For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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There is difference between clinical depression and feeling blue once and a while because we have breast cancer. Clinical depression is very serious and needs to be treated. Yes it is a listed side effect of the A's. However whether it's from the medication or not depression should not be minimized. You and your doc should decide the cause and treatment.....
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Martini I agree the SE are scary! I agree we all need to be aware of them but not expect to have them. All medication has potential SE and we all need to make informed decisions about taking them. That study sounds awesome. I would love more info. Thanks for sharin
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I too look at taking arimidex very differently than a sentence. It has taken me from mets to stable in a short period of time. I have very minor SE's, maybe a hot flash here or there, so not even sure it's from the meds as I'm in my mid 50's. I have had problems with other brands, but I now know which one I can take, hoping I can be on this one for many years.
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tjh, Happy Dance!
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My Oncotype was also lucky 13. Even with two positive nodes the chemo answer was no from MO and 2nd opinion MO. GGs7, wonderful that you are doing so well on Arimidex! tjh, I get the second guessing. At some point we just have to accept that there are no perfect answers and even if we took both breasts, had chemo and rads and take AI's it could still come back. Argh...
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Hi I have been on Aromasin for 2 months and suddenly developed debilitating muscle spasms in both legs to the poor I cry with them and am unable to sleep, my MO changed me to ARimedex and at first no issues but once again I am 3 months in with the same debilitating symptoms I have had Hysterectomy with oopherectomy I am over weight and unable to be physically active my MO offers no suggestions but I have a neurologist who is a friend and gave me Baclofen which helped at first but. This week the symptoms have returned with a vehemence, I am on water pills for edema and talke Potassium 3 times a day and taking magnesium 500mv a day I am frustrated and communicated this to my MO no feed back, I have a new MO and will see her in Apeil 4th I pray she has an answer for all of this.
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TammyG, I had horrible muscle spasms in my legs on the Accord manufacturer but not Pack. Right now I am on Femara with no issues due to the insurance not willing to pay for a different brand of anastrozole. Many womenl find that they have fewer side effect with Teva.
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TammyG, sorry you are having so many problems with this AI. You say you are on Arimidex. Are you on the brand name or generic (anastrozole). As suggested, if generic is it Teva brand as many have better or lesser SE's. If already on Teva, can you switch to brand name Arimidex that is manufactured here by AstraZeneca? You can get it directly from them for $30. for a 30 day supply.
Regarding being overweight, you don't have to do loads of exercise. If you just walk around the block (or the house) or even just room-to-room, you will be exercising. You can start with just a walk to the mailbox. Please don't sell yourself short, you only have to take baby steps. Also, you may want to think about going on an anti-depressant for awhile. On this journey we have to use all the resources at our disposal. Please consider it and don't hesitate to come here often as these wonderful people understand and will give you tons of cyber-support.
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I have had complications right through my treatment and at this stage I am thinking sentence. I had pretty rough menopause and I am back there again without even taking this stuff. I certainly hope I don't have any issues but so far i have made all my specialists earn their cars.
Karen
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I had bad leg cramps on Tamoxifen. I have an "experienced" MO. He shared that they used to provide quinine for leg cramps and although they don't do that anymore, tonic water contains quinine and helps some people who experience leg cramps. I drink the diet tonic water and my leg cramps are gone. This past week, I had leg cramps again and I think it was a combination of going hiking again, being a little dehydrated, and not having enjoyed any tonic water in a week or two. I leave out the gin but after a glass or two this week, leg cramps are gone. It is worth a try. If calories from the regular are a concerns, look for the diet like I do. I buy the name brands as they do not have artificial sweeteners (I get headaches from aspartame). My Safeway store has the big bottles on sale often so I stock up and go through about a bottle a week.
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My cardio told me the same thing years ago about quinine water. It's an acquired taste, but does help with leg cramps. Don't need a lot, about 4 oz. Agree about the gin. 😜
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You can take quinine in tablets!
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Where do you get them? They aren't OTC in the US.
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My husband buys them in the health food store. When he gets leg cramps he takes a few and the cramps go away immediately!
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In the States? Cardio said they were taken off market here, abuse or some such.
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I was just reading up on it. Apparently it has been recently taken off the market. They do have homeopathic supplements for leg cramps without the quinine now. I guess my husband still has them from before they were taken off the market. Also you can get a prescription for them. Good luck....
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I've used the water, it did work. Then I read magnesium deficiency could be a cause and to eat a handful of almonds, or other nuts. They taste a lot better than the water and do help.
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I do both (tonic water and nuts!).
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I have had leg cramps like shin splits for several weeks. It wasn't due to exercise because they didn't go away when I had to stop walking and jogging due to a foot injury. I bumped the top of my foot into a cast iron frame of an old singer sewing machine treadle table. Either cracked a bone or injured the tendon.
I realized I'd not been eating a banana most every day. It's getting better with the added potassium. For years I had charlie horses at night until I realized I was short on magnesium. So sometimes the problem is nutritional and a little change makes a huge difference.
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potatoes have more potassium than bananas.
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But potatoes are kind of hard to snack on at work, which is why I eat bananas. And potatoes make me toot. Not cool when working close to people.
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LOL
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Doxie you can always make potato salad
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I've been on Anastrozole for about a week now. My legs were a little achy days 2 and 3, but that's about it. Well, I might have been a little grumpy a couple days ago, too... Today I feel pretty good. I'm just hoping it's working and those dang tumor markers will go down and my platelets and wbc will go back up! But, so far the AI SEs are mild (hot at night, but not really night sweats).
I've noticed a weird feeling in my breast, like a hot spot or sore spot like when I had periods. Again, hoping it's the AIs working. Anyone get a sore spot like this?
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lago,
Good idea for my evening meal. I don't eat much and I can toot along with my dog at night. Get even with her.
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Sloan- I had same issues you described for about first 2 weeks or so- bad mood/beast-ish, legs felt so heavy and soreness in lumpie area- still have the soreness but think everything else is pretty much over. Hope you don't have many SE's and that any you may have are short lived.
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HH - Thank you. Not that I want others to have SE, but it's nice to know that others had the same thing. I think in general it seems to be going well. Yay.
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Sloan, those are similar to my symptoms as well, if you also add in extreme knee stiffness and thumb soreness....however, it isn't totally clear if the knee issues are all related to the Arimidex or just my arthritis getting worse. Honestly, I was fairly close to the point of considering a knee replacement before I was diagnosed with bc...just in order to keep walking as much as I wanted to...and, it hasn't really stopped me from walking, just slowed me down a bit...
Octogirl
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I've been on a nasty soul for 3 and a half years. (And no, that's not auto correct! Just my name for anastrozole LOL)
Sore joints all over. Trigger fingers that lock. I have had cortisone shots on my right hand so they don't lock up. But overall not too many issues. I have just recently had kidney stones but don't really know if I can blame the AI. So far my MO is saying 5 years but I won't set my heart on that in case of new information. Every AI or ESD (Lago term! LOL) has it good points and bad ones. If the first one isn't working, try something else. But do try to hang on.
Good luck to all.
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Moonflower, good for you for hanging in there. I think we all desperately want to stay on Arimidex because of the good it does. I'm glad you're able to cope with the SEs. Thank you for letting us know that it is doable!
HUGS!
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