For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Just putting this out there for informational purposes. Would like to know the manufacturer of the pills that the least amount of women are having problems with if that is possible. I wonder if woman using Arimidex are having less issues. On this pill for two days - but been fighting menopause symptoms for 10 years. Looking for anything that may help.
There are at least 17 manufacturers of the generic Arimidex. Each manufacturer has their own stamp. Would be nice to know each person's manufacturer - as some women seem to have very different experiences. Mine is stamped TEVA on one side and A10 on the other. You can easily look up your pill manufacturer by looking at the stamp and go to drugs . com
"This pill with imprint "TEVA A10" is White, Round and has been identified as Anastrozole 1 mg. It is manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals USA."
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LillyWhite, I've been using the Teva manufactured anastrozole for nearly 3 years with no issues. I also had no issues going through menopause forever ago.
HUGS!
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Hi Laura - I don't have any answers. But I just want to say I am in your exact same shoes. But did start to take it (TEVA Brand) two days ago. I so want to look at this as life saving verses scary - just not there yet. All my best to you.
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Thank you for that! Very encouraging. This is such a stressful step - I guess because of the many years it is suppose to be taken. Will hope for the best! Hugs back.
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Have you had any bone loss? As I understand it - the magnesium helps you absorb the calcium. I have some heart issues, so I was told that calcium could be detrimental to me for that reason. So hard to weigh the pros and cons. I am on day two of the pill. Very afraid - but trying to move forward and be pro-active in anything I can do to make this go smoother.
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Lillywhite- many people on this site use the Teva brand. Don't be too afraid to take it or SE. Some people hardly have any sides effects, and sometimes it goes away.
For me and menopause symptoms, I use Relizen. MY OB/GYN got me connected. Not a hormonal pill. One other person on this site said Relizen didn't work for her, but it does for me. Takes a while to see if it works.
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I am 5 years on Arimidex. My Onco saud I could stop, but Im taking it for 6 more months. Just feeling twitchy if I dont. LOL
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At my local breast cancer support group meeting this week, one woman said she had completed five years on Arimidex. She saw a new MO who suggested she continue for another five years, which she's going to do. Another woman has been taking Arimidex for a year and said she might as well be taking chalk for all the effects she feels!
I've taken it for four nights now and haven't slept this well in a long time! Still get up to pee, of course, but I go right back to sleep (rather than sitting up and reading for an hour as has been the norm).
I tried the new Zumba class on Tuesday but decided it's too soon. I love my two strength training classes and my mat Pilates class. I'll stick with those three and walk on the other days.
MJ
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I've been on Arimidex for 2 months now and this week the joint pain has gotten quite uncomfortable. I'm noticing my ankles are very swollen. I can't tell about my knees and hips but I'm guessing they are as well. Has anyone else experienced this?
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Yes I had swelling of feet and hands and pain in all my joints
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I am new to this board but very interested in this conversation.
I've been searching for info about acid reflux and Arimidex. The PA at my ONCO office had never heard of a link between the two. I am in intense pain from what feels like an ulcer and it started 8 mos after starting Anastrozole (with monthly Lupron). I have stopped to the meds -now been 3 weeks- and symptoms have finally resolved completely. I am scheduled for endoscopy in 3 weeks (the soonest GI office could get me in). But while waiting for GI tests, I am scheduled to resume the Arimidex . (Did not stop Lupron during this respite). I'm not looking forward to the return of life changing pain. You simply cannot get thru the day with this sort of distraction. When the pain kicks in you're doubled over and breathing thru it like labor. Will know in a month if structural damage was done and take it from there/decide what is next. If you're having this too just know you're not alone. Finding more info about this as I research. It's a less common side effect but a real one.
If you're working through this too, Here's a tip: raw honey helped soothe and prevent these GI attacks. I eat clean and lite and so there wasn't much to change in my diet so Zantac, rolaids and HONEY kept it down to a dull roar and made the day doable.
SEs:
GI issues
Insomnia
Weight gain
Fatigue/foggy brainthat comes in waves lasting days and then improving
Absence of any libido and vaginal pain (impressive pain, I must say)
No bone pain or headaches. Excercise helps mental state but making little to no difference on weight gain. I'm a runner- and am losing the weight gain battle despite intense efforts. Up 13 lbs and was in full on panic because estrogen hides in fat and you're not supposed to put on fat and gaining weight can cause GI issues and..and ..and... Well, you get the idea. I've been a mess about all this.
Of all the people Ive met on my journey so far, the nurtiontist is one of the people who helped me the most with this message: stay off the scale for a while. Breathe. Practice patience and trust that your body needs time to reset itself. In time this will get better and you will be okay. Sage advice that I had to share.
