Arimidex - Coping with the SE's
Comments
-
Yeh, it's all about the odds. Everyone else in my family has heart disease, so I am taking it as much for heart health as for BC risk reduction.
0 -
I'm going to discuss it with my eye specialist.....will,let you know what he says.
0 -
Hi ladies,
I have just finished 5 years on Arimidex in August and I'm beginning to feel alot better. If you can tough it out, there is sunshine at the end of the tunnel. I have had no joint pain after being off the pill for a few months and I'm actually beginning to drop a few pounds. I still have my sleeping issues, but after 5 years, I imagine that they had become "learned habits" that can't easily be changed now I'm finished with the medication.
I do have a questions for you gals, though. A friend of mine is now doing Anastrazole. It is aggravating her prior arthritic problems and she is having trouble with her arm. Her arm and fingers become numb at times and tingle. It's like they have fallen asleep. This often happens during the night when sleeping. Have any of you had any side effects like this? I wasn't much help to her since I never experienced that. She has an appointment with her onc in a few weeks but I thought there might be somebody on here that could offer a suggestion or confirm this side effect while she's waiting to get in to see the onc.
Thanks!
0 -
Congrats ritajean-good to hear the se's aren't permanent. I have occasional tingling, but never thought it may be an se . it'll be interesting to see how many others have it.
0 -
ritajean....I am on Arimidex but have not had that SE...there have been some posts on here though that have had the same thing. It would take forever to scroll back and read all those pages so hopefully someone will see your post and reply! Congrats on being done with the Arimidex!
0 -
RitaJean, congrats on finishing! I have had that happen, But I had it from my arthritis and diabetes before Arimidex. My cancer rehab PT sometimes massaged my upper ARM and it helps.
0 -
ritajean, yes, my right hand goes numb when I hold a cell phone or type, and I often wake up with both hands tingling. My MO warned me that Arimidex affected small bones and joints especially, and that carpal tunnel syndrome was a possibility. Of course, I've also had extreme stiffness in major joints, too -- knees, hips and one shoulder. Been on Arimidex since June.
One odd thing... I've had obstructive pulmonary disease for about 6 weeks and the pulmonologist has me on strong Prednisone. After a week or so, I noticed that ALL my stiffness is gone, my shoulder doesn't hurt. I know Prednisone isn't good long-term, but I'm enjoying the brief reprieve from bone and joint pain.0 -
Wave Whisperer - I've had a lot of back, neck and hip pain over the years, I noticed that during treatment, and actually until pretty recently (so that would be about 2 years), my old pains were basically gone, figured it was due to the steroids. Unfortunately, they've worn off and not only do I have the new pains, but the old ones are coming back now too.
I've considered asking my PCP about a short bout of steroids to see if it would lower my pain level some. Heck, I already feel like a drug addict, what's a few more 
Just Kidding!0 -
That was the one thing I liked about steroids! But, with diabetes, my sugars would soar on steroids. So I couldn't take them long. But being pain free was amazing. Going back to constant pain is not so nice. LOL
0 -
I agree....the previous (before BC) nightly pain I suffered from herniated discs in my neck completely disappeared while getting steroids with chemo...no chemo...back came the pain. Nice that there was at least ONE positive SE while on chemo!
0 -
ritajean - I've experience the carpal tunnel and numbness in left hand on Aromasin (I use Exemestane). Thus far, after 4 months, I've only experienced this while on one of the generics, which the drug store switched me to for my 3rd month. I switched back to the "Roxanne" generic for Exemestane and have not had the numbness in my hand. My hot flashes are also less with Roxanne. Ofcourse, one could ask, is this generic working as well as the other?
I also have lots of joint pain now, especially in my fingers. My shoulder tendonitis (and overall body inflammation) that I suffered 2 years after my periods started becoming irregular, but 5 years before my BC dx is flaring up again with Exemestane. No one could figure out the cause of what I was going through 6 years ago (negative for RA), but now I'm convinced it must have been caused by my change in estrogen levels during my peri-menopausal phase of life....inflamation, tendonitis, even numbness in my hands. Not so nice to have to do this again!
0 -
Hi ladies, I have a question, I am on zoladex and Arimidex for one year now and I was cramping for a few days to just wake up with my PERIOD!!! Is this something I should be worried about or is this normal?? I am freaking out!!!!! I had a trans vag u/s prior to all this, one year ago and all was good! Please.. any advice or experience from this??
0 -
B123...my advice would to be to call your MO as soon as possible. I have read on here about others having the same thing happen but can't recall what the treatment was.
I was surgically menopausal for decades before BC, so I have no experience with that SE. I am not familiar with Zoladex...what is that?
0 -
You should not be having your period. Call the doctorand figure out what is going on.
0 -
ritajean-i have the tingling in my hands and arms - my RO thinks it is residual from my two diff chemos- and since it started AFTER chemo he think sit will go away...it is not constant but it is annoying!
0 -
I called and the nurse said not to worry and the doc will call me back. I am worried though.. The cramping stopped but I have the spotting??? I read online that this can happen??!
0 -
Ok I found out that the zoladex was not enough of a dose so it is ok and they are upping the dose.. Whew.. Thank you all for your support!
