For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Sandy, as I said AHHHHH!
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I've taken an antihistamine at bedtime for years for insomnia. (Generic Unisom) all of my doctors at a top rated Breast Center...MO, RO, & BS, all know I'm on it, and they've all approved the Claritin for bone pain.
Paula0 -
Paula, interesting that you take the antihistmine for insomia. I have taken zyrtec for years at bed and now can not get to sleep with out it. But mine was for the dang allergies
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proudtospin~~All the OTC sleep meds are one kind of antihistine or another. Tyleno PM, Excedrin PM etc. are all Benadryl. I used those for years, but for the past 5 years or so I've used the generic of Unisom which is doxylamine succinate.
My oncs say they aren't sure why Claritin works so well on bone pain. They just know it does, and if I have to take it for 5 years, I want to do something that helps the pain.
By the way, my doctors said, they wish more of their patients used the antihistamines rather than ambien & such, because it's so much safer.
Sometimes you have to be your own advocate.
Paula0 -
interesting, I tolerate the regular allergy stuff well but lots of OTC stuff gives me an asthma attack, as in benedryl and the PM versions of stuff. NSAIDS are a danger to me
then again, I am in middle of a wicked sinus infection and on the second antibiotic to get my dang nose clear
we are all so dif
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Thanks, Claire. I'm going to have to line up some fun things to do and just do them.
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Hi - Can someone explain what is meant when some of you type "DIM" ?? thanks,
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heartrocklady - its some kind of superantioxidant supplement..
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Hello! I'm a mostly lurker but posting now because I really need some help. I thought that I read sometime on this thread about there was a program where you could get help paying for Arimidex if you couldn't afford it. My MO told he had a program that he could get me into but it would be only taking the generic form and I want to stay on the brand name. I only have just over 1 year left on this drug and I really want to stay on the regular Armidex. If anybody could help me, it would be so very appreciated. I see my MO in November so I need something to be able to tell lhim then.
Thanks in advance!
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How did you get the brand name? We've be approved because I can't tolerate the Anastrazole but when the dr calls in to the insurance company they put him on hold. Same happened to us. What a scam! They told me I qualified for a low rate and then make it impossible to reach them.
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Debra, I switched to generic when it came out (about three years in), and switched with NO different SEs at all. It truly is not be a problem for most people.
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dsil~~Try contacting AstraZeneca. They make or at least distribute arimidex. When diagnosed I only had Medicare, so even though my DH was working they mailed it to me 3 months at a time at 0 cost.
You can find them on line, or there should be a social worker at your oncology office who can do this for you.
Blessings
Paula0 -
I saw a program called Arimidex Direct. It is the brand name for $40/month. Google it and see if it is still an active program.
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ArimidexDirect is where I get mine. It is easy to fill out the form online, then all your MO has to do is fax the Rx to them. The most you will pay is $40.00 a month.
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That sounds fantastic! I will definitely follow up on it. Thanks so much. Talk about the "wisdom of crowds"!
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I have been really successful finding coupons on lots of stuff, just google it and wingo......
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I have had 8 scans on unknown liver tumor. Location of which was too risky to do a biopsy on it. In 2010 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and started Arimidex. Pet scan found the liver tumor at that time over a couple inches. It has been shrinking over the years while on Arimidex. Today I find out the liver tumor has now disappeared. Doctor can not confirm for certain if it was breast cancer spread and arimidex treated it and made it disappear . I will continue to have yearly scans. After I end Arimidex treatment I will have liver scans every 6 months. I am not sure how to feel. I guess like anything else with this disease there is so much unknown and doubt and uncertainty.
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That is really a wonderful story broken, A similar thing happened to my mother who 15 years after her original bc developed tumors in her lungs, She was put on Tamoxifin and they did shrink so the drs assume it was the BC. She was too frail to endure a biopsy. Nice to hear that the drug does indeed work, at least at times
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It works MOST of the time. That is the great news!!!
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Brokendreams.....That is wonderful news!!! I am so happy for you.
Since I was diagnosed last week with another ER+ second primary tumor in my other breast, I was kinda not impressed with Arimidex working for me. But who knows? This disease is so twisted and unpedictable. Maybe it is working and I have faulty genes...which I am being tested for.
But if I were in your shoes I would be doing the HAPPY DANCE...((HUGS))
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Thank you to all who commented. I was fearful that because Arimidex worked so well on the liver tumor, that meant it was feed by estrogen and possibly breast cancer spread, this would mean mets to liver. But without biopsy on liver, I will not know for sure. I am hopeful and glad the liver tumor is gone. Arimidex does work if we can all ride out the side effects. Wishing you all the best.0 -
Broken, whatever the cause and reason for the tumor's disappearance, rejoice!!!! You dodged a big bullet there!!!0 -
Well, Ladies, as of October 20th, I will join the Femara club.
I have been on a two month drug holiday from Anastrozole. After a year, the SEs had become so disabling, I couldn't function. I went to the PCP to rule out any other organic cause for my symptoms (extreme joint and muscle pain - I used a cane to walk; vaginal pain and bleeding from atrophied tissues, bladder issues, extremely high blood pressure, trigger finger and thumb, weight gain, and crippling depression) but the MO knew immediately it was from the Anastrozole.
About the six week mark being off the drug, I started getting my life back again. Now, I'm pretty much at baseline, where I was before starting the AI.
I love and trust my MO, so today when she suggested I try Femara next, I said yes, but only after we get back from vacation.
She said Femara (letrozole) was a "sister" drug to Anastrozole, but not as many women had SEs on it. In fact, studies showed that 25 - 30% of all women on Femara had very few or no SEs on it, as compared to (a whole bunch) on Anastrozole.
If I get the same SEs from Femara, she'l recommend Tamoxifen next, and if that doesn't work, we'll try Aromasin as a last resort. She said that of all the anti-hormonal drugs, her patients reacted the most badly to Aromasin.
If it turns out that nothing else works, and there seems to be more risk than benefit to taking an AI, then she's comfortable letting me go off them completely, since my risk of recurrence is so small to begin with.
It was a hard choice - giving up the freedom of a healthy-feeling body and a happy mind, for a chance to prevent a recurrence that may happen anyway.
But like my Mom always told me, "You won't know til you try." Only this time I won't let it go on so long.0 -
Hope Femara is the charm, Blessings!0 -
Yes, keep us posted. Good luck.0 -
Thanks, ruthbru and timbuktu.... I'm determined to be in that 25 -30%!!!!
(Will continue to post updates here...)
xoxo0 -
Glad you got the Arimidex holiday, Blessings, and I do hope that the Femera is a better fit for you.0 -
Blessings - so glad you are feeling better ...hope Femera is the right drug for you .. enjoy your vacation!0 -
I knew the little devil pill could make me witchey. It did. Can it make me want to cry over things that in my pre bc life I wouldn't have?
I was on Effexor for hot flashes,, low dose. Stopped it when I realized I wasn't flashing any longer. Should I start it again to stop the crying?0 -
Hi, Spookiesmom,
I have been on arimidex fot 2 years. Lots of muscle and bone pain but no mood swings. I take 5000 units of vitamin d that helps with the pain and stiffness. My sister had breast cancer also and she takes Effexor. She has finished hormone therapy but loves her Effexor. She tried stopping but was miserable so she said she would take it forever. She calls it her happy pill;)0
