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Arimidex

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  • wenweb
    wenweb Member Posts: 471
    edited January 2011
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    Glad to help out!!  Please let me know how you make out.

  • jlee2511
    jlee2511 Member Posts: 7
    edited January 2011
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    Hello! I am asking this question for my mom. Has anyone had headaches while on arimidex? She started taking it about three weeks ago and from day 2 has had a low grade headache. She says it feel more like a "foggy" feeling or full feeling.It will go away with motrin. I looked on the arimidex web site and headaches are one of the main side effects noted but her oncologist said that she has never had any one complain about headaches. Also when I read thru this post I couldn't really find too much info on it. Thank you so much!!!!-Jenny

  • suzie14
    suzie14 Member Posts: 208
    edited January 2011
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    Jenny, yes I had headaches when I 1st started arimidex and when I was switched to the generic they started all over again.  It is a common side effect and perhaps your Mom's onco's other patients were dealing with too many other things when they had their appointments or she hasn't been prescribing it very long.

    My headaches became less frequent, I do hope your Mom's do too.

    I wish you and your Mom the best....gentle hugs, suzie

  • ibu
    ibu Member Posts: 1
    edited January 2011
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    hi Jenny good girl and Suzie.

    yes I had headaches at the first pil, ( 10 days ago) but not so bad, so I continue to take it. I hope it will disapear... hahaha.

    now I still feel like my eyes dont focus and the floor is not flat. 

    And now I can see many  hairs in my comb.

      IBU

  • jlee2511
    jlee2511 Member Posts: 7
    edited January 2011
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    Thank you so VERY much for replying! It feels so good to know she is not the only one. Not that I want you to have headaches too....!!!!! Hopefully eventually, they will just slip away! Thank you again and I hope you all have a wonderful day!!!!!

  • Taoist
    Taoist Member Posts: 2
    edited January 2011
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    Thank you- you have just answered the question I asked my doctor today- he wasn't sure what could be done...I will start taking it in the morning starting tomorrow. Best. Taoist
  • Taoist
    Taoist Member Posts: 2
    edited January 2011
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    That was the an answer to my 2 questios: is there  a hair loss with A?. and am I halucinating?. Yes, flor does bucke and I get strobe lights flickering on the side of my left eye...Thanks. Would like to hear from someone who is DONE with hormone therapies , 5 years in- and well. Best. T.
  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,018
    edited January 2011
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    One thing that might help the headaches, try taking it at a different time of day. If she's taking it in the morning, take it at night....or the opposite.

  • Desny
    Desny Member Posts: 73
    edited January 2011
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    I used to take my Arimidex in the morning after breakfast.  I always had a buzz headache.  Was very annoying.  Silly me - after thoughts of quitting it I finally switched to taking it after lunch.  No problem.  Seems my system - needs more food in my stomach to tolerate the pill.  Haven't had that buzz, thingy since I switched.  Seems everyones system is different and we need to switch things up to find what works best for ourselves.  Good luck

  • jlee2511
    jlee2511 Member Posts: 7
    edited January 2011
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    Good idea! I'll suggest it to her.... Thank you and I hope your evening is wonderful!-Jenny

  • paamboli
    paamboli Member Posts: 43
    edited January 2011
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    Has anyone else decided to cut their pill in half in the hope of reducing side-effects? I am 71, and found myself too depressed and physically exhausted to get out of bed for days at a time, so I reduced my dosage in search of Quality of Life. It seems to have helped considerably, but I'd like to know if I have any company in this maneuver.

    paamboli

  • suzie14
    suzie14 Member Posts: 208
    edited January 2011
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    Paamboli....I never even thought to do that....duh. I am glad you are feeling a difference. Please let your onc know though, I don't know how effective it may be, not to scare you just concerned for your health.

  • wenweb
    wenweb Member Posts: 471
    edited January 2011
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    paamboli

    I have seen posts from others saying that they have taken 1/2 of a pill, (and) with the agreement of their onc.  It all depends on how rigid the onc is.  I asked mine if I could take it every other day, and she said no way.   I don't really understand this, since it's better than not taking it at all.  It sounds like you have just gone ahead and decided to do this yourself.  In my opinion, ya gotta do what ya gotta do.  Good-luck

  • DENTHOMAS
    DENTHOMAS Member Posts: 27
    edited January 2011
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    Yes, I have been cutting my pill in half for 2 years now.  I am 73 and can't see why when I only weigh 95 I should be taking the same dosage as some who weighs 130 or more.  With animals you always check their weight before getting the proper dosage of medicine.  Why not humans?  No, I didn't tell my onc about that. I don't have any side effects except for some hot flashes once in a while.  They have seemed to be going away with the cooler weather.

