For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Oh Puffin what terrible news - thoughts and strength to you and your family for the days ahead.
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brutersmom,
I was on Tamoxifen before I had my hysterectomy!
Kathy
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Greetings All! I'm new to the Community. Puffin, I'm very sorry for your loss. It looks like you have a wonderful community here. Peace to you and your family.
IDC with DCIS. 2 lumpectomies with positive margins, ER/PR+ so have a mastectomy scheduled in May and started anastrozole a month ago. I, too, had suffered the vaginal atrophy and MO said he didn't recommend returning to the Estrace I'd been using and stopped right after the diagnosis. The discomfort started coming back, but I changed from Astroglide to an organic, all-natural lubricant called Good Love. It's worked wonders. No more discomfort and it smells like vanilla!
My current, most common, issues are the joint pains. Not bad, just irritating. Mostly my hands and shoulder, but now my neck has been stiffening up.
Thanks in advance for your comments and support. Comforting to know I'm not in this alone!
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Welcome Kawigirl. Sorry you have to go back for surgery. Ugh.
I'm just about a month in and I think the joint stuff is improving. Could it be? I sure hope so.
Puffin - Thinking of you.
Have a good week everyone. High in the 80's today here! Hugs all around.
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Anyone else have vertigo? I took a 3 day break to see if it was my cold or the anastrozole. It came back as soon as I started again. I really need to try a different brand or get a script for the brand name.
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No vertigo here Molly....
The joint pain, especially in my knees, which were borderline to begin with due to osteoarthritis, was really getting to me. At MOs suggestion I am taking a month's break to see if they improve. A month seems like a long time, but it does make me wonder, Molly, if a difference in just a few days could just be coincidence? (Though I see no harm in trying to get a script for named brand). Anyway, the knees were getting so bad I couldn't walk, and since walking/hiking is one of only two forms of exercise I really like (along with swimming), and MO wants me exercising, he encouraged the break. I am supposed to report to him at my next visit on April 10th whether it made a difference. If it does, he will switch me to something else. If it doesn't, well, may be time for a knee replacement....
I took my last pill before the break on Friday. Haven't noticed any difference yet: maybe slightly less stiff in the am but not enough to be worth the risk of not taking the pill, in my opinion. We'll see. If I don't see a significant difference by two weeks out I plan to go back on the pills. And start looking for a good orthopedic surgeon. :-(
Hugs to all this Monday. It came too quickly!
Octogirl
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I wondered the same thing, Octogirl but every time I take a couple days break I feel profoundly better. Enjoy your break.
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Puffin, My heart aches for you. May you find peace as you go through this.
I took my anastrozole pill on Thurs. Four days later I feel amazing. Minor aches, but much of the stiffness and the pounding pain in the joints are gone. I finally feel like myself again after 11 months of feeling 30 years older. I will be traveling in Europe for pretty much the month of April and wanted a break so I could enjoy it. My MO advised me to stop a month before and see him on my return to discuss another med. I am so glad to see that the effects can be reversed. My energy level also jumped. I really did need the break.
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Molly50,
I have had vertigo! I started writing down when it happens so I can let my MO know it's not daily, more like monthly. The weird thing for me is it started 2 months after I started Anasrazole, need to check the manufacture. I was feeling great except the occasional vertigo until about 3-4 months after starting the Anastrazole.....that's why I am trying to figure out if my symptoms are from the med or something else!
Kath
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Kath, I am on Accord. Let me know what you are on.
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Haven't been online to post in awhile but have been reading. First of all, to Puffin, prayers for you and your family in dealing with such a devastating loss.
Molly50 and Kthielen--I've only been on anastrozole for about 6 weeks and I, too, have had a few episodes of vertigo. I also take blood pressure medication so was attributing it to my blood pressure possibly being elevated. Now, you have me thinking otherwise. Writing down the types and days of symptoms is a good idea. My manufacturer is Accord also.
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Molly - I'm on Accord Anastrozole, and I noticed just yesterday that I was dizzy for a few seconds in tbe AM. Hmmm...
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Molly and Sloan, I was switched to Accord and had major issues, I was on Pack for 4 months. Within two days of starting on accord I started with new side effects. Muscle cramping, dry skin, cried constantly, fatigue, stopped when it effect my lips and tongue. I don't remember dizziness until 24 hours after I stopped. Have you considered asking for another manufacturer.
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puffin - thinking of you with support and prayers during an inconceivably difficult time.
I haven't posted in a while, but have been trying to keep up with reading on this board regularly. I have been on brand name Arimidex for 2 months now, and had been doing quite well with no obvious side effects (other than some slight vaginal drying which Replens had helped out with) and had been upping exercise and tweaking diet at start up. About 4 weeks ago (1 month into the new regime), I had an isolated itchy, red patch appear on my neck which I didn't attribute to anything specific at that point. Since then, with every passing week, I have had this increase with significant itchy rash with raised welts now on the entire back of my neck, arms (front and back), midline of my torso, behind my knees, and covering most of my back. Since I had tolerated the drug so well in the first month and am a physically very tolerant person with no history of any sensitivies up until now, I didn't even consider that this was stemming from the AI - I was busy racking my brain over what diet change or supplement was responsible (even checking for bed bugs - yikes!). DH suggested I check the Arimidex info, and there it was...RASH as a side effect that will occur in 10% of the population, and several articles reporting same in others. Waiting to speak to med onc on plan from here - I found an article that outlined a desensitization protocol that I would be interested in as I'd like to try and stay on this rx as I had done so well otherwise. Just wanted to share, as I don't believe I had seem any posts involving this SE up until now.
