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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Breast Cancer / June 2005Does Arimidex Cause Arthritis?
I took Arimidex for about a year & a half, during which time my body was extremely inflamed, itching, painful, & kept getting worse, ..... until the drug almost killed me. As a result, I've MANY health problems & concerns now, that I didn't previously have, such as acute lymphedema. It also seems that every muscle has been damaged & weakened, & will get inflamed quite easily, making it most difficult at times, to walk around, to move & function. Recently, I've another health problem. The first joints on two fingers (forefinger of left hand, middle finger of right), are swollen, hard & painful. Can Arimidex also cause a rheumatoid-like arthritis? I super-do-not appreciate having been used as a guinea pig, for this extremely harmful drug. The FDA should never, ever have allowed it onto the market, without warning how dangerous & deadly it is. Susan, Su_Texas my opinions PS I hope the Pharma companies & doctors will start taking into account, the extreme harm that their drugs do, & how negatively this affects overall health & quality of life. I don't know the answer to your question, but it has been a long time since you posted here. Other then the fingers how is it going ? Alex From: usenetgirl@gmail.com (alex) I don't know the answer to your question, but it has been a long time since you posted here. Other then the fingers how is it going ? Alex ======================== Hi Alex, It's good to see you. I hope things are going well. As for me, don't ask. (groan) So far, things continue to worsen. The public corruption, crimes & meanness here in the East Texas, West Louisiana area, ...... are constant, nasty, are very destructive to & costly for the victims of it. I strongly advise people to avoid Texas & Louisiana, due to the major public corruption (DAs, judges), the major corruption in law enforcement & such. It's a no-win situation here in the "BibleBelt", if you have any good morals or scruples. It's a hypocrite's hate & harm haven. And it sux. So far, the FBI & Texas Rangers want to look the other way. They refuse to investigate public corruption, the crimes done by the DA & his buddies. I keep working to get an investigation, to get some safety & protection. I'd advise people Not to come to Texas or Louisiana for health care, because of the lack of quality controls over the medical industry here, & the lack of recourse for the patients/victims afterwards, ..... & also because of the Crime Rule. Most things here are rip-offs, that are being enforced by the criminals in govt. It's extremely difficult to survive here. Susan, Su_Texas my opinions > I took Arimidex for about a year & a half, during which time my body was > extremely inflamed, itching, painful, & kept getting worse, ..... until [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Can Arimidex also cause a rheumatoid-like arthritis? ----------- I had to stop taking Arimidex because it exacerbated the bursitis in my hip to the point where I could not walk. Joint pain is a known side effect. I also have noticed swelling and deformity in a few of my finger joints, but it's not painful. It didn't occur to me to blame the Arimidex, although it did occur to me to blame my previous chemo treatments. Eva Arimidex & Such Maybe whatever illness, disease or disorder, which you were going to get in old age, ..... is activated & triggered to happen now, by the cancer drugs & treatments? Or maybe these meds change/mutate something inside you, so that you get disorders you normally wouldn't have? -------------- There is still so little known about the human body, & the effects of drugs on it, ..... that it seems such a serious risk to take any medication for any reason. Yet the pharma corporations & doctors will overly-push & promote drugs, to make sales & drive up their profits. They should have to refund all money paid, for drugs that don't work, plus pay damages for drugs that harm. Medical care should be about quality care, & not about pushing bad products & services. Once we get back the right & power to sue for medical malpractice & neglect, & win, ..... it will be about quality. ------------------------- The finger joint-pain really hurts. Since I started taking Arimidex in mid to late 2002, my feet have been painful, easily injured & inflamed. My ankles & legs will start hurting & spasming at night, so an orthopedic surgeon gave me a boot-type brace to wear for it. My wrists hurt & get inflamed too, & he gave me a brace for that. I bought braces at Wal-Mart for the knees when they get inflamed & hurt, which is often. This could be some condition like rheumatoid arthritis. ??? Between this & my injuries, this