----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 2:20
PM
Subject: 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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