My mother who has been on Arimidex for 2 years recently had a fall in which her arm broke just above her elbow. The bone doc says can't be pinned as her bones are too weak. She is on calcium supplements and a calcium rich diet. He thinks arimidex is likely problem but she has been told she must keep taking it as due to having dementia (mild) breast surgeons decided just to control the 4cm tumour with arimidex. I also recently had cancer Stage 1 no spread had lumpectomy and sentinel lymph node removal and am having radiation soon but having seen my mum suffer so much with arimidex side effects (7 weeks in rehab trying to improve her walking last summer) I want to say no to it myself, after all I have to look after her and work full time as a head of department at the school I work at. Cannot even think of retirement financially for at least 8 years, don't want to feel like I'm 90 yet. What kind of natural diet can I follow to improve my chances of not getting a secondary?
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Q: What kind of natural diet can I follow to improve my chances of not getting a secondary?
Seeley, a few pieces of advice. First, I've been on Arimidex for nearly 5 years, with very little downside; a bit of ache in the joints, some mild bone loss. Please don't dismiss it out of hand as an awful experience - for many women, Arimidex comes with basically no side effects. Suggest you perhaps give it a try, then quit it if it's too hard?
Second, you might consider tamoxifen, if the Arimidex doesn't agree with you. While not AS effective, it was the gold standard of hormone therapy for 20 years, and it does work.
Third, there's no magic natural-food diet that can prevent recurrence. However, a healthy diet – particularly one low in fat, and with no (or only very occasional) alcohol, has been shown to lower your risk of getting breast cancer in general, so it might lower your odds of recurrence as well.
Good luck to you - PJH
P.S. Want to add I work about 70 hours a week, plus exercise 7 days a week at 5 a.m. I lead a full, active life - on Arimidex. The Arimidex horror stories you may read online are the result of more people wanting to complain than praise - marketing experts have it that for every 1 complaint about a product, there are at least 10 very happy people who don't say a word.
Don't feel like I'm "pushing" you towards it, but I want to make sure you realize your mom's experience with Arimidex isn't necessarily typical, especially for someone so much younger - you. PJ
Seeley, My Oncologist recommended the book "The Spectrum" by Dr. Dean Ornish. Following his eating plan can really make a difference, according to my Doctor.
I have Triple Neg. Breast Cancer so the benefits are even greater according to studies done, but also shows some benefit for ER, PR+. I thought the diet was going to be impossible at first, but now after following it for about 4 months, not a problem. Best of luck to you!
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PJ: could I interview you in the next few weeks? I do articles on ways to stop breast cancer before it can start.
Thanks so much,
Susan
S Wadia-Ells
susan@knowbreastcancer.net
www.knowbreastcancer.net