has proved a nightmare. ------------------ The chemo, radiation & cancer drugs, also messed up my teeth, & I have cavities often now. Plus they messed up my stomach, which has caused burping, more nausea & vomiting. Why don't the oncologists tell us about this, before we begin treatments, & give us some options, some choices, ..... instead of their repeating: "Trust me. I know what I'm doing." Ha! And: "If you don't trust me & cooperate, you won't get any cancer care." "We have standard procedures, nothing else." The docs just follow the "recipe" for cancer treatments, that the govt & special interests (corporations & their lobbyists), put out, ..... & they act mostly brain-dead, cold & dumb. Why can't they just explain things up-front, & allow us to make more-informed choices about our health, our quality of life? They don't even have tests to determine which kind of breast cancer we have, such as, the kind which is fast or slow growing, the kind which needs treatment & that which doesn't. They just "shoot" us all with the same harm-filled "bullets", regardless. How kind. They don't even have tests to see if their cancer meds & treatments work, if the cancer is gone or not. --------------- The pain from this, (both physical & emotional), hurts an awful lot tonight. Susan, Su_Texas my opinions > Why don't the oncologists tell us about this, before we begin > treatments, & give us some options, some choices, ..... instead of their [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Why can't they just explain things up-front, & allow us to make > more-informed choices about our health, our quality of life? ----------- Well, I have to say my experience wasn't as bad as yours. My oncologist did give me a pretty good overview of what the possible side effects of the chemo drugs could be, and I felt like an active participant in the treatment planning process....although, as it turned out, the effects of Taxotere on me were worse than anything she had ever seen in a patient before. So one informed choice I've made is that if, God forbid, my cancer recurs, I will never take Taxotere again. Eva >> Why don't the oncologists tell us about this, before we begin >> treatments, & give us some options, some choices, ..... instead of their [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > will never take Taxotere again. > Eva I have to say that I don't know whether I tood Tamoxifen orArimidex or a combination but I had no side effects which I could attribute to my medication. When I hear people suggesting that such and such happened because of a certain drug - over a long period - I wonder why the drug wasn't stopped at the first sign of problems, then the patient and doctor would have known if there was a link, cause and effect. This applies to all medication and conditions, not just breast cancer and its treatments. Mary > > .... My oncologist > > did [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > I > > will never take Taxotere again. > I have to say that I don't know whether I tood Tamoxifen orArimidex or a > combination but I had no side effects which I could attribute to my [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > This applies to all medication and conditions, not just breast cancer and > its treatments. ----------- Actually, I was scheduled to have 4 Taxotere treatments, and the oncologist asked me if I wanted to stop after 3. It was I who chose to have the 4th treatment despite the awful side effects. I made that decision because I could see and feel how much the drug had shrunk my tumor. Yes, if did me a lot of damage, but I also knew it was saving my life. I had a huge Stage III tumor, and Taxotere shrank it down to *nothing*. But if, God forbid, I should turn out to have metastases and no hope of a "cure" or "remission," I would not use Taxotere to prolong my life. I have only been able to endure these side and aftereffects by knowing they will abate over time. Eva > Arimidex & Such > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Or maybe these meds change/mutate something inside you, so that you get > disorders you normally wouldn't have? My personal (non-scientific) theory about this is pretty simple: Menopause (characterized by reduced estrogen in circulation) has a wide variety of possible symptoms. If we're menopausal, and have ER+ BC, we get to take an aromatase inhibitor like Arimidex, which reduces estrogen even further. It just makes sense to me that we'd get menopause-type symptoms, only moreso. Menopause can trigger or accelerate memory problems, increased tendency to osteoporosis, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, vaginal dryness/thinning, stress incontinence, joint/tendon problems, and more. I have a hard time thinking of this as an evil plot by doctors. Reducing our estrogen levels, statistically speaking, appears to dramatically improve our disease-free and overall survival. It also has some undesirable side effects, most of them less severe than death. Maybe someday medical science will figure out how to get us the benefits, without the side effects. But we're not there yet. Ann T. Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email > My personal (non-scientific) theory about this is pretty simple: Menopause > (characterized by reduced estrogen in circulation) has a wide variety of [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > I have a hard time thinking of this as an evil plot by doctors. Oh, very well put, Ann. I tried to think of how to say that, simple really, thanks. > Reducing our estrogen levels, statistically speaking, appears to > dramatically improve our disease-free and overall survival. It also has > some undesirable side effects, most of them less severe than death. > > Maybe someday medical science will figure out how to get us the benefits, > without the side effects. But we're not there yet. But we're far, far closer to it than when our mothers were younger, or grand mothers or ... We're very fortunate, I think. And we're privileged to be playing a part in collecting knowledge which will benefit our children and grandchildren and ... Mary > Ann T. > Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email AP Thorsen and others are wise to balance the BC drugs with the promise of extended survival and to understand that some side effects may be related to aging more than to the drugs. I did get cataracts in my early 60's--often thought to be a side effect of Tamoxifen. However, many, many people get cataracts even though they are typically older than I was. However, my understanding is that Arimidex is costly to bone density--I was tested before and after two years on the drug and the drop was substantial. Again, the balance between survival and lesser conditions is operating as is the fact that I have the kind of body that is likely to lose bone density. I have not heard of Arimidex in connection to arthritis, however. Is this a known issue and something I can look forward to? (grin) Best, Deb > AP Thorsen and others are wise to balance the BC drugs with the promise > of extended survival and to understand that some side effects may be [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > However, my understanding is that Arimidex ... is ... Shouldn't that be ... can be ... > costly to bone density--I > was tested before and after two years on the drug and the drop was [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > I have not heard of Arimidex in connection to arthritis, however. Is > this a known issue and something I can look forward to? (grin) Well, I've no idea whether I was on tamoxifen or arimidex but the optician says I have a slight cataract (after two years drug free) and I certainly have arthritis (had it since I was in my twenties but it gets worse). No idea about bone density (it's never been measured) but no menopausal symptoms or weight gain or anything I can't attribute to genetics and/or age. Even my hammer toes run - well, limp - in the family ... Of course there are the wrinkles, I'm not REALLY as old/wise as that! Am I? :-) Mary Mary > Best, > Deb >I have a hard time thinking of this as an evil plot by doctors. >Reducing our estrogen levels, statistically speaking, appears to >dramatically improve our disease-free and overall survival. It also has >some undesirable side effects, most of them less severe than death. I like the "most of them less severe than death" ! I didn't have chemo so it couldn't be that for me. I had a mastectomy in March of last year. I'm taking Arimidex. I came back to this group to find out if others were having the same stange problems I'm having. About 4 months ago I started having severe pain in my upper arm which cleared up in less than a week only to reappear in my hand, then above my wrist, etc. My GP thought it could be Tenndenitis or Arthritis. Now I'm having pain in my 'faux' breast that extends from my breast bone around my body to my back. I was wondering whether to call my GP. the surgeon, the Oncologist or the plastic surgeon. Thanks for the clue as to where to start. > I had a mastectomy in March of last year. I'm taking Arimidex. I came > back to this group to find out if others were having the same stange [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > my GP. the surgeon, the Oncologist or the plastic surgeon. Thanks for > the clue as to where to start. Always start with the GP if in doubt. (S)He is best placed to determine whether the problem is unrelated. The specialists will only be able to see the problem from the point of view of their speciality, and