Arimidex - Coping with the SE's
Comments
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Depression is a serious side effect of anastrozole.
http://www.drugs.com/sfx/anastrozole-side-effects.html
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Anastrozole:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing or swallowing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, throat, or tongue; unusual hoarseness); burning, numbness, or tingling sensation; calf or leg pain, swelling, or tenderness; chest pain; confusion; fainting; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; frequent or painful urination; mental or mood changes (eg, depression); numbness of an arm or leg; one-sided weakness; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; severe or persistent bone pain; severe or persistent dizziness or headache; severe or persistent tiredness or weakness; shortness of breath; skin lesions, ulcers, or blisters; speech problems; swelling of the arms or legs; swollen lymph nodes; symptoms of liver problems (eg, yellowing of the skin or eyes; dark urine; severe or persistent nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain; general feeling of being unwell); tingling, pain, coldness, or weakness in the fingers, wrists, or hands; vaginal bleeding or unusual discharge; vision changes.
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etherize - I started out on Anastrozole and became very depressed, my ONC took me off for 4 weeks, she also gave me an anti-depressant but I could not stand how I felt, after the 4 weeks she started me on Aromasin, and I have not had the depression since. I have other issues with bones but am happy the depression is gone! Good luck, Ginger
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Cold, HOT, Cold, HOT, Cold, HOT.... need I say more...
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LOL...nope
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Layla2525, With what our bodies are going thru, I don' t think any scientist could figure us out! Someone on here thought it could be the sugars causing the sweats. They could well be right, because vegetarians can still eat sugar (my weight can attest to that). You might watch those for awhile. But, I personally don't think fruits, even though they metabolize as sugar, cause the sweats as I'm eating lots of those right now and am not currently bothered by flashes. I think it's the added sugar/carbs. Hope yours are getting better. Good luck.
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I agree about sugar including the sugar in alcohol. I avoid simple sugar and I have no hot flashes just mild night sweats. Night sweats are worse if I've had a couple of glasses of wine though.
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Thanks for the info, notself and ginger_mea!
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I bought Sage tea in my local health food store. I'm sure it's available on the web. The brand name is Alvita and it says manufactured by Ideasphere Inc. American Fork, UT.
It's just sage leaves so you could just get some sage and put it into an infuser.
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Allergic to sage - bummer... seems like everything that might help - i'm allergic too...
Really down today - trying to stay positive for everyone - just can't do it anymore.
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Is there anyone on here that didn't have hot flashes with menopause, and also doesn't have them with arimidex?
I zoomed through menopause, without, hot flashes, mood swings, or anything else. I was done before I even knew it was happening. I had regular periods until just before my 50th birthday. Then I just stopped. I thought I might be pregnant, because my periods came like clock work all my life. My doctor did a blood test that showed I was done with menopause. It was like that for my mother, and her mother.
So, I'm hoping maybe the Se from arimidex & chemo will skip me too. I can pray that way anyhow.
Blessings
Paula0 -
soteria...I had virtually no hot flashes (maybe a few and they were never at night) and so far I have had none with Arimidex either. No mood swings either or depression other than being mad at myself for not taking better care of myself for years.
Have you had chemo yet? Have you started on Arimidex?
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Soteria - I had no hot flashes going through menopause, and I don't have any now either. A few flushes but thats about it and I do notice sugar can trigger it, or if I get anxious. Thats about it.
I often wondered if the lack of hot flashes through menopause meant I had to much estrogen in my body and could of been a sign of b.c. to come? not sure just a thought I had.
Ginger
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Ginger
We will ALWAYS wonder.........but probably never know!
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Thanks schatzi & ginger...I'm believing it will be that way for me too.
This is all bad enough without losing sleep too.
Blessings
Paula0 -
Liberty- nope, haven't had a chance to look for your sister yet.
Re hot flash triggers : I did a menopause support group for several years so have had some experience in explaining and counseling on this issue. It is thought that estrogen helps regulate the body's thermostat so with decreasing (or in our case eliminating!) estrogen causes the autonomic nervous system (ANS) to overshoot as it attempts to regulate. As you might recall from HS biology class, the ANS regulates all the body functions we don't have to think about including breathing. Many things can effect and stimulate the ANS and trigger hot flash (HF) including stress, alcohol, spicy foods. Some people find that doing paced respirations or yoga breathing can calm down the ANS to reduce HF. With practice I have had some luck with this. This also works with overactive bladder. There is also some evidence that acupuncture is helpful for HF as well. I have not tried this but may consider this if my HF get any worse. I have had HF for over 10 years but they have been manageable and were almost gone before I started anastrozole 3 mo ago. Last night was terrible. I woke up soaked in sweat. I am hoping this was from my recent Reclast infusion and will subside. We shall see?
Ps- studies have indeed shown that women with more severe HF
during menopause do have a lower risk of BC. But what is to be done about that?0 -
Same for me, lack of serious HF so far and none during menopause. I was on AI for 2 months before surgery, a break. then about 5 weeks back on now. Occasional minor flushes, which I never had before, but which pass quickly.
