For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Moonflwr, I get it. If the drug works SE's be darned. I have a friend who had a recurrence 14 years later. She was on arimidex for 10 years. Obviously it worked for her. She's also brca2.
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I had a follow up with my MO today. Not really concerned because my blood work came back good (I get a copy of all my reports) and I feel fine. I got to the last turn before the hospital and felt like I was having an anxiety attack. It came out of no where. I told the nurse and she said she has heard other people say that.
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BrutersMom, I certainly understand that anxiety attack. I find that I am quite capable of pushing my worries way down below my radar. Then when it's time to face it, it's quite a surprise. Glad your reports were all A-Ok! Nice, isn't it?
HUGS!
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It is. Now if I can get rid of my cough and shortness of breath which I believe is my cough variant asthma rearing it head I will be great. See the internist tomorrow finally. The MO doesn't think it is related to the radiation. My lungs are clear. He had me get a chest x-ray to rule it out. Should take care of that issue.
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BrutersMom, The weather we've had for the past month is an excellent pot for brewing mold and other things that winter normally kills and that could be aggravating your asthma/cough. Good that the lungs are clear. Probably you feel better just knowing everything's okay!
HUGS!
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I will feel better when I get a rescue inhaler and a steroid inhaler. A cold right now will be my undoing. It has been 9 or 10 years since I have felt like this. I am out of breath climbing the stairs. I will be very happy if it is just asthma and nothing to do with radiation. I can deal with the asthma.
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BrutersMom, I'd be surprised if it was the radiation.
HUGS!
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Dang, I just got a copy of my chest xray and it shows a right lower lobe pneumonia. No wonder I am having issues.
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BrutersMom, while pneumonia is bad, I think you probably are relieved that that is "all" it is. Now get well ASAP!
HUGS!
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Oh brutersmom, I am so sorry about the pneumonia. Healing hugs and prayers.
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Good afternoon all,
It has been a while since I've posted, but have kept up somewhat.
I have been on Arimidex since Sept. 2014. I have had a recurring low grade fever [usually no more then 2 times a week at most]. It will usually be 99.8-100.5. Doc has done bloodwork, etc and all is good. My question is have any of you had this as side effect from Arimidex?
Other then that, my body aches have subsided greatly after first 6 months treatment, so hang in there.
MO is wanting me to think about starting Prolia injection since Dexa showed osteopenia. I am scared to because of side effects. I have a horrible time with GERD even on high dose meds, and sure don't want to take a shot that last 6 months of side effects...lol
Thanks in advance for any help.
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My baseline dexa showed osteoporosis already. Current practice for my MO is to give Zometa, but given the recent study that came out, I'm interested in the benefits of Prolia. It seems like I see on the forums here Prolia is being used more and more, yet is a much newer drug than Zometa. So confused about which drug to go with...any advice anyone?
I'm having GERD issues as well too
PB
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MegansGrandma, I take Fosamax. I had (and still have) GERD issues prior to taking Arimidex. I take the Fosamax as directed: first thing in the morning with lots and lots of water (spread out over 30 minutes) then I eat breakfast. No going back to bed. Fosamax is once per week. I don't know anything about Prolia or Zometa.
HUGS!
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Thanks PontiacPegg,
I will mention it to my MO...once a week sounds much better for a trial run!
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MegansGrandma, careful what you ask for
. I also was put on Fosamax, 3 months now and it is a pain. I actually have to set my alarm for Friday night to remember to put it out so I remember to take it first thing in the morning before anything else. Matter of fact, I was just reading on it and it says you shouldn't even brush your teeth before taking it and also don't sit (or lie down) for 30 minutes after (neither one do I follow!). I think Prolia may be only twice yearly and Zometa is once a year infusion. There are varying reasons why your doc would recommend one over the others. i don't want to stay on this thing forever but it looks like it takes minimum of 6 months for docs to see any improvement. 0 -
Patoo, I don't find it difficult to do. It IS hard to remember but I set reminders in Outlook and on my phone for the night before (and an alarm for the day of). At night I put the Fosamax and a glass on my dresser and put my glasses around it. So when I get up I am definitely reminded to take it. The rest isn't a problem since I eat breakfast before getting dressed and brushing my teeth etc. I can't drink 8 oz of water at once but I do drink at least that much in that half hour before I can eat breakfast. BTW, of course you can sit down. Just not lay down. I always sit down. Hope this helps.
