For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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They call them 'dried plums' now (sounds better than 'prunes' for marketing purposes). They are in the grocery section by the raisins. The serving is whatever it says on the container, usually 5 to 7. When I told my GP that I was eating them to build bones, his comment was that if everyone did the same, there would be many fewer cases of colon cancer as well. So it is a win/win food choice.
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Trying again as my post went poof...I have followed this thread for quite some time and enjoy learning more with each of you. I have been on Arimidex for 2.5 years. No major issues till now..went to MO last week and had Dexa scan yest to see how them bones are doing on this lovely drug. Well tech was not suppose to tell me but I persisted. I have gone from just barely osteopenia to full blown osteoporosis!!! She said I should wait to hear from MO is a few weeks with results. What do you think I should expect from here? I do eat yougurt, dairy, slowed in exercise last few months due to plantar faciatus...but slowly getting better. Will add more calcium supplement and prunes...what else??
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Chtease--My Mo says you lose the most bone density in the first 5 years after menopause. I had a surgical lmenopause at 46 (now 57) I am osteopenia now as of year before I was diagnosed. We are monitoring my bone density every two years.
I see the Mo every 3 months the first year or so, then every 6 then once a year--he said he would follow me for 10 years, with closest following during the first 5. I have never had a PET Scan. He does tumor markers, liver panel and CBC each visit.
You know, you can try one and if you don't like him/her, switch.
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chtease I wasn't put on any bone building drug till I got osteoporosis. Was already osteopenic and chemo and chemopause caused a big drop. 2 years on AIs and now osteoporosis. I'm on Prolia. If I still had my port I would have done the Zometa (Reclast). I have LE in one arm and the other at risk. When I met with the rheumatologist she stated that she usually starts breast cancer patients sooner. I'm just over the border in my spine
Aruba I was doing the all the right things but I too went just over the border. Some of us just can't avoid it on the AIs
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I am taking Zometa. I went through menopause at 42 and my GYN put me on a low estrogen birth control pill to control the nasty hot flashes and to help ward off bone loss since I was at a much higher risk for osteoporosis going through menopause at a younger age. I have had dexa scans every 2 years and my bone density has been decreasing. The one I had last March showed my spine had slipped into the osteopenia range. I started Arimidex in January last year and when my MO saw my dexa results she said Zometa. She would rather hit it head on than wait for my bones to get worse and she likes that it has some impact on bone mets, just in case.... I have a 4mg infusion every six months. I just had my second one last week. I do also eat prunes every day though I didn't know they helped build bones - I've been eating them for 8 years to help with constipation! I have always walked pretty regularly but now have added a weight class at the gym twice a week. My MO and RO are both adament that I need weight bearing exercises.
My MO wants to see me every 3 months, or if I don't see her at least I should see some doctor that does a breast exam. So I'm on a schedule to see my MO every six months and then my BS and RO once a year on the off months. I guess this goes for 5 years. My BS orders my mamo which is once a year.
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Chtease if you are asking for opinions my vote would be to go with the younger dr who follows evidenced based cancer treatment/followup guidelines.
I am older and already had osteoporisis when I started hormone therapy though I didn't know it because the results of the DEXXA hadn't arrived at my MO's office in time. My mo called me at home with the news and told me to call my family doctor ASAP as it was required that I take a bone drug to remain on anastrozole, so I did. My family doctor has been treating my bones ever since.
Btw it was my RO who was in charge of ordering my first followup diagnostic mammograms (both breasts) and it was the radiologist at the imaging centre who determined I needed an ultrasound on the 'good' breast and sis month followup mammogram on the 'good' breast. You see I had a non palpable lump the first time too so that is why they were being specially careful with the other breast I guess.
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AussieElaine I can't believe the "kicked you out" Hell I'm early stage and I want to know all I can about this disease. Only thing that sucks being friends with those who have metastatic disease is when I lose them… granted I know many more still living that those who have past.
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I should have mentioned in my previous post that I am 50 now so my GYN was watching my bone density for 6 years before my BC diagnosis.
