For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
-
when I complained about all the UTIs to my urologist, she said some folks just get them,,,,hmmmm
course I had not told her about all my sinus shit
moral is to tell all problems to all docs!
0 -
If I don't keep my blood sugar in line, I get them. Something about the yeast feeding on the sugar in your kidneys. I don't get UTI with antis. Whatever, they HURT, are annoying, no fun!
0 -
Carmen1954 Anastrozole is the oldest (first to go generic) and probably the least expensive. For some it does have the least SE for others not so much. It can take time for your body to get used to the drug too. I know my first year I was very stiff on it. The last 2 years I didn't have the stiffness. I did make a change after the 3 years due to other SE that were not doable but not as common. The deal with these drugs is you try. If the SE get too bad you try one of the others. I'm on Exemestane (about 3 months) now and for me the SE are minimal compared to Anastrozole… but it's much more expensive.
0 -
I try to work out 5 times a week, usually settle around 3-4. Since I have been on arimidex, I have lost my initiative for several things I used to do, but I keep pushing through it.
When doing cardio, I used to do the treadmill for 2.5 miles, at 15 minute miles. Ran some of it periodically. Now, it is a lot more difficult. I get going and things feel pretty good, then at about 1.25 miles, my legs start aching. I worked out in the yard today doing weeding. Sat down for a bit and couldn't hardly stand up to walk around. It all hurt from my hips down.
I do seem to run from the big D to the big C. I try to take a probiotic every day, drive Kevita, which helps a lot.
Ears ring, but doesn't really bother me much. Dull headaches a few times a week.
Sleep isn't good. I have an ambien prescription for 5mg. If I go a few nights not sleeping well, I cut one in half, and it gets me to sleep. I sometimes take melatonin to change it up, but I find that it wears off in about 4.5 hours and then I am laying there wide awake. However, AI like the vivid dreams, lol. Mine aren't scary, just like being in a movie. I told so done I should start writing them down and have a great fantasy book. I'll call it Melatonin Memories.
Hot flashes- had them so bad on tamoxifen. Dripping sweats. It was my worse side effect. On the Arimidex, I still have them, a lot, but they are milder. Fewer drippy ones. I am hotter at night though. I can't keep my pillow cool enough. I have a chill ow pillow that I love but it warms up after about an hour.
My body shape has changed also, but it was doing that some while on tamoxifen. Thicker around the middle. I do a lot of ab work and that doesn't help a lot.
Lago...I think my legs are bigger too. I am tall and always prided myself on my legs and ability to wear leggings and look ok. I noticed the other day I thought my leggings felt tighter, which of course, anything tight triggers hot flashes for me. I try to avoid short necklaces that feel constrictive.
0 -
Proud to spin, I got shingles five years ago. At that time my doctor said I would be immune for four years and then he recommended getting a shingles shot. I did that last year I think it was. I know you can still get shingles even if you got the shot but if you do it is supposed to be a milder version. Yeah, shingles is no fun. Besides the pain I was fatigued for weeks after. I have fibromyalgia and I think that came into play as well.
I have been on probiotics for ten years. I see an alternative doctor and that is the first thing he put me on because so much of our immune system is in our gut and that is what the probiotic does is to beef up all that good bacteria in the gut.
Prior to seeing this doctor I used to get sick all the time. Once I started seeing him I rarely got sick and almost never a cold or anything like that.
It was hard for me to accept that I needed to have radiation and a cancer drug after surgery but that was my choice. I didn't want to play Russian roulette with my life and try to beat it naturally.
Do I regret that decision. No, not at all. I just wish all the SE's didn't come along with it all.
0 -
Hi Ruthbru, I'm pretty new here (added profile in Aug). I started taking Arimidex about six months ago. I'm having terrible hot flashes and body aches.
