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Post by Grits on May 26, 2009 10:56:26 GMT -5
Ok Ladies, I have that same often wondered about question... do I continue with my Femara or do I just quit it and take my chances? I'm almost 2 years into Femara (this August) and I'm really beginning to wonder if my quality-of-life is more important than what benefits taking the Femara is giving me. I have my Onc visit June 16th...also will have chest ct scans and bone scans on the 12th of June...will certainly plan on having a long conversation with my Onc on this same question. The problem is for the last four months i have seen quite a degeneration of my ankles, wrists and knees, and lately some pain in my lower back. After my Chemo and breast surgery in Sept 07 I never felt as good as I did then. I walked 3 miles a day, went to the Gym and did weight training and cardio...just felt exceptionally good. Nowadays I can't walk even 1/2 that distance before caving into the obvious pain in my ankles, legs and back. I'll wait for the results of the bone scans before blaming it on the Femara but I'm really thinking, after reading extensivelly on Femara that that's whats doing this to my body. My right wrist hurts me so much that it's almost completely worthless to me anymore...I guess I'm just not ready to feel this down-and-out and don't really know what to do about it. I do have a wonderful Doctor and he's a BIG quality-of-life advocate, so I'm going to ask him to be really honest and give me the pros and cons about this and then I'll take the time to weigh the facts and hopefully make the right decision. I just want to feel as good as I can for as long as I can, and I'm not doing that right now. Thanks for listening friends...I just mainly needed to get some of this off my chest and see what you guys think. Hugs, Jane
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Post by cara3 on May 26, 2009 17:32:50 GMT -5
Hi, girlfriend!!
Jane, you hit the nail on the head. Should we or shouldn't we?
I took Tamoxifen and sometimes wonder why. The statistics on the percent are low: something like 1/2 of 1%. I don't know about Femara.
I think about how my dad had chemo and rads at 85 years old. Now, what did this actually do for him? He lost 6 months of good health and may never be the same. The operation may or may not have taken care of the tumor, according to the doctor. Dad has chosen not to continue chemo since the operation.
Do you think that Femara is the reason for your not feeling as healthy? Or could it be that doggone operation and the cancer itself? I sure don't feel as healthy since my bout with cancer and cannot walk the distance or speed I did before BC.
I will pray for you as you make a decision.
God bless you, sweet-pea!
Kitty
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Post by Grits on May 26, 2009 19:32:04 GMT -5
Kitty, thank you for taking the time...with everything going on in your life...to respond. I agree with you that I will first be very sure in my own heart, and with my upcoming tests and Onc visit...that it is indeed the femara making me hurt like this. I've felt ok until about the last 6 months...but have been ignoring the pain, I guess kinda a "denial" thing! Lately it's all gotten worse and when I research the femara it all fits. I know, I know...the internet can be good and not so good, and that's why I'm going to take my Femara every night like I've done for almost two years, until I talk to my Dr and get some facts. If you think about it though, "all" the estrogen in my body is being taken away...wouldn't you think I'd be thrown into eary arthritis and similar aches and pains. The body is not supposed to be without estrogen...and it sure is letting me know about it. I just want to feel better...if this is the reason for me hurting like I do...well maybe it isn't for me. Anyway I'm going to make sure I do what my dr and I decide is best for me...will let you know...thanks again for your reply! Hugs, jane
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Post by julie on May 26, 2009 19:57:53 GMT -5
Jane,
I have been taking Femara for a couple of years - maybe 3 or longer!
I took Tamoxifen for a few years before the Femara - and my bones ache all over.
I don't have feeling in my fingers - they are numb and tingley.....when I walk, my legs ache.
I also take 2 tablets of calcium (one in the am and one in the pm) with the femara - it's suspose to help the bones....not sure if it does though.
After you have the heart to heart talk with your doctor - please let me know what he has to say about it - my oncologist is not very talkative.....I feel I haven't learned anything from him.
I consider him the "King of Prescriptions"....and that's about it.
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Post by Ruth on May 26, 2009 20:18:52 GMT -5
My dear girlfriends.............
You all are echoing everything that I am feeling........I am not taking Femara..........but I did take Tamoxifen for 5 years.........
I don't know if it is drugs, or the surgeries, but I haven't felt the "same" ever since I had breast cancer.....
You know Doctors will tell you it is from many different things....You are older, you have been through a lot, you "life" has changed..............GEEZ Louise....I don't know.......ALL I KNOW is that it is different since Breast Cancer...............I have never been the same...........
I hate to blame everything on BC, but, that's when it all changed. The eleven surgeries and anesthesias really messed-up my brain...lol.........Maybe it is my age, I'm 65 now, maybe it's because my bones are getting older (boy do they hurt).....but I HATE IT that I can't DO the things I used to do...........
This may be a good place for us to release all of our frustrations with getting older.................but, MAYBE, just MAYBE it is the Femara............If it is, I think I would leave it behind, unless it is controlling Mets...........
How do we ever know what is right or wrong?