0 -
Kam - I think some of us must be more sensitive to estrogen than others, I have a plethora of SE's from the AI, as well as residual from all the other treatments.
0 -
I started A in Sept. No big SEs at this time. I got tingling, pain and drop things, but what is from my diabetes, left from chemo, or from A ? Crap shoots and guesses! LOL. I am just p*saws cause I got a letter from my insurance that I had my three refills and now have to order it in 90 day supplies. So I had to call and have the doc write a new script for 90 day amounts. I don't see him till January, and I hope I will be on the same drug til them, but who knows. Oh well, ill get a call back when he does it, so I can refill. Why does this stuff always happen on holiday times or nights? LOL I know today is not a holiday, but you can be sure my.MO is just wanting to get done early and the last thing he wants is to write an unnecessary script. I did have another refill left, so I never thought I'd have a problem until I got the letter from the insurance company. Oh, well, everyone have a great Thanksgiving.
0 -
LindaKR - yes, my body loves estrogen, that's for sure. Funny, I had barely any issues with Adriamycin/Cytoxan, TEs, surgery in general (all 4 of them), but starting with Taxol to Exemestane, it's been Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.
My MO wanted me to switch to Tamoxifen and I reminded her I didn't have my uterus taken out with my ooph....her response "why didn't you do that?" Huh? She might have suggested I do that beforehand knowing I might have to try Tamoxifen. All of my other doctors were advocating NOT removing the uterus. Kind of a late suggestion....
0 -
I could not find a Femara board. Anyone here switch from Arimidex (Anastrozole) to Femara? I have been on Anast. since August 1st and I can't take the joint pain any more.., it has become very painful and disabling specifically to my right thumb (& I am right dominant). I feel like I'm 95 and I'm only 49. I'm hoping for success with the Femara! Anyone else out there make a change???
0 -
C-squared - I started on Anastrozole, terrible joint pain, my MO changed me to Femara after about 3 months, I took that for about 6 weeks, and it was worse, then he switched me to exemenstane, SE's droped back to the Anastr level. He wanted me to try Tamox, but after alot of research, I found, that for me anyway, there is less chance of recurrence with an AI, and that if I was having these issues with all of the AI's, I probably wouldn't fair any better on Tamox. I had a hysterctomy years ago, but still have my ovaries, I was tested, and am post- menopausal.
Now, I have a friend who used Anastrozole for a year or so, and decided to quit using it because of the pain issues, she switched to Femara, and the pain totally disappeared, though she did gain some weight.
So, I think, like the rest of the exeperience - it's kind of luck of the draw, but definitely worth a try. Don't mean to sound negative, sorry if I do
0 -
Linda, are you taking any ai now? I had a lot of problems with femara and Aromasin, not sure what to do now.
Susannah0 -
SusannahW - I do still take an AI, exemestane (Aromasin). I actually qualified for SSDI because of my residual SE's from everything. I have a lot of pain, and fatigue. I only have 3 more years to go!!!! My PCP helps me with pain management, and other side effects, It keeps it manageable most days.
0 -
c-squared, here's the Femara thread http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/78/topic/726592?page=90#idx_2671 It's 130 pages....
I was thinking of trying Femara, but a bco friend, SpecialK recently switched from Femara to Arimidex. She had trigger thumb pain and the switch off of Femara seemed to help her thumb. So I decided I'd stick with arimidex a bit longer. You could PM her.
0 -
Linda, you are strong! I admire your attitude.
0 -
Bethu77: I have sore arches in my feet; I've had plantar fascitis in past and assumed it was that, but now I wonder if it is a SE of anastrazol. If so, the treatment is the same: when I put my feet on the ground, they are *always* in a birkenstock-type supported sandal or footewar. I always stretch my feet and arches throughout the day, and do exercises with a (tennis) ball a few times a day. I also practice aikido, and there are some great foot/toe/arch stretches used for warmups with that.
Hope this helps!!
Susan
0 -
Yes, some aching, but the worst part is my friggin dry eyes! Put lubricating eye drops in, which help, but I am bad, and when they are ok, I stop, and then it starts all over again. And can't wear mascara anymore, I hate having irritated eyes. I may go with eyelash extensions, whoo hoo! Pricey, but nice. Will have to check with opthalmologist first. Good luck everyone!
0 -
Thank you Susannah - It's definitely a challenge.
sebm9 - I'm not on Arimidex, I'm on exemestane (Aromasin), and in the last 9 or so months I've had the same symptoms in my feet. Do you have neuropathy also? I found out that neuropathy can actually cause the cramping. I also have had cramping in my arms & hands since starting the AI's. Lately my legs and chest have been too. I've tried muscle relaxants, magnesium, calcium, potassium, a banana just before going to bed, the only thing that I've found that helps is Leg Cramps by Hyland it's a homeopathic tablet, you put a couple under your tongue and the cramps seem to get better after a few minutes. I also found that Restless Legs and Leg Cramp Creme (?) all by Hyland also have been helpful with the restless leg issues and the rub on stuff has helped my neck spasms also. My PCP just told me they have a Night Time Leg Cramps that you take at bedtime and you don't wake up with cramps, haven't tried that one yet.
But the bottom of my feet is the worst, my arches will just cramp and cramp and cramp.
Linda
0 -
Try drinking tonic water (with or without the gin
).0
