Aromatase Inhibitors: Did you decide to go on them or not?

Posted by nanato6 @nanato6, Oct 12, 2018

Nanaloves: I’m about to start arimidex and just feel that the contraindications , bone issues etc. are overwhelming. I’m 70 years old, dodged a bullet I feel with zero stage DCIS but the follow up is pretty much no different then if it was more aggressive. I’ve just done 33 treatments of radiation and now they advise arimidex as a preventative. I’m not sure with the beginnings of arthritis and lower back. sensitivity already that I should take it. Anyone not take it and not have a recurrence within the 5 years.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group.

Thanks so much! Every time I call there I get a voicemail that's full or overwhelmed and no connection is made.

REPLY
@brinacarmen

Well In the past two years I went thu 24 rounds of chemo, 30 radiations and two major surgeries I bought great bands and maintained a lean body ( i refused the steroids & Benadryl they give you with chemo ) I fasted on chemo days ate lite day before and day after and did great, the first 12 rounds cause hair loss but I used the cold cap system and didn’t loose any. Thank God , the last 14 rounds didn’t cause hair loss but I started to feel majorly tired then towards the end I noticed I was feeling depressed , achy ,no energy gaining weight and I assumed the treatments had caught up with me and I would feel better when it was over but no I felt WORSE Tamoxifen starter in March. Chemo ended 6/16. So after months of severe fatigue , achy body everywhere, weight gain, depression , I looked pregnant. Dr finally took me
Off 10/13. I still feel awful and waiting for it to reverse itself. We are going to try Arimidex in January (just had my final reconstruction surgery yesterday YAY!!!!!!). Sorry about the long story but it’s to confirm it was tamoxifen that caused All
This

Jump to this post

I have no doubt that you were having side effects from Tamoxifen. I just pray that AI goes better for you. There will be changes but hopeful not misery.

REPLY
@auntieoakley

I have no doubt that you were having side effects from Tamoxifen. I just pray that AI goes better for you. There will be changes but hopeful not misery.

Jump to this post

Yes ! Me too ! Thank You so much for the support ! I so appreciate it

REPLY
@katehanni

Yes I made the change last week from the AI's to natural AI's which my naturopathic MD prescribed. It's a long list of supplements that all block aromatase, but my side effects to all three AI's made it intolerable for me.

Jump to this post

Can you list them please?

REPLY
@katehanni

I am trying to reach Mayo Clinic in Phoenix to get a second opinion as I'm just flabbergasted that the AI's, for those with bad side effects, didn't continue finding new molecules that could have less side effects! The bone and joint pain alone is frighteningly bad (for me)...

Jump to this post

I’m
With you !!! I couldn’t believe that would be my life for 5 years

REPLY
@brinacarmen

Can you list them please?

Jump to this post

If you don’t mind I would love to know what they are as I suffered immensely on tamoxifen

REPLY
@katehanni

Also, Turkey Tail mushroom (PSK is the active agent which is prescribed in Japan and the Japanese have a 4% lower mortality rate from cancer than we do in the US...Chrysin, DIM, Zinc, Grape Seed Extract etc. are all natural AI's.

Jump to this post

Oh ok I see list here ! I also take DIM & turkey tail

REPLY
@brinacarmen

If you don’t mind I would love to know what they are as I suffered immensely on tamoxifen

Jump to this post

Well I just came up with a thorough list, with citations and documents which I uploaded here:

Yes and you will see two key things: A whole host of supplements that are natural AI's and an entirely new diet meant to starve cancer by creating an environment in the body where cancer cannot survive. An alkaline Diet as opposed to an acidic diet, primary whole raw vegetables and alkaline reverse osmosis water. My hope is that by stacking up all of the natural AI's together, as my naturopathic MD has done, that will give a better aromatase inhibition than taking nothing since I cannot tolerate the AI's. The list will have a few citations (sorry I'm slammed at work) and will contain all the natural AI's plus natural immune boosters and dietary changes.
SuperSmart Natural Anti Aromatase Support: The AI's in that supplement which is prescribed in France, and effective according to the French cancer mortality tables are: See the attached photo of the label for this product. It's in French so I'll break down what each thing is:
- Chrysin: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7063143/ , DIM https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5059820/ ,
- GrapeFruit Extract: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-86599-z Zinc,
- Vitamin D (which in low levels causes increased breast cancer risk) https://themenshealthclinic.co.uk/using-natural-products-to-control-oestrogen/ there are citations within this UK article,
- "liberal Green Tea and Stinging Nettle Tea" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3074486/,
- Flax Seed (cited in above link) and many more see the label attached. Then whole raw flax seeds ground up (aromatase inhibition) for the best quality.
- Melatonin for my type of breast cancer: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2778514/#:~:text=Melatonin%20reduces%20the%20development%20of,inhibits%20aromatase%20activity%20and%20expression.
- Turkey Tail Mushroom, who's active ingredient (PSK) that is prescribed to every cancer patient in Japan and hey have 4% lower mortality from cancer than the US. The clinical trial was small but here it is: https://bastyr.edu/news/general-news/2012/11/fda-approves-bastyr-turkey-tail-trial-cancer-patients
- White button Mushrooms as AI's:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16740737/ I know there is a clinical trial but this article is just affirming what the prior trials showed. Grape Seed Extract: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16740737/

