Arimidex
Comments
-
Great Job, lakewoman!! Painterly, I wouldn't worry too much drinking about milk, organic or not. Just about everything we eat is chemically altered in some way and I think we will drive ourselves NUTS (without really doing anything of much good) dwelling a lot on the fact. I think that it is a bigger problem than what we can put a dent in unless we run for some office or become a commissioner of agriculture or something (not that we shouldn't try to eat more organic, less processed foods etc. but also not to live being afraid of food).
0 -
Lakewoman, you make me proud!
0 -
Anniemac.....I've never had any luck with weights, walking, etc because I hate to do it and they bore me to tears. But over the past year I've been a faithful 4-5 day/week Jazzercise participant. We do 40 min of cardio and 20 of mat/weight work. The cardio still counts as weight bearing becausing moving my body weight all around and up and down certainly would qualify as an Olympic sport. I'm religious about it not because I've suddenly developed self-motivation but because it's just fun! If you like to dance and move your body, maybe a Jazzercise or dance type class would work for you.
I had my bone density scan done last month...12 months after beginning Arimidex...and I've actually increased my bone density! My Onc and I were blown away.
I do miss my Pilates class though....maybe now that my joint pains have improved, I can return to that class as well.
Che
0 -
Che, good job! I have an old Jazzerise tape that I do every once and awhile just because it is fun and has great, peppy music. It is definitely weight bearing exercise!
0 -
Hmmmmmm, Jazzercise tape - sounds like another visit to eBay/Amazon for me!
Night all.
0 -
Hi Ladies,
I don't post much, but I read this thread regularly. I appreciate the tips and info.
I reached the one year mark for arimidex. I don't know if the SEs have subsided or i have just gotten used to them. Hot flashes, achy hands and feet, creeky bones --- it doesn't seem to bother me much -- and if it keeps this cancer from returning, it is all worth it. Exercise seems to help the most - along with an occasional advil and a mostly plant based diet, including tart cherry juice!.
so, one down and four to go.... hang in there everyone!
0 -
we should get a cut in their profit for all the recommendations we are making
! 0 -
kt57...You and I are about at the same place with Arimidex. And my aches/pains have improved as well. I was getting great relief with Lyrica...it was prescribed for something else and I was pleasantly surprised at the relief it gave me from my Arimidex se's. But, since it also causes weight gain, I was concerned that I couldn't stay ahead of both of them. I quit taking the Lyrica several weeks ago and so far, my se's are still at relief level! So yes, one year down and four to go....unless the current ongoing studies say otherwise and then I'll have to ponder the issue.
ruthbru....I'm ashamed to admit that if I used an at-home Jazz tape, I'd find every excuse in the world to NOT do it. Having a set class at a set time gives me the incentive to get there and get it done. And being a bit competitive, the other class members give me that extra push to really work hard. By the time class ends, I look as if I've just stepped out of the shower...except for that nice clean shower scent!
And I agree...we should get an endorsement fee!!!!
0 -
Hey Anniemac,
Been thinking about your problem. I have lots of questions to try to figure out what might help.
I do pilates and have reached the 4 1/2 yr mark with bone density intact. I'm wondering about your pilates routine - do you have a DVD or do you take classes with a "registered" pilates instructor and if so, are they classes or private? The reason I am asking is pilates has about 700 exercises and a lot are weight bearing. The studio where I take my classes has multi-levels of classes as well as special interest classes - such as "building better bones", "standing pilates" which is also good for building bones. Are these type of classes available to you?
For your skating, is it ice skating or roller skating or inline skating. I think roller skating would be better for building bone density - because there is more friction and the skate is heavy.
It is your hips / pelvic area where you want to build bone density. So lifting weights with your hands probably won't do much to improve what's needed. Weights around your ankles when walking might help. I tried it once and got blisters for my efforts!
Yoga might also be helpful because a lot of the postures are standing and balancing postures. I've never had to sweat in yoga.
Tai Chi also might be helpful. It looks deceptively easy, but makes you use your balance and leg muscles to maintain the postures. And, the slower you do it, the harder it is.
