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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Is It Safe Taking Arimidex?

Just a little about me. I m 62, 100 percent estrogen positive, 17 lymph nodes positive, bilateral mast, and cancer has returned sitting on the bones. I m taking tamoxifen and arimidex IM. I ve read nothing but negative things about arimidex. I don t want to have further health issues where I can t care for myself and spouse, who has polio. Do you think this is the drug of choice?
Mon, 27 Mar 2017
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Addiction Medicine Specialist 's  Response
It is a hormone blocker. It is closer to a birth control pill than to chemotherapy. As such it's side effects are not the usual hair falling out, gut dying off, no blood being made, near-fatal effects of cytotoxic chemotherapy.
BUT
it only works if the cancer has a dependence on estrogen. If the cancer needs estrogen to grow/live, this medicine works and blocks it. If the cancer is estrogen receptor negative and does not need estrogen this medicine will not do anything.
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Is It Safe Taking Arimidex?

It is a hormone blocker. It is closer to a birth control pill than to chemotherapy. As such it s side effects are not the usual hair falling out, gut dying off, no blood being made, near-fatal effects of cytotoxic chemotherapy. BUT it only works if the cancer has a dependence on estrogen. If the cancer needs estrogen to grow/live, this medicine works and blocks it. If the cancer is estrogen receptor negative and does not need estrogen this medicine will not do anything.