Arimidex - Coping with the SE's
Comments
-
I called my oncologist and asked him if I could take Reumofan Plus and he looked at the properties of each ingredient and said it was a go I could try it. I have taked two doses and I am seeing results. My legs don't hurt as much and this morning when I got out of bed to my surprise I was not hobbling. YEAH! I am hoping this continues...oh and my hands don't hurt as much either. This is an over the counter product. 25$ a bottle.
Love this morning!!!
Balsie
0 -
balsie
what GOOD NEWS!!!!! Hope it continues.
I've had an interesting morning of "exploring" googling for information about high gluose levels, which I have now - and found this:
The effect of niacin on type 2 diabetes is more complicated. People with type 2 diabetes often have high levels of fats and cholesterol in the blood. Niacin, often along with other drugs, can lower those levels. However, niacin may also raise blood sugar levels, which is particularly dangerous for someone with diabetes. For that reason, anyone with diabetes should take niacin only when directed to do so by their doctor, and should be carefully monitored for high blood sugar.
Read more: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/vitamin-b3-000335.htm#ixzz1h5GTjUPFI'll let everybody GUESS who has been taking HIGH DOSES of No Flush Niacin to get her cholesteral levels down BY 20 POINTS ( from 206 to 186) this year...
THE MIND BOGGLES...just boggles - speakign of being between a VERY HARD WALL and a ROCK. Oh, my....
0 -
My blood sugar levels have gone up over the last year My Onc. hasn't said anything about them, but my GP is concerned. Is it possible the AL's affect the levels?
0 -
Kira - that's what I thought too. So asked my doc at Dana Farber - who is very well informed about all this stuff. Told me "not that we know of" and went on to suggest I get retested for HbAlc - another form of glucose test.
Haven't done that yet. Will wait for a few weeks of No Niacin to see what the results are.
In my case - I think the high doses of Niacin were a MAJOR FACTOR.
0 -
Ok - does anyone else have a beard growing?? I don't mean a full one like a man's lol - but before bc, I was in menopause, and had the occasional hair growing on my neck, under my chin. I'd tweezer it out. Now I have lots ... and lots .... and I'm having trouble keeping up with them.
I can't afford laser treatment to have them removed - there's just too many of them. I had thought of waxing, but worry that the skin there is too delicate.
What do you do?
Trish0 -
I bought some 'Noxzema Bikini Shave & Trim' razors....I am scared of the home-waxing products too. Open for suggestions!
0 -
I haven't run into this problem with Arimidex, yet, but Nads hair removal products are very easy to use and they make a product specifically for the face. "Waxing" type products that are sugar based and formulated for the face shouldn't cause irritation. I 've used them for touching up my daughters eyebrows and upper lip for many years. Also, threading is a great facial hair removal method. I have had my eyebrows threaded for many years and taught myself to thread my upper lip by watching a YouTube video.
Caryn0 -
This is the first day that I did not have any numbness whatsoever in my right hand, and I know it is because I have been wearing that wrist splint at night. Not even a twinge.
I still can't believe it has taken just this simple contraption to alleviate that pain.
I know I thanked a couple of you gals already, but wanted to thank you again. I'll keep you posted on how it goes in the future. Still keeping up with this thread.
0 -
I use a razor. I am very fair and my Doc pointed out that the hairs are more visible on me. The razor does not make more hairs grow back, hair is dead the folicle does not know what the ends are doing.
0 -
I just took my first pill of Anastrazole (Arimidex) yesterday morning, and again this morning. I have read the last number of pages of this thread, as well as a few sections further back. Before I took these pills, I had gotten through all ill-health problems of cancer treatment (six weeks after last rads). As I was getting better and better, I noticed a lot of nutty physical anomalies that, IF I had taken the estrogen-blocking drug during that time, I might have ascribed those problems to the drug. Anyway, I absolutely did NOT want to take it, but most of the evidence says it'll prevent many estrogen-positive cancers from progressing. I was afraid to take it because I do not like the idea of ALL estrogen coming out of my body, as it does good things for women, too. After reading many of the posts here, I also decided to take my pill in the mornings instead of evenings, so as to avoid nightmares. I also have high cholesterol and grandmother had osteoporosis, so hope this medicine won't drastically affect those risks.
Well, as I said, I took my first one yesterday morning, and I felt an actual buzz on it, which I assume is the dizziness it can cause. I had no nightmares, but I did wake up early, altho I went to sleep rather early the night before AND I have been waking up early intermittently thruout my cancer treatments, don't know why. Anyway, today I feel about the same as I usually do, and have not gotten dizzy yet from my morning pill, I've only been awake a couple hours. Now, altho I assume my doc wants me to take it for five years, I am only going to take it for two years. My reasoning is once the cancer has been out of my body for two years, with the risk of recurrence diminishing anyway after two years, AND with residual benefit from the drug lasting two more years after that, I should get the most out of the pill over that four-year period and also won't deprive body of all estrogen for too long. I am in my 60s, my health isn't that great to begin with, disabled in a car accident from fractures to spine, so I just don't want to donate quality of life when I may die at 70. Also, I may quit in one year, get the one year residual effect, to get me to the two years that should mark a drop in recurrence risk. But unless I turn inside out, I'm gonna stick with it two years.
