For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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I've had it for years too, waaaay before chemo. I have a fan by my bed I use in summer for hot flashes. The rest of the year I use it to drown out the tinnitus hiss. White noise.
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My dad had tinnutus really, really bad & he did acupuncture several years ago & hasn't had any recurrance. HTH someone, Dee
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GG27, what a good idea! I may give it a try sometime.
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I got a hearing loss from ibuprofen after orthopedic surgery. Tinnitus is often the brain making up a noise to fill in the blank space where the ears no longer pick up a sound. The brain says something is missing and ties to make a sound to replace it. I wonder how many of the meds we take are ototoxic like ibuprofen
The solution for my tinnitus was hearing aids that help me hear the sounds at the same frequency the tinnitus is trying to fill. When I take them out I get tree frogs or summer night sounds that make me crazier than I already am so I wear them ferry waking hour
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Tucker--I still have the funky ear sensations. My MO told me just before Thanksgiving AGAIN that I won't mess up anything if I stop the Arimidex for a couple of weeks to see if see any improvement. He said it I don't, then I need to get an appointment either in Chicago or at Mayo and spend a quality time with a top doctor and if they feel it's nothing, then I can stop stressing over it...Tinnitus is a reported side effect of Arimidex in about 1% of users, but I don't have ringing. I didn't take it last night so maybe I will take a break between now and new years and see what happens.
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I've had tinnitus since my third round of chemo. I'm sure that's what caused it.
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AKJ - I agree, that's about the time I notice the tinnitus but I didn't mention it to the doctor at that time because I had so many other more serious s/e's, it slipped my mind.
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GG27---funny you mention the acupuncture. as the PA in the ENT's office said "in the western world we treat this with drugs or surgery" and I said and in the Eastern world you would do acupuncture and he said, yes and it works quite well... Only prob was the guy thought I had Patulous Eustachian Tube disorder and I don't have hardly any of those symptoms. He also thought I had Trigeminal Neuralgia and even with me protesting, he put it in my record. I don't have that either.... I am on day 3 w/o Arimidex and I had a little disturbance today, but nothing like it had been. It seems worse when I am stressed.....
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Blownaway,
I did tell my MO about it and he said that maybe I should see an ENT. He did say that there was probably nothing that could be done about it though. I haven't gone yet. I'm going to see my PCP and I'll mention it to her. I think I should at least get a hearing test.
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My tinnitus has become much worse in the past year or so. Maddeningly loud and constant and practically impossible to ignore. ENT and audiologist both keep talking about stress levels and neither seems familiar with it being a side effect of anastrozole. I have other ear issues, have been wearing one hearing aid for mixed hearing loss and now they are recommending bilateral aids to try to balance things out better. The new ones will have the option of using bluetooth to directly pipe in music or background sound from phone or MP3 player to help mask the tinnitus. Fingers crossed...
Happy Holidays!!!
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I got those features on my hearing sides. Just wearing them both on the regular mode did wonders for my tinnitus. The minute I take them off the tree frogs return
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My sister's friend from high school is an audiologist. I talked to her about tinnitus (my dad has it). She has it too. She said there really isn't anything you can do about it other than try to hide it with white noise. I noticed I have it a bit more often but not that annoying if it doesn't get worse.
Acupuncture is actually now accepted and covered even by medicare depending on where you get it. My mom had it prescribed once by her MD at the Massachusetts General Hospital (rated #1 in the country right now).
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If acupuncture is covered, why wouldn't you try it? My dad's tinnitus was so bad he could barely carry on a conversation because he couldn't hear. It did take a few sessions, but he said even after the first one, it was a bit better. The needles that they use are so tiny that mostly you don't even feel them.
I hope anyone who has this can find some relief. Cheers, GG
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GG27 - Thanks, I will certainly check it out!
