For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Checkers and Dunesleeper, I also have problem with the pain. I wouldn't say that I have trigger finger, but my hands are incredibly painful. It started when I was on Taxol and got progressively worse, but that was neuropathy. The pain I get now is a deep ache. I did start on anastrazole and then switched to generic Arimidex with little improvement. Took a six-week vacation and saw improvement in all my pain so I changed to examestane (generic Aromasin). Initially it seemed like it would be better but now after two months the pain is awful. It has been very cold here so I don't know how much that contributes; I will see if I feel better in the spring. ALL my joints hurt, but I would say my hands are worst. Also wrists, ankles, knees, hips and low back. I am continuing to try losing weight, and I do find that while some exercise aggravates it (rowing machine hurts my knee and hips) but yoga really helps a lot. And I try to do stretching exercises throughout the day too. Occasional ibuprofen helps, and I am playing with essential oils. I have found a few blends that help a lot, but they don't smell so wonderful! Will keep working on that. I am increasingly depressed...not sure how much is the pain, how much is the med, how much is PTSD. This past weekend it was all I could do to get out of bed, and all I wanted to do was cry. I do have some inspirational books which help a lot. Whine, whine, whine! Sorry, I needed to vent. (((HUGS))) to all of us!
Martha
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No advice, Martha, but HUG HUG HUG!!! I think you need them. Whine and vent all you want. We get it! I'm sorry your in such pain. HUG HUG HUG
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Aviva---do you have a Schnuck's grocery with a pharmacy where you are:all of their generic breast cancer drugs are 9.00, with or w/o believe. Its like the places that do 10.00 generics......
Be careful about the high deductible insurance plans....
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Thanks Peggy! I came home from work and did a Pilates video before supper which helped loosen me up. It is supposed to be a little warmer through the rest of the week so hopefully the aches will lessen some. I just need to remind myself that the reason I hurt so much is because I am STILL HERE! It wasn't all that long ago that there was some question in my mind because I had so many complications from surgery and chemo.
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Martha, great idea. I'll bet that felt good. Warmer is always good!! And you're right - the most important thing is that we are HERE!!! HUGS!!!!
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Wow, Martha. Hope you can find some relief soon. Do whatever gives you some relief. It seems like the list of side effects keeps growing and we have to keep adjusting or trying either medicines, physical activity, or home cures. I have some knee stiffness which disappeared for a few weeks, but is now back. Can we blame the weather for some of this?? I do get headaches from changes in the barometric pressure, so maybe??I had my first post-surgery mammo this morning. I was VERY nervous. All is well. I do have to go back in 6 months. My "good" side had a calcium deposit and a small cyst which were removed when I had the tumor biopsy. That doc put a clip where the calcium was located. The radiologist wants to make sure there are no changes. Should I buy that story?? Anyway, I'm going to try to relax for the next few months.
Keep warm, dear friends. Wishing the best for our group.
Ohio
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I'm finding that after I sit or have been laying down for any length of time my hips, knees and ankles are really stiff and painful. After I move around for a bit it gets better. Could this be the arimadex? Or I it just arthritis? Also, 3 of my toes on one foot keep cramping up. It's hard to know what is from the medicine and what is from my body just reacting to life General. When side effects start, are all the time or just intermittent this? Sometimes whole body just aches.
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as far as SE go, my sleeplessness is getting to me! Now, Ambien doesn't work . I went to sleep naturally at 11pm , woke up sometime in the wee hrs , took 5mgs of Ambien & slept til 4:00. I can't go on like this! Thankfully, I see my RO today & & will mention this to him as well as my numb hands. Does anyone deal with their fingers tingling & numbness? It's mainly my right hand so I was thinking maybe the onset of carpel tunnel but my lft hand has experienced this.
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cwayman650 I too used to get stiffness on Anastrozole if I didn't move for a while but it would shake out after a few minutes. It got better after the first year. Exercise helps a lot.
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no Schnucks, but I pay $10 co pay for it now, so thats more than fine. Im a little nervous about the high deductible, but it allows us to contribute to a HSA plan, and that will help defray costs also...
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Cway, I didn't have the stiffness until anastrazole. Some days are worse than others. It gets better as I move around. I've only been taking the pills for 6 months and am hoping for improvement.Cath, I had some numbness in my arm as well as a cord. The OT worked on my neck one session and the numbness was gone. Something to think about....
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Massage is very helpful but you can't be silent about telling them if they are hurting you. It helps with sleep too.....sometimes I think we get so kinked up with tension that it keeps us awake and we are so used to feeling tense we don't realize that's the problem. They have a S.T.A.R. program here for cancer patients (Survivorship Training and Recovery ) and I was able to get physical therapy after I discovered I had lost significant range of motion on my surgical side. My R.O. referred me after I asked. The stretching and strengthening helped with the tingles and the pain...
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that's a good tip about PT, Readheaded1 ! Yes, agree about tension & also added stress ! My daughter is a yoga teacher & keeps telling me that yoga will help also as well as massage.
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I have found that yoga really helps. My DIL suggested it to me following my mastectomies and it tried it hit and miss, but recently I have started doing it 3-5 times a week and it helps SO much! I don't go to classes because of the cost and time away from home, but I do it with videos generally when I get home from work. I spend about 1/2 hour stretching and unwinding while DH is finishing up making dinner and I feel so much better. My commute home from work can take up to an hour or more so I am pretty stiff by the time I get out of the car. DH has been out of work for quite some time so he compensates by doing all the housework stuff (cooking, laundry, etc.) so I don't have to worry about taking care of dinner when I get home; I can loosen up the joints before dinner. It really helps; I am now at the point where I miss it when I don't do it. I also use a few of the yoga stretches when I get out of bed in the morning to limber up the joints for the day. I'm certainly not ready for any pretzel moves, but my flexibility has improved a lot!