Anyone else out there with similar SEs and advice?
(Ps: just had one year anniversary cancer free!!)
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Hi everyone! I haven't been here in over 3 weeks, I've been at our cottage in northern Wisconsin. We went a week after I finished radiation and found I was very fatigued and my skin felt very itchy and dry, but that subsided gradually over the 4 weeks. I just have one very tan breast now, one small itchy spot and some weird brown spots under my breast. Stamina is still lacking, but then, I've pretty much been a slug the last 3 weeks, doing lots of reading and not much exercise. So, I don't know if the fatigue is because of radiation yet, because I'm not sleeping great or the Aastrozole.
I've been on Anastrozole for 4 weeks. I had a trigger thumb before going on it that has actually fixed itself...possibly with some help of essential oils. The hot flashes are killers, but I don't get them too often, thank goodness. But hot, humid weather make them unbearable. My hip pain that I've had for quite some time doesn't seem to be getting any worse. I've had trouble sleeping for years, but finally found a med that helped, but it's not as effective now it seems. I've also tried natural supplements which also don't work. I noticed someone talked about tremors...I'm not sure if I could describe mine as tremors, but I feel anxious and when I wake at night unable to go back to sleep, I feel like I'm shaking and really jittery. I have developed a dry mouth...I'm drinking water all the time and it doesn't help. My lower lip feels swollen too. I can't tell you about the sexual effects, other than I'm not interested, and we haven't even tried since my diagnosis! The only other thing I've noticed is that my hair seems to be falling out more. I'm taking Biotin which has made my nails grow at an unbelievable rate, but nothing for the hair.
I'm trying to catch up reading all the comments...
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Nancy,
You might want to report the dry mouth and feeling of a swollen lip to your MO. I had a tingling of the tongue and lips. I had an allergic reaction to one of the fillers in the Anastrozole. My hair thinned a lot when I first started the drug but later it began to come back in. I am thinking that is was actually due to the surgery and stress of the diagnosis and treatment. I had shaking and tremors. I also could not sleep. I was functioning on 2 hours an night then going to work. Some women say it gets better if you stick it out. Mine got worse and I eventually had to stop the drug. My issues appeared after about a year on the drug and things just spiraled down from there. I eventually had to stop. I would check with your MO to see if there are things he can suggest to help you.
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hello all I just started arimidex and lupron shots about a month ago. I'm 45 years old and will have my ovaries out. This is the next best step for me according to my oncologist which wound force me into menopause. but she wants to see how I would do with my ovaries out before surgery so I am on a Lupron shot for a few months. Anybody else do this as a treatment method? She said I would have a slightly better prognosis if I did the ovarian removal and arimidex. I had a bone density test to check bone strength.
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You are not going to believe this...
I get a quarterly summary from the pharmacy side of my insurance. For most of my prescriptions I have a small co-pay at a retail pharmacy or no co-pay if I use mail order. I am very fortunate with this plan.
The GSMS generic brand of Arimidex was submitted for $10.40 for 90 days. After about 2 months on this brand, I called and requested my refill be the TEVA brand due to the horrid side effects I endured.
The TEVA generic brand of Arimides was submitted for $1,046.87 for 90 days.
I guess they start women on the cheapest drug and watches what happens.
Coach Vicky
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Bet2016...so sorry you are suffering SEs from aromatase inhibitors. IMO what makes it worse is when the medical profession doesn't validate what you are going through. Docs are notorious for denying SEs from these powerful drugs. Yet you come to these boards and read over and over again about how we are dealing with them. Also interesting how when these drugs are discontinued the symptoms subside! We need to speak up for better treatment options. Good luck to all navigating this complicated disease.
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I'll be curious, Coach Vicky, if you find you have fewer SEs with the Teva. Before I even got my prescription, I went to my local pharmacist (who's a friend) to ask if she could get me the Teva brand. She looked it up and said yes, adding that Teva is 12x more expensive than the other generics (pretty much in line with what you found). She said she'd absorb the extra cost. I have UnitedHealthCare Medicare through AARP; all my meds, including anastrozole, are Tier 1 so I have $0 copay.
MJ
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MJ, That's interesting that you have $0 copay with AARP plan. I have their prescription plan (and a separate Medigap plan from Blue Cross) and I pay $28 for 90 days for my Teva Anastrozole, TIER 2!! AARP pays nothing. My generic Fosamax runs $9.43 for 90 days, Tier 1, again with AARP paying nothing.
Is your plan with AARP an Advantage plan or separate prescription plan?
HUGS!
