For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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1957- Actually, I have the ringing in the ears as well....it comes and goes but thankfully, not in the night. Have you asked MO about that? Seems that would drive you batty for sure!~
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I've had ringing in my ears for years. Likely from too much aspirin and my allergies. Sometimes it is more annoying than others but it doesn't keep me awake nor wake me up.
HUGS!
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I've had ringing in my ears off and on throughout my life. It returned and its been really loud for over the last year. No idea why, but allergies are a possibility. I have many. Will be going off AIs in another month. I'll see it it stops then, though I doubt it. I actually think it may be linked to hearing loss/damage from when I mowed our very large yard as a kid. The muffler on the lawn tractor wasn't terribly effective.
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I am beginning to think I have joint located nerve damage (versus aches and pain from the structural parts...) I know this isn't making much sense, but since I have been on brand Arimidex my left knee, while seemingly structurally okay is HYPER-SENSITIVE nerve wise. If I put my hand on my knee, it tingles and is painful from the nerve sensations...if I dare put my weight on my knee, the pain is through the moon. The barest of touch is painful.
Anyone have this?
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no I don't, but sounds likea visit to an ortho or neuro might be a good idea.
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Tm Tab. My bone pain in my knees was horrible couldn't get comfortable to sleep and getting up and down was horrid. My savior is Organic Ginger Chunks. I get them on Amazon. Eat one at night and one in the morning. It took about 3 weeks before I started to see results but now I just creek like normal in the knees. Someone had told my husband who suffered from arthritis in his hands and now he has no stiffness or swelling. They did wonders for my knees and now I take it daily. I asked dr and they said it couldn't hurt to try. Hope your pain lets up soon.
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You all are scaring me! I will be going on Arimidex with some type of bone builder in April. I was on Tamoxifen for 5 years back in 2003 - 2008. I had no side effects at all with it. Now that I've had another bout with BC, my MO will put me on Arimidex after I finish my chemo. I'm just wondering if everyone has bad side effects on Arimidex? I'm 55 and don't want to lose any quality of life! The chemo and cold capping have been enough of an interruption for this gal!
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Catgirl,
Most of us have some SEs from these anti-hormonal drugs from very mild to worse, but many manage to adapt to them over time. Mine have come and gone, sometimes so bad I considered stopping. Now at the end of 5 years, I have very mild SEs, some which may only be age related that I would have anyway. I've avoided the bone building drugs, so thus any related SEs from them.
One thing to keep in mind when you start Arimidex. It may take six months to recover from the worst of chemo and be hard to tease out whether an SE is from one or the others.
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CatGirl, No, not everyone suffers SEs from Arimidex. I'm the case in point. Absolutely nothing I can attribute to it. I was stiff upon rising in the morning before I started it. My hair was thinning before it. So there's hope that you will sail through the next 5 years SE free, too. Keep in mind what Doxie said about chemo. I don't know from personal experience, but I know my DIL who had chemo from colon cancer, that chemo is also a gift that keeps on giving, contributing, in her case, to memory loss. So it could be hard to sort out what is causing what SEs. Good luck!!
HUGS!
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Thanks gals, I just hope that I can tell the difference between chemo, aging and Arimidex!
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Catgirl, it's not easy to sort them out
HUGS!
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Hi Catgirl!
I started Arimidex 11/1/16 and so far/so good. I just had my physical and my cholesterol was surprisingly low. Blood pressure was elevated but that may be a natural progression since I have high blood pressure, Joint pain has NOT increased even though I have bilateral osteoarthritis.
I read the side effects reported here regularly and sympathize with the member's experiences. however it's very difficult to tease out what symptoms are occurring as a result of the new drug or simply a new symptom or condition independent of the medication.
Best advice is to approach this in a positive manner and keep a diary of symptoms to discuss with your doctor.
Best of luck,
Marcella
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Thank you ladies! I'm trying to keep a good attitude about it. Maybe I'll be as lucky on this as I was on Tamoxifen and have no side effects!
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Trim Tabb, my right knee is very sensitive and painful, and when i try and kneel on it it's excruciating and feels like it's full of liquid. The back of its tight all the time, forget bending or lifting it. Exray of it just shows mild arthritis. It's been this way since I started tamoxifen but has gotten worse since switching to arimedex.
