For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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about hair thinning, I started using Aveda products, after feeling like my hair was falling out during shampooing . You can order them online or an Aveda salon. They are a little expensive, but worth it. If you color or highlight, this brand is so gentle, no wet crunchy hair anymore!
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BrooksideVT my rheumotologist said a BIG NO to CRUNCHES and SIT UPS. If I knew what I know now I wouldn't have been doing them with osteopenia. I was doing about 60 2-3 times a week and 30 sit ups about the same. In general it is not good to bend your spine forward because the stress can cause little breaks in your spine causing you to lean forward, lose height and get that hunched back. Backwards is OK. I'm not sure if standing side crunch is ok but don't use more than a 5lbs weight if you choose to do it and do not go too far or it won't be good... and check with your MD.
sweetandspecial how is the Prolia going. As I mentioned I doubt I will last on Fosimax. I'm just waiting for the acid reflux to set in. Problem I've had in the past and on chemo. Of course I worry about back pain with Prolia. Already have some but that might be muscular.
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the Pacific brand box organic RedPepper Tomato soup has a good amount of calcium
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Lago - I haven't had any problems from Prolia that couldn't also be blamed on Arimidex. It isn't cheap though. I think before the BCBS insurance adjustment it's somewhere between $2300 and $2500. Insurance knocked it down by about $1000 or so.........and it's twice a year. I'm not sure if my MO intends to keep me on it for the full 5 years of Arimidex or not. It's a bone building drug and I know he told me originally that it's possible with the extra calcium/D plus prolia for my bone density to increase (I was slightly osteopenic with my baseline scan just prior to starting Arimidex). If that happens and he's happy with the numbers he may take me off it. I'll make sure I report in after that visit (sometime in May, I think).
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BosumBlues being fatigued could mean so many things. Anemia, thyroid issues, heart issues (fatigues more common with women) or even liver damage (doubtful but you never know). IMO one of these things seems more likely than mets. You really do need to see a doctor and get some tests done.
sweetandspecial I doubt my insurance would pay for Prolia out of the gate. I am sure I will have to suffer and prove I have reflux first. Took my first pill this morning. I do have some reflux but I can't believe it would be from the Fosamax so quickly. Reclast is once a year but I don't know if it will build bone. Fosamax is cheap because I'm taking generic... I'm not paying anything under my insurance. Not sure how my insurance would cover Prolia.
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Bosum, if you just finished chemo in December it is not at all surprising you are feeling so beat. Be a little patient with yourself. I think almost everyone crashes after 'active treatment' is done. Along with with the physical toll of surgery, chemo etc. etc. there is also the emotional aspect. It is the first time you have since the whole thing started that you have time to even think...'.WTF just happened to me?' and can start to sort through it all. Although I started feeling better and better as time passed, I know I did not feel really 'normal' again for about two years.
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Blossum, I agree with Ruth,, while I did not do chemo, mano but the months following ending rads were nasty, all I wanted to do was sleep. Since I worked a full time job at the time, it was not possible. But over time, I got my sleep and rest back in gear.
Be nice to yourself....my suggestion is....when did you last have a pedi? bet you need one!
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It took me almost three years to recover from initial treatment but I had some other stresses in my life at the time which stopped me from resting properly - and I always look kinda yellow when I am not up to snuff, get some rest and eat clean for the next month or so and I bet you'll start feeling a little better and instead of a 40 minute work out at the gym just take the dog for a short walk and extend it five minutes every day - it's a marathon - not a sprint!! And, last but not least, hydrate!!
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Thanks for all the kindness and recommendations. I don't know exactly why this issue is crating on me. I am so happy to be alive , but feel I should live with accurate information in order to cope with this journey.
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Thanks Bren58. I know of 3 cases where they used 0.5mg Anastrozole during 5 years in Europe.
I've been using 1mg but my tongue has swollen last night so on Monday I'll call my MO.
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Hi LostBoob, Yes. I posted earlier the question if anyone was on 0.5mg Anastrozole. In europe
apparently some people are. On Monday I'm going toask about that to my MO since my tongue has swollen.