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Each company has a bunch of different plans under one "name"". DH and I have Humana Gold plus, but different plans and costs. I don't pay anything for my $1,000 plus insulin or pump supplies. He just had a $250.00 co pay for a cancer shot.
It's really worth it to talk one on one with the sales reps to see if there are ways to cut your costs, and still get what you need.
And to check into the Avantage Plans. Neither of us pay anything for them. Different than medigap.
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My BC Medigap F Plan is fantastic. I pay nothing except my monthly premium. I am going to check out other Drug plans this fall. Don't think I want an Advantage plan.
HUGS!
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The advantage plans are HMOs. Some don't like that, you may be required to change dr. I had them for years through work, so it wasn't a big deal for us. Not paying any monthly premium WAS a big deal.
Each has their advantages and disadvantages that's why talking to the sales reps is so important. I still have contact with my guy, he really went to bat and did serious digging for me when I turned 65. Mainly for the diabetes. I didn't want to give up my pump, or change to different typeand for sure couldn't afford the cost of insulin.
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Tried to post before, Peggy, but my Internet is acting up. Mine is an advantage plan. I was able to keep my same doctors. And, of course, now I have several new ones!
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Spookie and MJ, with my Medigap plan I don't have an HMO so I got to choose my doctors when I moved to Spokane (as I had in Michigan). It has worked well for me. Spookie I can see why you'd stay with the same plan - that's terrific!
HUGS!
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Brutersmom: I have a long list of things to discuss with my MO on August 8!
Tappermom: We have supplemental insurance and then Part D Silver Script. One month of Arimidex is $6.99 out of pocket and is Tier 2. I think you have a Medicare Advantage plan where everything is included, not just a supplemental.
PontiacPeggy: We have a supplemental plan as well. All we pay is monthly premium ($285 for the two of us) and a deductible, which is pretty small...though the exact amount escapes me now. I have had to pay NOTHING for all my treatment from mammo and biopsy through radiation. We didn't have to change any of our doctors when we went on supplemental, but we went from a UHC COBRA plan to a UHC supplemental.
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Nancy, DH and I went from Michigan Blue Cross individual (we'd long run out of COBRA) to BC Medigap plan. The salesman said take the F Plan and you won't pay a cent. He was right. No copays, period. 10 days after DH's plan went into effect, he had a widow-maker heart attack wiith tons of medical care, ICU, rehab. Didn't pay a thing. Nor have I for my BC. So I'm happy. Just my drug plan. Have to see if there's something better available to me. BTW, I pay $209/month for my don't-pay-a-thing plan.
HUGS!
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PontiacPeggy: know Wisconsin has their own set of plans...had to put in my state when "shopping" for plans. I'm pretty sure that the only advatage to the F plan was that it paid the deductible, (which is really low), and excess charges (which we haven't encountered at all), and 80% of medical treatment in foreign countries. We don't travel to foreign countries and the monthly premium is $285 combined for my husband and I.
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Nancy, When I moved from Michigan to Washington, I knew I would have to change my Medigap plan but I didn't realize I'd have to change my AARP drug plan. I did and the cost went up to boot
HUGS!
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I have been on Anastrozole (Accord) for about 5 weeks now. I see my oncologist this Wednesday for the first follow up since beginning this medication. I tend to power through problems unless I am really sick and I'm not good at being my own advocate. (I advocate for everyone else but not me). I am definitely experiencing the "hot flashes" side effect and possibly joint pain, but that one's harder to be sure of since I already had a lot of inflammation before.
How many "hot flashes" a day is considered too many and needs to be addressed. I'm having at least one an hour. It is affecting my sleep which I now refer to as "turn and burn." I try not to move or turn over because it seems to trigger one. But I become so sore and stiff from not moving that I just have to turn over. And sure enough, as soon as I settle, the hot flash kicks in. They are never long, 4-7 minutes and I don't sweat that much, but I would love to sleep for more than 45 minutes at a stretch. I was taking the pill at bedtime but have moved it up to lunch time to see if that would help, but it hasn't.
I am planning to have this discussion with my oncologist. Are there any other suggestions that I should bring up with her? I appreciate your input.
Thanks!
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I have a fan aimed at my head all night. It helps, until I get cold. Effexor can help with the sweats. A chilliow may help. Things do tend to settle down with time. Maybe take in am with breakfast? Or switch to Teva brand.
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Peggy,
I had United Healthcare advantage plus when i was first dx and for surgery... didn't know i could change to a supplement till just before starting rads... but I paid the 20% deductible on the plus plan and now I pay the premium for the supplement F plan ($209) and I have silverscript for rx's... we pay for it one way or another, but at least don't have to worry about the copay if and when I need to see someone..
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