For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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ruthbru.... you do swear by PRUNES!!! LOL.
I was never a big fan of them because they get stuck in my sensitive teeth, but I am starting to like them. I bought the individually wrapped ones by Sunsweet and I toss a few in my lunch bag everyday.
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Schatz & Lago ~ Thanks for your insights and suggestions. I am definitely going to ask my onc if it's OK to take the Claritin. I am assuming generic is OK? I did not get the Neulasta shots but read about so many who had bone pain from it and took Claritin. It certainly makes sense. My PC is checking my Vitamin D level. It was quite low and I took 6 weeks of the prescription "mega" dose. I just had my level checked again last week but haven't gotten the results back. I will make sure I continue to take D daily. My knee joints seem to hurt the most which makes exercising pretty dificult and I am sure that doesn't help with the weight situation. Oh and Lago I am just as sure as you are that the bigger boobies definitely weigh in at AT LEAST 2 pounds...maybe 2 pounds each! I am going to follow this thread so I get even more great ideas from all of the posters here. Thanks again...Linda
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C-Squared: I am so sorry you are in such pain. I have stiffness and soreness as well, but just keep trying to plug along. I don't this my symptons are as severe as yours, though. I have numbness in my fingers in the middle of the night, and sometimes I can barely moved due to stiffness in my lower back. It's weird, because the next day, my back can be fine again.
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Lago, yes the Silica took care of the detachment of the nail, though I did also buy a liquid from Sally's Beauty Supply that is used for fungus....it stinks." I didn't use it that much for the liquid's solution would thin the entire nail down to nothing, like it did my toenail. I don't like using it and seems like the grooming (filing) of the nail is crucial. I bought one of those crystal nail files and didn't like it at all, it left debris behind and I didn't want that behind to nail either.
Sickness with chemo? Ask your insurance company what kind of immune shots that they may cover for you, then have your doctor prescribed them to you. Or ask him/her first, get a list and then call your insurance provider and ask. They are worth $1200 per shot and I had two a month. It was like taking happy gas, your energy level was over the top and no sickness. Bless you all.
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I have decided to try Arimidex starting Nov 1, 2012 after a failed trial of Tamoxifen... I am hoping the Arimidex does not make me as foul as the Tamoxifen did. The doctors won't give me anything for the depression I've had so I doctor myself. I am taking 1/2 a tramadol twice a day. It's side effect has taken my depression away and helps me cope with teaching all day and my other tasks. I completed my radiation the seventh of September, 2012. I can only pray that the side effects don't make me stop taking it too.
Thank you everyone for posting the good and bad. It helps to know it's not always bad for some, and there is hope that it may not be real bad for me either. Hope.
NRP
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I don't know what others might say to this, but I have had terrible constipation for a while now (and I'm not on any meds). Will start Arimidex on Nov 1, 2012. But what I do take is Tramadol for depression (Docs won't give it to me, would rather prescribe lexapro or other anti-depressents...I get mine from Tramadol from a relative for now, but it really pi**es me off to have to do that). Anyway. I take a teaspoon of light virgin olive oil every night, and my constipation completely disappeared. It's natural, it works for me.
Hope it helps.
NRP
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One teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil works for me (take it once every evening).
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nrp a friend of mine (actually met on bc.org) just switched from 2 years on tamoxifen to anastrozole several months ago now that she is in permanent chemopause. She said the SE are nothing compared to tamoxifen. So much easier now. Hope it's the same for you.
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Nrp, I take Tramodol tor pain. I had never heard of SEs with it, or that it helps with depression. What info do you have on that? Curious to find out now
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Hi. I took Arimidex for 9years. I didn't have a lot of problems. Tired and couldn't sleep a lot but that could just be anxiety. Stopped Arimidex this year 2012 because of small reoccurance. Now I am getting Faslodex injections once a month. Seem to be ok so far but harder on bones even. Don't want Prolia or any bone meds because of side effects. Hope all of you just starting Arimidex will find it as easy as I did. Took it in morning. Jannis
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I cannot believe I just lost my post but it happens, right? So to make a long story short.., thank you for all the great insight and ideas you have shared with me about my aches and pains. Turns out my AI is manu by TEVA also (mail order pharmacy). I've got my thumb in a brace due to pain. I'm confident I'm losing grip and pinch strenghth daily. I have a f/u appt with onc on Nov 19th. First after 3 months and I don't know what to ask for (i.e., will blood test measure Calcium and Vit D?, do I care?). I felt much better prepared for chemo and BMX so I look forward to being further educated in this matter. What do you ladies suggest I do at this point? What should I expect at the first 3 month follow up with onc? and after? Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and experience! I truly appreciate it!!!
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C-squared, I truly believe Vit D level matters so do ask what your number is. I was able to raise mine into the 60's and I really think that has helped with my SE's. That said...my Armidex is made by TEVA. You have me wondering if maybe I should try another manfacturer.