HUGS!
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I went to my internal med. Dr. today. Ahh I can breath again. 2 inhalers and an antibiotic. He showed me the x-ray and said he is concerned that it may actually be radiation pneumonitis because of the location. He told me that the treatment and diagnosis is to first do an antibiotic and the re x-ray in 2 months. If the area in question has cleared up they it was pneumonia. If it has not then further treatment will be needed. He did start me on an inhaled steroid. His thinking is that if it is from the radiation it was found early and it could be reversible or limit the damage. So one more hurtle to jump on this journey. The good news is tonight I can walk a flight of stairs without my chest hurting.
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Brutersmom, glad you are getting to the source of the problem. Hopefully it is 'only' pneumonia and not from the rads.
Peg, I also sit while waiting for the 30 mins to pass. I was only reporting what it says on WebMD to not sit nor lay down. I have a problem with taking/eating/drinking anything before I brush my teeth in the morning which is why I only need one alarm to tell me to put it next to my toothbrush the night before.
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Today is my first day on Anastozole and I have a huge headache. Is that just a coincidence or is that a side affect?
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BrutersMom, glad you are feeling better. Fingers crossed that it is "only" pneumonia!
Patoo, WebMD is nuts if they think we are going to stand up for 30 minutes. BS (and that does NOT mean breast surgeon!). Thankfully, I do not have your problem of needing to brush my teeth first thing. But I don't see why you can't as long as you don't swallow anything but water. That does seem extreme. Try brushing your teeth and see what happens.
HUGS!
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I do brush before I take the pill. Can't stand the thought of swallowing my 'night mouth'. Just me!
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Patoo, we all have our "things" - no problem
HUGS!
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PNY, I wouldn't think it's an SE of Arimidex but if YOU think it is, call your MO. Take a Tylenol or Advil or something for it. If that doesn't help, again, all your MO. What matters is if it bothers you, then call. Don't wait.
HUGS!
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Megansgrandma I started with Fosamax. I have had Gerd problems in the past and sure enough it happened within days of Fosamax. But had to fail it in order to get insurance to cover. I've had 3 Prolia shots so far. Absolutely no side effects, not even after the first one. I schedule my cleaning/exam with dentist the month before I'm supposed to get the shot. If there were every an issue I could delay the Prolia.
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Lago, amazing what hoops you had to jump through to get covered
All that matters is you found something that works for YOU!HUGS!
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PNY...I was at MO appt today and picked up an Arimidex handout. It does list headache as a common side effect of Arimidex. From my experience I too started having an increase of headaches since starting Arimidex, but am not quite sure yet if it's specifically due to the Arimidex. I had also started Lupron at about the same time, and have sinus issues. So maybe, but not exactly sure as headaches can be caused by so many things.
PB
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pboi I worry about blaming everything on arimidex. I wrote down symptoms before I started and I had joint pain the day before. I also started having bad headaches after I started, and I normally never have headaches. Funny, but after I received the results of my PET scan and they were negative -the headaches went away. I think the stress can cause a lot of symptoms. :-)
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I do not get headaches from the Arimidex. If my bones get bad my oncologist said Zometa. It is an IV infusion every 3 months...I did not need it yet after my first scan. I have an awful head cold right now but it is going around. The fact that it is the first cold since the school year started is amazing.
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I took Fosomax for 6 years for a parathyroid disease which caused osteopenia. I stopped it last year because you are not supposed to take it longer than 5 years due to liver damage I think. My annual bone density tests have shown no change during the 3 years of arimedex.
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My girlfriend, who has Osteoporosis, took Fosomax for several years, but due to liver damage has changed to Prolia. Prolia has some dental rules, but not sure what. I guess everything has drawbacks. I am on Arimidex (4 months now) and had the beginning of Osteopenia when I had the bone desity test, but have not started anything for it yet. I want to give my body a rest from all the medicines from 2015!
I take a high quality Calcium with vitamin D and vitamin K2 (both are necessary for the Calcium to go where it needs to go), along with other supplements, so I am hoping to not start anything else. I guess my next bone density test will tell. I use New Chapter Bone Strength, available at Whole Foods or Amazon. A little pricy, but reviews have shown that it improves bone density.
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