For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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S. Yarmouth. I also like Newport, RI even though touristy but you can't beat P-Town
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Iago,
I certainly didn't take any offense at your suggestion that I need to get a life! While it's sometimes tough to get voice inflection via type I was pretty confident you were teasing. I'm a pretty easy going gal.
Welcome Newbies. So sorry that you have need for BCO but, since you do, you've found a great group for information and support. The one piece of knowledge that I usually share with people new to this journey is this: ⭐️Always remember that no two Breast Cancers are alike!⭐️ Even when diagnoses look the same there are so many different variables that it is almost impossible for them to be the same. I have learned to remind myself of this all the time lest I begin to second-guess my treatment regime or my own senses. It still amazes me how differently we each react to treatments and how much difference one little difference can make. If you have questions about SE someone is having or why they are taking a certain drug or something, the first place to start understanding is at the bottom of someone's Post. Most people have information about their Stage, date of diagnosis, treatments etc.
virginia
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The se seemed to build up over time with anastrozole taking exemestane now sure hope it is working
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ruthbru, I suppose that's true and you are proof!
. I do eat lots of greens, kefir take calcium and D3, maybe just not enough? I will step it up and fight it, but I don't want an infusion.. You took Arimidex for just 5 years?Lago, my mom has it to but she has RA for over 30 years too. I might just try this on my own without an infusion.. Or I may change to Fareston.
RhodyMMM, you grew up next door to me!!! Funny! Are you near RI now?
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5 years is still the standard of care for the Als, no matter what the headlines say.
I take calcium chews (with vitamin D) because they taste like candy
. The box says to take 2 a day, but I eat three.0 -
Yeah my onc says 5 years but she is also letting me know that she will probably be recommending 5 more years when I'm done. I think the results will be out by then.
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Lets not talk about extended sentences right now----I got sentenced to 5 years and until that's served, NADA....0 -
My original MO said 10 from the start. New one says 5.
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Spokiesmom my onc said with my big tumor (5.5 CM invasive part) and grade 3 I am high risk for recurrence. This is why she is hinting at the 5 more years. Wait they will say the same to you because you also have node involvement.
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It really doesn't matter, I'm on other meds for life.
I'm seeing new MO Tues to switch to aromasin . I can't live with the pain any more.
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So far I'm finding the Armoasin better. It's been 2+ weeks. worth a try.
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It's strange, had been on arimadex for over a year, just a few minor problems at the start. Then in April everything started to hurt. The arthritic joints got much worse, new places started, old surgery sites hurt, and the cough.
I hope this works for me, no pain.
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Aida, I started same meds in December. I found my joints a bit stiff in the morning or after sitting a long time. I started a walking program and that has really made the stiffness much better. Get hot flashes now and then but just turn on the air and freeze my hubby out of the house and car :-)
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I was on Effexor for the flashes. Controlled them fairly well. I'm off both meds for now, the flashes are constant and awful. Nothing but a direct fan is helping
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Spookiesmom, Are you on a drug holiday? Is that why you stopped the meds? I also take Arimidex and Cymbalta and Risperidol and when I ran out of these last two the hot flashes were horrible! Personally I'd rather have the se's and keep cancer at bay but that's just me.
Aurora
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I have been on anastrazole for about 5 1/2 months now. The first 3 months I had no SEs, but then the joint pain came on strong again similar to when I was on Femera. I had shoulder surgery in early May and took 600mg ibuprofen 3 times a day for a couple weeks and the joint pain went away completely. It has since returned, but not as bad. I am hoping that it will not get as bad as before, but it is nice to know that I can take ibuprofen if needed when it gets bad or if I have lots of walking to make it better. I have not had the fatigue SE that I had on Femera so am going to wait it out for at least a year to see how I am tolerating it before I consider switching to Aromasin, but at least I know I have one more to try if I need it.
As others have said I would rather deal with the SE than get the BC back, but I also want to be there for my DH and 3 children.
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momof3, it is great to hear you don't have fatigue with this one. I stopped Tamoxifen for two weeks and depending on my estradiol test, the MO will put me in Anastrazole. I stopped Tamoxifen because the brain fog and fatigue were so intense I almost lost my job.
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I was on a drug holiday the entire month of May. By the end I was feeling pretty good. Even had the Teva brand ready to start June 1. 18 days later I called my MO, it all was coming back. Will see her Tues, start arominsin.
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Hi - I just started Arimidex last week. Second and third day in I had mid afternoon hot flashes at work.....that was not fun - felt like Heat Mizer on the Christmas show! I have not had them again but who knows right? From what I have read out here it seems like the SEs can come and go and I guess we just find what is easiest for us to handle?
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hi dogs I take Arimidex also and last month I was having "surges" but now it's better. I partially attribute the improvement to me taking cymbalta (anti depressant) and risperidol (mood stabilizer) whatever I'm glad the hot flashes are under control. Hope it improves for you. Like I've said before, I'll rather stay NED (no evidence of disease) and deal with the se's than not.
Take care.
Aurora
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there are so many pages to read through so I'm sure this has been brought up... Anyone gaining weight on anastozole? I started it a month and a half ago and over the past 2 weeks have gained 6 lbs. I haven't changed anything else.
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over the course of the last three years, I put on fifteen pounds, but I also dropped off my no sugar, no white flour diet. I'm trying to get back on it. I was on tamoxifen though during that time. What I noticed more is losing my shape. Most of it is around the middle and I have lost my waist curves a lot. And I have kept up with working out and do lots of abs.
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ladies, is anyone taking have the dose? A low dose Arimidex?
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headeast,
I have seen this asked numerous times. Your MO would probably freak out, or roll her/his eyes.
If I was stage 0 or 1, I might consider it, if the SE were that bad.....I feel like I will be on the 10 year Arimidex plan. If it keeps me NED, I will suffer in silence & try to enjoy every day.
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Headeast, my onc admits that he has some patients on half doses, and that he consistently urges them to go back on the full thing. I've heard that some other oncs will give you the old heave ho if you don't toe the dosage line. A month or so ago, I found I was giving myself Sundays off from the nasty pill, and gave some thought to doing the halfie thing, maybe every other day. Arimidex has a 50 hour half life, so I think alternating days would work. That said, I"m about to try a different pill.. We'll see how that works. I"m hoping for five years on a full dose of (whichever) ai, but I'd rather do half than none.
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Those pills are so small how to do cut them in half? I know with generic Aromasin it would be impossible.
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Where there's a will, there's a way, Lago! When the devil pill was first prescribed, I decided to work up to it by taking a half dose for a few days, then alternating whole and half, then onto the real thing within about a week and a half. I had no problem splitting the arimidex and a quick whack with chef's knife. Admittedly, some halves were bigger than others, but, with a 50-hour half life, I figured it would all even out. And, of course, my halfsies were just for the ramping up period.
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There are pill splitters available at the pharmacy. I have one so when I wean myself off a med I can take a half dose for a week and then a quarter dose for a week before quitting.
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Still just two days of hot flashes..........maybe I will be very lucky and they will not come back! I have noticed that first thing in the AM, I am just a little bit stiff and then when I get up at work from sitting all day, I am very stiff! I was really against taking anything, when I had a fully hysterectomy I stopped the HRT after about a year and worked thru the hot flashes and night sweats but I don't see that happening with BC HRT.............BC is just so scary.
Very happy to have found this site and all the wonderful women out here!
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Yes I have a splitter for my diuretic. I find it's not always in the middle and leaves crumbs
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