What are you taking?

penelopez · Senior User Joined: 11 Oct 2004 Posts: 165

Hi Friends,

I was just wondering what everyone "takes" if you don't mind sharing this information? "Inquiring minds" wanna know! LOL

This is what I take:

10 mg. Tamoxifen, twice daily - I've been so lucky...the only side effect I've had is hot flashes and they've diminished quite a bit.

70 mg. Fosamax, once a week. I started on Actonel a year before I was dx with BC. My PCP did this as a preventive measure. I had no side effects. Then, I received a letter from my insurance company stating they would no longer compensate me for that drug. Their alternative was Fosamax, so I switched. Again...very lucky...no side effects at all. And I've known women who have had serious gastrointestinal side effects.

750 mg. Glucosamine, daily

600 mg. Chondroitin, daily

10 mg. Ambien, at bedtime. When I was dx I was prescribed Ativan at bedtime (low-dose .5 mg.) and stayed on that for a while. Then my PCP had me try Trazadone (100 mg.) I had to stop taking it because it caused extreme dry mouth. The good thing about that was the fact that it's non-addictive. And now, the Ambien doesn't seem to be working. This has been my biggest problem.....trying to get a good nights sleep. Anyone else have trouble sleeping?

Thanks for sharing.

Hugs,

Margie

sgishelly · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 6:11 pm Post subject: Re: What are you taking?

Well, I'm not taking anything on a regular basis yet...

Just chemo....which has lots of side effects....too many to list here.

I will have to take Tamoxifan when I finish chemo so I'm curious to hear side effects of that medicine.

I can't seem to get them to give me anything to help me sleep. I keep asking and they keep telling me to try Benedryl. I know Benedryl will help me sleep but it also helps with my allergies and I don't want to diminish it's effectiveness in that regard.
_________________
Shelly
Dx Nov 1, 2004 at 40 y/o
Right MRM, Left Simple Mast. - 12/9/04
Stage 2A IDC -
Primary tumor 1cm
3+ / 14 nodes, ER/PR+, HER2-
34 rads - finished 5/25
chemo - AC and Taxol FINISHED 7/6/05
beginning reconstruction 2/06
brain mets 4/06 - now stage 4

AlaskaAngel · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 6:23 pm Post subject: Supplements and Meds

I did tamoxifen until I decided being HER2+++ and taking it wasn't the best idea for me.

No meds except occasional muscle relaxant, 1/4 of 10 mg, for old injury that really needs PT instead or with that.

Supplements:

Natural sunshine whenever I can get it, no more than 20 minutes each side
Days with no sunshine I take cod liver oil capsules for the vitamin D
Exercise 20 minutes a day
Flax seed fresh ground 2 tablespoons a day
Olive oil for cooking and salads
Small piece of liver once or twice a week
Multivitamin
CoQ10 50 mg a day
Calcium 1500 mg a day
Magnesium and selenium, low dose, 1/2 pill, alternating each one every other day
Antioxidant capsule
Frequent wild cold water fish
No red meat (other than liver)
No dairy
_________________
Dx Dec 2001 at age 50
Lumpectomy Jan 2002, 1.6 cm IDC plus some DCIS
Node neg
ER+, PR+, HER2+++
CAF x 6, 35 rads+boost
NED
Tamoxfen 1 3/4 yrs
In 2 clinical trials
bc for mom and 1 sis and 1 aunt and 1 granny
ovarian cancer for 1 aunt

Minnlady13 · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2005 10:08 pm Post subject: Re: What are you taking?

Hi Margie, I did five years of Tamoxifen, so that is behind me. However, I have an underactive thyroid, so I take Synthroid -- started at .1 mg now up to .125. My PCP has me on 70 mg of Fosomax for bone density, Wellburtirn for depression, at 25 mg diuretic (HCTZ) to help with slightly elevated blood pressure and Lipitor for my cholesterol. I am supposed to be taking 1200 mg of calcium + Vit. D daily but I seldom remember. I try to remember to take an aspirin and a multi-vitamin daily, too. I have tried Glucosamine Condroiten but did not see any improvement in my arthritis. When I remember, I try to take a fish oil capsule each day. I really need to organize all the pills into one of those daily reminder boxes so I don't forget to take them. Lauri
_________________
Diagnosed 4/11/1996
Lumpectomy, 6 mm tumor
Neg. nodes
ER/PR+
33 rads
Tamoxifen, 5 yrs.
NED

sam52 · Regular Joined: 11 Oct 2004 Posts: 21 Location: London, UK

I have been taking tamoxifen since August 2002 with NO hot flashes!!!
But have just been switched to aromasin as I have a large fibroid which will keep on growing on tamoxifen.

Supplements? - Calcium + Vit D
Selenium
Magnesium
Vitamin C

.....and Fosamax as I have osteopenia of the spine.

I eat no red meat, only free range chicken and fish.Been dairy-free for 3 years ( since diagnosis).

Blessings to all,
Sam x
_________________
dx bc Oct 2001
tx - mast, chemo(FEC+taxotere), 25 rads.Now on tamoxifen

ShelleyC · New User Joined: 20 Dec 2004 Posts: 7

Hi all,
I'm in the 5th month of tamoxifin, planning the five year run although that could change, who knows?
I also take 40 mg of Losec a day for acid reflux.
That's it for me!

DiO · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 1:44 pm Post subject: Re: What are you taking?

I'm on Arimidex since 7/04. Also take Advair and Singular for mild asthmatic cough which I've had for years, just diagnosed as being caused by asthma when it worsened during chemo.

Supplements:
600mg calcium + D to supplement dietary dairy foods
one reg aspirin
multivitamin
1000mg glucosamine
100mg vit B6

Was taking the supplements before bc dx and have just continued them. B6 was for mild carpal tunnel symptoms which have gotten worse on the Arimidex, glucosamine for joint pain in feet which I've had for several years--helped some by surgery in 97, about the same since Arimidex.
_________________
God Bless, Di

IDC 12/03 at age 55
lumpectomy, SNB 12/18/03
2cm tumor, 1/6+node, stage 2, grade 2 er/pr+ her2nu-
4 AC, 4 taxol, dose dense
33 rads
Arimidex started 7/04

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