Calcium? How much do you take daily? Do you take it all at once or spread out through the day?
Vitamin D - how much do you take daily or weekly, and have you had your Vitamin D levels checked - and are they adequate. Vitamin D needs oil to be digested - do you take it with dinner? Liquid or tablets?
Calcium needs Vitamin D to be absorbed by the body, and vitamin D needs oil.
I don't know if any of this will help, but I think there might be options available to you.
0 -
I have been on Arimidex for a year, my hot flashes are much less, very manageable, but the joint pain is chronic and pretty debilitating. My elbows, hands, feet and knees are all very stiff and sore. I also developed frozen shoulder, any my doctor put my on Etodolac to help with the pain from that while I do my exercises/therapy. This helped both my shoulder and the joint pain! I can't stay on it long term, though, and my oncologist said I should try Aleve (Tylenol Arthritis doesn't do much of anything for it). I am able to walk and exercise. I take my Arimidex in the evening and my joint pain is worst in the morning when I wake up. Wonder if I should try morning Arimidex instead?
Is anyone finding a medication that helps this?
Other problems I'm having - sensation problems in the hands and feet (but had Taxol, so had that before); swelling of the hands and feet (hydrochlorothiazide helps this); and thinning hair. The only good thing is that when I'm done with the Arimidex in 4 years, my oncologist said I will go back to normal with all of this. (Although she was careful not to say - the way you were before - she said, you'll be five years older so you will go back to what is normal for you as a 58 year old woman!)
Oh, also have fatigue and vestiges of "chemo brain" - the doctor prescribed a medicine that is usually given to kids for ADD - haven't started it yet, decided I would keep a log before I went on it so I could see if it was really helping or not.
Any help advice would be great.
0 -
What were you taking that may have caused the joint pain to go away? Thanks for your response to sueanneis@yahoo.com0
-
hahahahahaha RE: loss of appetite side effect.
I was first on Aromasin...seemed to lose weight, have flat stomach. But achy all over. Terrible hand pain/numbness. So, I switched to Arimidex. Hand pain is better, but I seem to be bloated. Very gassy. Oy.
0 -
Just started arimidex after six months on aromasin. (Ugh...hated it!)
I'm not liking arimidex much better (still feel like an old lady and I'm 53), but it's better....so far. Doc says to wait two months to see all side effects. Will kepp you posted.
0 -
I have been taking Arimidex for about a year now, and lately I am getting stiffness in my feet (they really hurt if I get up in the night), and some arthritic-type feelings in my fingers, which I never had before I took the drug. In the last 2 weeks, I started getting intense pain in my feet when I lie in bed at night, and have to shift position to make it go away.
How does one know if the aches and pains are from Arimidex or from a recurrence of the cancer?
0 -
Ruby, my onco told me the arthritis-like pains women get from the AI's seem to affect the hands and feet the most. That's been true for me, I suspect; but I also have other aches and pains I am presently blaming on Arimidex.
But, as my onco and I agreed, there's no way for me to tell whether the aches and pains I have now would have developed anyway, because I'm 58 years old (argh!) and have had osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear stuff) for at least 10 years. Plus, I'm a lazy slug. So if I'd get off my butt and get a little more exercise (without overdoing it and wearing out those joints even more), I'm sure I'd feel a lot better.
Some days are definitely worse than others. I just look at it as my new steady-state. (It sure isn't "normal", so I refuse to call it that.) If you are really concerned about a recurrence, please check with your onco.
otter
0 -
My worst symptoms with armidex happened when I would be in bed at night. I don't know if it was adding the Boniva or just the process of time but the aches and pains went away. I'm a little past my 5th year on arimidex.
0 -
Happy, are you going to cintinue since you did 5 years?
I seem to be sleeping better since switching my Arimidex to mornings. I just have a hard time remembering to take it in the rush to get off to work. I have to keep some in my desk just in case I forget. I didn't have trouble remembering when I took it nights.
