For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
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Do lots of sit ups, core work, toning. With menopause women do start to 'thicken' (even without arimidex) unless they really, really work on it. I actually have a better shaped lower body than I did going in, but that is because I really stepped up the workout. (And I was scared to do upper body for a long time so concentrated more on the abs/legs etc..)
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I looked at that pill bottle for at least a week before I downed the first one. I was done with chemo and rads, surgery. I'd read here about the se's. I wanted so much to be DONE with all of it. Forget and move on. Then I realized that this tiny pill was my best chance for never needing all the nasties from the past year again. Down the hatch!
I haven't gained on it, I do have night sweats nearly every night. Some stiffness. All doable.
You can do it!
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Just for the record, I never had one hot flash in the whole year I was on Anastrozole...
COLD flashes, yeah, but no hot flashes, no night sweats...
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I do major work on an exercise ball weekdays. Keeps the waistline in check. That is, unless it's something like Christmas!!
Cycling and skiing do wonders as well. I am trimmer in that area than the lady half my age at the wine bar, and she isn't overweight. - Claire
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Yeah, but Claire, you're like the freakin Energizer bunny.......you just keep going and going and going and going. I don't know how you find the time to fit in all the working out that you do!
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DebDylan I was talking to a friend of mine the other day who has mets. She was just about to get a life lift when she found out she had mets over a year ago. Now she says she would love to get old and wrinkly. She is stable but not NED yet.
Yeah the goal here really is to live to get old and wrinkly. We all sometimes forget.
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Very true....
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I'll be most happy to get old but I refuse to get wrinkly as long as I've got the good aging genes that God gave me and Avon skin care products!! (and the range of motion to apply all those lotions and creams.....lol)
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Being active and interested in life gives you that youthful 'glow' (along with the good lotions, makeup etc.).
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Have not kept up with all the postings, so this may have been discussed and I missed it.
Has anyone experienced (arimidex-induced) pain on inner hip (if there is such a thing)? Not really upper thigh, and not rear... kind of where the highest point of legs/lower pelvis would hit an English saddle. It's sharp and infrequent, but MO just tells me to up the otc pain meds... Recent bone scan was decent, but still have frequent more-than-mild foot pain and the weird inner thigh thing. Any suggestions?
Thanks to all who give advice here. (Have tried nearly all.) Christmas hugs to each of you who needs one.
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MontereyRobin try rubbing aspercreme on the area. I had pain every night in that area before chemo. I was really worried about mets, but the aspercreme would take the pain away within a minute. No smell and it's reasonably priced.
Paula
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DebDylan - my Christmas wish for you is that you find a wonderful, caring, loving, kind, taller than you man with enough money for you to live comfortably the rest of your long, long life. Oh, and he'd better think every solid inch of you, firm or soft, smooth or wrinkly, scarred or smooth, real or reconstructed, is the most gorgeous piece of woman-flesh he's ever laid eyes on
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That would be wonderful - except if I may add to it, I want to be looking in the mirror standing on my own two feet without a cane or walker or anyone needing to hold me up before I collapse back into my wheelchair!
. Thank you dear!0 -
Between surgical recovery, truncal lymphedema, cellulitis and meds, figuring out cause and effect has been my biggest frustration. No one doctor wants to address everything holistically. Argh. I switched from tamoxifen to generic anastrozole plus lupron several months back. I've been dealing with an aching hip, and recently a very tender knee on the other side, both affecting my ability to move (or not move) comfortably, which puts a serious kink in the whole exercising thing. Do I dare go off of this med to see if it's the culprit? If I do, how long will it likely be before I see an improvement if it is the cause of the joint pain?
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Flower girl...what you said!
It does take awhile until the SE's go away. But the relief is both physical and psychological, After they go away you know what was causing what. Then you go back to it because you don't want to live in fear of something worse! lol As my onco says, time is ticking and the 5 years will be up eventually, hopefully!
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flowergrl1960 - You're right - the frustration is the worst, and after while it seems like it's left to us to do the detective work.
If your hip is hurting on one side, chances are you're favoring that side and making the opposite side work harder, and quite possibly causing that opposite knee to hurt.
My advice would be to start with your primary care doc. Find out all the things you can do to rule out organic causes of your current pain (bursitis, arthritis, muscle strain, ligament strain, etc.)
Ask what combination of modalities might help you: heat? Ice? Rest? OTC anti-inflammatory meds? Muscle relaxers?
Remember, "exercise" can mean anything besides laying on the couch watching TV.
If nothing helps, and you've made a good faith attempt at keeping in motion, then it could be time to ask the MO about a drug holiday.
As far as how long does it take to see if it's the drug causing the pain, well, that may differ for each person.
Personally, it took two months to lose the SEs the Anastrozole was causing me. But unfortunately, I still had back pain, because I have pretty significant spinal issues. So sometimes, what we think is a drug SE is really some other issue totally unrelated to the AI.