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Estrogen positive, PR and HR2 negative, 59 years old, TC chemo,last rx late Oct 2016, , dbl mastectomy late Nov 2016, no recon. Oncologist has prescribed AI, arimidex. She did tell me to increase vit D, since I was on the low range of normal, and to get calcium from diet rather than supplements. I am very concerned about Side effects. Picked up the Rx, but have not started taking it. Some of you mentioned having hormone levels checked pre AI and several months afterwards to see if it decreased estrogen. Was that "easy" to request and were results meaningful and/or change recommendations? Were side effects monitored and treated? Chemo did not do as much good as expected based on tumor size at time of surgery, so I am even more suspicious of hormonal therapy. My Oncologist is very easy to talk to and receptive to my questions and concerns, a big advocate of healthy lifestyles , organics, exercise. For the most part I eat healthy, probably too much sugar, though. I exercise regularly, weight lift, treadmill, walk/hike/xcountry ski, stretch/easy yoga.
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BlueGirlRedState, I would think the only reason to have a hormone check is to see if you are in menopause. Are you? I've had no issues taking Arimidex and I'm 71. I do take Fosamax. Not only does it help the bones but it can help prevent bone mets - a definite bonus in my book. I didn't have chemo so can't address whether chemo is an indicator of the success of an AI. I would give Arimidex a try. If you have SEs that are bad, quit. I would also seriously consider a bio-phosphanate like Fosamax, Prolia etc. But I'm no doctor - this is something you need to decide for yourself with your MO. Good luck whatever you decide.
HUGS!
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BlueGirl, you really never know how it will affect you. Some people have no issues at all. There is some suggestion that if you are already well past menopause when you start taking it you may not have such a hard time. Basically it blocks all estrogen from being produced in your body. Naturally that comes with side effects like hot flashes, joint pain, weight gain, dryness everywhere, higher blood pressure and cholesterol, and so on. But for whatever reason some bodies cope with it better than others. Who knows why.
My doc only tested my estrogen levels once, before switching from tamoxifen to the AI, to make sure I was really truly post menopause. When asked why they do not do any testing during treatment, they typically say there is no need to. It works, and even if it didn't, there's nothing else.
Some docs are better than others, yours sounds good, mine was bad... "side effects monitored and treated"? Um, nope. More like denied and ignored. I'm not seeing that MO any more... lol
You can probably get better ideas on how to cope with any SEs that do occur, right here, from those "in the trenches" so to speak.
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Yes girls, you can have hormone levels checked before during and after anti hormone treatment. I've said numerous times that IMO most MOs know very little about female hormones.Often a gynecologist or even a PCP has to be involved to get them tested. This is a huge gap in our treatment plan. Good luck to all...
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HI Catgirl2, I've been on Arimidex for a year. The first 6 months I had a small amount of joint pain, a few hot flashes, and vaginal dryness. My Gyno and I are working on the dryness(it was there before the medication) and the joint pain is gone and most of the hot flashes as well. Sometimes it takes a while for your body to adjust. Remember more people who are on here on the discussion boards are here because they are having real and terrible issues. There are more of us who aren't having any problems so we aren't looking for answers. Good luck with your treatment!
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Hi Girls, I haven't been on this site for a year or so but remember many of your names, I have just decided to stop taking Arimidex!! Had BC surgery, chemo and radiation in 2012/2013 and have been on Arimidex ever since (4 years) went through and still have all the symptoms many of you complain about, however on my last Dexascan in November, showed my osteopenia has now become osteoporosis , my joints have ached for years, I do the "morning shuffle" my feet are locked, can't sleep more than a few hours, can't lose an ounce, every time I went back to the gym I end up hurting myself. I will be 70 (in my head I think I'm still 50 ) so I think it's safe to quit & pray I don't get a recurrence but I have made my decision. have to add that this site helped me and lots of us through those dark, lonely, scary days and night and I am grateful to have found many BC sisters here...
