For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Tappermom, I tried the Accord brand thru my Anthem mail order house, Express Scripts. I can't take it. Too many side effects for me....sore hands, wrists, weight gain, vag dryness, headaches. I'm currently awaiting the AstraZeneca brand now, after speaking to my oncologist's nurse about it. I'm hoping for a better experience.
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I had a lot of crying spells while I was transitioning off Tamoxifen and onto Anastrozole. That seems much better now. So far, only hot flashes and stiff ankles when I wake up in the morning and one bad toe cramp episode. If anything, I am sleeping better. If I am anxious and cannot fall asleep (a lot to be anxious about lately), I take a tiny amount of Mirtazapine (Remeron), about 3mg. If take more I am too dopey the next day. But I have only had to take it twice so far. I think my body likes no and/or stable estrogen levels. Since I am in Mexico, I use Zurozol by Zurich Pharma. I have no idea what type of fillers they use. It's a tiny pill.
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Thanks, Ruby. Since we each react so differently to everything, I think I'll give the Accord a try. If the joint pain flares up, I'll go back to the pharmacist and have her get me the Teva again. I'll be specific when I order the next refill!
MJ
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When switching the Anastrozole manufacturer, did anyone run into issues whether insurance covered it or not or a price difference? Unfortunately I just had mine refilled, "Acco".(is that Accord?). Lots of issues with joint pain, stiffness, trigger finger. The "Acco" was only a couple of dollars for 90 1 mg pills. I would pay more if a different formulation did not give me the joint issues.
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my son called me Saturday and was alarmed by how I sounded and told me I shouldn't take it anymore so I stopped. Within 24 hours I felt so much better. I'm worried now. I don't think I can tolerate this class of drugs. It made me paranoid and suicidal. I couldn't even drive. I need to be able to work. I can't afford to retire. I'm afraid to try anymore of this. I plan to call the doctor in the morning. I'm about 80 percent recovered. I would have to take a leave of absence from my job to try it again and wouldn't be able to return unless my judgement was norma
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Without my job I wouldn't have insu
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The drug manufacturer shouldn't make a difference in your copay. But the insurance companies can and do mess with us. We have to play by some silly bean counters rule, no matter what happens to us.
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Mandycat...so sorry you are suffering. The SEs you are experiencing seem very serious. Just want to say if you do decide not to take an aromatase inhibitor there are several things you can do to lower your estrogen levels naturally. Please feel to PM me if you want to talk. Good luck to all navigating this complicated disease.
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You can avoid insurance and go directly to Arimidex for $1.00 a day.
Coach Vicky
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Mandycat, I am sorry you have had this experience. I have been there and done that. My issues became worse over time. I did decide at one point that if I had to take the drug I may as well be dead. I had no life. I am self employed and I couldn't function. I just didn't want to live anymore plus I had other physical side effects. I tried the other hormonal drugs and they were worse. I finally just quit. I was also having vision issues, hearing loss, I was gaining weight because honestly I didn't care any more and wanted to die so I ate junk food. I tried exercise and just was to tired. Then there was the issue of not sleeping 2 hours a day is not enough to live. I stopped the drug in April. I have seen 3 Drs since. (not the MO) He is on Monday. The surgeon told me that about 35- 40% of the women at my hospital can't tolerate the drug due to side effects. My eye Dr said that the lack of estrogen was damaging my eyesight. My eyes had become like a 90 year old woman. That fortunately reversed itself. I am now working with a nutritionist on diet and going to the gym 3X's a week minimum and meet with a personal trainer once a month. The goal is to lose about 25 pounds, build muscle and eat a diet that high in greens and omega 3's. My surgeon felt that this will give me about the same benefit as hormone therapy and in the long run I will have a healthier body. There are no guarantee with the medication and there are no guarantee with nutrition and exercise. The only thing I know is I have my life back and I am going to enjoy every minute of it.
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Brutersmom....so sorry you have been suffering terrible SEs of the aromatase inhibitors. We should not have to decide between poor QOL and recurrence. We need to speak up for better treatment options. A 40 percent compliance rate is just too low! Happy to see some docs finally advocating weight loss and exercise and admitting how it impacts recurrence rates. Good luck to all navigating this complicated disease.
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I did Tamoxifen. Armidex, Letrozole and now back on Tamoxifen even though my ovaries were removed. I could not tolerate AI's. So far Tamoxifen side effects have been tolerable. Maybe this could work for others...
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how do I PM? I'm interested in other things I can do to lower estr
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I thought about possibly trying some ot
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your situation sounds very similar to mine. I couldn't function either and felt I had no quality of life. I really appreciate your oust. Everyone's post. I have a rare cancer with no standard way of treating it. One doctor said no radiation, the other said yes radiation. I have pleomorphic LCIS with micro invasion. Big family history. I'm trying to be the first one not to die of breast cancer. My aunt took Evista for a. Long tim
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I switched to Teva manufacturer this month and I must say my lower back pain has subsided..I feel a whole lot better than when I was taking the Accord manufacturer...thank you ladies😎
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I switched to Teva manufacturer this month and I must say my lower back pain has subsided..I feel a whole lot better than when I was taking the Accord manufacturer...thank you ladies😎
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My pharmacist had filled my prescription with Teva the first time; when I refilled, she gave me Accord. I decided to give it a try. It's only been a few days but it's OK so far. But I'm going to ask for Teva again on the next refill.
