Arimidex

Hi Moira

When you say that's all you have now, did you have a lot more pain which has subsided with time? My doctor keeps trying to make me last it out but as time goes on the pain gets worse not better then I arc up and stop taking it. Aromasin seems less painful but gets me badly at night and now in my third month I find I'm getting out of bed to take painkillers so I can sleep. The weight gain is really ticking me off too. Funny us girls, when we are sick and the weight falls off we freak out, then when we're getting better and weight goes on, we freak out! Go figure!

thanks to Kathleen and Ruth;  you're right, a good laugh works wonders.  I'll hunt something out to watch later tonight.  your word are a great comfort to me xx

Hi Kathleen,  I thought that your advice to Bella was spot on.  This is a great site to vent your feelings and we can be here for each other.  A good comedy is good for the soul.  I agree wholeheartedly.  I have a very demanding hypchondriac Neighbour who tried to wake me at 3 A.m. (thankfully I have a Cpap machine and didn't hear her) to get me to run her to the Hospital.  She annoys me every day and it was starting to get to me, so your suggestion rang a bell for me as well.  Sometimes I just find that things get to me and I feel like I'm on a merry go round and can't get off, so thanks for helping me to see past that as well.  Regards, Ruth

Hi everyone, I have been on holidays and have just caught up with some of the comments.  I agree with shortlionruth's comment about "just because we look okay, etc.".  People don't understand;  they think that you're imagining the pain, or you're a hypochondriac or any other number of scenarios.  I'm feeling quite down at the moment;   After a few days walking on holiday, I was in so much pain from one of my knees that I survived most of the holiday on painkillers and a knee brace.  I was so depressed I would be bursting into tears all the time;  (still am ) and to add insult to injury developed incontinence, possibly because of the effort of getting up and down to go to the toilet.  I'm hoping that will improve as the knee gets better.  I have to remind myself to be grateful to be here;  but I am sure that people think once you have finished your treatment you're better;  however, the after effects and the side effects of medication are too numerous to list;  and I don't think half the GPs have any idea what they are;  and to some extent that's fair enough, because we're all different.  Mentally I think I'm the worst I have been since diagnosis - which was just over two years ago.  I will be seeing the doc in a couple of weeks and will have a long chat.  Actually I just re-read shortlionruth's comments;  you're saying exactly what I'm trying to say, but waffling.  

You are certainly not crazy.  It's good that we can discuss our problems on here, because People think that when you finish your treatment and you're still alive that you should just get on with your life but it's not that easy.  I am greatful for surviving but I feel old before my time.  I suffer from poliarthritis which means that I have artritis in all my joints.  Just because we look okay, doesn't mean we are not still suffering  You hav to go through the cancer experience to know what it's like.

I read on the information leaflet in the box of Arimidex that urine infections can be a side affect and because the tablets leave you with little or no eostogen, it affects you more.  I think we are guinea pigs and everyone reacts differently.  I don.t think the Doctor's are aware of all the side affects either.

I know what you mean about wishing that we didn't have to take these drugs.  The side affects aren't very nice but I feel more secure knowing that they decrease the cancer returning.  In my case, I have a gene mutation where my Relatives have had the cancer return in 5 years or less and have not survived, so for me it is worth putting up with the pain and seeing my Children and Grand-Children grow up.

That's really very interesting Ruth as I got them a lot on Arimidex and feel like it's coming back on the Aromasin yet when I asked my doctor I was told that there is no connection. Of course, I don't believe it!

I get the shoulder pain too on Aromasin. On Arimidex I also got pain in a lot of other areas. There are blogs stating pain in the feet when waking or sitting for too long on Arimidex and I got this too. Feeling a bit crazy is normal when everyone else has it, not so crazy maybe!