For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Deb, I just had it a few weeks ago and I just now looked it up. What everyone says about it is true. I got a bite during the night on my left hand. I don't know what bit me but the itching was terrible and the then it swelled and turned red and hard. I'd never had anything like that before but since it was on the left side, where I'm missing 5 nodes, I didn't want to wait too long. Good thing I didn't as by the time I got to the ER I had a fever and felt as though I was going to pass out. I couldn't believe anything could act so quickly! But without nodes you have less protection and I do have diabetes now, I wonder why it can come back? I wonder why it has something to do with insect bites. I wonder if I'm repeating myself? I can't remember...anything! Just be well everyone and don't hesitate to get medical care. I
was always one to think that nature and time would take care of things. Not so!
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sweet&special, If ya can't be open & honest here, where in the hell couldya ! I have not started Arimidex yet, in Feb. after rads. So, I like to read what to look forward to, or get nervous about..thx for the info and smile...
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I have to admit to not having these problems. I have the opposite one....no one in my life at the moment, and quite needy that way. Oh well. Another reason to do that ride.
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I'm so happy today! December 29th marks the 4th anniversary of me starting Arimidex. So 1 year from today I will be stopping it. My MO says that I only need to be on it for 5 years. He couldn't seen any real benefit in me taking it longer. That's fine with me! My journey with this drug has been both fine and very much a struggle at times. Lots of ups and downs but I've hung in there and now I can see light at the end of the tunnel. In spite of the crazy SEs I'm so grateful to have this drug as a line of defense against BC. I exercise and try to eat well and keep my life in good order. So on we go toward the "Arimidex finish line". Stay tuned!0 -
congrats Debra! I am at my 5 year mark and ending at the end of Jan! celebrate life!
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Thats awesome you guys! I have only 4 years 9 months to go!
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2 years and 2 months to go on ESD for me.
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Cellulitis is a staph infection that's carried in the nostrils. Every time we touch our nose it gets on our skin. That's why hand washing is so important. The reason insect bites can be a factor is, it's on your skin, then when you scratch or rub the bite the staph infection gets inside. Hospitals are great breeding grounds for cellulitis as well as mrsa, another staph infection that literally eats the flesh.
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Thanks Grannieval! Will check out the video.
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DebDylan - when I read your post about increased libido on AIs, I thought about yesterday, when I was watching "When Harry Met Sally" and Meg Ryan faked that big orgasm in the restaurant..
The lady at the next table tells the waitress..."I'll have what she's having..."
Well, I want what you're having!!! LOL
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4 years 11.75 months to go for me!
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Gee, only 3 years and 3 months left! lol Of course I'm on and off constantly so maybe that's not exactly accurate.
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3 years 8 months to go!
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9 1/2 YEARS for me. That's not a typo.
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Spookie, I have a friend who has been on Tamoxifen for 20 years. she's doing great!
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Spookiest of, 9.5 years seems like a lifetime. I hope that at the end of 5 years, my doc doesn't say 5 more years on top of the first 5. If she does though, I'll do it.
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When we talk about it in this way...I think I'll be a little scared to go off of it totally
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I never knew I went through meno. The MO told me 10 years before I started chemo. 10 years of night sweats and all the other "fun" stuff? Oh yippee. But if it keeps the beast away, I'll try not to complain Too much
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Thanks to everyone for helpful advice
I would take up way too much space here if I recounted my path to diagnosis of the truncal lymphedema and cellulitis and now the SEs of the different medications, but suffice to say that I have a team of doctors who all have their thing and I've tried non-traditional avenues as well. Everything is a chicken-and-egg issue. I know some of my discomfort is due to mild lumbar issues, and I'm probably favoring first one side and then the other, but I hate hobbling around like a creaky old crone (I'm newly 53 and like to think of that as "middle age"). I'll give the Claritin a try (what's one more med?) before I ditch the AL for a bit. Now, when anyone figures out that sex drive thing....0 -
flowergrl~~Are you on brand arimidex or anastrazole? I swear by Claritin (in my case, the generic Loratidine) but I've also noticed on this thread, it seems there are less SEs with arimidex than its generic.
Paula
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I'm on the generic, but after reading these posts, I'm thinking I'll ask my MO what she thinks about switching me to the name brand. My PS wondered why my MO even prescribed AL given that 99% of my breast tissue was removed with the bmx, but the follow-up meds seem to be fairly common regardless of type of surgery.
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Starting on Jan 1. MO said to wait till after radiation, which ended 2 1/2 weeks ago. I decided to wait till after Christmas. Starting the new year with it seemed appropriate somehow.
Mine's a generic from Apotex Corp, I believe they are in Canada. Anybody have issues that manufacturer? I am a bit nervous about starting this.
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found out mine is teva, generic, so I'm happy.
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Aviva, how is it that they discovered two different cancers a month apart? How are you doing with no lymph nodes?
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flowergirl1960 - In my BC haze right after diagnosis I asked my MO the same thing, "Remind me again why I'm doing this when I had BMX and clean lymph nodes?" Her response was because cancer cells can travel both through the lymph system as well as directly through the bloodstream. Lymph nodes are checked for cancer cells. Hormone therapy helps to starve any stray cancer cells that might have traveled to other parts of the body via bloodstream as well as any that may be in those cells left behind under the breast skin. Anyway, that's the way it was explained to me.
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LizzyinMI - I'm on Femara not Arimidex but mine is the Apotex brand. Not any more trouble with it than most describe. I am 61 so expect some from just aging, that and not the most active person around. It does have the most awful smell when I open the factory sealed bottle. I do appreciate that it comes from factory in 30 day supply bottle.
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I was originally diagnosed with a dcis 6oclock in right breast. I had been biopsied there and also same side, 1100. That they said came back negative. Went in for lx on right with match up lift on left side. They removed the dcis, and also the area that was benign while he was in there. No nodes. The path report from those 2 places and also from tissue on left came back with the original dcis, a tubular small tumor in left that was just gussied up to match the right! and a larger 2.2cm lobular/ductal invasive tumore at 1100 they said before was benign. The biopsy needle just missed it. So went back 10 days after lx and had both breasts removed.
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Aviva, what a bummer to have to go through that twice. I know others who first did lumpectomy but ended up with MX a month later. Honestly, I wanted a lumpectomy when I was first diagnosed at age 37, but the top MD I consulted told me that I'd be back in a year if I didn't do BX. I did and I am glad that I listened to him, because in the month or so between the diagnosis and the surgery, the ca (ductal) had already spread. It's a treacherous disease, surprising you when you least expect it, but on the other hand, nowadays there is a lot that can be done for us. (Some of my aunts had BC but at that time -1930s - that was a death sentence. There was nothing they could do). So all of us here are alive and even with the awful chemo and all the meds etc, we have at least a a good chance to live a long time. I admit, during chemo it is kind of hard to be grateful!
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Has anyone experienced post menopausal vaginal bleeding as a side effect of Arrimidex? I have heard that it is a possible side effect. I bled for a month, Nov 11-Dec 11 and then it stopped. I underwent a lot of tests and now I'm waiting for the holiday to be over so that I can have my d & c. I hadn't heard before that Arrimidex can cause this (I'm hoping that's it).
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Thanks, TinaT! That's the best explanation I've heard. I guess starving any wayward nasties is worth three and a half more years of hobbling about like a troll.
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