For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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fluffqueen01,
When I had my first IV of Zometa, my MO told me to make sure I took my calcium and take some Tums if I felt light headed. These drugs initially pull calcium out of the blood into the bones, so you can have a severe drop that causes problems. It wasn't a problem for me.
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Dunesleeper - I have the wristband Fitbit that connects to an app on my iPhone. I really think any pedometer works though. I bought an extra clip on style to loan to our grandchildren in the summers when they walk with us. And my husband wears one like that so he competes with me - but he gets a lot of extra steps from bumping along in a golf cart. I let him get away with it though to keep him walking with me and our dog
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I see a lot of people talking about more side effects with the generic. I am prescribed to take Anastrozole but I see online that I could get Arimidex from the drug company for $30 a month. Does anybody use that direct service?
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Ladies - I have been following this thread for several months now and have gotten a lot of very useful info. I recently switched from Anastrozole after almost three years to generic Aromisin (Exemestane). Unfortunately, the switch did not go well - constant nausea, increased hot flashes and sleep pattern worse than ever. After about a month I had a pretty severe experience with abdominal pain. Currently testing to see if this is an ulcer or GERD. Wondering if anyone else has had a similar occurrence. Thanks
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I didn't have any trouble with switching from name brand to generic; but if you think your problems might be related to the switch, go back on the name brand & see if that takes care of the problem.
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I get a lot of pain in my chest area, which I attribute to GERD or mouths full of supplements irritating my esophagus. I didn't have it before the Anastrazole, though. I'm cutting way back on the supplements though to see what happens.
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Angelia, I got the brand Arimidex from AstraZeneca direct. It was worth the $30 for me to see if the brand name made a difference. It was easy to do....I just got the brand name script from my doctor, signed up on line with credit card info and faxed the script to the pharmacy in Florida. Every month they would call me to remind me to get my refills. I did cancel because I have now switched to examestane to see if I get less side effects. Good luck...it's worth a try!
Martha
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RodyMMM, did you take the generic to start with or did you start with the brand name first? I'm taking the generic and haven't had really bad side effects, I was stiff before any of this and I still am. I am having some hot flashes but nothing compared to what I see some people having, most of mine are during the night. My blood pressure has gone up a lot since starting this and I wonder if the brand name might address that issue? Worth a shot I guess, I may mention that to my doctor on Friday.
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angelia, I started with the generic, had a lot of pain and foggy brain, and my MO offered to switch me to examestane. I asked to try the brand Arimidex first, which I did for another three months. At first I felt a lot better, but then had the pain again. I first took it in the morning but got so foggy that I changed it to bedtime. That helped some, but I never felt quite right. So after six months, MO said to take a 6 week break and then switch to examestane (generic Aromasin). I have been taking it for a little over two weeks and the pain is coming back, but the brain isn't foggy.
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Hi Ladies
I've been tacking Arimidex for 2-1/2 months. I have been "craving sugar" & I cant seem to satisfy the craving..no matter how much I eat. I think about what I can eat next that is sweet! This is abnormal for me! Since the start of the Arimidex, I have gained 10 pounds. I was wondering if anybody else had that terrible craving for sweets? If so, how do you satisfy it? I can not afford to gain another 10 pounds! Please Help Me!!
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Tracy, I haven't had that response to Anastrozole but I've only been on it for a month. Wish I had some wonderful wisdom and advice for you. Good luck!! And mnay HUGS!!
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TraceyF, have you always taken the name brand or have you tried the generic? What time of day do you take your meds? I take the Anastrozole and I think it has been causing my blood pressure to go up so I'm going to see if doctor will give me a new prescription so I can get name brand from the company to see if side effects are same or different than the anastrozole.
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I was on Anastrozole for 3 years before I switched to Exemestane. I lost the 10lbs I put on in about 6 months. I did't put it on all at once though. A few pounds every year. I don't think I'm eating any less or less sweet stuff now.
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Actually, I am taking the generic form of Arimidex (Anastrozole). Sorry, I forgot to clarify that! I usually take the medicine anywhere from 2 pm-6 pm. I take it along with my calcium.
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I take the generic too. I'm going to ask tomorrow about getting another prescription and try the name brand for a month just to see if it makes any difference. I hate this whole thing and I sure don't like now having to take new meds just to counter act the old meds. Seems this is never ending.
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Ive never really had indigestion or GERD before, but I have noticed in the last couple of months that at night I seem to have it some, especially if I lay flat in bed. I wondered if it had something to do with the Arimidex.
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fluffqueen, I have had issues with reflux but took prilosac and that took care of it but like you, since taking anastrozole, I have had a couple of times in the middle of the night, when I have had issues with reflux. Not sure if it is the anastrozole, but this is new since I began taking it.
