For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Thank you Peggy! I take a number of medications for an auto-immune condition but I think the sleep thing was what I was trying to remember as the downside to taking it with my evening meds. Tomorrow morning it is! Onward!
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Reader425, If mornings don't work for you, play around, maybe lunch, dinner or bedtime might work. Or it could be a total non-issue
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I take it in the am...easiest to remember and more consistent timing for me than nighttime.
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I always take it after dinner..0 -
Hi Nancyjac -- I'm 62 years old and just got off Arimidex (not generic) after 5 years. When I first was prescribed it, I had so many worries about side effects. I'm not a very good patient when it comes to taking medication and I don't take prescription medicine easily! I had several discussions about A with my oncologists mostly about my worries that the drug would ruin the quality of my life. She was good about discussing how A was pretty well tolerated, but everyone is different, some people had to change medications because of side effects (very few in her practice - hundreds of patients), some had mild side effects, and some had none at all. She finally said, "You may turn out to be one of those with no side effects at all." And, in fact, I had no noticeable side effects through my 3rd year or so when I developed very mild stiffness in my hands through my 4th and 5th year, and I can't even be sure that is from Arimidex. However, even though I've taken plenty of calcium citrate and D3 and have exercised regularly, I did develop osteoporosis in my 5th year, which is part of the reason I'm off of A now. I'm hoping to stabilize that and maybe even reverse it. I have known women, however (from this board, in fact), who have been able to maintain strong bones with the same type of calcium/D3 and exercise regime while on A, showing that this too is dependent on the person. If you have osteopoenia now, I'm sure your doctors will put you on an aggressive calcium/D/exercise treatment to stave off osteoporosis. There are also alternative meds to Arimidex that don't affect bone strength which you might ask about. I wish you the best of luck! Maybe you are one of those people who will have no side effects, and be able to maintain your bone strength… :-)
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I'm 62 years old and have just completed 5 years of Arimidex treatment, after which I've stopped taking it in order to address my bone health. I have a question for all of you who have completed your Arimidex treatment and stopped taking it. Were there any noticeable side effects from stopping the treatment? I've been experiencing increased depressive feelings since stopping a little over a week ago. I HAVE had a rough year and half, mostly involving losing friends and family that have passed away naturally (my elderly mother), or from cancer of various types. So I have been somewhat depressed over the past year, trying to find joy again. Though I've felt I was progressing back into my "normal", optimistic, happy self. But lately -- as in the last week -- I am feeling pretty down again with difficulty getting out of bed in the late morning, and thinking about death and dying every day. It occurred to me this afternoon that maybe I'm more "emotional"/depressed because what little estrogen my body produces at this age is rushing back into my system. Just wondering if anyone else has had a similar effect of getting off of Arimidex. Thanks!
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PrairieMermaid, That's an interesting thought. It certainly isn't surprising that you're down - sounds like a really lousy year and a half. I'm sorry. While I can't speak to the effects of going off Arimidex since I've just started it, I wouldn't think (but sure don't "know") that going off the Arimidex itself (and perhaps a touch of estrogen) would cause you to be down. One thought I just had is that for the past 5 years you've been actively "doing something" to prevent the BC from coming back and now perhaps you feel you aren't. Could that be effecting things, do you think? Also you could be just having some mood swings while trying to re-establish your equilibrium after all the sorrow you've experienced.
I do have lots of HUGS for you. I hope things improve lots ASAP!!! HUGS!!!
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a quick follow to my post about itchy feet....i found two other women here on the boards who experienced itchy feet with arimidex. Still not enough to make me think its the med. Until I spoke to one of my friends tonight. She also had itchy feet while on arimidex. A little known side effect. have an MO appointment tomorrow...i can't wait to tell her! (I also can't wait to get back on a drug....I'm afraid to not be taking something right now).
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Thank you all for your responses regarding timing of taking the Arimidex. I thought I'd start with bedtime after all and adjust if needed. I have an appt with a nutritionist this week and am looking forward to that. Just one more way to start getting healthier and feel better. I think I've been a bit more anxious about all this than I've admitted even to myself. Moving into this "maintenance" phase helps me look forward again. I am newly married this year so we're ready to revolve less around all this stuff and get back to planning our life together, In God's good grace.