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WebMD mentions it as a se. http://www.webmd.com/drugs/mono-5239-TRAMADOL+-+ORAL.aspx?drugid=4398&drugname=tramadol+oral&pagenumber=6
Mayo Clinic also mentions it: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR601787/DSECTION=side-effects
They state it's a false sense of well being, but isn't that what all anti-depressants do? Affects the serotonin levels. Tramadol just does so in the lowest manner...Did not want to take the others if I did not have to.
I just noticed when I took it for pain after surgery that I had a sense of well being. It doesn't affect everyone that way, but it does me.
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Lago,
Thank you. I hope so too.
nrp
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c-squared I know my onc mentioned to me that having low D could cause more pain from the AI. When I told her I had low D but it did come up some she tested me again to be sure. DEFINITELY GET YOUR D TESTED.
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Lee7~ If you're not having issues with the TEVA then no need to switch. I will ask about my Vit D level.. thanks for the tip!
Denise-G~do you know what manu the women who switched to/from??? I'm wondering if I should try the Sun Pharma???
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C-squared - sorry I don't know the name of the manufacturer she switched from - so sorry. I've not had any problems with Sun Pharma so far!
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My mystery continues. Ono took me off of Anastrozole on 10/17. Have taken every kind of anti-histamine known to man. My local Dr put me on Prednisone 10/26. And yet my itching and headaches continue. Has anyone heard of anemia causing these issues? Itching causing anxiety to go though the roof. I am not fun to live with
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It sounds like when I got hives. I was put on prednisone and it didn't do a thing. Went on claritin and it cleared up. I know the feeling. When you itch that much you can't sleep. Lack of sleep makes any one bitchy. Hope they can find the root of it. I got hives 2 times in my life and never knew what caused it. I also had heartburn with it and both times I had a yeast infection right before.
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mommacain - It can take a long time to recover from an allergic reaction. For me it was 3 months to get over a serious reaction to Neulasta. Another woman on the boards was struggling into 5 months with either Taxotere or Herceptin. Couldn't figure out which. Her chemo was being delayed because of this.
Your anemia may be making it more difficult to fight the allergic reaction or it may have nothing to do with it. Patience is too much to ask, but you may have no choice. Hang in there.
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I have been on anastrozole for 8 months now. I've had fibromyalgia for four years and the arimidex made me hurt more. Also, my knees and elbows hurt a lot and they didn't with the fibro. I did great with the chemo and rads, even though they were tough, but I also get very down because of the SE of this drug. I'm scared not to take it. I've been walking and recently started tai chi. Everything hurts but I keep going. I also am afraid to switch to another AI because it seems like all the side effects are the same. Now my jaw and teeth are hurting. Does anyone have any thoughts on switching to Tamoxifen for a couple of years, then back to arimidex? You are right that everyone expects us to be happy and act like everything is over with. This has been the worst part for me too.
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MaryTex - what part of your jaw aches? Curious I am.
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My MO told me jaw pain is one of the SEs of Arimidex. Perhaps a generic brand of Arimidex would help? Many have said they switched the manufacturer and the fillers are different and some have different SEs than others. Might be worth a try!
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so far i am feeling well-no problems sleeping etc-but the bitchiness surfarces at the oddest times!
we just made a 12 hour drive each way to bury my brother in law and came home to no electricity so i am thankful not having SE's!
Csquared-when skittle wrote about your attitude-she summed it beautifully! keep reaching out and WE will get thru it together!!!!
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mommacain - have you had your liver enzymes tested? Elevated liver enzymes and bilirubin can cause itching. I remember when I had HepB, the itching was awful. I took Questran powder to eliminate it. Just a thought....
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I was on Arimidex from February through August and just could not get past the muscle/bone pain. I could not walk more than 10 minutes or so and my leg muscles would just stiffen up and i felt like I was dragging my right foot the last part of the way. My Oncologist changed me to Tamoxifin, said it would help and that the exercise was more important than anything. I was also going stupid, could not remember lots of things...that is because the Arimidex was blocking all hormones to the receptors in my brain. Things have been much better for me on the Tamoxifin...the hot flashes and night sweats are still the same.
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Just below the ear - like TMJ. My right ear hurts off and on too.
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Thanks HWHranch. I think my onc would try switching me to Tamoxifen. Did yours say you would have to go back on arimidex after being on tamoxifen?
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thanks Mary, Schatzi. i'm on generic already.
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Thanks for all of the ideas. I really need help for my patience (it is almost non existent). Today email of onoc office took me off all of my new meds, vitamins included. Assuming my itch goes away, I will be adding them back one every two weeks.Hopefully, it will also stop the wieght loss and the headaches. Also going back up to the hospital for labs to check my anemia, vitamin D and liver function. It is my hope that one of these things are out of whack - so it could be a quicker cure.
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