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FluffQueen, I've had GERD issues for years. I did take Prilosec (and Nexium) for a few years but quit when I discovered it causes problems with my bones. Don't need that. Now I take Zantac. I'm very careful about what I eat at night and don't lay flat. I just started on Fosamax a couple weeks ago and that can aggravate GERD too. I think I would not blame the Anastrozole as a first choice.
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I was taking Anastozole for 2 weeks and became nauseated . Never actually puked but felt like I was going to. I didn't feel like doing anything or that I could go anywhere because I couldn't tell if I was going to puke or not. I also had diarrhea or constipation that is still ongoing. I know what a hot flash is, was told I was having hot flashes but this didn't feel the same. I felt like I was running a fever but I wasn't, in fact, my temp was rather low, 96.5.
The nurse said that I could go off the meds for 2 weeks but that the opinion of the Doc was that I had a virus. I don't think so, and I'm not going back on these meds for a lot longer than 2 weeks. I now have lymphedema and actually getting a life back is looking like a mountain to climb. I can't climb it if I'm miserable.
I think I need to go for quality of life not quantity, not sure I'm going to try this medication again.
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SusanSnowFlake, What crappy SEs you had. Did it make a difference if you took the Anastrozole with food, in the morning? I don't blame you for not wanting to go back on it. You might try Femara. Good luck and HUGS!!!
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TraceyF- I have that same side effect! Never was a sweets person so I know this is a change! I've been on for a couple of months and seems to be getting better but it's so strange!
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I too can have issues with gerd. On chemo I was on 2 meds (and prilosuc didn't work for me) to treat it. Fosamax also gave me gerd (doing Prolia now). I did not have issues with Anastrozole/Teva giving me gerd.
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Taken. Arimidex/Anastrozole (taken both) for approximately two months. I take it in the morning with food and have not had any Gerd issues. It is one of the few side effects I have not had. Joint pains and fatigue are rough, but I am trying to hang in there because the medical research on this medications shows taking it for five years further lowers your risk of recurrence a lot. My side effects are slowly getting better, so I guess there is hope. Many people on this site have indicated that after many months their side effects lessened. I see my Oncologist next month and will talk to him then. I found no difference between the brand name and the generic, accept cost. Since I have other medical issues, I think most of my preexisting problems are aggravated by this medication.
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I too had cravings for sweets while on the anastrazole/Arimidex. I had GERD for the first week or so but that resolved on it's own. Now I a on examestane and don't seem to have quite the sweets cravings. Good luck to you!
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Way back, many years ago when I went through menopause I started craving sweets - I was never a sweet eater - I wonder if that is what is happening when people go on arimidex - estrogen loss may be the instigator - this may sound really weird but a few years back a dr. who I believe was a gyno suggested brushing your teeth with mint flavoured toothpaste when the cravings hit hard and it works - at least for me it did.
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I agree. My feeling is it's the lack of Estrogen vs. the drug actually causing it however it has gotten better for me so who knows!
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yup.. me too with the sweets,,,, I never was really before taking Anastrozale,,,,,, cant get enough of them,,,, and then the acid reflux has just started the last couple of weeks,, also BP higher,,, I did wxperiment and did not take my pill before a DR appt and BP was normal,,, when taking the pill before DR appt, was very high,,142/90..... so I see my Onc in January and maybe switch , January will be a year for me taking it,, had bad joint knee and leg pain for first 6 months,,, then went away,, now back again for the last 2 months,,,,, havent done anything different,,,, cant figure this stuff out,,,,,, and I am also very cold all the time especially when my implant gets cold,,,,,,, healing hugz to all ....J
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I was on BP meds before starting my AL, BP went up more when I started and the docs were always a pain about the numbers as once it hit 200 over something, then again that was at the cancer center
I would do yoga breathing to get it down before my apt (or ask the nurse to tell me a bad joke~~that helped)
since ending the 5 years, still on my old BP but not the numbers are way lo and we are considering lowering my BP med
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BTW sweets before bedtime can give me acid reflux so be careful.
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Jeaniebeani, you sound like me with the experimenting. I just told my doctor today, I had tried taking meds at night because several has said it made them tired, so I thought ok, take it at night. Then, I started having a terrible pain in my hip at night so in my mind, I could picture this drug gathering in my hip, so changed back to taking it in the morning and my hip did quit hurting. Now, my blood pressure is up, so I have asked my doctor to give me a prescription so I can get the name brand for a month to see if it does make any difference. I'm always trying to figure something out to help with the SE.
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