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Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday!! Thank all of you for being here this year and helping with much needed advise.0 -
Hi Ladies. I have been on Arimidex approximately one month and my quality of life seems to be diminishing. I have developed GERD or severe indigestion so badly that I dread eating. Energy has dropped and I am not sleeping without medication, whereas I previously only used something during pain from surgeries and radiation. I am going to bed at 7:30, whereas before I usually stayed up until 10. Both hands and arms have weakened.
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ButterflyLady2, so sorry you are having difficulties with the Arimidex. Have you talked to your MO about all the problems? He would be the one to help you find solutions. Are you taking Fosamax? It would be very helpful if you would make public the treatments you have had - sometimes that turns on the proverbial light bulb. I've been very lucky. Two and a half months on, no problems at all. I am on Fosamax too. I was exhausted going into all my treatments due to caring for my DH. Now I am finally feeling rather normal. I hope you find answers. It must be extremely difficult for you. HUGS!!!
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grumble grumble!
After some searching around, I switched my rx to Walgreens, they had the TEVA brand. Wheeeee! No more hot flashes. Refilled it, got some not so bad night sweats.
Finally checked the label. Made in India by some co. I never heard of.
Stopped by today, talked to pharmacist. She is still able to get the TEVA brand and has ordered it. Yay!!!!
Moral, if you get old problems back, read the label. From now on, I'm going to check before I leave, won't accept it if not TEVA
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Spookiesmom, I read tons on this forum before I actually went on Anastrozole and everyone seemed to say get the Teva brand. Walgreens had it and I requested that I only be given the Teva, nothing else. I'll make sure when I refill next month (I get 90 days at a time). Glad it made a difference!
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The stuff I get is in the mfg. pkg. not put in a brown pill vile. Has the info right on the label. Which I will be checking for the rest of my years on it
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Got TEVA. A10 at CVS. Thanks for info! I will watch for this to be sure it's the right stuff
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I just started taking Anastrozole by Accord Healthcare this morning. I was on Tamoxifen for a year and half. I read some comments on this page indicating that TEVA brand is more favorable. Is this true? Any one has any experience with the generic version I was given by my mail order through my insurance? Should I ask for another generic version that has less side effects? I already have thining hair and would like to take one that hopefully does not affect hair. Any comment is appreciated. I took this pill in the morning to avoid insomnia. I appreciate any help.
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Give it a try, see how you do. It may not bother you. If it's MADE in India, I'd say the chances are good it might.
Check out Lago 's post a few up for the link to see where it's made
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I just checked my CVS Rx: manufactured in India. So far my only SE is mild hot flashes. I have had hair thinning issues for a couple of years, starting more than a year before BC. I have been seeing a dermatologist about it all this time, and so far I'm holding steady (no worse than before Anastrazole, maybe even a little better).
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I checked mine too, it's made in India. I have very mild hot flashes & I had some hair loss, but started taking Biotine a few months ago and my hair is somewhat back to normal. These SE's are completely different than I had on Tamoxifen or other AI's. GG
I am editing this post, I didn't look at my packaging, I only looked at what the pills had written on them. Mine are made in Canada, by Taro.
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That's what I have now, some mild night sweats. But I don't want any, and I didn't on the TEVA. I'm diabetic, when I'm crashing, my main symptom is profuse sweating. Just like a hot flash. Confusing as he$$ at 3 am sweating buckets. My brain won't work and I'm in slow motion. I try to avoid both
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Spookiesmom, just curious. If you had no problems with the TEVA anastrozole, how come you aren't on it?
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Walgreens changed it, I didn't notice. Supposedly now there is a note there I am to only have the TEVA. I'm not leaving the store untill I check it myself. I've never had this problem before. My pills have changed looks over the years, still doing what are supposed to. How can such a little bitty white pill cause sooooooo many problems
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Spookiesmom, I have that note on my record, too. After reading that many here had fewer problems with the Teva, I made sure that is what I received when I started. So far so good after 2-1/2 months. I know that's not long but I'll take it. Hopefully your next batch will be Teva! HUGS!
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