Martha
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RhodyMMM,which DVDs do you recommend for yoga
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Hi Cath, thanks for asking! The ones that I do are probably pretty easy compared to a lot of them, but they work well for me. I have one by Gaiam called "Rodney Yee's Yoga for Beginners." That was the one I started with. I like it because it only takes about 20 minutes and it was a great way for me to get started. It has two different workouts on it. I also watch some on Amazon Prime by Yogi Marlon that focus on different areas...flexibility, abs, back, strengthening (yikes!). And there is one called "Ease into Pilates" by Katerina Fitness that I like too. Many of them are about 30 minutes long which is perfect for me after work.
Good luck!
Martha
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Hi all,
I am about 3 weeks into taking Arimidex and already I feel soooooooooo hot!!! I took Tamoxifen for 5 years when I was in my 40's as a preventive measure, then menopause so I feel like I am on round 3 with dealing with always being hot. Haven't noticed any new aches or pains. The good news is that my appetite is like nothing & I've lost 4 lbs. Anyone else dealing with this?
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Hi! I just got my Arimidex script. Spent 2 years on tamoxifen during menopause transition and had lots of joint pain. Wondering if anyone similar and how the se's were after the switch? My mo said if this AI causes me too many problems we can switch to another. Thanks for any advice.
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JoJo my MO let me go directly to Anasterozole/Arimidex because of my family history and age. I was 49 but my friends that have started with Tamoxifen and switched to one of the AIs said that the AIs were easier.
Pita I actually gained on my 3 years on Anastrozole. 10 lbs total. I have since switched to Exemestane/Aromasin and lost all 10lbs without trying.
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Rhody: are those on YouTube or DVD's you purchased?
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Pita, same here on the hot, except, can't seem to have a flash when I need one, like a couple of weeks ago when it was 12 degrees, I said where is a good hot flash when you need one. I have a fan right by my bed, blows in my face all night and one by my recliner that I shut off and on, all the time. But, thankfully, none of the depression and really bad things I've read about. I was already stiff prior to BC, so can't blame that on meds.
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hi all, been off this board for a time but found you again!
I am now off my AL since Jan, BP is way down! means it is where it should be although that is with my old med which they were threatening to increase while on the AL....one thing good
muscle aches, same and last night was nasty but it is rainy in NJ and cold so maybe that is the issue~~
dealing with other health issues , sinus and breathing stuff.
good news is that a pal convinced me to apply for workmans comp....just had a doc review (this is doc #4) and it is actually looking positive for me.
reason is the BC but also asthma and breathing issues
hope all are good and warm tonight
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Iris, good luck. Hope you get workman's comp. That will be wonderful! Welcome back. It hasn't been that long! HUGS!!!
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Peggy, nice to see you as well!
no clue if the comp will come thru, some days I think it is a long shot and no way and other days...well maybe I just might get it approvedthese days all about sinus junk
how are you doing with your husband now in care? must be tough on you but hoping for the best
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Iris, thank you for remembering! I'm doing much better now that DH is in care. I'm rested and getting my life together. Right now trying to get him on Medicaid. Thank heavens I hired an elder law attorney. It is a maze! But it will be worth it. I can't afford to pay for his care. Hope the w.c. will come through! Sounds like you might have the right dr. at last.
So you're not on any AIs now? Suspect I'll be on for 10 years. Take care!!! HUGS!
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I don't flash...I'm just hot. Unfortunately, my husband is the opposite...I'm taking my clothes off & he's piling his on lol. I may end up having to take one of the empty bedrooms where I can have the window open & fan going...better yet, I may put the air conditioner on
We've been talking about moving when he retires but I have a feeling it's going to be a tug of war deciding on where to move to.0 -
Peggy, I finished up the 5 years and my doc did not think since I was DCIS that I needed to continue, we talked and I did not push it! I am 65 now and am comfortable with my choice. I did hope that some of the achies and such would go away, but such is...looking into now about selling my house and trying for something smaller (I have a 2 story town home now) with 2 beds and a basement and really do not need it!
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Angelia, I am like your hubby - always cold. I was delighted with the few hot flashes I had a zillion years ago.
Iris, I know what you mean about the stairs. While we do have a stairlift that DH used, I would like something on one floor, basement is fine. Smaller isn't necessary. Just 1 floor. I don't think I'll do anything for awhile. For one thing, if I sell, I'd really like to move nearer to one of the boys, probably Spokane since I haven't won the lottery to move to San Diego. And I won't do that with Chuck in a nursing home. Nothing's easy, is it? Glad to know that you only needed 5 years of AI. That's good!
HUGS to you both!
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Peggy, I have been working with a personal trainer for the last few years, really has been a help dealing with the achies and my balance issues, but recently my trainer left, I tried a dif one and she had me doing too much and I ended up with a nasty back issue! moral is to be careful not to over do things! dang but a nasty back is the pits! one night I could hardly climb the stairs~~ all better now!
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Iris, that sucks. Back issues are always awful. Glad you're all better. Yoga. Just as soon as life approaches normal!
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