may miss some unrelated diagnosis. It is a good idea however to remind the GP of your history and of what drugs you are currently taking. Tim Jackson Can you explain how Arimidex almost killed you? Did it affect your ability to breathe or what? Since I'm having problems with pain I need to know what to look for. Thanks > Can you explain how Arimidex almost killed you? Did it affect your > ability to breathe or what? Since I'm having problems with pain I need > to know what to look for. Thanks Hi, Teddy, I hope you're not panicked over one person's experiences . . . there are a lot of individual variations in responses. As I regrettfully know from personal experience, it's unfortunately kind of easy to start looking for symptoms, then start having them! (I wish I could control my own darn brain better than that, but I can't always seem to do so.) The symptoms you're experiencing could have a number of causes. I've had a number of musculo-skeletal issues that I tentatively attribute to surgery and possibly the radiation follow-up on top of it. Some of those had symptoms similar to what you're reporting (temporary bouts of hand, shoulder, rib/torso discomfort). For me, it's been pretty minor, but I know others who've had more severe versions of similar things. For one example, some of us who have mastectomies with node removal seem to get a tendency to imperceptibly raise the shoulder & roll it forward slightly. This can lead to some muscle imbalances that pull other things out of whack, sometimes beyond the shoulder area. IME, weird symptoms can result. Scar tissue formation and the effect of radiation on the surgical scar tissue also seemed to have some odd results for me, especially when I did something that (absent the surgery/radiation) might have been likely to cause sore muscles in the area. Example symptoms were a tendency to muscle cramping in places I'd never had it before. Also, especially for those of us who had nodes removed, there is also usually some nerve loss in the surgery area. For some of us, the nerves regenerate. As they do, they can cause temporary burning, tingling or aching sensations. The sensations are not necessarily local to the area of surgery. They can be "referred" elsewhere. I endorse Tim's comment about talking with your GP. If you get an inconclusive result there, I'd also consider the surgeon as a contact, besides just the oncologist who prescribed the Arimidex. Unfortunately, sometimes the docs are not as engaged as we might like, and we end up having to do some self-diagnosis & go to our specialists and be assertive about our concerns. Speaking personally, I got fed up with getting (reqlly quite minor) symptoms that kept taking me to my docs (out of fear it was something serious), having them send me off for diagnostic tests (e.g., bone scans), only to determine that it *was* musculo-skeletal (including some arthritic degeneration). I decided to do whatever I could to reduce my incidence of the musculo-skeletal symptoms. Over time, using a variety of strategies, my incidence of such symptoms is much less that what it was. Some of this is probably just passage of time, but other helpful factors have included yoga/stretching, plenty of exercise of diverse types, professional therapeutic massage, and regular visits to a D.O. for manipulation. In particular -- and this is somewhat risky -- my massage therapist did a lot of work to break up scar tissue in the surgical/radiation area under my arm and on my chest toward the underarm. That went slowly, but has made a big difference for me (back/shoulder problems for me, mainly). I hope you're able to sort out what is causing your particular symptoms, and get them addressed. Do keep us posted, OK? Your experience may help others track down & resolve problems they encounter, too! Ann T. Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply be email >> Can you explain how Arimidex almost killed you? Did it affect your >> ability to breathe or what? Since I'm having problems with pain I need [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > I hope you're not panicked over one person's experiences . . . there are a > lot of individual variations in responses. <snip rest of excellent advice> Ann is as wise as ever, and as diplomatic. Believe her. Mary I'm not panicked, mostly curious. But if there is even a remote danger then I'd like to know about it. > I'm not panicked, mostly curious. But if there is even a remote danger > then I'd like to know about it. There isn't. In my opinion and experience and that of all the other people I know. But, you know, Life itself isn't without dangers of all kinds. Do you drive? Do you eat commerciallypreparedfood? Do you breathe? I'm not being cruel or flippant, just realistic. Mail me if you'd like to