Glucosamine warning

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I had my 6 monthly check up with the oncology pharmacist this week and I had mentioned taking glucosamine as I had seen it recommended on here to help with joint pain from aromatase inhibiters. She said it was a 'pharmacists nightmare' as it interact with so many drugs, it can cause your blood not to clot and it can cause some drugs to have much less of an effect. She was not happy with me taking it alongside my hormone therapy.

I have stopped taking it and thought I'd better share as there will be other taking it for the reason I have.

She wasn't against all drugs at all - I mentioned vitamin D, calcium, sage, magnesium - all OK.

It will be interesting to see whether I get pain again as it was largely settled for me. That could just be time though as I have been on an AI for 7 months now.

  • That's really interesting - thank you.

  • I do actually take turmeric in a hot cocoa every day and I think it is quite good for inflammation. I had asked oncology about it before starting chemo and they said it was fine - though have since read to be wary. I had chemo before surgery and my cancer shrunk enough for lumpectomy and clear margins.

    I was also told by my vet to feed it to one of my animals who has a disease making her more prone to insulin resistance. No idea if it helps, but she is healthy and never had an issue!

    I've just got my husband to start taking it for inflammation as every NSAID seems to have lactose in it and he gets a terrible allergic reaction from anything dairy at all. So turmeric seemed a good alternative.

    I do agree to be cautious during chemo - but I think that applies to almost everything you eat and drink as it is so toxic. It's important to tell oncology about everything you take regularly

  • before my diagnosis, I took soya isoflavones which helped with perimenopause symptoms. I stopped as soon as I found my lump, and half think they caused me to get hormone-receptive cancer so young (mid-40s). I'm a lot more cautious of thing these days!

  • The same thoughts crossed my mind when I knew my results, the hormone-receptives came in at ER8/8 PR8/8.