  • wenweb
    wenweb Member Posts: 471
    edited January 2011
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    I also weigh less than 100lbs.   I brought that up to my onc as the reason that perhaps I could take A every other day.  There was a reason that weight supposedly doesn't matter, but I can't remember what it was.  Maybe somebody out there knows.  

  • paamboli
    paamboli Member Posts: 43
    edited January 2011
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    Interestingly enough, 3 of the 4 responses to my query about taking 1/2 a pill have the same "not quite so awful" diagnosis that I do. Perhaps we feel a bit less constrained than our dear sisters with higher stages of assault. I hope that we are right. The fact that some oncs say "OK" and others "no" is more than slightly disconcerting, when one is looking for standardized protocols. Because I am over 70, and my IDC was 1 cm., I was told that I did not need rads, based on a 10-year study from Mass. General Hospital, and that it was up to me if I took Arimidex, as "the benefits are small". This all makes for confusion, but what I do know is that seniors sometimes respond quite differently to medications than younger women, and that weight can be an issue.

    I just got really tired of that crummy "Arimidex Shuffle".

    paamboli

  • kc5
    kc5 Member Posts: 2
    edited January 2011
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    I was reading a few posts back about thinning of hair on Arimidex.  I will complete my 5 years in 5, yes - count 'em, 5 months (!!) and have had the usual side effects, but I did not start losing my hair until Arimidex came off patent and I started taking the generic version.  At that point my hair started to thin.  I don't think I would have minded half as much if I had traded the joint pain, the headaches, the weight gain or thinning of my bones for the hair loss, but it was just one more thing to endure at that point.  I am counting down till the end of June 2011, when I can lose both the anastrazole AND the side effects!

  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 757
    edited February 2011
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    bumping for "arimidexhelp"

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,018
    edited February 2011
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    Here is something cool from the Time Magazine about why dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa) improves your overall cholesterol levels; Japanese investigators have found that polyphenols in the cocoa attach to the genes in the liver and intestines, activating the ones that produce HDL, the good cholesterol, as well those that help suppress the LDL, the bad cholesterol.

  • thegoodfight
    thegoodfight Member Posts: 124
    edited February 2011
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    Now that's what I'm talkin about.......................dark chocolate proven to be healthySurprised  Does that mean that the dark chocolate covered pomegranates from Costco that I am now addicted to will keep my cholesterol in check...............yipee!! 
  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,018
    edited February 2011
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    Finally a prescription a person can enjoy!

  • bettyboopnh
    bettyboopnh Member Posts: 1
    edited February 2011
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    I was on 5 years of tamoxifen and 3 years of Arimidex.  My onc now took me off the Arimidex and said I am finished with chemo drugs.  

    I am scared of the cancer coming back.  What else is there after 3 yrs of Arimidex? 

  • patoo
    patoo Member Posts: 5,243
    edited February 2011
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    Hi Bettyboopnh, please don't live in fear.  You were on anticancer drugs for 8 years - If you trust your onc then discuss with him/her again if you need to and go with that.  There are no guarantees.  Try and take care of yourself with nutrition and exercise and live as though you have no worries as stress is also hard on the body.

    HUGS.

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,018
    edited February 2011
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    Betty, why isn't he having you finish off the last 2 years of Arimidex?

  • patoo
    patoo Member Posts: 5,243
    edited February 2011
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    Ruth, is that the norm, to do 5 years of Arimidex even though she already did 5 years to Tamox and then 3 on A?  Just wondering.

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,018
    edited February 2011
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    I thought people could do 5 years of each since they worked different ways; I am no expert though so maybe someone with more knowledge will chime in.

  • nancyinaustin
    nancyinaustin Member Posts: 5
    edited February 2011
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    been on arimidex since oct1,'10,,,,no hot flashes yet, some aches & pains, which is par for the course, i am 65 & definitely postmenopausal, hair was really sprouting, spiking straight up, salt & pepper, all of a sudden it's gone mostly steel gray & a lot flatter.....

  • grneyd5600
    grneyd5600 Member Posts: 18
    edited February 2011
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    My onc told me that 8 years between the combo was the new standard of care.  I am not doing tamox because I was already surgically into meno so he started right away with Arimidex.  He told me to expect an 8 year regime.  So I think you are ok with only 5 of Tamox and 3 of Arimidex. 

  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 47,018
    edited February 2011
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    Thanks. I think they really don't know... I.already was in menopause too and went straight to Arimidex; when I was in for my last appointment my onc. said he wouldn't go beyond 7 years at the present....

  • carolehalston
    carolehalston Member Posts: 7,873
    edited February 2011
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    I thought the regimen was 5 years of Arimidex.

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