continue talking to me :-) Mary I did not have radiation or chemo so those don't apply to me. As I mentioned I did talk to my local doctor and he suggested Tenndenitis or Arthritis. But my pain was not in the joints and were more on the other side from my surgery than on that side. I have put in a call to my oncologist and I should hear from him next week. > I did not have radiation or chemo so those don't apply to me. As I > mentioned I did talk to my local doctor and he suggested Tenndenitis or > Arthritis. But my pain was not in the joints and were more on the other > side from my surgery than on that side. I have put in a call to my > oncologist and I should hear from him next week. The musculo-skeletal things, IME, can be deceiving (including arthritis, of which I have a bit). I've had pain I was _sure_ was in my spine, and it turned out to be muscles nearby. I've had numbness on the side of my face that turned out to be shoulder/neck. I'm sorry, I mis-understood that most of your pain was on the opposite side from surgery -- I was thinking it might be on the surgery side because of your comment "Now I'm having pain in my 'faux' breast that extends from my breast bone around my body to my back." This sounded a bit like some of the intercostal problems I've had occasionally. I've had/have tendinitis in my elbow & one hand, and in my case, it hasn't disappeared as quickly as a week. . . . Gosh, I'm sounding like a big whiner! I think I'll be quiet, now. <G> Ann T. Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email When I called to talk to the oncologist his nurse argued with me about the pain but said he would call me Mon. Well, the nurse called just now to tell me he doesn't think the pain is caused by the arimidex and that I should go see my primary care dr. Here we go. My family dr. thinks the pain in my side may be shingles about to break out or possibly pinched nervers in my back. I doubt it. Maybe I should call my plastic surgeon as the pain starts at the edge of my reconstructed breast and extends around my side and to my back in the area that would be covered by my bra. The family dr. prescribed Ultracet for the pain. When it didn't help I looked it up in my rx book and it was listed as 'see Tramadol'. I used Tramadol last year and it did nothing. Wish I had known before I bought it. > My family dr. thinks the pain in my side may be shingles about to break > out or possibly pinched nervers in my back. I doubt it. Maybe I should [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > and it was listed as 'see Tramadol'. I used Tramadol last year and it > did nothing. Wish I had known before I bought it. Could this be a severed nerve reconnecting? The pattern sounds a bit anomalous (sounds like it tracks -toward- the nerve source, rather than away from it - hence I guess the suspicion of shingles) but reconnections can take a up to couple of years to happen, and they can be tingly and painful for a while when they first come back on. Tim Jackson Thanks. That's something to consider. It's not tingly just sore to the touch, like I had been punched in the ribs but no skin discoloration. > Thanks. That's something to consider. It's not tingly just sore to the > touch, like I had been punched in the ribs but no skin discoloration. I think it's not all that unusual to have post-surgical musculo-skeletal weirdness, and intercostal (muscles between ribs) issues can be very odd in their symptoms. I've had a bit of intercostal difficulties, and have friends who've had major ones. A few thoughts: If your doctors have ruled out bone mets (sorry to be scary!), have you considered seeing a D.O that does manipulation (or chiropractor)? A massage therapist with relevant therapeutic expertise (not just massage-for-relaxation) may also be helpful -- some insurance will cover a limited course of massage therapy if your doctor will prescribe it. Another thing to try might be gentle stretches that work on that area. (E.g., something like the yoga side bend. For example, go to http://www.hathayogalesson.com/ then click on "yoga postures" (button in upper left corner), then scroll down to the table of poses & click on "21 Side Bend Pose".) Abdominal breathing is also supposed to help relieve intercostal problems, if it's tightness rather than injury. Hope you find something that helps you feel better! Ann T. Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email > Another thing to try might be gentle stretches that work on that area. > (E.g., something like the yoga side bend. For example, go to > http://www.hathayogalesson.com/ then click on "yoga postures" (button in > upper left corner), then scroll down to the table of poses & click on "21 > Side Bend Pose".) That site is unpleasant to look at but the animated exercises and text are excellent - thank you, Ann. Mary >>Another thing to try might be gentle stretches that work on that area. >>(E.g., something like the yoga side bend. For example, go to [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Mary There's also a site I consider much cooler at http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/ , but it didn't have the more basic poses like side bend. Ann T. Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email >>>Another thing to try might be gentle stretches that work on that area. >>>(E.g., something like the yoga side bend. For example, go to [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/ , but it didn't have the more basic > poses like side bend. Not as easy to follow, you can't expect me to read and exercise at the same time can you??? I needpictures! Mary > Ann T. > Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply by email The pain in my side has gone with no shingles breakout yet. But now my right arm is so sore I can hardly use it. The pain is 3 inches above my wrist and is worse when I rotate my hand. This was also back in March and moved from my shoulder to my wrist to my palm to my wrist to the other wrist and back to the first wrist. None of these were in a joint. In each location the pain was severe for 2 days, mild for 2 and completely gone on day 5 or 6. Then 2 days pain free then start over in another location. The doctors don't seem to know what it is. Have any of you heard of similar cases? ( my mastectomy on the left side was in March of last year with reconstruction in Oct along with a small implant on my right side to 'even the sides'. Thanks than you Ann, for your sensibility. My wife started to be on Arimidex six months ago and suffered increasing nausea symptoms, apart from medium bouts of hand, shoulder, hip discomfort. So as, it became unbearable, she asked her surgeon to have another drug. The surgeon decided for a one-month break , free of any drugs, and switch to a new treatment called something as Arinidase that she is due to start next week. Anybody has been hearing about that ? (we are living in France) >> Can you explain how Arimidex almost killed you? Did it affect your >> ability to breathe or what? Since I'm having problems with pain I need [quoted text clipped - 65 lines] > Ann T. > Remove 'dontsendspam' from address to reply be email From: teddybearranch@webtv.net (Teddy) Can you explain how Arimidex almost killed you? Did it affect your ability to breathe or what? Since I'm having problems with pain I need to know what to look for. Thanks ===================== Hi Teddy, I will probably be ridiculed for explaining the effects, but I will try. Right now, I'm sick & weak with sinus infection, can't focus very good, & have to get the dogs fed & watered before dark. I'll post about Arimidex again, as soon as I can. It's important not to be scared or anything. My concern is that the doctors will try to keep people on this med, who are having severe adverse reactions to it, like I did. That was wrong of them. I'd appreciate it if I were not ridiculed by anyone, when I explain the adverse reactions this time. I'll try to go into more detail. It hurts a lot emotionally to remember. I feel I was badly betrayed by the oncologists, esp. concerning Arimidex. Susan, Su_Texas my opinions >I'd appreciate it if I were not ridiculed by > anyone, when I explain the adverse reactions > this time. Su - I, too, would be interested in your posting more details of your experience with Arimidex. I don't see how anyone who has ever had a bad experience with any drug can ridicule someone else for sharing their experiences. I am on Arimidex now and frankly my Oncologist could care less about any side effects I have with certain drugs he gives me. I guess they feel it is the best they can do for us at this time and we just have to bite the bullet and take the meds and just not bitch about any side effects. However, I appreciate hearing the experiences of others concerning drugs I am taking so that I can know I am not the only one having these problems. Many times certain posters have been kind enough to share how they found ways to make taking a certain problem med easier so sharing can be very helpful. Thanks for any helpful information you can share about Arimidex. I am sorry you had such a bad experience with it. Bea Arimidex I'm having difficulty writing about this, because it's quite painful emotionally, so I'm upset & can't organize my thoughts. --------------- Broken Trust When I tried to discuss things (cancer care) with the oncologist, he'd insist I trust him. He said that we'd do things his way first, then try some of mine, some of the things I'd read about. We did things his way, which made me extremely ill & weak, ..... then he