I recall reading comments wondering if lack of HF meant AIs not working well, and I believe I read a study that disproved that. Maybe someone here is familiar with the study as I could not find with a quick Google.
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Stage two Plus positive I was on chemo then radiation surgery, and hormonal treatment first on tamoxifen and now Arimidex. I was diagnosed in February 2009 after the treatment I had a full robotic hysterectomy thinking great I don't have to take tamoxifen but now here comes Arimidex.Honestly, I just started taking it I should of been on it for months but I was to tired from all the other treatments that I decided to push it back a little. NO HOT FLASHES for me just headaches constantly and I think this is just due to stress. I don't think that the cramping of the hands is due to the Arimidex I have it from the chemo, and I cant even cut with a knife my hands are not as fixable as they were prior to the treatment. I have been very depressed and I was not on Arimidex this illness can truly take a toll on a person. I live day by day and don't plan much. My last pet scan was clear and I look forward to moving on slowly if the Arimidex bothers me I will not take it either in this case I want to live my life free of anything that can stress me out... Total weight gain from start to finish was about ten pounds but I must say that I lost alot of muscle tone from the chemo. I would like to say to all my sisters out there "This to shall pass"
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Dobie: Thanks for the good info.
Nancy: Thanks for the info on sage tea.
I had minimal hot flashes for a couple of years (maybe once a night), but hadn't had them in about 3 years. Now I wake up dripping wet. I have 1 or two during the day as well. Thank God I don't have much hair--it helps!
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Nani64, start planning things! If you are busy doing interesting things you don't have that much time to think about all the stressful stuff....
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I had no hot flashes with menopause and none with anastrasole. I wondered if perhaps I wasn't metabolizing it.
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kjiberty-excellent way to look at the silver lining 0
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Soteria:
I had about 3 hot "flushes" through menopaus and that was about it. Funny, I was the one who wanted them because I'm always cold, so of course, I'm the one who didn't get any. I also sailed through menopause and my mother did as well. I'm now into my 4th month of Anastrazole and have had no SEs. Well, maybe a little "intestinal sluggishness", nothing else. I was 64 when diagnosed (65 now).
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Hi, just started two weeks ago on Arimidex. No hot flashes, at least none like I had during menopause, but I get teary eyed over everything. Also go to sleep fine, but wake up after two to three hours and can't get back to sleep for two to three hours. So I guess I figure its the med. I mean, its not the bc, the termination letter from my job, or the fact that I have to take a break from Herceptin because my EF is 48%, I am blaming this all on Arimidex! LOL
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Thanks to all who shared about hot flashes, or lack of. It looks like kind of a pattern in that those who skipped them during menopause are more likely to skip them during treatment. I did have 2 or 3 nights around the time my periods stopped. I'd wake from sleep, throw the covers off, and wake up a few minutes later to cover up again. It only happened once a night, 2 or 3 times.
Snoopsmom I'm also cold all the time. Even here in Ohio where it's been in the 90s all summer, I get up in the mornings at 6 am, turn off the ac and put my fuzzy robe on.
Blessings
Paula0 -
I forgot to say, I was turning 50 at menopause. I'm going to be 62 in November.
Blessings0 -
gmfoley,am feeling it. Hot flash,get natural body misting,then in AC get cold,an hour later,HF...and so on.
I am taking Femara cause I had all the side effects with Arimi,no problems with Femara so far,it will be 30 days next wk. Worried my bones will turn to dust but at least no cancer recur hopeful. Last clinical trial reports from MO journals show good results with Femara...but wonder cause the study was funded by Novartis who is the manufacturer so can the results be relied on?
Got my squishes yesterday,had vomiting but I am feeling great today,they are gorgeous pancakes and I told the PS I wanted to be a C. Will these implants fluff out eventually?
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Layla - I've been on the August 2012 surgery thread and there are lots of talk and banter about everyone's "squishies"
. You might want to check out the thread... I only had my 2nd lumpectomy, but am not sure I want to do the waiting game with my "boobies" At one point my BS was saying that the "other" alternative, if my pain keeps up is to take it off.. I worry too much about recurrance at this point, hence the second trial on Arimidex... My hands are hurting this morning while I do my computer job and I need my hands... But this could be from swelling from my breast Lymphedema.. I don't want to blame anything on the arimidex - I know it is the lack of estrogen that is probably causing the SEs.. I just get so scared and frustrated.. How a little pea-size lump can cause so much problem, I will never know...
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Gma...Am I reading your TX correctly? You have had 3 lumpectomies on the same breast?
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Schatzl - yes kinda - first was the cancer tumor; second was margin clearing; third was this month, a nodule that came back benign and was left over scar tissue from radiation..
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Gma....well that must have been a relief...you have certainly been thru the mill!
Sounds like you are well on the mend and like many of us, if it weren't for the Arimidex, you would be all finished with this crap!
I also have LE but in my arm...I have been getting pain in my fingers but it is arthritis I am afraid....getting lumpy fingers but had some before Arimidex.
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