MJ
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Mandycat - click on Private Messages on the menu at the left of the page.
I am on TEVA brand. Managing SE's ok. Will be 63 in a couple weeks, so a little joint pain/aches are the norm for folks my age. Believe that even with AI am doing better than some who are younger. Have taken for some years, to combat joints/aches: Omega Oil, MSM/Glucosmine Chondroitin, Calcium, Vit D and have added Turmeric/Curcumin. Take AI at PM, have occasional hot flashes, some finger, ankle, toes pain in AM. Take my Omega Oil in the AM & these seem to dissipate. Also, use Arnica Gel (Boiron) & tablets for achies. Feel that SEs are manageable and outweigh the benefits for me as I am 100% ER+.
Anyone who want to, please PM me if you need more info on supplements I take.
Best wishes for continued healing and health to all!
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Hi Butterfly,
My oncologist prescribed the Fosteum Plus that I take. I spoke to the main doctor behind Fosteum Plus and he sent me numerous studies on the trails for this nutritional support. I have my masters in nursing so I do a lot of research and felt very comfortable about taking it, my doctor also read the studies. There are studies that show how beneficial it is for your bone growth and also no relationship shown, in the studies, to breast cancer. Genistein is related to cardiovascular and bone benefits. Most of the articles on Fosteum Plus are written by pharmacists and they must not be aware of the real studies and trail results for Fosteum Plus.
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I decided to go with radiation. I joined another group where you can ask questions of the doctors and a radiologist got back to me . He also recommended radiation. I'm doing 16 treatments then I will revisit the idea of whether to try anti hormone therapy again
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Been quite some time since I've posted. Coming up on 5 year completion of using anastrozole. Overall has not been too bad. Do have some side effects in that my hair never came back and I have been wearing hair pieces, and my bone density has been compromised and I've been taking Fosamax for almost 3 years now. I'm leaning toward stopping anastrozole once I've completed 5 years. I've heard that it is recommended that one does 10 years of this medication. Question for the group: How long have you been taking it and what do you think about continuing past the 5 years? What does your medical team recommend?
On a side note. My ACA insurance co-pay for 30 day supply of anastrozole was $97.50. WTF I could not afford this. I found blinkhealth.com This is a prescription system that I now get all my prescriptions through. They work with many pharmacies. I have been paying $12.85 rather than the $97.50 the insurance wanted as co-pay. Please check out the website. You can enter your prescription and see what their charge will be without inputting any personal information.
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I got hopeful and went on blinkhealth.com but they don't list brand name Femara. I have to take brand name due to reaction/sensitivity to generic (3 so far). Oh well, the donut hole looms.
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Does anyone else on Arimidex feel dizzy from time to time? It hits me when I get up from a sitting position and walk up the stairs. I've had to sit down quickly a couple of times until it passes - which it does.
MJ
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MJ, sounds like orthostatic hypotension - low blood pressure upon rising. If you can, take a BP reading several times a day for awhile and see if that is the issue. Perhaps you need more fluids or more salt. My DH, with Parkinson's, was put on a low fluid, low sodium diet. Well, orthostatic hypotension is one of the lovely side effects of Parkinson's. He had great BP but his cardiologist was an a** and thought he could treat him like other heart patients. I got rid of that guy and the new guy said do what he needs to stay safe - fluids and regular sodium diet. That usually took care of the problem (except he didn't drink enough).
HUGS!
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hi started arimidex about two weeks ago. Had mastectomy of left breast. I now have one of the worse uti I ever had. Was told by oncologist nurse that's not a side effect from the pills.Any one else getting uti,s?
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My medical Dr. and gynecologist said they were not unusual while on Arimidex because of the lack of estrogen.
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Hi everyone. I agree that the lack of estrogen can cause UTIs as well as interstitial cystitis which has all the symptoms of UTIs but there is no bacteria/infection. It really upsets me when the medical profession denies the SEs of these drugs, especially the docs that are the ones prescribing it! We have to be our own advocates. Good luck to all...
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I am very grateful for the info on UTI. I have been telling my Oncologist and Gynecologist that I don't urinate the same anymore. It does not flow the same. Sorry if this is TMI. But my stream has changed. They just dismiss this and do not consider it might be a side effect.
If not for all of your sharing, I think I would think it is just me and I am nuts!
Coach Vicky
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I feel the same way. It is very frustrating when the professionals do not listen to you. But they probably have no personal experience with it to judge by. I believe from what I have read that because estrogen goes everywhere in your body and effects so many components including micro components that the effects of anti estrogen therapy could vary a lot from person to person and consistent of almost any symptoms. So if you are having symptoms you did not have prior this needs to be considered I. Your mana
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