Oh my, now that I said all that I may change my mind told you I can't make a decision!!I just read this on regarding my oncotype DX score: 34
"If you've been diagnosed with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer and will be taking hormonal therapy after surgery and other treatments, it's very important that you take the medicine for as long as it's prescribed and at the dose at which it is prescribed. As this study shows, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer can come back -- even after 5 or 10 years -- and hormonal therapy after surgery reduces that risk. You must remember that. Side effects caused by hormonal therapy can be very troublesome for many women. It's important to talk to your doctor as soon as you start having any side effects, including hot flashes, joint pain, blood clots, trouble sleeping, fatigue, or difficulty concentrating. Don't wait until the symptoms are intolerable and you have to stop taking the medicine. There are steps you can take to ease these side effects, including switching to a different type of hormonal therapy. For more information, visit the Breastcancer.org pages on Staying on Track With Treatment. You can read about why it's so important to stick to your treatment plan, as well as ways to manage side effects after radiation, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy. If you're taking hormonal therapy after surgery now, stick with it as prescribed. If you're thinking of stopping early, talk to your doctor first. Together, you can find a solution that is best for you"
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sounds like me Luv. Time frame and tx. Last DEXA showed osteoporosis and was rx'd Fosomax. The possible se from that scared me more than arimadex. I've already beenin hospital for leg and lung clots. Refused to take it. Will stay on devil pill until bones start to break, just so maybe cancer has less chance to come back.
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Spookie, would Prolia be an option for you? I've been on Fosamax for 2-1/2 years now with no issues but I also don't have your medical history. Sorry you have osteoporosis now
So many trade-offs with BC.HUGS!
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No, it hasn't been suggested, and I don't think I would. I looked at it, seems it doesn't play well with chemo, if that became necessary.
I'm 4 years on the pill, next DEXA in 2. I'll decide what, if anything, then.
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Hi everyone!
I am new to the AL world..I have done chemo...surgery...now next hormone blockers...I thought I would be just on one...went to see my MO Friday and he said he wants to put me on Arimidex daily and Zoladex injections once a month...I feel like I am already in early menopause..i am hot all the time:(...I haven't had a menstrual cycle since October uggh...Question has anyone been on these two meds together? And what was your experience? Thanks:)
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Thanks Suz-Q. I started Anastrozole 4 months ago. I did just fine the first month, then significant elbow pain started for about 6 weeks or so - exercise/movement helps. I would say the pain is decreasing, but for the past 2 weeks, the brain fog has creeped in. I just started taking the anastrozole around 6pm instead of 8am to see how that makes me feel. I'm wondering how long it takes for most people to get settled in with AIs...how much time to really know how your body/mind is going to adapt and will it be tolerable. Also, I'm wondering how long to wait before even considering to try a different AI. Thank you all for your stories and support
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I started on TEVA Anastrozole almost 3 years ago. I have been taking generic Claritin for awhile because of moderate joint pain in my feet. I quit taking the Claritin the last two weeks because my borderline high BP was a little bit worse. I realized yesterday that I was hobbling around especially in the morning and that it had gotten worse in the past few days. Meanwhile I did a little research,and (I should have known this) antihistamines do not affect BP. Decongestants do though, so that's probably how I got it mixed up. Anyway I'm back on Claritin (without the D just like before), and I'm sure my joint pain will lessen. Also I guess I need to talk to my PCP about my blood pressure.
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I've been on Anastrozole for 14 months. I started on a generic brand but had to take a break at 3 months as the joint pain was becoming intolerable. My Breast Nurse suggested that I try changing brands first rather than changing AI's. I've been on brand name Arimidex for 11 months and the improvement has been astounding. Won't say I don't have any pain; I do, but nothing like it was. Totally manageable at the moment just by keeping active. I don't need any pain relief unless I really overdo it. I have just had to stop my Calcium/Vit D supplements as my last blood tests showed high calcium levels. Seems we are always "chasing our tails".
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Nayda, Yes..I am doing monthly Zolodex shots as well as Anastolzole. Treatment is according to your menopausal status at the time of Dx. Typically AI's are only given to those post menopausal, but can be given if you receive the Zolodex, which shuts down the ovaries. One challenge with this combined hormone treatment is that you don't know what causes what SE's. I'm honestly struggling right now, and after experimenting with meds for the last year, I think it's the Zolodex causing my pain. But, bear in mind everybody is different. I would encourage you to give the meds a try, and if you can, keep a journal of any SE's you experience.
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Ty Wildtulip for your response...I wanted to see kinda what I am in for with these two meds...I hate the unknown which is what I am constantly going through with cancer...I am going to give these two meds a try and hopefully the s/e's won't be unbearable:)
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Just joining this board. (Hi Nayda--we've been through a lot together since September!) I will be starting Arimidex in about a week and a half. Just picked up the prescription today. Just reading the drug fact sheet is scaring me to death. Pharmacist said many people have horrible side effects. MO told me last week "you won't even know you're taking it". Is there anyone who has actually had NO side effects from it? That's a new one to me. Looking forward to getting to know all of you who I have not met on here before. Thanks for allowing me to post.
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