Good night
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Dear Ladies of Arimidex,
I have only been on Arimidex since late Dec. 13 so only 3 and a half months. I noticed all sorts of vague stomach symptoms. I started looking at my Rx bottle. It was generic filled by Sun Pharma out of India. I then tried another month to get the brand name and it was filled with another generic brand from another country...So I finally went to a pharmacy and ordered the original brand name Arimidex made in england by AstraSeneca. It was expensive and I had to pay out of pocket but I can tell you this: from day one of the brand name I felt great and had no digestive issues at all. For the record in the USA the generics can be 5 or 10% less of the active ingredient and who knows what binding ingredients are present....I know the majority of people cannot get their hans on the brand name but I thought I would add my experience to the discussion. I am on Arimidex and and very happy now....Carolyn from Tn/Fl
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Bo
I agree with the rest. Be kind to yourself! It takes time to recover from all your body has been through. I'm 18 months from chemo and still need an occasional nap. When you do get insurance again by all means see a doc. But in the mean time, rest, take it easy. If you don't have a dog to walk, borrow your neighbors.
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car2tenn and others, here is the link to Arimidex direct. You can get the brand name and pay no more that $40.00 a month. Your MO will have to fax the script to them, and you do have to fill out the form, but after that it is auto delivery until you tell them to stop. http://www.arimidex.com/arimidex-direct.aspx
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Hi all,
I am getting my Arimidex in the mail, the brand name. Just like Bren said, $40 a month. I can get the generic for $ 6.50 a month from Costco. It seems insane to spend that much extra, but I figured for the first year or two, its worth it for my peace of mind. My risk of recurrence is high, so I need to feel like I am doing all I can.
I took the generic from India for 5 weeks before I got on the name brand. I do have less hip pain, but it could be my body got used to the drug.
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Stage 1---have you talked to your MO abut possibly trying Tamoxifen instead of an AI? If you look at some of the studies out there---it suggests that 2 years of Tamoxifen plus 3 years of a AI works well, and Tamoxifen is actually supportive of your bones---but I have heard the hot flashes and the blood clot risk is greater---
I guess it all boils down to picking our poison. I hate taking drugs to counteract SE of another drug. I am going to be taking Arimidex once I get my rads out of the way---and I have bone issues already so I am not too happy about the choice at this point. Just wait till I start swallowing them, right???
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Hi Stage1 ... You asked how my bones are surviving the Arimidex. My first BMD scan went from near-normal to osteopenic (one femoral neck was exceedingly close to osteoporosis). I simply assumed (despite taking calcium and MD-recommended higher doses of vitamin D) that I'd be osteoporotic at my last check. I had not exercised either and expected the worst. To my amazement, there was virtually no change and the borderline osteoporosis in my one femoral neck fortunately remained osteopenic. I'm not happy with osteopenia, but took that result as my wakeup call to regularly exercise and eat well. I wish you the very best in your decision.
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BB-when you do get to see a doc, ask them to check your thyroid. I have been hypo thyroid since i ws 31 (now soon to be 57) and my dose of meds hadn't changed in years. I Jan, my routine physical showed my thyroid out of wack---so PCP adjusted dose--then the mammo came back questionable and I ended up with my Breast cancer dx. so, I've had surgery, and feeling really zapped, everyone saying take it easy, you had a lumpectomy, and I am saying, no, I didn't lose blood, etc. but I am thinking its all in head. So I go to mall and can't walk from one store to the next, so I come haome, call doctor. She orders a B12 test, a CBC and a recheck of the thyroid---and, it had swung from being high above the range to low below the range--so I am back on my old dose. She says the cancer did nothing to affect this------and says the radiaiton won't mess with it either. . Just seems crazy that it all hit at the same time. And the b12 was low too.
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Anyone else taking Arimidex suffering with de Quervain's tenosynovitis? It is a painful condition affecting the tendons on the thumb side of your wrists & I have it in both wrists!
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Redheaded1 thanks for the suggestion, I will ask about tomoxefin ...I thought that was just for premenopausal ladies. Good luck in rads. It has been almost three yrs since my rad treatments. I still feel emotionally hurt by treatments. Looking back, I wish I would have worn a lead shield for my thyroid. I wear one for mammograms now, I bought one off the Internet. I have also had a hard time with throat issues first thing every morning, so dry, I can't talk until I have a couple cups of tea.
