Arimidex - Coping with the SE's
Comments
-
Hello, dear new friends, I never dreamed in my wildest dreams I would be staring a bottle of Arimidex in the face again. But I am. I began taking it 3 days ago, this second time around. I was going to say nothing noticeable yet, however yesterday I did put the birthday cake for today's birthday party into the freezer instead of the fridge, and, when I carried my bedroom slippers into my walk-in closet, instead of dropping them on the floor, I threw the iPhone I was holding in my other hand down on the closet floor. Does any of that count?
I've been taking the Arimi after breakfast each morning, but tomorrow morning (Friday) I'm going to the hospital for a CAT scan and Nuclear Bone Scan, and the only way I can think of to do it is to take both Levothyroxine and Arimidex together as soon as I awaken, without food, wait an hour, have breakfast, and then three hours of nothing but clear liquids prior to the procedures, and an Ativan one hour before the first procedure. I hope that will be okay. I did read here that one of you takes her Arimi first thing upon awakening, together with her Levothyroxine, and that information has enabled me to make this decision. Thank you so much for this Arimidex thread!
0 -
Kendrasue, I have been off arimidex for a year now and I do goofy things when I'm not concentrating on my purpose. In my case I can blame aging. Good luck to you.
0 -
Thank you, Carole!
0 -
yeah. A nasty soul (anastrozole) causes some fun stuff!
0 -
JO - am glad to see this thread.
Have only been on Arimidex for five weeks and find the experiences of others very helpful.
Fingers crossed I can stay the course
0 -
NCDi, most of us are able to take the little white pill for the required 5 years. My first day I took mine in the morning and felt about 90 years old. Then I switched to taking it at night along with my statin and a generic benedryl. That worked for me. It didn't matter if I felt like 90 years old while I was sleeping.
I had read this thread prior to beginning arimidex and one major advice was to keep moving. As soon as I was recovered from my breast surgery, I started playing golf again and walking 3 miles for exercise. I don't know whether the exercise helped or whether I was just lucky enough not to have bad SEs, but my joint pain was not really bad and my main discomfort was hot flushes. Oh, I also took 75 mg of Effexor generic, which helps minimize the SEs of menopause for many women.
Good luck.
0 -
I have been on Effexor 75Mg for a month and a half.
I am also taking Arimidex 1mg, have been taking it since April, 2015. I would like to know if anyone is also taking both
and if you are, have you noticed any weight gain ? I have a belly that I never had before my stage IIA breast Cancer.
I would like to know if the 2 drugs together are the cause of this.
0 -
Kiyasmpm, I don't know since I am only tasking Arimidex. I take a bunch of vitamins and supplements and really don't want another RX drug.
I do know I hsve been up since 3:00 this morning cause I can't sleep and my back has been hurting a lot and my legs feel weak. I just found this thread so the answers are probably on here somewhere, but are these SE of Arimidex?
0 -
kiyasmom and mysunshine48, yes there can be SE's with this drug and you may have many of them, only a few or none at all. It affects all of us differently. Weight gain because of the 2 drugs, not necessarily, as many have reported weight gain on arimidex/anastrozole all by its self - it needs no help from another drug. The back and legs issue may also be due to the arimidex.
For the weight gain I suggest exercise, exercise, exercise. Not necessarily high intensity but movement to the best of your ability. Also watch your diet. For the back and legs, it may be due to your body getting used to the lack of estrogen in the body. BC demands a new way of looking at your life and your health. Continue to read through the threads for information but please don't become alarmed with some of the stories as they may not pertain to your journey.
Another thing, because your body is getting used to the drug it may take days, weeks or months but then the SE's may go away or become tolerable. If they don't or you cannot function/live with the SE's please talk with your MO as there are others you can try.
Hugs.
Phyllis
0 -
Well said, Patoo.
0 -
I second that, Carole.
0 -
I third that, tho I cannot usually follow my own advice. Ive gained 20 lb since starting the arimidex, and I take .37 effexor
0 -
Aviva, the weight gain is definitely SE of Arimidex. Hopefully you have started a movement program to help but also may try and cut out the white in your diet (potato, rice, pasta, bread). I've managed to drop and keep off 30 lbs by watching my foods. (not dieting, but watching what and portions)
0 -
Check out the Lets Post Our Daily Exercise on the fitness forum. A great group of ladies in all stages of treatment and beyond, and at all fitness levels, who encourage each other in keeping active. Also there is a good Wednesday Weigh In thread. The accountability really helps me a lot.
0 -
I've been taking Arimidex for 9 months now and I have gained some weight, but I need to try and fit in some more exercise. Having lymph node removal restricts what I can and cannot do. I also need a sleeve, but that is another board!
I have stiffness in the morning, so I try to do some stretching before I get out of bed. I still walk a little gimpy for the first 10 steps or so, but then I'm ok unless I sit at my desk too long at work. Then I'm a little stiff again. I've not had any other SE's. Fingers crossed!