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Thanks so much for your kind words, Peggy (PontiacPeggy). I did think about the implications of going off my "cancer defense" briefly. But after talking it over with my oncologist, who said that my chances of recurrence were low (by my "numbers" and the fact that I had a bilateral mastectomy) to begin with and 5 years seems sufficient to her. Also the osteoporosis is a worry for me and I would like to tend to that. So I don't think stopping Arimidex is a factor in my depression. What may be a factor is a lot of worry and anxiety I'm having about getting on a diabetes II drug (Metformin), when I have acid reflux and IBS (both of which are acting up this week!). I think I'm going through the same anxiety (times 10) that I went through before I started Arimidex. There is much potential to make my life, and my daily health, miserable. And I don't know the endocrinologist who prescribed the Metformin (first visit) and he is definitely not a personable/caring type personality to look for advice from (plus how can you trust a first time visit doctor?). I'm a bit of a mess, and probably have plenty to blame my new spike in depression on without invoking Arimidex. Just wondered if that might be a factor. Thanks again for your input and your kind words of support!
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PrairieMermaid, You DO have a lot of health issues going on. Bummer! Obviously you didn't "connect" with the endocrinologist you saw. For me, my first impressions of new docs were borne out by the many visits I've had with them, so I tend to trust how I feel that first time. Is there a possibility of finding another endocrinologist? It is hard when you don't trust a doctor you're seeing and don't find them open and caring. Sometimes it is worth that to see a top notch doctor, sometimes you need the touchy-feely and the doctor's willingness to listen to your concerns.
Since I was diagnosed in June, I've acquired 4 new docs (BS, MO, RO and PCP). Amazingly, ALL FOUR were perfect for me. Each has a very different personality but I've felt comfortable with all of them and they all listen, none pooh-poohs my concerns. I feel very lucky.
Try to take a deep breath. As with Arimidex, don't assume SEs will crop up. They don't always as you know. Focus on the positives of going on the Metformin - that it will help control your diabetes, not the negatives. Figure out ways to take it so that your acid reflux doesn't act up. Ask that endo for help. Make him listen to you. You've been doing this through your BC, you can do it through this!
HUGS!! In fact, more HUGS!!
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The metformin is the first med rx'd for Type 2, usually well tolerated. The main SE is diarrhea, be sure to take with food. If it becomes a problem, ask for the extended release.
With watching your carb intake, Excercise, and the met your numbers should come down, stay down, and you will have a long complication free life
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Prariemom, I ended my 5 years on Al last year. My doc said to just stop but mano, it was tough that first week! It was almost like when I have been taking steroids for sinus infections. I felt like jumping off the cliff! Very jittery and funny. And I know way had the stuff in my life you have. Good news is after a week or so....all is normal. At least on that score~
In retrospect, I should have followed my gut thought, taper off the AL over a week as mano it is a strong med
Hope you feel better soon and can get your other issues under control
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See my Onc tomorrow. Benn off the Arimidex since Feb 10 and I feel the best I have since diagnosis.....Worried about him telling me to go back on or to try the Femera.... Kinda think the Arimidex was messing with my blood pressure, which is normally great. Iknow it pushed my cholesterol up high in Jan.0 -
oh yeah, My bp dropped back to pre cancer levels when I ended my AL, while on the AL, my bp went sky high and the med I had been taking was stretched to its limit
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Hi Ladies, not new, but it's been awhile. I have been on Arimedex for about 5 months and the joint pain is getting pretty bad. On the verge of quitting, but know that's a bad idea. Has anyone had any luck with dealing with this. I try to keep active and walk most days, but my knees were already bad and now I can hardly walk when I get up in the morning or after sitting for any more then a few minutes. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Stephanie
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I had to add a second blood pressure bill due to my first one not doing the job, after starting generic Arimidex. I changed to name brand about a week ago, and stopped the second pill, so it seems name brand may not be bothering the blood pressure so much. Now, to see if the hip pain is better. Seems a little better but might be early to say.
