Arimidex - Coping with the SE's
Comments
-
HI dear ladies,
Tamoxifen or AI
I had the history of blood clots and initial osteoporosis but my MO put me on AI because of my 100% ER + and is holding me under special attention.
I was testing to take my pill at various times, but I found out most convenient before sleep.
(I'm so glad to could take part at this blogs, sorry because of my shaken English, because I'm a foreigner)-
Best wishes USHA
0 -
USHA,
A friend of mine worked for CNN when it first began years & years ago - they kept a "25¢ Fine Box" on the desk, and anyone who used the word "foreign" instead of International had to put money in it!! SO, welcome to the International AI ( what ever you're taking) Team. And don't worry about the English - I'm pretty sure I can't speak whatever language is your most comfortable language
0 -
Sometimes I have problems with English, and it's my native language! :-)
For those who have bad upper back/neck/shoulder pain with arimidex - I recently started shoulder and back strengthening exercises at the gym and it seems to have helped quite a bit. When I first started, I had to take a healthy dose of pain meds beforehand because just the thought of putting stress on my shoulders made me nauseous. I still have pains elsewhere and generalized achiness, but it's a relief to take some of the pain away!
E
0 -
Hi, all,
Just general information for those in a similar situation: I had my regular 6 month check-up at Dana Farber yesterday- will complete my 4 th year on Arimidex this summer, and it looks like I'll be continuing beyond the 5 year mark. Seems there is some new testing, and longer than 5 years may be approproate for some patients. Fine with me - I really feel it as a "safety net" and will gladly put up with SE's - which are pretty much under control now. Will know more when I go back in August -
Enjoyful - alsong with exercise, yoga, I LOVE acupuncture for keeping the muscle/joint pain away!
0 -
slousha I didn't notice any broken English or accent in your post.
English is my only language and I can't even spell. MiddleEurope? What country? I love hearing about other cultures. I'm from/in the USA.BTW I am osteopenic (pre condition for osteoporosis) with a family history as well as being small boned and white… and I'm still on Al (anastrozole). I'm taking supplements of vitamin D and Calcium per my doctors recommendation as well as weight bearing exercises. They will be doing another bone density test in a year. If there are problems then the might consider a bisphosphonates.
0 -
Usha, ditto what others said. At least you have a good command of English. Many of us can only speak English and some pretty badly at that (see, I don't even know if that sentence is grammatically correct!). One reason I enjoy BCo is because we hear from friends all over the world.
I take my AI in the morning - I'm in my 3rd year. Started at night and it kept me awake. My med onc appt last month he said 5 years would be enough for me but, who knows, the stats and standards may have changed over the next 2 years. We'll see.
0 -
Hi lago and other dear ladies,
I'm following your posts at various blogs because of our similar DX. Finally, we have here all our illness with the same symptoms and SE's. It's marvelous to consult to patients in the same situation. And I'm exercising my English too! (I'm from Slovenia - only 2 million citizens, till 1991 a part of former Yugoslavia. We have a very efficient Institute of Oncology wit DR's specialized at best known Cancer organizations.)
I'm on hormonal therapy (Femara) for 5 year now. It's one of aromatase inhibitors with similar SE's: bone and muscle pain, stiffness, arthritis, depression too. I finished my first year! I found it the heaviest of all therapies before, because of this long duration. I take Vitamin D3, Calcium, as painkiller ibuprofen or a pill of 30% tramadol with 70% paracetamol. I‘ll try Glukosamine too.
Wishing the best future for all of us!
Usha (international)
0 -
Holy hand cramp, batman...my hand and fingers are killing me! I can hardly straighten them out. This morning it was my knees-when I sat down to pee, I thought they were going to pop apart. I'm about a month and three weeks out from starting Arimidex, and my aches and stiffness seem to be getting worse. I wonder if this could also be brought on my the lack of estrogen?
