Anyone using anti-estrogen therapy?

[Tybear]

I am curious if there is anyone out there who has had any expierence with the use of anti-estrogen therapy to treat their estrogen positive ovarian cancer. I know that *most* ovarian cancer is not estrogen receptive, but I am reading that treatments such as Arimidex and Tamoxifin have been useful in these cases. Any information that can be passed along would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Becky

[AuntKathy1956]

I was diagnosed with Stage 1 c ov/ca in March '07.  I had gyn/onc perform my surgery.  I had a complete hysterectomy, debulking, the whole shebang.  I was on 6 rounds of taxol/carbo. which ended Aug 2.  My doctor prescribed Femara for 5 years.  I was on it for 2 or 3 weeks. The side effects were debilitating I could barely walk due to bone/joint pain especially in my lower back.  She switched me to Arimidex. I've been on that 3-4 weeks and have the same side effects only not as severe.  She also put me Celebrex to relieve the pain.  She said she would only keep me on it for only a little while.  That seems to be helping.  I was concerned about taking the Celebrex because of heart trouble associated with arthritis drugs.  The pharmacist told me that Celebrex was not recalled as other drugs have been.  I decided I would rather fight the cancer at this point in time.  From what I have read this seems to be a new treatment for ov/ca.  Has anyone read more about this?  Is one drug better than the other?

[rootietootie]

Hi,
Good!  Glad you will  be checking and trying better products!  Good luck to you, and god bless!!  Sending you positive energy from Georgia!  Shannon

[freshair]

I am wishing you much luck with the your anti-estrogen drug. Talk to your naturopath about high amounts of crucifers (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, collards). They flush the body of the bad estrogens. These bad estrogens are also in pesticides and herbicides. A reason I have a garden in the summer besides convenience, calming and more physical activity.

I use Dr. Bronner's liquid soaps and Jason products.

There seems to be better results with Femara and Jatoo & Alan had posted documentation on Femara studies awhile ago.

Becky--wishing you a very good battle plan  to fight this invader. I am sorry it went to your liver. I was away and read your post. Milk thistle and essiac may be recommended by your naturopath. Essiac is approved in Canada.

[Kimchi]

Thanks for the info...yes, can't find any of those products here but I do have people buy stuff in States for me,,,I stopped using Sure unscented and switched to Tom's of Maine's deodorant after reading about aluminum in deodorant products may cause breast cancer. Yes found it does not work as long as Sure so have to reapply another coat during the day.. As for the other personal products, going to read the ingredients more carefully.

[rootietootie]

Hi, yes it is amazing how many chemicals and things can be put into products without our even knowing it.  Its very scary.  Parabens are one of the biggies.  These are added to lotions, face care products, shower gels, face makeup, and lord knows what else.  From what I have seen there are several kinds of parabens, They start out with a different prefix, such as methelparaben, etc. but always end with paraben.  You can look for them in the list of ingredients on the back of products.  Since I have learned about this, I have been reading the labels on my products, and almost ALL of them have it.  Kimchi,  I am no expert, am still learning myself.  Please google in these two words and much info will come up. (paraben estrogen)  I don't know what kind of access you have since you two live in other countires, but I will give you a list of what I have found so far.  Burts bees (makes lotioin, hair products, makeup, and almost everything) their stuff is all natural and paraben free.  Toms of maine makes good stuff but it is kind of plain for my tastes and the deoderant doesnt work.  A good deoderant is  Sure unscented solid.   There is a product I like called Carol's daughter, they have lotion, and body gels and scrubs that I like because they have the same scent in a set.  I just found another product at Sephora  called lavanilla,  it has a natural perfume, and lotion which actually contain NO parabens and have antioxidents.  It's kind of exspensive though.  I bought it for my daughter and she loves it though.  I emailed Origins and they said  all thier products are paraben free starting this year.   There are tons of other natural products out there too.  I never knew so many existed until I started looking.   An easy way to find things is to look for "organic"  Most of it is natural without parabens, but always look at the ingredients in everything just to make sure cause some companies claim to be organic and natural but are full of parabens.  It's not hard to find good stuff if you look.    Good luck guys, do some reading and looking at labels and you will be surprised at what you find!  If you guys have trouble finding stuff in your countries, let me know and maybe I can get them for you and send them.  Shannon

[Tybear]

My natropath had told before that estrogen is prevalent in shampoo, soaps, skin care lotions...every where we would least expect it. Scary, isn't it? I really believe my cancer was triggered when I went back on the pill after having my son. It was then, that I can really look back and notice that my symptoms gradually started. I will be seeing my natropath next week, and will be asking her about this again. I have a feeling I need to be much more aware about the products that I use on a day to day basis. It amazes me though, that more isn't mentioned about this is the media. I think if women knew, it would really open our eyes. Maybe you could post some of the healthy alternatives you have knowledge of on this forum...I know we would all appreciate it.
Becky

[Kimchi]

I find your opinion about estrogen in body care products very interesting...I would like to know what you found as safe products to use...can you email the info at imml2 at hotmail??
Tks keep well

[rootietootie]

Hi Becky, I can't give any advise about the cancer part, but if you are looking to cut out estrogen, please keep in mind that  we absorb 60% or more of what we put on our bodies. (lotions, deoderant, face creams, soaps etc) and most of the ones we use are full of exoestrogens which cause us to have a lot more estrogen in our bodies.  I have posted about this before, but no one payed me any mind.  If you read any of the late Dr. Lee's books about hormones, there are even theories about this extra estrogen we have causing cancers.  I have done a lot of research about products and I have changed the products my family use now.  Let me know if you want to know some of the safer ones.  Even shampoos and conditioners have this stuff in them.  Anyway, good luck to you and god bless!  Shannon

[katems]

Hello Becky

I have finished 8 rounds of Carbo/Taxol and still not got into remission so my onc has prescribed
Letrozole/Femara for me for the moment.
My oestrogen receptor status tested as 'moderate' and the hope is that it might stabilise the ovca. She reckoned that the evidence is for Letrozole as it is the latest development after Tamoxifen and Arimidex so you might want to ask about that.
Wishing you lots and lots of luck.
Kate ( in the UK)

[Helmar]

Hi Becky... my tumour is positive, and as I needed a break off the harsh chemo, my Oncol. prescribed Tamoxifen for me, but my numbers went up by 1050 just in that one month, so he took me off them, and put me on Femara. The first month I was on Femara, my numbers went up by only 74 which is good for me, as my numbers always go by the100s. In the second month of Femara, the numbers went up by 543 and totalled to 2464, so he started me back on Topotecan...5 daily treatments, which really took the wind out of my sails.... and the plan is to go back on Taxotere/Carbo in another week or two, as we don't want the numbers up to 7500 as they were in December. Of the two tablets, Femara did work to some degree for me, and along with the first month of Tamoxifen, did allow me 3 months in total, off the chemo, so I took a holiday in Western Australia, feeling really well. I'm not much for pills alone to fight this vicious cancer Becky. I'm still on Femara now, although I've just finished the cycle of Topotecan. I've heard of one lady who has had wonderful results with Femara.... it's keeping her ovca down well. I guess it's like all of these drugs... one may work for some, but not others. It's trial and error really, isn't it? Out of the two tablets, Femara worked better for me.
Wishing you all the best in this battle Becky. Thinking of you....hugs..Helen...