Side Effects Fermara And Tomoxifin

Hi,

I, too, was put on Tomoxifen but haven't started it as yet because of another new medicine at the same time.  I will discuss taking this next month when Ihave my mammogram.  I had a lumpectomy followed by radiation and was first put on Arimidex and had bad side effects, mostly stiff joints, I told the doc about it and she gave me Tomoxifen now,.  I feel reluctant to take any of these meds as I worry about bone loss.  I am 66 yrs old and cannot afford to have broken bones.  I am also in a dilemma, like yourself.  All these drugs remove hormones from the body which certainly will affect other areas of the body, but I guess to keep the cancer at bay, they are necessary.

\Good luck with your decision and God Bless.

 

 

Maryann 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kattt -

When / if you take Tamoxifen, take it with food. It doesn't need food to work but the first time I took it, I had a really upset stomach. Since then, I eat a little bit, take the pill and eat a little more. I haven't had any problems since.

TAM

 

On 6/22/2009 kattt wrote:

Would like to  know if anyone has tryed fermera and tomxifen ..what were there side effects.. I have a very sensitive stomach and also have mitrial valve prolaspe(mild). Also strokes run in the family..does anyone know which one might be better for me.. Would like to know what the side effects are on both drugs.Tryed fermera before  and gave me really bad body pains and aches.made dr's think i have fibro myalgia so it makes it worse they say. So now my dr.prescribed tomoxifen i am scared to take it  due to my stomach pain recently waiting for my stomach to feel better then i am going to try it.. Please let me know what side effects are from fermera ,tomoifen and arimadex.. Thanks ! 

I am currently on femara and have less side effects.  However, all of them cause body aches.  Femara seems to have less.  I took arimidex for two years and started taking only half of one, when I told my oncologist, he reccommended me trying femara.  I think you have to look for the one that gives you the least side affects.  After all, you have to take it for five years.  My sister-in-law has always taken arimidex with no problems.  I guess you and I don't have the same tolerance  as her with these drugs.  May God Bless you and hang in there.

 

 

On 6/22/2009 kattt wrote:

Would like to  know if anyone has tryed fermera and tomxifen ..what were there side effects.. I have a very sensitive stomach and also have mitrial valve prolaspe(mild). Also strokes run in the family..does anyone know which one might be better for me.. Would like to know what the side effects are on both drugs.Tryed fermera before  and gave me really bad body pains and aches.made dr's think i have fibro myalgia so it makes it worse they say. So now my dr.prescribed tomoxifen i am scared to take it  due to my stomach pain recently waiting for my stomach to feel better then i am going to try it.. Please let me know what side effects are from fermera ,tomoifen and arimadex.. Thanks ! 

I had a very low oncotype DX score stage I breast cancer. There was no lymph node involvement and yet it appears to be standard protocol to recommend Femare as an ancillary follow up to radiation. The Femara website lists the side effects as mild to moderate. I strongly disagree and I am working toward changing the FDA approval for Femara as the standard for all breast cancer cases. The side effects were beyond moderate, they were insidious, I went from slowly regaining my strength following radiation fatigue to taking Femara and finding myself with symptoms ranging from a 40 pound weight gain, elevated cholesterol count, hot flashes that could generate a small country and the worst of all; the symptoms that mimick rheumatoid arthritis. I have made it my mission to go online and contact as many women as possible regarding this drug and trust in knowing I am not alone in this experience. I took the medication from the end of Oct. - mid March and I have still not fully recovered. Some web pages indicate there is some discussion among oncologists that some of the side effects are irreversible. I know these drugs save lives, if you have no other options then you have nothing to lose. It simply stymies me that this particular medication actually stays on the market. It has already faced on class action suit when used for infertility. I DON'T RECOMMEND THIS TO ANYONE!!!!!

 

I have been on Femara for almost 3 years. The hot flashes eased. The bone pain did to. I also worry about the long term effects. However I think the tomoxifin is more dangerous. My sister took it for only one year, six years later she had a spot of cancer in her uterus. Her Dr. told her it was from the tomoxifin. My hair is very thin. I used to have very thick hair. The Femara does that. I am also 190 pounds, thanks to Femara. My Dr says I have to take it for the full 5 years. I think most of my problems are from the chemo and the CT scans they keep giving me looking to something to treat. The radiation from the tests are probably doing more harm than the Femara.

I do not take the drug yet.  I have been advised by a specialist to look in to it as I am a high risk.  I was reading, however, that tamoxifin should help with osteoporosis as with other areas of the body it gives estrogen.  Hope you are doing better.