For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Lexie, I'm 64 and figure I am just starting the last 1/3 of my life. I am planning on making the most of it. This is a board that responds and has many positive members. I love Los Gatos and like to stop by there. Hope to see you more often!
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tucker3 I've been on Exemestane for over a year. Physical pains are 200% better for me.
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Lexie, I am seeing a definite slowing of the shedding. I'll post later the names of the special shampoos and pills I'm taking.
This is an excellent board. What may happen to you -- and it"s happened to me, too -- is that it's such an active board with so many posters and so much information that your question may get moved to an earlier page as dozens of new posts cteate a new page. Sometimes I have to remember to check pending questions from earlier pages.
Don't be shy about posting your question again, to move it up on the list. I probably habe asked or answered the same question half a dozen times on different threads,
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P,S., Lexie. My dad died of lymphoma at age 56. I'm now 10 years older than that, but he still seemed older then than I am now,
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mysunshine, I get my Arimidex through the Astra Zinica and have for several months. No problems at all. They take it from my debit card and mail the medication.
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Wavewhisperer,
Thanks so much for your response. (a girl could get use to this)
I'd love to hear what your taking or using. That would be great. I hope more women let me know
about their hair on Arimidex. I know not everyone is the same but in the beginning I heard it wasn't a
common side effect but my oncologist said it was!
I guess it makes sense since you need estrogenfor female things like hair. I read without it the bit of testosterone women have just takes over and we get
male pattern baldness, YIKES! I already feel a bit like a man, overweight since starting the drug, hot flashes
like you wouldn't believe, no boob and now baldness is on the horizon. It sucks.
Thru this journey I've felt very alone. Haven't really gotten a buddy like everyone says I should.
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Hello, it's so nice to hear from other women like yourself!
Do you live in Oregon? You had mentioned liking Los Gatos so I was wondering if it was
just during a visit.
Thanks GypsyJo
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Lexie - I lived in Sunnyvale for over 30 years then moved to the Portland OR area about 10 years ago. My daughter bought our old house and I visit frequently and catch up with people. I really wanted to be in Portland for retirement, a much more relaxed way of life and less crowded. I used to frequent Pedro's and loved Christmas shopping in the antique stores in Los Gatos along with feeding the ducks. It's a very nice area.
Jo
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Lexie, my dermatologist has me on the following: Spirolactone, a medicine for hypertension, also a diuretic; Ketoconazole anti-dandruff shampoo; and Viviscal supplements. I know it sounds odd, but she said one of the off-label uses or side effects of the prescription drugs was slowing of hair loss. I'm also, on my own, taking Biotin and using Nioxin shampoo.
I had to get my MO's permission to use Spirolactone, and she double-checked with a doctor of pharmacy, and I checked also with my urologist.
I have bought women's Rogaine but have not used it yet.
Note that I did NOT have hair-thinning on Arimidex vut have had it since starting Aromasin.
Good luck.
BTW, I don't have a cancer buddy but have met wonderful women online through these forums.
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I didn't have a cancer buddy in person either. But I had my wonderful DIL who had colon cancer, friend of my DS' who is now my friend who survived ovarian cancer, and the wonderful wife of a high school classmate who does have breast cancer. But this spring, several of us BCO gals got together and now I have in person buddies!!
HUGS!
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lexie2002,
I answered you in the "Hair Loss and Arimidex (generic)" thread, but I will be more specific here. My dermatologist has me taking all of the following for hair thinning:
Over-the-counter: fish oil, Biotin pills, cinnamon, B-complex vitamins, vitamin D, and whey protein powder
Prescription: Biotin spray, Pentoxifylline pills (for circulation), Ketoconazole shampoo, Minoxidil lotion, and injections in my scalp every 3 months
I'm pleased with the results.
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Jo,
I moved to Bend Oregon a few years after my sister moved to Sisters, Oregon. I only stayed there a year though.
I couldn't survive on the wages there. I've always loved Oregon. She now lives in Roundup, Montana and I hate it.
It's a half hour from a larger city named Billings. She remarried and that's why she ended up in Montana. If she had
her way she'd go back to Oregon.
It's a small world though, huh?
Thanks again for your responses, it means a lot.
Lexie2002 (real name is Margo!)
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Janet,
Thank you so much for your hair routine details.
Is the cinnamon a pill? I've never heard of taking cinnamon for hair loss.Wow, injections in your scalp. OUCH!
My doctor said there was nothing I could do but maybe try Rogaine... I'm not sure if that really helps when the
cause is from taking Arimidex but I'm looking into it. My doctor didn't seem too interested in the hair problem.