0 -
homecoming
Have you been to the livestrong program at the Y? Just finished the one at lake Nona.
0 -
lbrewer - I live in Clermont which doesn't have a Y - We have the National Training Center. There is one in Winter Garden near the 429 which I keep thinking I'm going to call to see if they have that program. I just haven't done it because I belong to the NTC
0 -
HomeMom--I had the same stiffiness first thing in the morning and if I sat too long throughout the time I was taking Arimidex.That effect lasted about 3 months after I was done with Arimidex.As annoying as it is, it is temporary!
0 -
Thanks Native - I figured as much. I'm just thankful that's all I've had (knock on wood). I've heard of some really dibilitating SE's.
0 -
Thank you soooo much for writing, NativeMainer, I have been saying for awhile now, that if someone could guarantee me that the evil SEs would go away once we are done taking the med, it would be much easier to stick it out.
0 -
While my experience is not a guarantee, I think I'm pretty typical. The joint pain and stiffness went away after I was done, took about 3 months or so. The hot flashes started diminishing within a few weeks of stopping. I can't say they went away completely because after a few months off lupron and arimidex I started natural menopause. The hot flashes I have now are much less intense and much less frequent than when I was in chemical menopause, and I no longer need medication to be able to tolerate them and they rarely interrupt my sleep. So yes, the side effects DO go away once treatment is done.
0 -
Hi everyone, I haven't posted in a very long while. I have just completed 5 years of treatment (1 year tamoxifen/4 years AI). I met with my doctor this week to discuss what the research shows regarding continuing beyond 5 years as there is an AI study under way, but it's only about 7 years in. She did let me know that there is a brand new test, the Breast Cancer Index, for exactly my type of dx (ER+ node negative), which uses a sample of one's original tumor to predict (a) whether you have a chance of recurrence in the next 5 years and (b) if so, whether you would benefit from additional anti-estrogen AI treatment. Only about 3-5% of women benefit from additional treatment. It isn't approved by all insurors yet, so I'm helping pave the way and have signed up for the test. Until the results come back, I am on an AI vacation. Yippee! I have had almost no SEs from anastrazol, though I had early bone pain at about the 3 week mark. Then I discovered that Claritin alleviated the pain almost overnight. It's been a little harder to keep weight off (and I am super active and follow a strictly healthy diet, to no avail), so I have images of 10 pounds melting away now that I've stopped the meds. :-)
Susan
0 -
Dear sebm9,
Thank you so much for this information! I will be getting the results from my Oncotype DX test this Tuesday when I see my MO.
I just googled "Breast Cancer Index test" and downloaded the brochure. I will ask my MO if he can order this test as well. It seems that the Breast Cancer Index test is to Tamoxifen and AIs what the Oncotype test is to chemo.
Since this test relies on the tumor tissue from my surgery, I don't see why I can't order the test now (my surgery was last month) since, in five years, they'll still test same tumor tissue from my surgery, correct? Why wait five years?
I'm interested to learn exactly what this test will show as I am ER+/PR+ HER2- like you.
I'm not concerned about a second 5-year prescription of Tamoxifen or AIs but rather, do I even have to go through with the first 5 years taking them??
Again, they're sampling my tumor that was removed last month. The test won't show anything different in 5 years than if I did the test now.
What are your thoughts or experience on this?
0 -
I am 8 years out from diagnosis and had the BCI test. It showed that I would get benefit from continuing AIs for 10 years. I am now going to continue Arimidex for 10 years. You see too many women having recurrence or mets after 5 years of Arimidex. I had an Oncotype of 11.
0 -
It would seem that if you have node involvement it would make more sense to continue the AIs. I had high ER+, but node involvement
0 -
I've been on Anastrazole for 4 years, taken at night time figuring the worst SEs would be within my sleeping time and I'm dead to the world when I sleep. I still have SEs but not that bad for the most part, tolerable I would say but I've recently been having acupuncture for joint pain and it's like a miracle. Some insurance covers acupuncture and if yours does I would highly suggest trying it. Otherwise, there are acupuncture schools where we can be treated at reduced rates with a professor closely working with the students. Ask for senior students so you know they have the right skill sets.
0 -
Fitz, I took arimidex at night, too, and that schedule worked for me.
0 -
I take it at night too. Not a lot of issues here (knock on wood)
0 -
I also take It at night and have had few problems. My MO said it might make me sleepy. I can't really tell any difference; I'm usually a pretty good sleeper. I do have hot flashes, but they're tolerable. I was having aching feet so I switched to the Teva brand. My feet do seem to be better. I still get the aching occasionally but not as often as before.
0 -
Been on this for about 2 months, and having trouble sleeping but was having trouble sleeping from chemo/rads. Taking it in the am now and am sleepy afterwards but figured it was because I didn't have a good nights sleep.
Wondering if it might be better to take it at night? Could it help me sleep? Thought insomnia was a SE of this drug, but not sure.Thoughts on am vs pm?
PB
0