I was wondering if you had the same side effects when you started the drug as you did later on. I can't seem to
get a straight answer from my doc! I'm not having too many and was wondering if this is all I'll have to deal with. Just really wondering
if what you experience when first taking this drug is going to be pretty much it or is it just the beginning. It's been six months and I thought
any SE that might be in my future would have shown up by now. Thanks
0 -
lexie2002 I don't think there is a straight answer. I found after a year the stiffness got much better. What did happen though was I progressively got more depressed and an increase in back/neck/shoulder pain (had injury from car accident several years ago but didn't bother me) and increased sleep issues. Hot flashes not bad at all. By year 3 I took a break then switched to Exemestane. So far I'm good. Back pain, depression gone and sleep issues minimal.
It really can be different for everyone.
0 -
band, yeah that is sort of my understanding of the shingles but hoping not to have that little gem again!
lexie, my BS said at the start of all this that it was important not to just curl up in a ball and not move! so I have concentrated on moving it! I have a PT person and whenever I get some dumb pain, I tell them and they seem to be good at coming up with new stretches or what I call "tricks"0 -
Carmen,
Welcome.
I was switch to anastrazole about 3 weeks ago. I had been on tamoxifen for 3 months and doing ok. I currently feeling every symptom you are feeling. The worse is the fatigue for me, but I am doing my best to push through it and exercise, I am hoping to avoid bad joint pains. I hope the more I do the easier it will get, some weight should also come off which will make it easier for me, I hope also.
V
0 -
All - don't forget to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. It's true that headaches, fatigue and muscle aches/pains/stiffness can all be SEs of estrogen-sucking drugs. However, they can all also be SEs of deydration as well. Try upping your intake of water as a possible solution to some of those problems.
My SEs have waxed and waned for the 21 months I've been on Anastrozole. Trigger thumb came and went and didn't come back. Bouts of fatigue come and go occasionally. Foot stiffness has been fairly constant for nearly a year now, plus throw in a diagnosed case of plantar fasciitis as well. An increase in neck/upper back pain and stiffness was recently diagnosed by my chiropractor as 'upper cross syndrome' (imbalance of front/back muscle strength in those areas), very common with folks who are at a desk all day. She feels that with some cervical adjustments (which I love!) as well as targeted upper body strength, toning and stretching assigned work that it will resolve. If not I'll talk to my MO because if it's due to Anastrozole I can't take another 3.25 years of it. I HAVE had neck problems for years already due to an inherited reverse curvature in one spot (also very common as it turns out, and also why I have a chirpractor in the first place), so maybe it's from that, or maybe Anastrozole is exacerbating the issue. We'll see.
0 -
Actually the best thing you can do for your skin is drink water. The days I don't drink enough I can see it in my face. I look older and tired.
0 -
If I don't drink enough my kidneys complain. That is rarely a problem since I drink tons (pee a lot, too, but my kidney surgeon said that that is good in my case).
0 -
me too, not enough water and I end up with a headache so the peeing, just deal with it
0 -
Bandwoman-- Funny about your sister being a redhead.......I think you will adjust. I did. I felt nauseous and ill for a couple months, then it left. I did look at my bottle of generic to see who made it. I had stuff from SUN which is a company in India. I called around and found that CVS had the TEVA brand, which is made in Israel. I moved my script and have had fewer issues since then.
0 -
Lexie, my SEs really leveled off after about 6 months or so & I was really fine for the other 4 1/2 years on it. I always try to drink a lot of water, and I exercise very religiously....which is what I think made the biggest difference for me.
0 -
Finally saw the GYN/ONC, spotting is probably just from the hysteroscopy/D&C, can last up to a month or longer, not from the AI. Great relief!0 -
I havent had hair thinning I dont think, but I realize in the last 2 months or so its grown much slower than normal.
0 -
It's really comforting to have anastrozole as part of my ammunition against cancer. I do have hot flashes and perspiring like no one's business, but that is manageable. (Poor DH sleeps all rolled up in the cover due to my keeping the AC at 68° and the ceiling fan on high all night.)
I was already obese before cancer, but when I settled down seriously to my default diet which is ketogenic, my weight went up. After much tweaking, tweaking, pounds are very slowly creeping downward. My onc says that this medication causes no weight gain in anyone.
Has anyone had trouble with weight while taking this medication?
