For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
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I have 8 one week trays that I purchased at walgreens for about $1. I think they are more now. I use one for my morning pills and another for my evening pills. I fill them up monthly.
Morning pills are right by my computer (always check my email in the morning)
Evening pills are where I eat dinner. I can at time forget my evening but it's only my D3 and probiotic. I get D in my multivitamin and Calcium in the morning so not too bad if I do forget.They look like this:
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My pills are all over the place, but anastrazole is on the chest, just above my underwear drawer. That's the best location for me. It is with the pills I need to sleep, so I never forget to take it at night.
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So many of you gals are using pill containers. I will try without as I seem to do well remembering my pills in the morning. I tend to forget the bedtime ones (benadryl and zantac). For DH and all his pills, I put them in 5 oz Dixie cups broken up in the amount he can take easily at one time. So morning has 3, lunch 1, etc. I put them out the night before. This has worked well for us. He can handle the cups and a pill container wouldn't be as easy. Parkinson's is such a bitch. Thanks for all the good suggestions!
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My husband has Parkinson's too. He only uses a pill container when he travels but has a fairly complex system on where he keeps what bottles so he takes his medicines on time.
Lago, my pill container looks just like yours. I have a round-type one for my nighttime pills. I would have no idea if I took them or not if I didn't use the pill containers. Would it hurt you if you took two Arimidex in a day by accident. ?
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Golden01, my hubby isn't able to travel. He barely walks and there's no way I could see us even driving for a vacation. You're very lucky.
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Parkinson's is terrible disease. So many problems beyond the motor symptoms. My sister and my best friend from childhood also have Parkinson's so we feel we are experts. Although as my husband's doctor tells us, if you've seen one patient with Parkinson's, you've seen one patient with Parkinson's - it can vary so in progression, response to medicines, and more.
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Golden01, hubby's doctor is 100% on. The physical therapist at the rehab facility hubby's at was saying he hadn't seen PD patients with hubby's symptoms. I said they are definitely Parkinson's. Symptoms are all over the place, aren't they? Sounds like you are surrounded by PD. Hope everyone is doing well coping. It's all so scary. Hugs to you and yours!
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Golden01 about 1-2 years ago I took 2 Anastrozole. I took my pills in the morning at about 6:30am on a Wednesday. Then about 6 hours later at lunch I thought it was Thursday and looked at my pills and saw that I hadn't taken Thursdays. Always start with the Anastrozole. Swallowed it then realized "hey wait it's Wednesday." I did not turn into a man even for a day… but I think I read somewhere to call your doctor if you take too many.
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Lago, so glad you didn't turn into a man! Sounds like nothing bad happened. Yah, I'd worried if I'd taken 2 for several days, I think. Once, shouldn't be an issue (but what do I know since I haven't even taken one
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over my 5 years, I confess to missing a couple days, sort of think that is why at the end my MO tacked on one extra month~~~
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Iris, interesting that he added an extra month.
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by my count! it pissed me off but I did it! then gave away my leftover pills (my script gave me 90 at a time, she said I could~~~just take them all but~~~I thought it nicer to give them to a more,.,,, deserving person
getting to the end was a huge celebration!
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Iris, I can understand that. I also get 90 at a time. Very nice of you to give them away. I'd celebrate, too!
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I'm on Exemestane now and it is actually cheaper for me to get a 90 day but when I was on Anastrozole it was more expensive to get 90 days. Talk about a wacky system!
The only time I missed is when I took the 5 week break this April.
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Lago
Do you happen to know if there is the same type program for Aromasin as there is for Arimadex? Who makes it?
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Answered my own question. There is a card available might get it for as low as $4 per month!
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My MO said the Anastrozole could make me sleepy, so I take it at night.
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Janett2014, that's a good thought. The info sheet with my Rx said to not drive until you know how it effects you. Like most of us, I do have to drive daily so maybe I'll take it at night. Thanks!
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Just checking in. I have 2 pill containers, one in the AM and one in the PM. I have 9 pills in the am including anastrozole, caltrate (2), baby aspirin, multiple vitamin, 2 biotin, 1 ibuprofen and something else I cant remember (hence the pill container) In the pm I take BP and cholest. pills. Right now my BMI is 26.3 so considered overweight. I was at 25 when I finished chemo. Constantly fighting to control the weight but have gained 8 pounds in the last 18 mos post chemo. Going to look into that fitbit...............If I lose the 8 pounds I will be at my highschool weight. Pretty good for age 61 I guess. Take care ladies. FYI my September CT was clear and I go back to onc in 6 months. YEAH!