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Molly, ask your pharmacist to get you Teva and try that. If that does not work (it does for many) then go for the brand name, Arimidex, from AstraZeneca. No need to suffer if you have options.
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Molly and Sloan, I'm also on the Accord brand. I've had dizzy spells occasionally. Probably every couple of weeks. Doesn't last but a minute. I was also attributing them to the heart medication I'm on. I've also had fatigue and more recently, some depression. I've considered switching to another AI. I'm not sure Express Scripts will allow me to switch the manufacturer. My biggest concern is that the complaint I hear most often about an AI is joint, muscle and bone pain which I don't have. Although sometimes I do have some aching in my arms. It's all very confusing. Menopause is a new thing for me. How many of these symptoms can also be blamed on that?
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I too am on Accord. I find I am more stiff than in pain but who knows maybe that comes next:)/ I have been on it since mid January. Sometimes my knees hurt for a second but I am stiff as I stand up. I don't recall being dizzy. I had my exchange about 7 weeks ago and I have been cleared to go back to the pool and I do feel the more I move around the less side effects I feel (so far) of course being allowed back to the pool and actually being able to swim are two different worlds. I had so much pocket work and internal stitching I am finding the swimming hard. I did 6 laps last night. I am strong enough and have the stamina for it but the pain under my implants is pretty severe. It does not hurt as much so long as my head is in the water. But as I am not a fish I do need to come up for air. I even took a snorkel to the pool. I did get some stares. I just could not get in sync with it. So I tossed it to the side:)
will keep trying til I am back up to my 30 plus laps. May take me a while but I plan to get there.
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I take Teva anastrozole. No issues with it after 18 months.
GypsyJo, I'm so glad that your SEs have lessened and so quickly!! You were so miserable when we got together. Now you can really enjoy your trip. Hooray!
HUGS!
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Brutersmom, PNY, Mommato, patoo, Peggy, Sloan thank you for your feedback. I called the pharmacist and she said they can't get another brand unless the doctor spells it out. Otherwise all they get shipped to them is Accord. So I need to call MO which I hate doing because they NEVER answer the phone. Cardinal, let us know what your MO says.
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Molly, can you use a different pharmacy? If so, call them and see if they can get Teva brand. It should be easy to switch your script to another pharmacy (I believe they do it for you).
Mommato, you are correct, sometimes our symptoms are actually as a result of menopause, getting older, etc. However, if you haven't already done so, please check immediately regarding your aching arms as you had nodes removed which can lead to lymphedema.
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Thanks Patoo. I don't believe it's lymphedema. About a month ago I did some remodeling work (lifting heavy tiles, installing a backsplash in the kitchen, carrying wet saw, etc). My arms have been sore ever since. Especially my left elbow. I did a repeated movement (three days in a row) with my left arm (elbow) and it started to hurt on the third day. In fact, it still bothers me. I don't seem to be as strong or heal as quickly as I used to. Last year I hit my elbow real hard on the deck. It took three months to completely heal!! (Had a bone scan..all was good). Again, not sure if that's from menopause, Anastrozole, heart medication, or daily aspirin. Can a daily aspirin slow healing?
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Mommato3,
Express Scripts changed my Anastrazole to the Teva brand, but in order to make it happen my MO had to write a new Rx that showed "Teva only."
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Express scripts pays for my name-brand Arimidex. My oncologist wrote the script specifically for Arimidex
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I called different CVS stores asking if they could order Teva brand. I changed my perscription to the pharmacy that could order Teva.
Molly - Change pharmacies!
I had pain in my chest and then the dizziness, so I went to my PCP. I have costrochronditis in my chest (sore sternum and burning between my breasts which is an inflammation of the tissue next to my sternum). So, with a chest xray and blood tests, the doc ruled out heart problems and bone mets. That left the dizziness probably coming from the medicine.
I'm going to be out of the country for a month starting in April (hopefully), and I want my body to be used to the Teva brand before I leave.
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molly50, I am on Accord....who new there were so many manufacturers! I have been on it virtually without symptoms until about 3 months after starting it. I wonder if that's pretty normal??
Kathy
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The pharmacy said they can only order the other brand with a new script. I have an entire month left of my current meds so I have to get my MO to write it.
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OK...this may sound really weird and I don't know quite how to put it into words. Has anyone had problems with "smelling" some smell that isn't really there? Ever since I started this drug (just started this Monday) every now and then I smell what I can only describe as metal burning. It is a strange metallic smell. And it happens at various places so it is just not happening in one location.
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2b2woods, I have a horrible smoke smell from time to time. MO says she doesn't know what it is, could be a migraine which can give you smell hallucinations with no headache. Mine can last up to 2 weeks. GG
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Molly - Have you started the Teva brand yet? I can't change over until the 25th. Hey, how's your son?
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Hi Sloan, I haven't even called my MO yet. I have a full bottle already so I will call him next week. I have to finish up my Accord brand first. My DS is doing better! Thank you for asking.
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