Dear Ms. Walker: Arimidex is an aromatase inhibitor, as are Femara and Aromasin. But all three can have very different side effects; you'll never know what they are till you try them. I've heard that Aromasin and Arimidex and actually the farthest apart, as far as side effects go; maybe you could ask to try Aromasin? Also, I've taken tamoixfen and am taking Arimidex,and the side effects of those two - for me - weren't at all similar. Bascially, I had no side effects from tamoxifen other than weight gain; while with Arimidex, I have bone/joint pain. So I wouldn't be afraid of trying tamoxifen, either.

And how much do they reduce your risk of recurrence? Well, depending on what type of cancer you had, could be quite a bit- depending on how you look at it. One study of women on Arimidex showed a relative risk reduction of 40%, compared to women who didn't take any drugs. So it's significant. However, that's relative risk; absolute risk shows that 96% of women on Arimidex will remain disease-free, while 93% of women who DON'T take Arimidex will remain disease-free. So, even if you don't take any drug, your recurrence risk could still be very low.

I'd suggest you discuss this further with your oncologist, as (s)he would have the best advice for you. good luck! - PJH