0 -
ketofan -
I have to laugh that your onc says the med doesn't cause any weight gain in anyone. Ummm, one of the most common natural side effects of menopause is weight gain; so, I'm not a doctor, but it would stand to reason that pulling even more estrogen could lead to weight gain. I was not in menopause until I had my hysterectomy/ooph & began these drugs. I have definitely had issues with weight gain, especially that I have gained more in my stomach which was not where I used to gain.
0 -
good point, I was in menopause when diagnosed and did the dang PILL so maybe I had already gained the no estrogen weight?
0 -
since we tend to blame this darn pill for everything, I have a question.
Does anybody have restless fingers? Like restless legs that won't stay still?
I'm waking up several times a night with my fingers and thumb rubbing together. It's bizarre.
I do have LE in this arm, and OA in shoulder and elbow. I guess could be a pinched nerve too.
Just wondering about the darn pill.
0 -
Hi Ladies,
I've been on Arimidex since May of 2011 and I have gained 25 pounds. I have never had a weight problem and really don't know how to handle it. All of the weight is in my stomach and has made my pants size go from an 8 to a tight 12. I am so frustrated and feel out of control. I eat the same amount or less than before and I've cut out alcohol since the second diagnosis. My only excuse is that I have a sitting job and don't get much exercise. I have had this same job for 38 years and it never put weight on until I met Mr. Arimidex. Please help with any suggestions!
Thanks,
Nancy
0 -
Ramp up the exercise......sigh......it is pretty much a 'must' if you don't want to get 'fluffy' as you age, even without Arimidex.
0 -
hmmm, have to tell my new trainer that my goal is not to bet fluffy~~~
0 -
I love that description: Fluffy. I'll keep that in mind
0 -
I also have to laugh that your MO said no one gains weight from the pill... and many of us on these boards would like to not see the weight gain.. my stomach is huge!
0 -
Stomach huge here as well. Your MO is definitely out of touch! I'm in year 6 and have gained at least 15 lbs. and only that much because I do exercise. Exercise seems to keep me on that plateau as I can't seem to lose it no matter what.
Regarding the water, I find when I drop down on my intake I get horrible cramps in weird parts of my legs and/or feet.
0 -
Um Your MO needs to just read the SE on the drug insert.........Mine told me upfront that I needed to get my nutrition in order as I was overweight and the pill tends to cause weight gain.... And fat cells store excess estrogen.....etc. etc. etc....Increase your activity, and eat more veggies and eliminate sugar....
0 -
I had a heart Cath yesterday and I have been diagnosed with aortic stenosis. I am looking at open heart surgery to replace the aortic valve. I was Dx with cancer in the Fall of 2009, had a/c, taxol and herceptin. I also did 35 rounds of radiation. I have been on Arimidex since about March of 2011. After a cruise in May of this year, I developed radiation dermatitis. I received meds and a cream. On a follow up visit, my doctor heard a murmur. Blood was leaving the aorta, but the valve was not closing and blood was going back into the chamber. My last echo was in 2011 and it was clear. I was shocked when my doctor diagnosed this. This seems to be moving fast; I am breathless just walking to the kitchen and loading the dishwasher. My blood pressure and heart rate is high. During the heart Cath, the doctor would ask me to take a deep breath, hold it, release, and then breath normally. Apparently, my breathing is very shallow. He did a ct scan on my lungs and I should receive results soon. Through ALL of my treatment, my BP was never higher than 120/80. Because my brain isn't receiving the necessary oxygen, my cognitive skills have declined and my eyes look like I have a blank stare. Has anyone else experienced this? Peggy, are you doing any better? I am very frustrated with this and afraid to hear the results of the ct scan on my lungs. Just when you think you are out of the woods.....
0 -
KeepMyHumor, what depressing news you've had. Nice they can take care of it, rotten that it needs taking care of. I certainly don't know much but isn't it unusual to develop skin problems from the rads after so long? Are you thinking your problems are from the radiation?
I'm doing okay. Hubby is not. Waiting to see how he is this morning. Hoping he's improved.
Please take care and good luck! HUGS!!!
0