ByFaith, yes, I am osteopenetic, also. I still am just not sure what the bone scan actually means. The recent scan is not to determine density, but degenerative issues. I am still going to talk with MO about maybe seeing a specialist about how to retain the bone health that I have left. I have looked up all the details of the scan results, educating myself on areas affected. I am appalled at how many places are affected. No wonder I am so sore. I was having pain in my pelvic area and down the left leg. The bone scan showed lower back vertebrae affected, and that is where the pain is coming from. I'm telling you, we simply have to figure some of these things out ourselves.
Thanks for the good wishes:)
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mimihon - I have basil arthritis in my thumb joints and usually get an injection twice a year that helps... since I am on this medication the pain got so bad in both thumb joints and my wrist, I could hardly stand it - I did get injections - the injections were so painful -never like that before and it took a good week to even feel any relief.. so I am wondering about de Quervain's tenosynovitis - never heard of it before but am wondering if that is something I also have?
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minihon,
I have severe trigger thumb in one hand and mild in the other. Very similar symptoms as Quervain's except for the joints affected. I'm sure it is from the low estrogen environment of my body on an AI. I have no repetitive stress activity it could be attributed to. Seeing a hand specialist in another week.
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Stage1, I insist on a thyroid shield for everything. When I asked for it at rads, however, the head tech explained that the beam is totally different from that of a diagnostic xray. Because of its power, there is no scatter; it goes where it is supposed to go, and that's it. While in a diagnostic situation, the tech is normally in the room with you, but standing behind a thin shield, rads techs are off behind a concrete wall, watching you through a monitor. Were a thyroid shield in its range, the beam would blast right through it, although the shield could affect the beam and actually cause scatter.
In other words, please do not worry about rads to your thyroid.
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stage1, reading your description of the pain in your leg....I had a pain in my left thigh for years. Blamed it on my AL as it started around the same time. MY MO kept telling me it was not related. It took a pal of mine to point out the news reports of SE to Zocor till I realized I was complaining to the wrong doc. Changed statin, pain gone but I do have residual weakness in that leg that I blame on the statin.
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hmmm, disappearing post.....Stage1, could your leg pain be caused from a SE to a dif med? I had a similar pain, blamed it on my AL, only to realize after suffering for 2 years that it was really caused by the Zocor I was taking...stopped the Zocor and leg pain disappeared. Now on a dif statin with no problem. Any chance this is a SE to a med?
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Brook, thanks for the explanation about the lead shield. That's the first time I have heard that it might cause scatter. You would think all ROs would be able to explain it. I am very glad to get my info from you and the ladies on this site. All this time, they had irritated me because I thought they just would not want to bother with the shield.
Proudtospin:) i am not taking any statin...no other med, just thyroid med...and elevil...well, I kinda think my leg pain and my pelvic pain is coming from the lumbar vertebrae that were noted in my bone scan. L4 and L5 junction on the left, as it is noted, I think the pain travels to the pelvic and leg, and the left knee was noted on the bone scan. Everything was noted to be on the left. Kinda coincidental that is my rad side. My thumb joint on the left was also noted as having degeneration. Left 6th rib also. I am a bone degenerative mess! 6 vertebrae, including left junction, the knee, the left thumb,both shoulders, but all the rest on the left!
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iamnancy - I have basal joint arthritis in both thumbs. I visited my PCP last week for an unrelated issue but did ask him about that. I'm only 52 years old and my thumb troubles started a around 10 years ago. He's about 12 years younger than me but did say that if if were him, he would go the injection route rather than joint replacement. If it's not being too nosy, would you mind sharing your current age, the age at which the thumb arthritis started and when you started with injections? How many have you had and about how long do they last? I consider myself just way too young to have to put up with this pain and while I would never jump into cortisone shots at the first hint of pain, I've been struggling with this for a long time already. I may just have to give it some serious consideration. Thanks so much!!
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stage1, sorry as your problem is more difficult to help out, wish yours was like mine as it resolved easier
dang all this junk!
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Actually, Stage1, my rads techs were not helpful either. Very reluctantly, they hauled out the thyroid shield, grumbling that very few people used it. The whole radiation thing gave me the total heebie-jeebies, and after I basically freaked out several days in, the techs sent me to the head tech, who took about an hour to work through all the stuff that was bothering me. The thyroid shield was only one part.
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so, Brook, you proceeded with rads with or without the shield?
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