0 -
I bought one of those weekly pill cases and fill it up on Saturday night for the week & put it right on my dresser (the dresser where I keep my underwear, I'll for sure be digging through it in the morning). I get so rushed some mornings, and it is so automatic, that sometimes I don't remember if I have taken it or not; then I can just look at the case. If that day is open, and the pill is gone, I must have taken it! 0
-
Patoo, I am already a little bit over 5 years but I have an appointment with my onc in June and I am going to BEG them to let me stay on it.No idea what they'll say.
I too found that taking it in the morning was much better for me than any other time of day. What I do every night is take the pill bottle out and put it on the counter, right near the sink. That reminds me to take it in the morning, Then I put it away until night time, when I do the same thing all over again, That seems to work for me. You could always just leave it out in a place you'll find it in the morning and that would key you to take it?
0 -
I see that BCO is having an "Ask An Expert" conference on June 10, where the discussion will be on the Annual Meeting of ASCO. I won't be available that night; but if one of you ladies could take part (7pm EDT), and ask a question of them about what the latest recommendations are on taking Arimidex for more than 5 years, and whatever they say, ask why? do they have new more research results etc.
0 -
Actually I have one of those 7 day pill cases also and it's even split into day and night so I can separate them. Where is the case? - on the kitchen counter with the bottles of meds/supplements - empty! Now that I've written this, though, I will fill it tomorrow because it will make me be consistent taking all of them.
I find that even though I'm sleeping better I am having more pain in my hip that starts by late afternoon. That wasn't really happening when I took the Arimidex at night though I don't see why that would be. Maybe it's just my imagination.
0 -
Stick the pill thing in or on your underwear drawer; as one puts on clean underwear each day (I hope), that's one place you automatically go to in the morning. Do you walk around on hard concrete floors during the day, patoo? 0
-
I'm lazy so have tons of underwear to enable me to put off doing laundry for weeks at a time!!! My pill box would sink to the bottom - but maybe on the shelf right above? Hmmmm, we'll see. Probably just have to make myself be more aware. No, I work in an office building and it's all carpeted. My hip was bad pre-BC which is why I don't blame the pain on the Arimidex although it was under control before Arimidex. Oh well, could be worse, right.
0 -
Yes, we KNOW that it could be worse!
0 -
Does this count? I just picked up my first bottle of Arimidex today. I 'll begin taking it in a few weeks. I'm waiting for the chemo effects from my last TC treament to slow down. Thanks for all the information that you are sharing on this thread. It has been very helpful! Leah
0 -
This is a good, helpful thread Leah. Welcome aboard!
0 -
I'm starting my pills tomorrow morning. yikes! fingers crossed I won't even notice! I already have hot flashes and fatigue so maybe it'll just blend in...
0 -
Hi Molly-I just got back to the computer after a wild week at work. It does make the weekends happen faster! I have been going to a Pilates class for about 6 years-my instructor is certified and will help newbies adjust-although my class has had the same members for "ages." She helped me modify my exercises after surgery. And, yes, I ice skate. I take 1000 units of D along with 1500 of calcium and multivitamins. does housework fit the requirement for weight-bearing exercise? Maybe I ought to do more of that...
About hot flashes-I haven't found that I have more than I did without estrogen when "suffering" menopause. Carrying around a bottle of ice water helps-I either put the cold bottle against my neck or drink the water-both help. And drinking lots of water seems to reduce them.
0 -
Just caught up on the posts after a week's absence. Most are very upbeat and encouraging! I've seen those shoes with the curved soles but haven't tried any on. I walk 3 mi. on the average of 4 times a week, but wear New Balance running shoes because I figure running shoes are designed to cushion impact. I usually order them from NB and they cost about $85.
Has anyone else experienced "fatter" fingers since beginning Arimidex? I've taken several rings and had them enlarged because they fit too tight for comfort.
Hope everyone is having a good Saturday.
0 -
Cold water bottle on the wrists helps too (and you can do it more sneakily than putting it on your neck if you are in a group of people that might look at you funny if you are walking around with a bottle on your neck
). I also found something called "Thermo Cool' in one of the many catalogues I get. It is a very thin scarf like thing that you soak in water, freeze & then can wear around you neck like a scarf (more for working out, gardening, etc. not for formal events, although.........). Probably could google it if you are interested. 0
