selling and joint pain

I was diagnosed with stage 2B breast cancer in September 2009.  Had a lumpectomy and 14 lymph nodes removed.  Have had four rounds of adriamycin and cytoxin and 37 radiation treatments.  Finshed all that in March 2009.

Have been on tamoxifen since March 2009.

Have a lot joint pain, especially in my hips and legs as well as leg cramps. Also very swollen under my armpit and in my breast and down my side as well as very sore.  Doctor feels like it is from radiation.  Has anyone else out there had this problem?

check back thru the message threads on tamoxifen (and aromasin) - you'll find that many women with the same pain problems.  It's the tamoxifen.  It so completely interferes with estrogen in the body that the bones and joints don't get enough of the hormone to remain healthy.  (We do need SOME estrogen to keep our bones and skin healthy.)  A lot of the drs say the bone/joint pain will go away after a certain period of time.  That's usually not true.  I advise you find a naturopathic practitioner, get off the tamoxifen,  and go the natural route to reduce estrogen availability to stem cancer growth and prevent recurrence.

I have been on Aromasin for almost 4 years now (4 in January) and this past year has been the best.  I do have stiffness in the morning but the pain has diminished.  I suffer from neuropathy in hands and feet but that has gotten better over the years as well.  Check out the Naturopath as Trehouse suggests and see what works best for you.  I stick with the drugs because I'm afraid of re-occurance.  I was stage 3C with Lobular which can show up in the other breast later on.

Actually, Tomoxaifin does let some hormones in, it just changes the cell structure so that the body reads it differently.  Aromasin completely stops any hormones from entering the body.  Check out NBCC for information on how those 2 drugs work.  I learned that at a workshop I went to through NBCC. 

Good luck to you in either decision and pray for the day when we find a cure.

Teresa