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Off the MO this a.m. Been off my armidex snce Feb 10 and feeling fabulous, so you know he will either say start up aain or switch meds....Think I want to stick with the poison I know...HAHAH
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Hi, I'm new here. I was terrified when my MO prescribed Arimidex based on the negative things I had read. I really want to thank ruthbru and a couple others for all the helpful information and for sharing your positive (tolerable) experiences with this medication. I'm on the generic from Teva Pharmaceuticals. It has only been two weeks, but so far I feel pretty good. I take mine at bedtime, and I'm actually sleeping through the night for the first time since before menopause started. I was relieved after hearing that many suffer insomnia. Maybe that comes later?? I am very concerned about the long-term SE's--bone loss and potential joint issues. I'm a runner and could just cry at the thought of having to give that up. I'm 47 and two years post menopause. I exercise almost every day, and I take calcium with D3, fish oil, turmeric, and Osteo-Biflex. Was taking a GNC energy and metabolism-boosting multi but just discovered it has soy in it . Can anyone recommend a good multi that is soy free? I will continue these supplements and just add ruthbru's prunes and Drunken Raisins.
I hope to get to know you all better. ruthbru, were you on the brand name or a generic?
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Redheaded, I just went back on arimidex after about a three-week holiday, soon followed by another three weeks off while I recovered from something else. So far, my joint issues have not returned. I hope you will have the same happy experience.
Meljo, your running will protect your bones, and the great probability is arimidex will do no more than gift you with short-lived stiffness after rising and a need to extend your pre- and post-run stretching (which most runners should do more of anyway). If you do develop joint issues, do not be too quick to assign them to arimidex--my hip issues turned out to be from bursitis! The drug has never given me a problem with insomnia, and, hopefully, will not affect you in that way either. Should it do so, you might consider switching to an AM dosage. I try to take my pill after a meal to slow absorption and maybe protect a little from side effects. Always remember that those who post here are pretty much the ones with the issues. Lots of perfectly happy arimidex takers have no issues whatever. I hope you'll be one of them!
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Meljo, I too had a few concerns going on Arimidex after reading all the problems here. But then I had lunch with a friend who has been taking it for several years with absolutely no problems. With that I erased those concerns. I'm a pretty positive person anyway so I wasn't anticipating problems but still. And I've had no problems at all. I take it in the morning after breakfast figuring if it was going to cause insomnia, I'd rather be awake during the day (hasn't effect my afternoon dozing at all
). HUGS!!!0 -
meljo614 I don't know if the vitamin shoppe has what you are looking for but many of the products under their brand name has no soy.
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Brookside, I know what you mean. I'm already dealing with some joint issues that are apparently just a part of the aging process. Such a bummer! Thanks for the words of encouragement. I remain hopeful that I will do fine on the medication.
lago, thanks! Will check out the Vitamin Shoppe.
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Ruth,
My sister in gin! I've got the golden raisins soaking as I write this post. I have some arthritis in my fingers and hope this helps. Being that report cards/conferences are coming up this week, I have also fixed myself a nice gin and fizzy limeade (didn't have any tonic water) . Cheers!
Caryn
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I've been taking A For 2 1/2 years now. Aches and pains yes. Trigger fingers yes. One cortisone shot for the worst one and it's much better. The other 2 are still at the sticking phase not the burning phase so I'll wait. I take mine in the morning with no sleep issues. I had my Dexa in December and it wasn't any worse still just on the right side of osteoporosis still just osteopenic. I lost the most density right after chemo. Gonna stay with the devil I know! LOL
Much love
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Caryn, if there is gin involved, it has to be good
Meljo, I started out on the brand name (because there was no generic at the time) and even with really good insurance it was about $300 dollars a month!!! So, I was thrilled when generic came out, switched, and didn't have any trouble with that either. I didn't pay any attention to the brand as I wasn't having any issues. I know quite a few local acquaintances who have done anti-hormonals and none of them have had big issues (except the Tamoxifin ladies who tend to be really hot), so I think if you only read about it online, you get a more negative impression than what most people experience, because, quite naturally, it is people who are having difficulties who are the ones talking about it more. Since you are a runner, you should check out the 'Lets Post Our Daily Exercise' thread on the fitness forum. A great group of ladies in all stages of treatment & beyond (and all exercise levels), who encourage each other in the exercise area. And, NO, you will NOT have to give up running! One of our Arimidex taking gals just ran a half marathon not long ago & the rest of us have kept up with our usual exercise routines as well!
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RuthBru -
Question: I will have my first MO visit next Friday. I have been told I will be starting on an AI. How do they decide which one?
My dexascan shows osteopenia.
Thanks!
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Jilly I'm not Ruth but from what I have read some of it is just the preference of the oncologist. Also heard that Femera might work better on over 60 women. Arimidex is the oldest and first to go generic so some onc know the SE and start with that. Seems women who have started with Tamoxifen may start with Aromasin but not always.
I started with Anastrozole and now on Exemestane (Aromasin) due to side effects. Exemestane seems $$$ than the others even at the generic price but I'm doing well on it.
