other medication than Tamoxifen or Anastrozole

Is there any medication just as good and much more economical than Anastrozole (Arimidex)? What medication was successfully used before Tamoxifen and then specially Anastrozole (Arimidex)? Do we have here in Anastrozole a very expensive drug that is good only for the developer-manufacturer-seller, but nothing better than previous ones for patients? Here is my situation below:
I had mastectomy of my left breast, the doctor put me on Tamoxifen for almost sixteen months; then I had an ultrasound of the uterus and was told that I had thickened uterine lining and my uterus was retaining fluid. I am 65 years old. The doctor stopped the Tamoxifen and put me on Anastrozole (Arimidex). This is a terribly expensive drug in my place, some seven times the cost of generic Tamoxifen.
My question, if anyone with medical knowledge or herself a patient in similar circumstances is present here, what`s going on with me?
And do we have here in Anastrozole another instance of drug companies exploiting the innocence and trust of patients?

Tamoxifen was the first effective hormone therapy drug for bc, and is off-patent so its development costs have been paid for and it is now available very cheaply. It blocks estrogen receptors. Its main advantages are its low cost and its long history, which means the side effects are well known.
Arimidex and the other aromatase inhibitors prevent the production of estrogen outside of the ovaries. These drugs are relatively new, and can be more effective than Tamoxifen for post-menopausal patients. They have a different set of side effects. They are still covered by patents and so are more expensive.
As to whether the profits recovered under patent are excessive when set against the development costs, maybe they are, but that is the way the system is set up and at least the drugs get developed. It could be worse, you could have a less common disease that the drug companies aren`t even interested in developing drugs for. You really have to look at the economics of the whole development cycle to decide whether it is moral or not, it is not simple.

Hi Cornelia, I am not quite sure how I can be of assistance. I am currently on Arimidex, but it is covered by my insurance carrier. Before Tamoxifen, there was NO type of hormonal treatments. Tamoxifen has improved the long term survival for women with ER+ breast cancer. If there is nobody who can assist you at Sloan, you might want to call the manufacturer--Astra Zeneca (I believe that`s how it is spelled) and ask if they have a patient assistance program. The American Cancer society might also be able to help you with that. If they can`t assist you, try calling Win Against Breast Cancer. http://www.winabc.org/story.html

provides product free to very low income people, and the other has a copay for people with somewhat higher incomes. Here`s a link to the page on their web site where the programs are described: http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/drugassist/
-Marilyn

Hi Cornelia, I had the same thing happen to me. I had a D&C to check things out. Everything was fine. I am almost 62. I was also taken off tamoxifen but since my cancer was only slightly er+ I was given tnothing else. I guess I really can`t help y ou with your question, but wanted you to know you were not alone...Pat from APvly.CA