Love,
Ruth
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Post by gaynelleorbunny on May 26, 2009 22:32:50 GMT -5
Hi Sweet Jane!! So SORRY that you and several others are having lots of ACHES & PAINS while taking Femara. I started Tamoxifen the day I had my first chemo and took it through the six months of chemo and continued taking it till I had been on it for FIVE YEARS. Then I began on Femara and will go off of it this August so will have been on it for FIVE YEARS at the end of August. I am one of the LUCKY ONES as I have NOT experienced any ACHES OR PAINS while taking either drug. As most of you know I have been POWER-WALKING 4 MILES DAILY since I was diagnosed in April '99 and joined a gym for DAILY WORKOUTS 4 years ago. I really never did WORKOUTS or POWER-WALKING until I was diagnosed but have been HOOKED ever since. I feel GREAT and STRONGER than I was before diagnosis. I am NO SPRING CHICKEN either as I will be CELEBRATING my 62nd YEAR on this PLANET coming up this June. I have NEVER FELT my age and have always said that AGE is JUST A NUMBER for HOW LONG you have been on this PLANET. Your MIND & SPIRIT are AGELESS. I hope no one thinks that I am BRAGGING because I am not. Just telling how these drugs have affected me. I guess I am one of the LUCKY ONES here. My HEART goes out to ALL of you who have suffered BAD SIDE EFFECTS from this THERAPY! You are ALL in my HEART & PRAYERS 24/7. GOD BLESS! KEEP THRIVIN' & SURVIVIN'! E-bunny ((Hugs)),  |
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Post by Grits on May 27, 2009 8:00:29 GMT -5
Julie, Ruth and E-Bunny, and of course my Kitty again too...thanks for your posts. Everything you say is so welcome on my end. Julie, I will definitely let you and all the ladies here know the results of my conversations with my Onc...I'm so lucky in that I absolutely trust him to point me in the right direction...he's always took the time and talked to me about anything I felt I needed to clear up...so this will be a very important next visit as I'll be making a very important decision for myself. Ruth, yes Sweetie getting older IS a drag...but when I talk to my 91 yr old mom about it she always tells me you have to really "work at it" to get going in the morning and get the blood flowing...but then again she says at 60 I shouldn't have to work a it as hard as I'm seemingly having to do. I don't expect to feel like 30 or even 40 again...I just know that in the last 6 months I've felt like I've aged considerably and I'm thinking the Femara might be playing a part in it. If that's the culprit, I'd rather get the facts and make a decision on whether to keep taking it or not. E-Bunny, how wonderful that you're doing so well...don't you worry about "bragging"...like I told Kitty in an earlier post, we're in this together and certainlty want to share in the not-so-good times as well as celebrate the good news! Thanks ladies for your replys...will let ya'll all know what happens next month with my tests and visit...Hugs, Jane
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Post by Mary on May 27, 2009 10:01:19 GMT -5
Jane, I took Femara for about 2 years, then stopped it after talking it over with my Onc. This was after 5 1/2 yrs. of Tamoxifen. The Femara was thinning my bones and making the aches much much worse. My Onc. was okay with me stopping it and agreed with me that quality of life was important and he felt I'd be okay without it. So I am now 6 yrs. out from stopping Femara and 13 yrs. out from my cancer diagnosis, and although I still have aches and pains (from fibromyalgia), I am doing pretty well, and still have no signs of cancer. I think you're doing the right thing by waiting until your Onc. appt. to discuss it with him. You'll be in my prayers to make the right decision for yourself.
Love,
Mary
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Post by sherrie on May 27, 2009 12:44:46 GMT -5
Forgive me Jane, but are you a mets patient? I'm so sorry that I can't remember if you are or not. I've been on the Femara going on 8 years now...only took the Tamoxifen 5 months before being dx with the bone mets. I'm staying on the Femara because I am a mets patient and it is working(PTL) for me! My onco. is even surprised that I have not had another occurence with the cancer somewhere else......and that the Femara is still working for me....she says it doesn't normally work this long for stage 4 patients.....I have other resources too I'm sure are part of the reason it's working for me.....(The prayers of many and the Good Lord answering them). I do have pains in lot of places, and I'm just 50 years old.....and people will say to me, when I say something about the aches and pains(I try not to complain) or about my memory failing me......they always contribute it to the age factor. I beg to differ with them on some of it....but they don't really understand cause they've never had cancer or chemo or the hormonal drugs we take to stay alive and cancer free.
I hope that if you're not a mets patient that you can come off the Femara and get a better quality of life.....if you're a mets patient though, I doubt the onco. would want you to go off it unless of course you're just wanting too for quality of life.
Hugs,
Sherrie
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Post by Grits on May 27, 2009 19:47:25 GMT -5
YES...in answer to your question Sherrie...I am a mets survivor...bone...I take infusions of Zometa every eight weeks for my bones and who knows...maybe that's something to ask about too, I've thought about that and will definitely bring that up in our discussion on my next visit in June...I'm writing down these concerns and will have a long and productive (I'm sure of, knowing my Dr like I do!) talk with my Dr before I make any decisions. I guess I'm just tired of feeling so "old" and it seems like it's come on all of a sudden, with no big major changes I know I've made in my lifestyle. It seems in the last 6 months I've aged 20 years...or so it seems most days! Yes, I agree with your "other" resources, and yes He's been working overtime with me as well...we musn't forget to thank HIM ...often!!!!!!! I'll let ya'll know what happens on my visit on the 16th...hugs, Jane
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