Timbuktu is right. Part of it is physical relief, and part of it is psychological relief. I swear, the minute the MO gave me a two month drug holiday, I immediately felt better, knowing that I would not be suffering as much at some point. (I secretly wished that she'd take me off the AIs completely, but nooo.)
After two months off Anastrozole, all my SEs were gone except for back pain. She switched me to Femara.
Many women will take a short break, and then return to the drug they were on. That short holiday seems to make a difference in how SEs present themselves. Or, they may be prescribed a different drug.
The point is not to give up! Hang in there... wishing you the best....
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Thanks so much for advice and suggestions. I'll be back on the what-works merry go round. Thanks, again.
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flowergrl before you take any other drugs or give up anastrazole completely, have you tried taking Claritin with your anastrazole? I know it sound crazy, as it's for allergies, but it works. I use the generic, Loratidine which is a fraction of the price. My MO knows about it and approves.
The only SEs I have is a bit of stiffness after sitting or lying for a while, but it's gone by the time I walk to the bathroom. I've also noticed, it seems that those on brand, arimidex tend to have less problems.
Paula
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flowergrl1960,
I second that you have your PCP or MO or PT check out your pain. They may find a simple solution.
I had intense ankle and hip pain on my left side for months. X-rays showed very mild arthritis. I suspected that I needed to switch the direction I was running around a loop that sloped downhill. I had to wear wedges on my shoes when a teenager and my spine is slightly crooked. Once I did this the pain gradually disappeared. It returns a little when I walk on flat surfaces, so I need to invest in shoes that help with pronation. I thought I was going to have to give up walking and running.
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I do think that while many of the SEs are common. every person has her own individual combination of SEs, and then there are some lucky ones without the troubles. I haven't seen yet how AL affected my osteoporosis - that I have had well before I started the Al. In the meantime not due for that checkup. I had the problem anyway, take a generic for Fossomax and Calcium +D (most of the time - hate those pills) and hope for the best.
Re exercise - I admit that I hate exercising - to quote a friend "I exercise every morning up/down 5 times, and then: THE OTHER EYELID! I don't mind walking, but have an on/off heel spur that makes it more difficult and let's not forget the weather. We had a major snow storm here recently, reminiscent of NY, and I was scared to go out, slip and break something. Now most of the places are fine. I guess I really should go back to walking and get my act together.
This Tuesday appointment with onc. Hopefully all's well.
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hi Dassi52,
I haven't posted anything in quite a while, but try to follow what everyone is discussing. When you said excercise and then said walking, and that with bad weather it was difficult, I had to write. There is a YouTube video by Leslie Sansone called Walk at Home. I started doing it last month. It is a 15 minute, one mile walk at home and you do not actually "go" anywhere! Perfect for bad weather or if the area you live is not conducive to walking outdoors. Hope the info is useful.
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grannieval....Thanks for the info on Leslie Sansone, Walk At Home video. I want to start walking, but I work really crazy long hours and have a long commute to work. I can definitely do the Walk At Home in my office during the day, so I will get my exercise in.
I haven't been on this thread in awhile. My main side effects from Arimidex are muscle aches, painful joints, insomnia, and weight gain...probably from lack of estrogen.
I hope you all had a nice holiday.
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you can find other indoor walking DVDs too. I have a good Denise Austin one. Amazon.com has walking DVDs. I've found Leslie DVDs at Walmart and I'm sure that you could google 'indoor walking DVDs' too.
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grannival - thanks for the post about the 1 mile walk... it looks doable and is quick enough to not get boring..
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I like the Leslie Sansone Walking at home one too. With this cold weather it is great to do, still try to do treadmill too, but this breaks it up a little.
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Cellulitis is a bacterial skin infection and moves very quickly, that's why it's important to treat it as soon as possible. It can quickly spread to the blood and lymph nodes. I have had it several times from poison ivy and insect stings but not while undergoing cancer treatment. For me personally, I must get treated immediately with strong antibiotics and steroids or it will just get worse. 2 times, I landed in the hospital. It also seems that I am prone to get it now after having it the first time. It is an extremely itchy infection, very red with raised, very defined edges. Then it weeps and gets crusty.
If not treated right away, cellulitis can be fatal. (sepsis)
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Yes, I have a co-worker whose wife spent weeks and weeks in the hospital and nearly died from cellulitis this past year. Anything red or rashy needs to be checked out asap.
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DebDylan its a bacterial skin infection. Some women with lymphedema get it. If one gets it they must be treated quickly with antibiotics to make sure it doesn't spread. BTW I've had lymphedema for 3 years and never got cellulitis.
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Yes lymphedema increases your risk of infections including cellulitis.
Increases sex drive on an ESD (estrogen sucking drug)!? What are you eating girl… please share
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DebDylan - I wish! Lack of estrogen means no personal lubrication which means OTC lube (which is an inconvenient pain in the ass in my opinion) and even with that it's still uncomfortable. Probably TMI but if it weren't for oral sex and vibrators DH and I would be on a 5-year hiatus until I'm done with this pill. Thank God for Duracell!!!! (and a loving, considerate DH)
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