0 -
Hi burley
welcome to join our club!
best wishes
0 -
I hurt just reading about all he aches and pains ...My neck started hurting this past couple of weeks, was worried till read that some of you all have that same pain. ..Burley I hear you about the knees .. Mine hurt when I go up and down stairs .. good thing I don't live in a 2 story house. I had been on label Arimidex for a couple of months, then switched to generic and now back to label. Because of a rash I broke out with on the generic. Rash is much better still comes but goes away really fast and it is not as itchy and pokey. so I will try to live with it for a while .. Onc says it might go away after awhile. so I will see if it does.
Can someone tell me how they found their acupuncturist? Did they come recommended? Does your insurance pay for it? I really don't want to take so many pain pills and if this will give me relief then I would rather try it!
0 -
Hi, was on tamo but have a family history of heart and circulation problems (which i did discuss with them in great length to no avail).
Had terrible problems while on tamo, very dry skin, stomach cramps and constipation etc. Came off tamo last thursday after seeing my onco. Had bloods done again for pre or post meno, hoping to go on Arimidex. Does anyone or has anyone come off one, and gone onto another and do u still have to wait for a month for a new tablet to get into the system. I really would rather still take tamo and then stop one day and go onto the other. Any advice.
Pinkie
0 -
Sorry onco did say that Arimidex has problems with osteo problems, drink as much milk she said apprently 1 pint daily. Had thought about milkshakes, or is there a milkshake out high in calcium. Research as much as possible. (Obviously cant take soya products). Will have a look.
Pinkie
0 -
Most regular milk is hormone-enhanced, so I suggest only local dairy from grass-fed, hormone-free cows if your BC was estrogen receptor-sensitive. I mostly skip dairy. I'm sorry for all you younger women who feel old and creaky. I know it's hard. At 73 I've had arthritis for many years so I've had to learn what helps, even now when the pain is worse. Find a yoga routine that has good stretches but feels good to do (vs. "have to do") and any exercise. I found a folding treadmill, put it in my bedroom, and turn on favorite music (this week it's Joe Cocker).
0 -
I agree with maryblast. Keep moving and you will feel better. A 1 hour walk every day is so simple and can really help both with the stiffness and osteoporosis. At least try 30 minutes. I just put on my ipod and go… and I feel so much better after I exercise.
The days I don't walk (or use the treadmill/elliptical at gym) I do strength training with small weights at home. You don't need a lot of equipment. I have a few weights, matt and an exercise ball. Right now I'm using only 3lbs weights because of surgery and LE but I hope to be getting back to my 8 & 10lbs weights I was using before my surgery Aug 31st.
Seriously I hate exercising but I love the way I feel when I'm done. It actually gives me more energy.
0 -
Hi All,
Per my PCP visit last week, I just want to let you know that any Vit D came in at 65.
Thank you all for alerting me to the need to take supplements. I am glad that it is working! However, I am sllightly anemic and wondered if anyone else has this problem. If so, what are you doing to correct it? I have been eating spinach almost every day (and less meat) since chemo last fall. I feel good, but wondered if I should take an iron supplement and if so, any recommendations?
I just want to re-iterate that sharing my aches and pains with all of you keeps me sane. thanks, Beau
0 -
low rider, what a nice photo of you!
I think I may try me some Kama Sutra too
.Re: good old arimidex. I have some edema like (v mild) in my hand on the non cancer non lat flap side. Doesn't armidex cause this too? Or shall I investigate lymphedema w surgeon? Since it is not my worked on side, I don't quite get this.
Opinions?
0 -
Pinklady - I didn't see where anyone answered your question and if so I plead chemo brain!
I went straight from Tamox to Arimidex - not even a one day delay. I went to my onc. complaining about all of the SE's of Tamox and I got the belly shot and the prescription for Arimidex the very same day and was told to start taking it the next day.
I can see why some doctors would want a one month delay so that they can get more of a grasp of the SE's from what you are taking. In other words the SE's from Tamox go away during that one month - you start feeling so much better and wham start on Arimidex and you have another set of se's or maybe even some of the same ones.
0 -
Lowrider54. Great picture. Your suggestions for the SE's have really helped me. I have gotten much of the glutin out of my diet, not easy but so glad I did. I have been having leg craps my Onc. suggested I try taking tonic water. Sounds nuts, but must say it has helped.