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great to hear about your CT schoolmom. I've gained about 10 lbs so we are shooting for similar goals.
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I am currently on a break from Anastrazole. My joint pain was so bad. My hips and knees were the worst, it also began to drift to my hands. One hip was bad enough but when it started in the other hip that was it. I went off it about a month ago and the joint pain was gone within a week. I am not sure what I will do next. I see my MO in about 10 days and am curious what he will say. He is one of those who doesn't believe that these SE's are from Arimidex. He told me once that I had no SE's at the one month mark, therefore my joint pain was not fro the med. He insists that IF you develop SE's it will only be in the first week or so of taking the drug. Really? For the most part I like him but we don't agree on this point. Lago he mentioned last time I saw him (April) switching me to one of the other AI's if my SE's continued. I have resisted largely because of that 'out of the frying pan into the fire' theory. I have read unpleasant things about SE's from both Femara and Aromasin. I am really pleased to hear you are doing so well on the generic Aromasin.
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Get the info sheet that comes with the pills. Give it to doc, sit there stareing at the floor, while he reads it. Don't leave till he does!
I was hurting ALL over yesterday at a moderate level. I didn't take the pill last night, today, no pain. Will take tonight like a good girl.
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Spookiesmom I often thought I should just write down the link to some of these threads. ALL of these woman taking these meds can't be wrong! I must say I have really enjoyed not having the hip[ pain especially. I can walk now without fear of falling. What a nice feeling.
I sure hope your pain subsides and you get to feeling better very soon. You deserve more than one pain free day!
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JustMeJanis, remember that not everyone has side effects from the AIs. I have a good friend who has had no problems with them. I suspect that the people without problems don't post as much, which would make sense.
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Jannette2014 do you have any joint pain? I had seen some ladies say they took theirs at night because of it making them sleepy so I was doing that but then, I developed the most terrible pain in one hip so I thought maybe it was like allowing it to settle or something. I have trouble sleeping and would love some help sleeping, so if it would make me sleepy, that might help but wondered if you were also having joint pain.
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justmejanis my onc felt my depression was not from Anastrozole. I turned to my husband and said "I'm I better now that I've been off the drug (for 5 weeks)?" Of course he said yes. Don't let the doctors tell you how you feel when these SE are listed on the Arimdex website. And remember if you don't try you won't know. I too was reluctant to go on another AI. I'm glad I tried Exemestane (generic Aromasin). So far I'm doing great.
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angelia50, my big toe on my right foot is very sore, but I have no idea if it's the Anastrozole or not. It has happened maybe three times in the last two months: no swelling, no redness, just sore enough to wake me up out of a sound sleep. After several hours the pain goes away. Any ideas, anyone?
I guess my answer to the joint pain question is no. My main SE is (no surprise) hot flashes.
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Oh Peggy I know not everyone has SE's from the meds. You are right, the ones who post here all do for the most part. I did not have a lot of SE's but the joint pain was very real. Also my thinning hair. I get annoyed when MO's try to tell women these SE's are not from the med. Since I didn't have them before, and don't have any joint pain when I take these breaks, I know what the source of my joint pain is. I wear a pain patch for issues unrelated to my BC. The joint pain was still bad. Now for the most part it is gone. This is my third break since I started. I am not drug sensitive and so rarely get any SE's from meds, so this really took me by surprise.
BosomBlues I can only speak from my own experiences obviously. I know everyone is different and responds as such. For me the two most noticeable SE's were the joint pain and the thinning hair. I am surprised some days that I have any hair left. I hate washing it and combing it out a many many strands of hair come out so easily. Also I can't go near the kitchen without it in a ponytail or clip. Hair everywhere. It is still falling out, I am not sure how long it takes to stop after going off the med.
Lago I have read this thread for months and knew you had switched. Good for you for taking that plunge. I am so happy that you are feeling normal again. Way to go!
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Hi All! I have posted this before, but I don't think on this thread. I have been on many different AI's & had to switch due to extreme joint pain, it was so bad that my knees could not be touching when I was lying in bed at night. I switched brands as some of the fillers are what is causing the SE's and found there to be a tremendous difference. Also I cut out wheat & found that for myself, all the residual joint pain everywhere has gone. Now this may not work for some of you, but I have read that others have tried this with some success. HTH, GG
*edited to add - For me, going off AI's is not an option.
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