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jilly59, some oncs have their favorites, I think. Mine said he likes to start everyone on arimidex (generic version), as it has been out the longest, and also happens to be the cheapest. It is very normal for oncs to offer a drug holiday if problems arise, and, if symptoms return, a switch to a different AI. Several of us have switched for different reasons, some permanently and some (me, for instance) only temporarily.
Meljo, as you already have some issues, I thought I'd mention that I've been told that what the ortho people say is that arimidex, thankfully, does not cause joint injury, but makes our awareness (think discomfort) of existing issues more, ummm, definitive. I'm hoping you'll be exempt from greater awareness!
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Thanks, Brookside and Lago!!!!! Great information. I already have bone pain since stopping hrt so a little concerned.
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I began taking Anastrazole 2 months ago and am wondering how much of my mood swings and low grade depression are due to the drug, and how much are symptoms of menopause (brought on by the drug.) I post b/c it is starting to get me down. Although I was forced into an early menopause (I'm 47 and was not even perimenopausal) by chemo, my mood was not as strange and blue during the chemo treatments as it is now. I'm also receiving a monthly injection (don't recall the drug name) that keeps my ovaries shut down so that I can continue being treated as a post-menopausal woman. (My oncologist says that long term results from Arimidex are incrementally better than Tamoxifen)
Has anyone found any helpful coping routines for the upending of emotions that seems to come with this medical menopause?
Has anyone who taking Anastrazole but has already gone through menopause found that depression and mood swings are a side effect of this AI?
Should I be discussing alternatives with my doc after only 2 months of trying this drug?
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RuthArt...I have the same questions. Stopping my hrt cold turkey thru me into a menopause-like state. I am not me...sad, depressed, hypersensitive. I worry about the AI's as they zap every molecule of estrogen left in your body. Estrogen interacts with our brain and affects our mood.
I am seeing a psychiatrist next week to ascertain what anti-depressant would work best for me. I will start the anti-depressant before I entertain starting an AI. That's just me. I need to have my emotional well-being somewhat stabilized so I can fight the big battles.
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ruthart and jilly your not the only ones, many of us have those mood swings and anti depressants seem to help many of the women I see on this board take Effexor I take cymbalta which has the added benefit of helping with joint pain do consult with a specia
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Ruth-art and Jilly I too was tossed into chemopause at 49. 50 when I finished chemo. I was perimeno but wasn't having hot flashes or mood swings. Chemo I got some minor night flashes. Depression crept up on me slowly on Anastrozole. After 3 years I realized it was the drug and took 4-5 weeks off (onc knew about this). I had other SE that went away too. So my onc switched me to Exemstane. All SE went away except I ended up with anxiety and some depression from the drug although rare (only happens to about 6%). I'm now taking a med for that SE and I'm doing great. I do have some tinnitus from that drug though.
I very rarely took prescription drugs before this. Seems I like to get the less common SE from all this. I'm so special
But don't let this go untreated. I suffered for 3 years when I didn't have to. I just assumed it was me until it got so bad I realized this is BS. This is not my personality so I know it must be the drug. I was right.
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I turned into a nasty bi&ch the first 2-3 weeks on this. I never knew what would shoot out of my mouth. Thankfully, it stopped, hasn't come back. The Blues are common, happens to a lot of us when active treatment ends. We are so wrapped up in appts, and now, it's over? Now what? Nothing? I don't have to BE anywhere? Plus, you need time to heal from all of it, and to process the last year.
It takes time, but by all means, talk to a doc and get a med if you need it.
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I asked for effexor along with my first prescription of arimidex because it's an anti-depressant that shows 50-60% efficacy in controlling hot flashes. I figured 2 birds, one stone. My MO didn't bat an eye and prescribed both.
One other thing you might want to consider is that many of us are vitamin D deficient. D is needed to make serotonin, which is one of the happy chemicals in our brains. You might want to have your vitamin D level checked and your supplementation increased if you're deficient. It helped me.
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I'm already on D supplement. My MO made sure of that. I was diagnosed with very low D before cancer diagnosis and wasn't depressed!
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WoW! You girls have posted some great reading material! I see my MO next week and was wondering what kind of things he will want to know. Sounds like most anything. I have had cording, mammo (ordered by RO for clinical trial and I have not received a report. Not happy!) colonoscopy (29 years since dx), stress test, dexa, and anastrozole since my last visit. Where do I begin?? What doesn't he need to know? Thanks for all your help. You have been my sounding board the past year. Don't know who else I would turn to for information. THANKS!!!Ohio
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Same here Lago
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