some of the weights exercises that the oncology rehab place I was attending last year during chemo, had me doing.
Mostly, since starting Letrozole, exercise has helped but only until I sit down again. This seems to be a bit longer lasting so, fingers crossed...maybe not...too painful...
I'm also trying to sign up for Encore again next term but may not get in if the number of newbies is too high. If I can't, I've decided that I will run my own one woman aqua group one afternoon a week on the way home from work. May even do that anyway if I can work out a time that I don't have to be dashing home for someone else's activity.
I'm ntending to check out an exercise class in a local town on Saturday (there! I've written it so I have to do it!) - I've explained that I have an aversion to gyms (their website alludes to people who love them) and they still think they can do something for me.
And it looks as though, after much going around in circles, an Adelaide Pinc & Steel physio will be running an SUP exercise programme at the end of the year and will contact me when it is more of a reality. Yay!
But, whatever else happens, I'm determined to keep up the weights at night.
Mostly, since starting Letrozole, exercise has helped but only until I sit down again. This seems to be a bit longer lasting so, fingers crossed...maybe not...too painful...
I'm also trying to sign up for Encore again next term but may not get in if the number of newbies is too high. If I can't, I've decided that I will run my own one woman aqua group one afternoon a week on the way home from work. May even do that anyway if I can work out a time that I don't have to be dashing home for someone else's activity.
I'm ntending to check out an exercise class in a local town on Saturday (there! I've written it so I have to do it!) - I've explained that I have an aversion to gyms (their website alludes to people who love them) and they still think they can do something for me.
And it looks as though, after much going around in circles, an Adelaide Pinc & Steel physio will be running an SUP exercise programme at the end of the year and will contact me when it is more of a reality. Yay!
But, whatever else happens, I'm determined to keep up the weights at night.
39 Replies
- And this one specifically on Trigger Thumb ... altho the lady didn’t have BC (she had a raft of other conditions that was treated with AIs.)
She ended up having surgery as both her thumbs were severely affected.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4479852/ - I picked up on that as well, @Sister Yes, I’ve bookmarked the page and will keep an eye on developments.
Hmmmm Just noticed that This document is nearly 10 years old ... I wonder where the results are?.
(Tho About bloody time someone looked in to it.)
This one is dated 2013
https://academic.oup.com/annonc/article/24/6/1443/180703
another one, 2015
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26059931
2017
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0187165
I just put this into google ..... quite a few bits to read over Easter!
Aromatase inhibitor induced arthralgia in early breast cancer - @Sister, you might have noticed the first was published in 2010 and the second in 2009. These are both respected medical studies, and this knowledge has been out there, and in lots of bespoke medical publications. This myth that is trotted out that the symptoms described are anecdotal is rubbish. It is a well known and established fact that people stop potentially life saving, or at least life prolonging treatment because of intolerable side effects, and it gets chucked into the "Too Hard" basket...basically suck it up or throw the dice and take your chances. As has been pointed out, if the majority of patients were men....well...that would be different. Research would be undertaken, solutions found (or other reliable alternatives) and lives would be both improved, extended or saved. Disgraceful.
- I can't say that I read all of the second article carefully (I can't focus on the technical language for too long these days) but what was highlighted to me is that the joint effects have never been focused on because no-one was "officially" asking the questions. Why are women dropping out of a treatment that is a lifesaver? No idea...
Alright, I'm being facetious but it's good to see that studies are being done and eventually it may be taken seriously enough that treatments are available. - Another (rather long), but very interesting article and study.https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00535439/document
- Sadly, @kitkatb ... Trigger Finger - and now Trigger Thumb (and other joint pain) is a really common problem with AIs .... and is quite debilitating. But it is 'over & above the general joint pain' that we get too - but it is never mentioned by our Oncs - yet they must hear about it every single day .....
It really needs to be investigated more thoroughly, as it is affecting our day to day lifestyle SO badly :( Every day, I am finding things I can't do - that everyone else just takes for granted, like pulling the tab off a Yoghurt Tub. Sure, I am 66, but I am not 'infirm' - I've lived with arthritis for 25 years - and it was NEVER as bad as this.
It is the meds & nothing else that is causing it. - Hi @arpie , fully understand how you must be feeling. 5 months on femara now and really starting to effect my right hand. Takes a couple of hours in the morning to get fingers moving. have to actually bend my thumb and fingers with other hand to move them and thumb joint actually clicking in and out. In the scheme of things I am lucky as things could be way worse but Grrr annoying. xox
- Great segue! I believe playing is helping mine too ... hence annoyed when the thumb wouldn’t bend as I do use it in some tricky chords.
- Good idea @iserbrown an ex phys will be able to develop a program tailored to your limitations and your needs. Check it out @Sister. I used one after i finished the ex-med program just to make sure i was on track with my gym program and she developed a 4 rotation program for me. It was great.