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Stephanie, I got the joint pain from tamoxifen. When it got so bad it was interfering with daily life and I was ready to quit, my MO put me on high dose vitamin D. There are a couple of studies showing that helps. It did improve a little bit. But I was still pretty crippled. So they switched me to Arimidex. I said, doesn't that one have a worse reputation? And she said yes, but everyone is different. One person might get terrible SEs from this med and not that one, another person is just the opposite. So we shall see. Maybe you could try the vit. D and if that doesn't help, try a different brand or a different med.
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Hi Jennie, thanks for your response, I see my oncologist on Thurs. and will try to hash it all out. I opted out of it after my 2nd BC, followed by double mastectomy, because my risk was so low, but now after my 3rd. I feel I have no choice. I had no such issues with Tamoxifen after my first time around this block, but doc says Arimedex is better for me now. Take care, Stephanie
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3rdtime-tell him you want to try Cymbalta. Helped me tremendously!
Lots of info out there on it, but here's a link.
http://www.emaxhealth.com/1506/cymbalta-may-help-relieve-breast-cancer-treatment-pain
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I think fish oil and magnesium might help with joint pain as well.
I start femara tomorrow after six months on arimidex and two months of itchy feet.
wish me luck!
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Hi Praire, I think any time you make a change (going on, going off etc.) it is emotional (even if it unconsciously is adding to the mix of the things you're dealing with). And I do think your body is doing some readjusting with the hormones, which can make you feel off....hopefully as you get used to having that extra estrogen, it will start to make you feel better and better.
Reader, I bought one those little daily dispensers because after awhile taking it got so automatic that I wouldn't remember if I had taken it or not!
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Ruth, DH was taking a ton of pills and he started using 5 oz Dixie cups. I labelled them morning, lunch, etc. Then I took over his pills and continued with it. Now that he's in a nursing home, I put my pills in Dixie cups every night. I only take pills 3 times a day and I use 3 different colors. Don't want a weekly container. But this works for me. And it's really cheap
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That's a good idea Ruthbru. I do have a dispenser around and will use it. I use something else for my lupus related stuff ( pillbags by Sara Gorman) but would like to take this by itself for a time.
I see by your profile you are grade 3 also. I'm encouraged when I see others with similar "stats" on this challengin journey.
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Hi everyone,
I switched from Tamoxifen to generic Arimidex (not TEVA) 2 months ago. I had no side effects until last night when all of a sudden my left shoulder (cancer side) started hurting. I am just wondering if anyone had shoulder pain because of AI. I will be starting the teva brand shortly to see if it makes a difference.
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Yes, when I started getting joint pain from tamoxifen it was the shoulder that started hurting first. As time went on it was ankles, knees, elbows, hands too but that one shoulder has always been the worst.
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Forgive me while I whine. Ice storm last night caused my Oncologist to have a late opening, so I received a call to reschedule my 8:30 appointment. Now I go on Friday the 13th......
HHowever, my orthopedic surgeon did see me and he has informed me there will be no driving whatsoever by me until after my apt April 2...... My wrist looks totally deformed, I guess because of all the permanent hardware that was installed. They took out my stitches and it looks like I tried to slit my wrist and they patched me up......supposedly they are ordering a compounded crème from a RX in Michigan for me to start applying in a week to see if it helps ....
I need a stiff drink ....but I can't even get a cork out of a wine bottle.
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What a lousy day, Red. Ugh. I'd find it a real challenge to not drive until April. That's awful. What's the creme supposed to do?
The ice was a mess here, too. Now it's well above freezing. But it still should freeze overnight. Tired of winter. Let's whine together - although you have good reason to and I don't.
HUGS!!!
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No driving for the next month, Red? Cabin fever deserves easy-open wine bottles with screw tops. I'm sure proper dosages of wine will speed those bones knitting nicely back to the way they were meant to be.
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Brookside, I like the way you think. I'll bet Red does too!!!!
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