REPLY
@katehanni

Well I just came up with a thorough list, with citations and documents which I uploaded here:

Yes and you will see two key things: A whole host of supplements that are natural AI's and an entirely new diet meant to starve cancer by creating an environment in the body where cancer cannot survive. An alkaline Diet as opposed to an acidic diet, primary whole raw vegetables and alkaline reverse osmosis water. My hope is that by stacking up all of the natural AI's together, as my naturopathic MD has done, that will give a better aromatase inhibition than taking nothing since I cannot tolerate the AI's. The list will have a few citations (sorry I'm slammed at work) and will contain all the natural AI's plus natural immune boosters and dietary changes.
SuperSmart Natural Anti Aromatase Support: The AI's in that supplement which is prescribed in France, and effective according to the French cancer mortality tables are: See the attached photo of the label for this product. It's in French so I'll break down what each thing is:
- Chrysin: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7063143/ , DIM https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5059820/ ,
- GrapeFruit Extract: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-86599-z Zinc,
- Vitamin D (which in low levels causes increased breast cancer risk) https://themenshealthclinic.co.uk/using-natural-products-to-control-oestrogen/ there are citations within this UK article,
- "liberal Green Tea and Stinging Nettle Tea" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3074486/,
- Flax Seed (cited in above link) and many more see the label attached. Then whole raw flax seeds ground up (aromatase inhibition) for the best quality.
- Melatonin for my type of breast cancer: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2778514/#:~:text=Melatonin%20reduces%20the%20development%20of,inhibits%20aromatase%20activity%20and%20expression.
- Turkey Tail Mushroom, who's active ingredient (PSK) that is prescribed to every cancer patient in Japan and hey have 4% lower mortality from cancer than the US. The clinical trial was small but here it is: https://bastyr.edu/news/general-news/2012/11/fda-approves-bastyr-turkey-tail-trial-cancer-patients
- White button Mushrooms as AI's:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16740737/ I know there is a clinical trial but this article is just affirming what the prior trials showed. Grape Seed Extract: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16740737/

Jump to this post

Thank you !! Praying it works

REPLY
@katehanni

Well I just came up with a thorough list, with citations and documents which I uploaded here:

Yes and you will see two key things: A whole host of supplements that are natural AI's and an entirely new diet meant to starve cancer by creating an environment in the body where cancer cannot survive. An alkaline Diet as opposed to an acidic diet, primary whole raw vegetables and alkaline reverse osmosis water. My hope is that by stacking up all of the natural AI's together, as my naturopathic MD has done, that will give a better aromatase inhibition than taking nothing since I cannot tolerate the AI's. The list will have a few citations (sorry I'm slammed at work) and will contain all the natural AI's plus natural immune boosters and dietary changes.
SuperSmart Natural Anti Aromatase Support: The AI's in that supplement which is prescribed in France, and effective according to the French cancer mortality tables are: See the attached photo of the label for this product. It's in French so I'll break down what each thing is:
- Chrysin: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7063143/ , DIM https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5059820/ ,
- GrapeFruit Extract: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-86599-z Zinc,
- Vitamin D (which in low levels causes increased breast cancer risk) https://themenshealthclinic.co.uk/using-natural-products-to-control-oestrogen/ there are citations within this UK article,
- "liberal Green Tea and Stinging Nettle Tea" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3074486/,
- Flax Seed (cited in above link) and many more see the label attached. Then whole raw flax seeds ground up (aromatase inhibition) for the best quality.
- Melatonin for my type of breast cancer: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2778514/#:~:text=Melatonin%20reduces%20the%20development%20of,inhibits%20aromatase%20activity%20and%20expression.
- Turkey Tail Mushroom, who's active ingredient (PSK) that is prescribed to every cancer patient in Japan and hey have 4% lower mortality from cancer than the US. The clinical trial was small but here it is: https://bastyr.edu/news/general-news/2012/11/fda-approves-bastyr-turkey-tail-trial-cancer-patients
- White button Mushrooms as AI's:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16740737/ I know there is a clinical trial but this article is just affirming what the prior trials showed. Grape Seed Extract: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16740737/

Jump to this post

Hi Kate,
Thank you for posting citations as members were querying about. You will be able to add URLs to your posts in a few days. There is a brief period where new members can't post links. We do this to deter spammers and keep the community safe. I have added your citations, URLs and explanations to your post above.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.