0 -
Has anyone ever gotten a rash from Anastrozole?
I see my Oncologist next month, I'll have to mention it..Also, not sure where to post this, but a woman who attended a BC support group I attended, shared her story. She has a rare form of BC, no cure. Only 12 cases in the world. She had a DMX and many many lymphnodes removed. She did research on her own and started taking an Antioxidant called Protocel. She had a lump forming under her arm and thought she would need another lumphnode removed as the cancer keeps spreading quite aggresively. But after taking the antioxidant for a while the lump has now disappeared. The anitoxidant is a liquid. You must take it every four hours to keep it in your system. Yes, she gets up at night to take it. She buys it on the internet. It costs her about $1/day. Even her husband starting taking it with her as it is not harmful. Just a healthy antioxidant. She says she is now feeling good.
(she turned down chemo as it would only give her a couple more months. They are predicting 11 months without it) She says she feels good on this antioxidant.
I haven't yet had time to research it myself, but thought I'd mention it here in case others may be interested in researching it.
0 -
faithroad I got a rash this weekend but it's shingles. I'm finding it's not uncommon to get shingles if you have a weakend immune system (chemo and/or rads). I hope your rash isn't shingles. If it is you should call your GP or onc right away.0
-
Lago,
I'm so sorry to hear that you have shingles. I hope you are doing better soon.
I was fortunate to not have to do chemo. This rash looks a lot like a rash I had last time I was alergic to a medicine. I started out on Tamoxifan but it gave me all the symptoms of a cold! My eyes were so watery they were getting chapped. I started to take Clariton with it and that did the trick. But my Onc said I should try Arimidex or the generic form called Anastrozole instead. So that's what I've been taking for the last month and a half. I just noticed this rash last weekend. Hmmm....maybe I'll need to switch back to Tamoxifan. we'll see.
0 -
Faithroad - Yes I have had a rash twice on Anastrozole...I have been on it since the beginning of February. I don't know if it is the same as yours but my rash is intensly itchy at times and mostly appears on my chest and neck...it gets red and slightly raised. I use a cortizone cream two or three times a day and an antihistamine (benedryl or claritin) and it has cleared up in a couple of days. Hopefully it doesn't get worse over time...I would rather not switch medications so I am trying to think positively.0
-
Have you been out in the sun? Some medications make me break out in a rash when I have gotten too much sun.
0 -
I had a tiny rash when I first started but it went away quickly without me having to do anything. I hope yours clears up soon!
0 -
tonic water, and bananas also help treat leg cramps (potassium in the bananas)
0 -
Hi Ladies!!! This is the first time I've ever bloged. I'm off work recovering from a hyst and decided to look up SE of tamoxifen. I read somewhere if you take it at night the hot flashes are'nt so bad during the day.I always take it in AM with 75mg effexor and I added 75 effexor in PM a couple of months ago, but still have terrible hot flashes. At work the back of my neck and hair are constantly wet! My face gets flushed (although I had a person say my makeup was great when this was happening!) Is there any tips you all have found that helps hot flashes? Because of hyst when I see my oncologist in June he said he will probably switch me to Arimidex. Will that be better? Heres hoping ...thanks for any reponses; God bless.
0 -
A couple ladies I know who switched over said they were less 'flashy' on Arimidex. Buy a lot of fans; I had a tower fan by my desk at work, a big fan trained on me at night, a little tiny fan I would put on my lap when I was watching TV. Also if you can cool off your wrists, the rest of you cools off too. I would roll a cold water bottle or pop can over my wrists when out and about, or sit with ice on my wrists at home. I did even out eventually & now am fine. But it took at least 6 months. Hang in there!
0 -
I just switched to Arimidex from Femara. Many hot flashes and knee pain with it. Also had tried Aromasin and my hair really began to thin out. Yuk. Hoping Arimidex works the best. Have been on it 3 weeks so far. Tried the other for 4 months or more each.
0
![[Deleted User]](https://us.v-cdn.net/6037276/uploads/defaultavatar/nF0ALO3I3QJM7.jpg)