Can I ask how long you've been doing all these things and how soon you saw an improvement?
PS: I am still learning to navigate these boards. Sometimes I can't find where I was the last time I wrote etc. Chemo brain doesn't help either.
I appreciate you reaching out to me. Have a wonderful day!
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lexie,
Yes, the cinnamon is a pill, and the injections barely hurt. You need to find a dermatologist who deals with hair issues.
I started noticing some hair thinning around 2012. I was in denial for awhile, then started seeing the dermatologist in 2013. I started seeing subtle improvement in a couple of months. I was having definite improvement around the time of my diagnosis in January of 2014. After that my dermatologist switched me from appointments every six months to three month intervals, and he assured me that he successfully treated many women on Arimidex. I have definitely noticed improvement.
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Lexie- when you post and want to follow a thread add it to your favorites. If you look under your profile you can also find links to your last posts. It took me a while how to manage my threads. I also add people i want to keep track of by adding them as friends. It does get easier!
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Angelia, Thank you for your response. I decided to order direct from Astra Zeneca too. I am on the samples from my doctor now, but my order is in for 90 at a time.
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Ok, I will add you as a friend if that's ok ?
So how do I view any friends I added??
Lexie
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Lexie, Go back to your profile page and I think it just says "my friends". Click! Welcome to this thread. I just started on Arimidex a week ago, but have learned a lot on here.
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I went to my profile page and I didn't see anything about friends. I learned how to add a friend but not how to view friends. Also,
do you know if when I add someone as a friend if they get a notification somewhere?
Thanks so much
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Under the discussion board menu, look under Dashboard. You can find friends, personal message sent, where you last posted etc. I don't believe it notifies people added as friends, but they show up with their avatar on you friends list and are in the pulldown menu if you want to send a person message. It's easy to track whatever you want there.
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Oh wow, thanks!
I see it.....
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I am taking clariton for my aches and joint pain, I started some aches after being on the arimadex for a month, so I am taking the clariton to see if that helps, I think it does, I don't seem to be as achy. I am having vivid dreams nightly, so I am going to mention that. And I seem to have a tire around my waste, does anyone else notice this? I still gave a few more hercepton doses till November, so not sure where the tire is coming from? Great info on this group, my hair is just starting to come in, so I hope this arimadex doesn't thin it.
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JerseyGirl, I took Claritin for a few weeks too. I agree - it seems to help achy joints. However, if didn't do a thing for my allergies; Benadryl does. Not sure I can take both so dropped the Claritin. I've always had a thick waist so hard to tell if Arimidex is adding inches there.
For being tired: Good heavens, Jersey! Look what you've been through since the first of the year. Major shock - having cancer; major surgery - mastectomies; and major assault on the body with chemo. No wonder you're tired. Just having cancer seems to make you fatigued let alone the treatments. I wouldn't be surprised if you take another year to get back to what is your new normal. Accept that right now you don't have the energy you had a year ago. It will probably come back but on its own schedule.
You seem to be doing good - congratulations!! Look at what you have done to KILL your CANCER!
HUGS!!
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Agree with Peg, was at least a year for me to feel close to normal.
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Jerseygirl, yeap, I agree completely about how tired the whole experience is and try not to be too hard on yourself. Specially if you are working. Dang it all, I live in Jersey and drove 36 miles up the lovely Jersey Turnpike to work, did my rads in Hackie and then limped home. Then repeated it the next day. As a sales person, I dealt with crazed clients every day who really did not care what the heck I was going through.
Good thing, when it ends, take a week to just sleep! many take a vacation but I just slept!
you will make it girl and soon be a survivor or 7 years like me
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It's been almost three years for me and I'm still tired. In fact the fatigue actually seems to be getting worse, not better over time. Haven't really accepted it yet but strongly suspect that the energy level and strength I had pre-cancer will never return.
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even after 7 years, I do not have the energy that I had before but then again, I am also 7 years older!
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Iris, I think that's part of it - just getting older. But the emotional toll is high as well. It all works together. And it must be harder for those who have had chemo, multiple surgeries, etc. Guess we all just do what we can when we can and keep moving forward.
HUGS!!
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Went to the doctor today. She was running late so I got so tired While waiting I curled up on her exam table and closed my eyes. She wasn't surprised when she came inas said lots of her patients have felt that exhaustion after all we have gone through
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It's always reassuring to know what you are experiencing is normal. I know we often question if something is wrong because we are fatigued.
HUGS!
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