For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Graicesgroove6877....just don't want you to think you are alone. Hair loss is a fairly common SE of aromatase inhibitors. Have you tried taking biotin? Hopefully that will help. Good luck and keep us posted.
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Hippie Girl,
I think most everyone at some point gets a crapperhead MD. And they fire them!
Mine was our first primary care. She told me she did not have time to do my referrals. There were other things too.
My retort to someone who gets crappy is "Long after you are gone, I will still have this body and the effects of your decisions and skills or lack thereof."
I believe you will be fine on Arimidex. If not, there are other blockers your MO can prescribe.
Coach Vicky
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Hi Coach Vicky.,
Wow. So you too had a doctor who should have chosen a different field if she couldn't treat you like you deserve to be treated! Sorry you had to deal with that but yay! good for you that you fired her and found someone who did. Amazing how many there are who are this way.
Love your philosophy of our bodies (it's so true) and thank you for your positive, comforting words regarding the Arimidex. From your mouth to it happening!
Take care....
Hippie Girl 0 -
Fosteum Plus is a prescription medical food product that helps restore the balance between bone resorption and bone formation and therefore increases bone mineral density. I have osteopenia and because Arimidex can cause bone loss I wanted to do something else besides proper diet and weight bearing exercise. I did not want to take Fosomax! I talked to one of the doctors behind this supplement and there is no problem if you have had BC. The main ingredient is Genisten which is really good for the heart and the bones. I hope this helps, as I say all my joint pains went away when I started it.
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HI thecargirl,
I knew someone who took Fosomax and had severe problems with the bones in her jaw so I certainly don't blame you for not wanting to take it! Thank you so much for your input about this. Yes, every little bit that you guys are sharing with me is definitely helping.
HG0 -
The package insert for Fosteum on this site https://www.drugs.com/cdi/fosteum.html states that Fosteum Plus should not be used if you have or have had breast cancer. Possibly because of the genistein https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18281260.
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I am so frustrated. I have been having hand and other joint issues for about the last month and a half. The trigger finger stuff is driving me nuts. My oncologist took me off Arimidex and told me to take 800mg of ibuprofen twice a day. I have been doing that now for 2 weeks. I called her today and told her that things are no better. She told me to change it up and take 2 Advil twice a day and call back in two weeks to see how that is doing and then they will see what to change me to if need be. Has anybody else tried this. I asked if maybe a stronger anti-inflamitory would help, but they said no.
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Had trigger thumb. Asked my PCP for the shot. He did it, pain went away immediately.
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car girl - which one of your docs prescribed this for you?
FYI:I am using China Gel which I bought at yoga and it's helping with my hand and toe discomfort.
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Your PCP gave you a cortisone shot for trigger thumb? I had to go to the orthopedist...and a year after the shot, need to go again.
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Sorry you guys are having problems with your pain <hug> Hope whatever you're doing for it helps you.
HG0 -
Yup, he did. I wasn't going to pop pills for pain, he knew that. So when I told him I had trigger thumb, he said do you want the shot? I said yes, he did it then. Over in less than 5 minutes.
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Wow! I wonder if they can do shots for trigger finger
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Dry eyes: A little late for this, but I have itchy eyes that I can only attribute to the Arimidex. I use antihistamine eye drops everyday or else I'm scratching my mascara off by 2:00 pm. I've gone through a half dozen different brands of mascara and switching brands didn't make a difference. I also find that spring and fall are worse. I've never had any type of allergies before using this drug.
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Suz-Q, I've had allergies literally all my life. My eyes are dry. I don't know if Arimidex made them worse or not, though unlikely since my eyes are always bad with my summer allergies. I do know I just saw a story on TV that more "older" people are developing hay fever (which it sounds like you have) than before. I can't wear mascara and never have been able to - allergic to something in it. I wear no eye makeup. I use moisturizing drops that my ophthalmologist recommended before I had my cataract surgery this spring. I live on Benadryl so I am dried out
HUGS!
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I had seasonal allergies as a child and had allergy shots. I was getting severe sinus infections and went to a well known allergist. I found out that my seasonal allergies are gone and I developed non-allergenic rhinitis. Which is very common in middle age. Triggers can be dust,cleaning agents, perfumes. Regular allergy meds don't work. So he prescribed nasal spray when my symptoms are bad and use of Netti pot.