refused to do anything I'd asked for & wanted. He'd lied. -------------- First off, he sent me to a surgeon who bungled the port-a-cath surgery, .... which caused a huge hematoma, & weeks delay in starting chemo. This was serious. I explained to the oncologist that I have severe adverse reactions to many drugs, & that we should try the nausea meds first, before I started chemo, ....... but he refused, & insisted he knew what he was doing. So, he made me deathly ill with the nausea drug (Compazine?), .... which was many times worse than the chemo & its effects. Violent nausea & vomiting, .... the most frightening nightmares & terror possible with me awake & my eyes open, ..... a desperate need to end it & escape no matter what (& I am Not suicidal), ..... loss of control, jerking & spasms, ..... extreme pain, ..... As usual, the local ER had no idea what to do, how to help me. They gave me more Compazine, which made things worse. I got into my truck in my driveway, held onto the steering wheel tight for hours, until the worst of it passed some, ..... I was the one who figured out that the nausea med was the problem, not the chemo, ..... because the docs were too determinedly-dumb, too deep-down stupid to get a clue, & kept insisting it couldn't be the nausea med. ?! The chemo wasn't even a tiny fraction as bad, as the nausea med had been. Mostly there was some nausea & vomiting, weakness. The second round of chemo, was worse than the first, ..... because it affected my body/muscles/nerves, the best I can remember. ---------------- After the chemo treatments were over, the oncologist put me on Arimidex, & then I had radiation therapy. While the chemo had been unpleasant but survivable, ..... I got a knock-down, knock-out punch from starting Arimidex. The oncologist insisted that Arimidex wasn't the problem, couldn't be, ... that it had to be something else, possibly the after-effects of chemo, or the effects of radiation. And that if I didn't take the Arimidex, I'd have very little change of surviving the third-stage breast cancer, & getting another chance at life. He lied again. Plus, he medically abandoned me, insisting I see a GP/FP doctor for health care, instead of him. He said his job was over after chemotherapy, except for check-ups. The General/Family Practice doctors (one after another) said they didn't have the expertise to treat a cancer patient & didn't want to, esp. one who seemed so ill, .... & they told me to go back to the oncologist & insist he treat me, but he wouldn't. I was very sick & without medical advice or care. ---------------- The oncologist did congratulate me on being cancer-free. When I asked him which test showed that, he said there wasn't one, ..... but that if someone survived the chemo & rads, then they were proclaimed to be cancer-free, regardless. ?! How friggin' stupid. ---------------- I doubt that the medical industry in Texas could get much worse. After chemo & rads, I was very sick & without medical care. I had excellent insurance, & should have been able to get care, but couldn't. Other oncologists (except for the one at Baylor, Methodist in Houston, two hundred miles away) refused to see or help me, .... because I'd already seen one oncologist, & they didn't want to contradict him or his care. And the one in Houston said she wouldn't do anything different, than the one I was seeing in Longview, .... that they all did the same things, followed the same govt guidelines. Some oncologists said that if you had a lot of money, & could afford it, you could get better care, ...... but that no insurance covered this kind (the good kinds) of cancer care. ?! So I paid a specialist, a research biologist/MD/PhD, to evaluate me & list what lab work I'd need, to try to see what was making & keeping me so ill, ...... but the docs ignored her report & suggestions. They said they didn't do anything extra, that they'd just do the minimum which the govt required/suggested for cancer care. ----------------- A new lump formed in my right breast, so the oncologist had to see me, & there was more surgery, as my health continued to decline. [The surgeon at Baylor, Methodist in Houston, botched the surgery, & there were huge sections of breast left, infections & such. He didn't even install the drain-tubes correctly, or tape the bandages so they'd stay in place. He was very late getting to surgery, & seemed to be impaired when he got there.] It was a total nightmare. --------------- I think I will continue this in parts, because it's very difficult. i'll also change the title some, so I can more easily find where I left off. Sorry to be rambling & ranting. Susan, Su_Texas my opinions Wow! What a nightmare! Thank you so much for sharing. I'll pray for you. |
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