So, I have a few questions, and I apologize if they've been asked before, but this IS a long thread. First, how long again does it take when a person stops taking the pill to start feeling normal again? Second, has anyone tried just taking a half pill? I have no idea how I'd cut it, I have a razor plastic thing that cuts my pills for me, but these pills are tiny with no cut-mark. Also, I wonder if the KIND of generic we get makes a diff in how good or bad we feel with side effects? Since I have read here in this thread that certain generics ARE a problem (in particular Roxane), I therefore put the abbrev for mine along with all my cancer info at the bottom. (For those who haven't paid attention to this, the generic manuf can be located on the bottle after the generic name.) I thought knowing what manufacturer we were using might help those who are having a hard time with side effects. Mine is ASCE which stands for Ascent. So, we'll see how I do with it. GG
0 -
No need to apologize for asking a question asked before, there are women coming on the thread new all the time and the questions sort of cycle. Gives us a chance to review what we know and have tried and get new ideas, too!
Good idea about the generic manufacturer name--while the active ingredient is the same, the fillers and chemicals used in processing are often different and people can and do react to those substances in medications. There may well be such a chemical that is more problematic than others out there!
0 -
valjean - so happy for you!
0 -
valjean - so glad to hear about your wrists. it's so simple. the splints keep your wrists straight at night, while asleep (or in the day) it was the same overnight succesf for me 2 years or so ago when someone here suggested splints. some day, after a few months or 6 months or whatever, you may discover that you can occasionally do without them, and that happens more & more, and finally the splints are crammed in the back of a drawer, where you discover them from time to time......like my doc said, you're heading it off at the pass.
0 -
My generic arimidex is manufactured by Teva. I went to their page and found my drug but how would I find out what fillers they use?
Thanks
Cindy0 -
Valjean - SO HAPPY FOR YOU. Ditto everthing Flannel said. Also, I found great benefit from going to a physiotherapist for treatment, a kind of stretching of those tendons in the hand, wrist, and she gave me exercises which also really REALLY helped keep the hands flexible.
I also had terrible "trigger thumbs" - and that's where the physiotherapy really made a fantastic difference.
No need to apologize for ANY questions - as NativeMainer said, always new people checking in and we all learn with each other. Here's another recap:
JOINT PAIN - I still suggest the "regulars" - get vitamin D levels up ( most folks suggest 50, I have to fight to get mine up to 35, and that's with 5,000ius of D3 daliy, aybe cuz I'm dairy free?), I swear by the ACUPUNCTURIST I now see once a month, went from 10 ibeprofen a day to NONE, nada, zilch, no more joint pain. GLUTEN FREE was also a KEY change for me, can't even begin to describe how much better I felt ( feel) when I stopped eating all products with any wheat gluten ( including SOY SAUCE, who knew? and licorice, oh that one was difficult, my favorite candy) Monthly massage by a woman trained by Tracy Walton(Boston, MA, specializes in massage for cancer patients/survivors)http://www.tracywalton.com/
I've always taken a powerful multi vitamin and also GLUCOSAMINE/CHONDROITIN cuz I had wonky knees. Acupuncture has really helped my knees too, reduces inflammation/osteo arthritis and keeps me mobile.
Sure lots of women will add to this. Expect Ruthbru to say EXERCISE
Which if I weren't so lazy I'd add too! Claire in Seattle is an inspiration for this too!!!!!!0 -
I have a planet sized zit on my cheek. I'm guessing you can lose weight on this drug because this thing must way half a pound and when it goes, it will show on the scale. Fun!
0 -
Ask your pharmacist for a list of ingredients in your medication--the list is in the package insert in every bottle, in very, very tiny print. Make the pharmacists copy it and blow it up to a readable size or copy out the list of ingrededients for you. If you have found the company's website, search that site for "full prescribing information" which is the official name of the package insert. Usually it's a PDF file that you can enlarge to a readable size.
0 -
Thanks NativeMainer. I did go to the website but will go back and check again. If that doesn't work I will definitely check out the ingredient list....
0 -
Thanks Sunflowers, but don't think I would inspire anyone today. Day 5 of the Creeping Crud, so achy and have mild fever. At least my head is clear now.
I never want to see another cup of herb tea.
That said, I did my basic exercises anyway. Hoping I feel up to cycling this weekend.
I don't care how "not moving" any of you feel. If you see anyone about to sneeze....RUN. Trust me, you don't want this.