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Any doc Should be able to do it. Whether they Will or not is a different story. My guy was a DO, don't know if that makes a difference.
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Sorry I'm late on this but since vacation I haven't had a chance to do much but catch up on life at home....
Susieq8: I'm been on Anastrozole about 6 weeks also. I would say your hot flashes are excessive....like WAY excessive! I have maybe one a day, never during the night, not a lot of sweating, just very warm and it lasts maybe 3 minutes tops.By now you've been to the oncologist so I hope this was addressed...I'll read ahead.
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Butterfly12: If you want to try something non-medicine....try Edens Garden essential oils. They've worked wonders for lots of people bothered by chronic rhinitis, myself included. The ones in the Kids' line work the best, I think. www.edgensgarden.com
On the Arimidex, I think my eyes got a bit dryer...was using Systane Gel and thought they were better, but today, back to the blurred vision.
Doughboy: Isn't ibuprofen and Advil the same thing? I had a trigger thumb, and oddly enough, when I started anastrozole it got better. AND (here comes the plug again) I'm using an essential oil blend called Aches and Pains from Edens Garden, and it went away completely. I still have arthritis in the joint, but no more clicking or stiffness.
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Graciesgroove: I have had hair loss to some extent since menopause, but on the Arimidex, it has increased. I've been taking Biotin which has done nothing for the hair loss, but my fingernails are growing like weeds. I've never been able to have long nails before, they always break, now I'm filing them weekly because they look like claws!
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I'm new on this thread. I transitioned from Tamoxifen to Anastrozole about a month ago. I do get hot flashes. They are annoying, but I deal with them okay. Last night I was awakened at 1am by the weirdest toe cramp--like someone was pulling a string and extending my toe towards the ceiling. I had to get up and walk around. I take plenty of magnesium... not sure what else to do. I used to get bad leg, foot and hand cramps on Tamoxifen but the magnesium pretty much eradicated that. The Tamoxifen-induced foot cramps made my feet curl under--not this weird pulling. Any advice?
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Have been taking Arimidex ( generic form ) for one month-- only 59 more months to go! Side effects minor so far -- mostly hot -- actually warm-- flashes at night and during exercise, but I sleep well and joint pain is the same pain I had before my diagnosis due to arthritis, no worse. Just taking it a day at a time. I try to exercise every day, which I believe is helpful. I found out about grant-funded classes at a hospital-affiliated gym for folks recovering from cancer, so I take Tai Chi, do weights, cardio in small classes. I used to do much more vigorous exercise, but have learned to not be so hard on myself and be thankful for what I can do.
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nancy, I see you started this forum 5. Yrs ago and am wondering how it went for you
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I am on the brand name Arimidex. Life is great. Weight is down to what it was before the generics. Swelling is still there but less.
Hot flashes are barely noticeable.
I stretch before getting out of bed to help with joint pain.
Coach Vicky
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Yes, ibuprofen is the same as Advil!
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katcar: You could try magnesium lotion. My husband has been using it for cramps he gets in his calves and thighs and hasn't had cramps since starting to use it.
I was actually losing weight and then we went on vacation! I gained 4 pounds and haven't been able to take it back off. I'm allergic to exercise....kidding!!! I skipped Zumba this morning because we were in the midst of a fierce lightning/thunderstorm. Now, the sun is out!!! I have started back to using Wii Fit. I figure it's getting me moving anyway. A bad hip and a reconstructed right foot is keeping me from doing anything really strenuous using it. I try to walk, but in our subdivision, it's nothing but huge hills. Going down them is fine...but back up darn near kill me and my hip. I need to be more disciplined!
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Katcar - Have you tried putting a bar of soap under your sheet, at the foot of the bed? I know it sounds crazy, but if you do a Google search, you'll find lots of thoughts about it. I take magnesium too (1250 mg/day), but I still need to put a bar of soap under the fitted sheet.
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Nancy, I never heard of magnesium lotion. Is it OTC? I often have terrible leg cramps and would like to try it.
MJ
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Thanks, Nancy. I've got it in my cart but it's an add-on item so it will have to wait until I have more to order from Amazon (shouldn't be long!).
MJ
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