Re: [Wellness] FW: Femara vs Tamoxifen/memory issues

["Beverly D." <bdubrin@ca.astound.net>]

Title: Re: [Wellness] FW: Femara vs Tamoxifen/memory issues

Well, ladies, the timing was perfect....I had an oncology checkup today (all OK...isn't this a nerve-wracking event?) and asked my doctor about memory loss from both drugs. His reply: Yes it does happen basically because our poor brains are being deprived of estrogen with both drugs. The current evaluations reveal that Femara is causing it less tho.

The medical community is actually recognizing that this is happening and many doctors are putting their patients into special classes, much on the order of classes that stroke victims go to, to work on memory skills and developing other parts of the brain.

As one who went thru 5 years of Tamoxifen and now 6 months of Femara, I do not know if I have had memory issues...the next question, is how would I know, if I couldn't remember?

Hang in there ladies...hope this helps a bit and offers some Northern California thinking on the matter.

Beverly

At 1:36 PM -0400 8/15/04, Karen Patterson wrote:

> I know some of you have made this switch.  Can
> anyone offer help?
>  
> Here is the research I found when this question came
> up previously:
>  
> http://www.us.femara.com/index.jsp
> http://www.us.femara.com/info/index?hcp=no&page=about
> http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2001/ANS01064.html
> http://www.breastcancercare.org.uk/Breastcancer/Drugtherapy/Femara/WhenisFem
> araprescribed
> http://www.us.femara.com/info/page/stayinghealthy
> http://www.us.femara.com/info/page/stayinghealthy-menopausal
>  
> Also if you go to the archives and type in Femara you
> will see some conversations others had.  Good luck,
> Karen
>  
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: LRBogan@aol.com [mailto:LRBogan@aol.com]
> Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 12:39 PM
> To: Patterson@womens-wellness.com
> Subject: Femara vs Tamoxifen/memory issues
> Hi
> friends,
>
> I have been a member in this wonderful support group and have gleaned
> a myriad understanding of my disease. I have done extensive research
> all for naught it seems about switching from Tamoxifen to Femara.
> Basically I am wondering in any of you have had to get off of
> Tamoxifen due to serious mental and memory impairment; what I would
> describe as panic attacks, severe memory impairment, fear of sounding
> stupid in interactions with friends and coworkers due to a kind of
> "mind brain" separation. I took myself off of Tamoxifen and
> called my doctor immediately. It was I who suggested Femara. His
> response was, "OK, I will write you in a prescription." He
> actually saw me in that horrible condition and said, while he has
> never heard of this side effect, he did not rule it out.
>
> >From what I know about Femara, it is a medication that is prescribed
> after the five year use of Tamoxifen? Any responses out there; as I
> fear that I have taken myself off of the supposedly creme DE la creme
> of cancer medications.
>
> I was diagnosed with third stage breast cancer in April 2001.
>
> Lana

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