Side effects of Exemestane hormone tablet for breast cancer (HELP)

The swelling in your hand may not be caused by the hormone tablets. Did you have a node clearance? (Sometimes called axillary node clearance.) If you did then it may be the swelling is lymphodema caused by the malfuntion of any remaining lymph nodes which causes a build up of fluid. Please do check this out with your doctor.

Best wishes,

KateG

I am going to the docvtors on Tuesday.. Yeah I had the nodes removed. Will look it up and see if it applies to me. Thanks Kate.

Fran

Hi

I am on exemestane and I have swollen stiff fingers and also my little finger tends to lock. Worse in the morning when I have to press my fingers in a fist to loosen them. I have it in both hands but worse in the right hand which is the side of my sentinel node biopsy. I was very careful to follow my post-mastectomy exercise and don't think I have any lymphedema. I am also finding my right-hand gets sore when I am holding my walking stick which I now need to help me walk (bad ankles and feet). My hands became bad when I was taking letrozole and haven't improved with the change to exemestane.   Cancer is recognised as a protected disability under the Equality Act so you should get some accommodation. Maybe one of the experts on here could advise you. I seem to remember a thread about benefits.

I will be watching this thread to see if anyone has any good tips or exercises.

Good Luck x

I've been on exemestane for a few months and find that my hands and feet are really stiff if I sit for too long. I can't make a fist with my hands first thing in the morning, My joints and feet are so stiff that I can't walk normally down the stairs first thing either.

However, I find everything loosens off with activity and movement, and I am running every day so I feel OK enough for that. I find that inactivity makes me much worse so try and move around as much as possible, though I do work full time - I makes sure I get up and have breaks.

Have you tried clenching and unclenching your hands so that you're not just typing the whole time without any other type of movement?

I have swelling in my hands and feet too but my oncologist thinks that is still the remnants of docetaxel which I finished in January so I would get that checked out in case it's something else.