For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Slappy Squirrel, after 3 months mine were fine. My PCP tested them. I hadn't heard that anastrozole could do that.
About 10 years ago I was taking a lot of aspirin and that elevated both liver enzyme tests. Went off aspirin and they went right down. My doctor was a bit skeptical but since that was the only thing that had changed it was hard to say it wasn't the aspirin. Could that be an issue with you?
HUGS!!
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thanks redhead. I will play with time of day, with or without food to see if it makes a difference if I need to.
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Well, I think I am experiencing my first SE with anastrozole. My joints in my fingers seem to be swelling. I'm having a really hard time getting my rings on and off. It's just the joints, not the fingers. Once past the joint, my rings fit fine. They don't hurt though, so that's a good thing. Anybody else experience this?
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I would probably not wear the rings for a few days, make sure you are drinking lots of fluid, elevate your hands when possible & keep moving them around.
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Shirley, YES, I had them elevated. They wer up slightly at my 3 month check up and up more at the 6 month. In fact, all the numbers in my Liver Functon Panel went up at the 6 month check, but only the ALT and AST were in red. After that, (Nov) I was worried. In Jan my primcary care did a fasting cholesterol which was 225, after my walking 3 miles a day since May, eating oatmeal every day for breakfast and losing 30 lbs. I was devastated, as she had did a pre-Arimidex cholesterol check for me and it had been 171. My Onc just switched me to Femara. I took one yesterday a.m. and woke up with sore left ankle and sore right knee. If this continues, I am going back to the Arimidex, as I had no aches and pains with it at all.....
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Ruth, I just consumed my first gin and raisin, oh my, I am probably the first to say this, but they taste horrible! Are you sure I can't put some sugar on them! LOL maybe I used the wrong raisins? I used golden raw from whole foods.
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Hmmm....maybe it is the brand, or something to do with the 'raw'. Mine taste good. I imagine it wouldn't hurt to sprinkle some sugar over them (as you eat them, I wouldn't add it to the jar) and try a different brand for the next round.
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I can handle the bad taste. I guess just tastes like gin. I threw away the top of the raisin pack, I will check the Package next visit to whole foods. I am thinking something about the sulfides. They were called golden, so I thought I was getting the right raisins. They are organic, looked green more than golden. I also used organic gin. My DH said they should taste like medicine.
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My Gin and raisin taste really good, I just have to remember to eat them, daily. I used a locally crafted gin - yummm
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I'm diabetic, have always considered RASINS sugar bombs. Does the gin make the carb count less? Afraid to try them.
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I don't think the gin would lower the carb count:
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was afraid of that. Wonder how to figure the carb count???
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Well, raisins are dried fruit, so calorie count is 120 per quarter cup. Total carb count says 32 grams on my Thompson seedless raisins. I don't think gin would be counted as carb. It is alcohol, no nutritional value
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but wine and beer have carbs, would think gin does too?
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SpookiesMom, nope. Nothing in gin. All zeroes. Gin Nutrition
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On Livestrong, it gives a serving of raisins as 50, so I divided the serving to 1/5 which gives the carbs as 23gm. I don't know how many carbs you can have in a day. Like Stage1 says, the gin doesn't have carbs, but you may not be able to have alcohol? GG
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I don't know if this helps but after evaporation, there is one DROP of gin in the serving of nine raisins.
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Cool!!! I'll get some supplies and try them.
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I used Tangueray gin and Sunmaid golden raisins and mine don't taste like gin at all. The gin seems to bring out the sweetness of the fruit. I couldn't imagine adding sugar to mine. I don't just love them, but they are definitely sweet. Now I need to find a way to jazz up these prunes I'm choking down every day. Ruth suggested soaking those in gin as well
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The gin I used is organic Venus, from Santa Cruz, Ca. Purchased at Whole Foods. I paid a lot more for organic and organic golden raisins. I am not sure why they taste so strong, but I will eat them and hope for results:). They are on day nine, still a little wet. Shall I keep them on the counter until they have absorbed all the gin? Or put them in the fridg
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when I made them, I liked them best while they were still soaking, lol. After they dried out, I really didn't taste the gin too much.
On the swollen finger joints, a few months ago, I noticed my wedding ring was harder to get off, and a couple other rings on my right hand I really had to tug at. Thought it was odd, and attributed it to gaining ten pounds. But I agree that I think it is AI related as once it's over my finger, it's fine. I may have to get my right hand rings all sized up a little.
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Sounds like I need to let them dry out for more than 10 days....
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Last night, my second night taking Arimidex, I could not sleep because of pain in my right leg. After taking some Advil and moving to the sofa to elevate my leg, I turned to BC.org, my source of information during this journey with BC. It was wonderful to find this board and to see many familiar names from chemo, lumpectomy , and radiation boards. I'm still getting Herceptin infusions every 3 weeks (until August) but since radiation is over, I've also got 'hormone therapy' started. Anti-hormone might be a better name! I had pain during the day yesterday in my legs, hands and feet,but night pain that woke me up really got my attention! Hoping to adjust to the med!
I'm so curious about these raisins soaked in gin! I read backwards several pages but did not find any posts about WHY so many of you are making this concoction:) Anyone else from the Carolinas?
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Go back farther maybe 10? pages, Ruth posted the recipie and why it works.
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The recipe is reposted March 11, page 281.....it takes about 2 weeks for the gin to evaporate stage.
Leg cramps....you can try bananas, tonic water, Ivory soap under the sheets (I have no scientific reasons why the last one works but some people swear by it).
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Does tonic water still actually contain quinine? Thought they took it out years ago.
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it still does, but check the label to be sure.
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fluffqueen, interesting... I only have the swelling in my right hand finger joints as well. I haven't experienced any weight gain yet but the ring finger thing is definitely new. The first day I thought I just had too much salt the day before but it doesn't seem to be going away. I see my MO tomorrow. Will likely stay on the Anastrozole as I'm tolerating it pretty well.
stage1, I moved my raisins to the fridge on day 7. They are still a little 'wet' which I kind of like. Dry them longer if you prefer. They are growing on me. I like the taste but not really the texture. fiona, the drunken raisins are an old folk rememdy for arthritis pain. There is some actual science behind it. I don't have the pain yet, but am thinking it will probably help with any kind of inflammation issues. I run a lot and thought it might help with my knee pains.
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Just a question, I doubt if this is a side effect of any, but the last few nights I have been having terrible cramping in my legs and charlie horse like symptoms in my feet. Any cures for that? Figured I would ask anyone out there and maybe I can get a peaceful night sleep.
Thanks so much!!
Mary
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Mary59, that actually is a reported side effect. I had a horrible charlie horse/cramp in my lower calf a couple days ago. It was sore for days after. I'm not sure if mine was due to the medication or just being dehydrated from running and then having wine with dinner, but many people have reported this on Arimidex. Try drinking tonic water (make sure it contains quinine). I buy Canada Dry brand. Ruthbru always suggests eating bananas too, I'm assuming for the potassium.0