I am down a bit of weight, but don't recommend as a method for weight loss. Not that any of them are fun, but this one is the pits.
0 -
Blah, poor Claire! Lots of icky stuff going around....along with running away from the sneezers, I also wash my hands like crazy and gargle with warm salt water twice a day.
And unless you are sick; you really truly feel better if you exercise!
0 -
I have had the same problem with Arimidex no appetite and lots of nausea. Also, joint pain.
0 -
Only 5 weeks on Arimidex for me but no se's yet. Vit D3, lots of water and exercise regularly. My diet is not perfect but pretty clean and I am not overweight. Has all of this prevented se's? I don't know for sure, but I'm sticking with it, for now. Started a monthly Aredia infusion yesterday. Only minor muscle/bone pain in arms. A good long walk and some Tylenol took care of that . I hope everyone finds their way to a comfortable, pain free holiday.
Caryn0 -
dogeyed- it has been two weeks for me arimidex free and all but my left index finger is back to regular Sandee-sized fingers....especially noticable in my ring fingers actually and my thumb ring is falling off again....chest and back and arms are still swollen.....not light headed when I get upany more and my energy is starting to come back....don't feel like I have been kicked this week...and I just drove for 3.5 hours....half of that through a hail.snow.rain storm and I am still up and ticking so....I have noticed a difference...thankfully!
0 -
NM and Ruth, thanks for advice on hot flashes and cold flashes. I try to keep hot coffee and cold ice water to tame them down, both sitting in front of me, don't know which one I am going to get. Water on wrists works for hot flashes. Luckily I work at home and can peel and put on layers as I please, it's just unreal to do if 5 times an hour. My head is still nearly bald from chemo and I wonder what it would be like to go through this on the job wearing a wig. OMG. Ha, I haven't done it yet but with this bald head I could probably put my overheated head under water and towel off and get back to work. Luckily, temperature control has been my only problem so far on Arimidex, along with some elbow ache which I never had before. My sister had really severe hip and foot pain with it, so I had fears of that. Does joint pain show up right away if it is going to come, or maybe subtly and slowly with calicum loss? I just have the temperature bouncing all over the map so far. It's a long haul medicine and I am totally on board with taking it, just wondering what to expect.
0 -
Some people don't get the more difficult SE's until 6 or 7 months.
0 -
What SEs I had (the hot flashes and creakiness) all gradually decreased and pretty much went away as time went on. As someone once said, dealing with anti-hormonal SEs are easier than dealing with a cancer recurrence.
0 -
Ruth, we go through a lot to beat back the cancer, surgery chemo, and in comparison, the Arimidex does not seem to compare but maybe I just don't know what's coming. It's a long, long road with the Arimidex, is why I watch you more experienced girls. I can't believe sweat on this bald head and can't believe I took the heating pad out of the closet for the chills. When excruciating, I walk out Wisconsin patio door barefoot and flap my t-shirt up and down. God forgive me for scaring the neighbor kids but I do have privacy fence and I am in need of temperature relief.
0 -
I guess we have to remember to make the most of the "A" team so we don't end up back on the "C" team! Just my way of dealing with things today..... staying positive.
......and my new supplement of Reumofan Plus is working wonders...YEAH
Good day everyone!
0 -
Thanks, everyone, for some feedback. Thanks, SANDEE, for saying it took about two weeks to start feeling better when you stopped the drug. And I think it was VALJEAN who had the problem with Roxane when she changed generic, it was back maybe three pages. I am post menopausal and so I am not too worried about the hot flash thing, I do layers (altho I ALMOST took off my bottom T-shirt yesterday!), rather I am more concerned about the wisdom of stopping ALL estrogen in the body. During chemo, I felt bone pain, so if I have that, my cancer doc gave me extra pain meds, so I'll get those if things get out of control. It was also helpful to know sometimes takes six months for side effects to jump on us.
I have also taken interest in the wrist splint info, as I use my hands a lot, I like guitar and art, even tho they are still a little numb from the chemo last spring. I agree with the exercise promoted, yes, it worked wonders thru all my cancer treatments. And since I have rested waaaay too long since the end with rads, I will once again tap into exercise to give my strength back to me. I'll start with walks around our property, then husband and I will clean our house top to bottom, a little yard work, and THEN we plan to get us a new puppy! We lost our two big arctic dogs within months of each other this past year, all whilst in the throws of treatments, husband was truly out of gas, too, and it hit him hard. When I finally got my head out of "I'm sick" mode and turned to him, I was so shocked to see how far down he had gone. GOD BLESS our caregivers.
Some of you already know me, I'm long-winded, so I'll stop now. Just wanted to thank you all for listening to me, informing me, and as things unravel (HAHA) I'll let you all know. GG
0 -
GG I love reading your posts. Don't ever think they are to long.....
Cindy0
