For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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I also have another SE that is bothersome - peach fuzz. It is more on my right side. Anyone have a good solution for that without making it worse?
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get an epilator. Pulls it out by the roots so it grows in fuzzy and not stubbly. and since it is by roots it lasts a bit longer.
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mysticalcity, any recommendations?
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I have been on Anastrozole for one year, pain has been horrible. Oncologist won't prescribe pain medication. Told me to go back on tamoxifen.,for 10 years. I had to stop tamoxifen because I had hot flashes continually. I have stopped Anastrozole for now until I decide which is the lesser of two evils. Im 56 and work full-time as a chef and can't retire for couple more years. At a standstill now. Had stage 4 bc and lymph nodes 7years ago. Help......
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Petite, I still have my Epilady from back in the 80's. xD I also recommend epilators over razors.
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Chefstewie- I was dx at 58, but not stage 4. Only suggestion is to try a different AI. Or a different MO who may have a different attitude to your plight. Best wishes to you.
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Petite, I bought something called “flawless” at the CVS for the peach fuzz. It doesn’t hurt and keeps the fuss away
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Laurenci, I have one of those to shave my underarm after surgery. I will try it.
The first thumb inject did not work. I have another appointment at the end of the month.
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I have been on anastrozole for a little over 5 years. The trigger finger/carpal tunnel may go away. The joint pain stays, but it is better than the possible alternative. That’s how I look at it. I also used a splint which helped
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The thumb pain is a little better today and I have movement.
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Chefstewie What pain do you have? Joints, muscles, certain parts worse than others?
When I started my AI, I definitely noticed that every one of my arthritis places got worse. For me, that's hips, knees and hands. I am 63 years old. I have no magic wands for you, but here's how I'm coping. I am very committed to daily exercise, including squats, weights, etc., and the stronger I am (quads, hip flexors, arms), the less my joints complain. I do have Rx Meloxicam, and I use it as an occasional, very-helpful NSAID. It is 24-hour time release, but otherwise is much like Ibuprofen. My MO has said that we have other ones to try, so we could switch me from Anastrozole to another AI if need be. After the initial 2-3 months of pain and discomfort when I started on Anastrozole, it got better, as he'd predicted. Now, with my daily exercise, drinking LOTS of water, and the occasional anti-inflammatory (Meloxicam), I'm doing okay.
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Chefstewie, my MO and NP say exercise, exercise, exercise.
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For joint pains, the use of arnica tablets &/or arnica gel/cream has been useful as I cannot tolerate NSAIDs.
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petite1--sorry I have not been on here to see your note. . . I have an Emjoi, but here are some other options:
https://www.byrdie.com/best-epilators-4767513
This is the one I have--I've had it for years and it is wonderful: https://emjoi.com/AP-18/emjoi-emagine-ap-18
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I’m not buying that hearing loss is common for a 56-year-old. That’s relatively young for hearing loss to begin. I’m 56 years old and I have no such thing as hearing loss. I really get aggravated when doctors don’t fess up that the medication is causing these issues. Estrogen deprivation is a real thing and it affects the body in a very negative way and it causes accelerated aging.
These medication’s definitely affect quality of life
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HEARING LOSS: my experience
I'm chiming in to share my hearing loss experience. In case it helps anyone here, regardless of whether your hearing struggles happen to be worse due to your AI.
I started wearing hearing aids when I was 58, and needed them really starting at age 53 or 54, but pretended I didn't. This wasn't shocking, since my mother, and her mother, had age 50-52 onset of serious hearing loss. This is an irritating disability, but I'm extremely grateful for excellent hearing correction. I've adjusted to using hearing aids during all my waking hours, and the 'feedback' loop of neurons is stimulated and continues to work, if hearing loss is corrected. So, it's a use-it-or-lose-it scenario. This keeps me putting them in every day. Mine also have settings for tinnitus, although I don't have that problem.
I was a high school teacher until age 60, and that career is NOT compatible with bad hearing, since hearing every whisper is crucial in a classroom. I wish I'd gone for a hearing test and started wearing hearing aids sooner than age 58, but I just couldn't face the truth, I guess!
The two audiologists I've consulted explain that the brain needs to receive the signal, in order to continue to process comprehension of sounds. That is, hearing sounds and understanding speech are both reinforced by correcting hearing loss. Failing to correct dim hearing will lead to worsening of comprehensibility of language, which is a bigger challenge than not hearing well. The longer you go without correcting hearing, the worse chance you have of hearing aids being able to help you to understand all language well.
When I was 60, my audiologist described my hearing (when I requested that she do so) as "really typical for someone 10 years older than you." So, I accept the fact that I have worse hearing than average, for my age. But, it's also not completely unique, she explained. I just have the unfortunate genetics for this earlier-than-average amount of hearing loss.
I started my AI when I was 61, so my hearing loss precedes being on it, and that medication has not adversely affected my hearing--I have regular hearing exams.
It took a couple of weeks to get used to hearing aids. The shock of loud windshield wipers and creaking floors is quite startling, but I no longer have to feign comprehension, cashiers stopped whispering (ha ha!), the volume of the TV doesn't deafen my husband, and I can understand everyone, everywhere. So, I appreciate them. Mine also connect via BlueTooth to my iPhone, and it's terrific to hear phone calls so clearly.
I hate having hearing loss, and I hate accommodating this ongoing disability, but I appreciate the fact that there's a high-tech solution for me.
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My trigger finger thumb is actually better from the cortisone shot. It took a while, but it has full range of motion and just a little pain. I am using Flawless for the facial hair, but I have to use it daily. I might have to go with the more painful option, epilators.
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Hi everyone,
I have been taking Arimidex for two months exactly. Amazingly, (knock on wood!) I have not had any issues with SEs thus far.
I am typically a very, very (very!) sensitive person to any medication.
I was curious as to when people started experiencing the SEs. Was it right away or did it get worse as time went on?
After reading everyone's experiences with it, having no side effects actually makes me wonder if it's working!
Carol
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Carol, many of us never have SEs. Or we have SEs that are more a nuisance than a problem - like being creaky in the morning. I wouldn't anticipate having side effects. You don't need SEs to have Arimidex work - you probably have taken other drugs that don't cause problems but still work. Continue on enjoying your life!
HUGS!
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Hi all, it’s been awhile since I have checked in. I passed the two year mark on arimidex in February. I just wanted to let you know my journey started out a little bumpy. When I first started taking it, I had the typical SE, sore joints and hot flashes but nothing that wasn’t manageable. Then about month three I started having deep depression. I talked with my OC and he took me off the medication for three weeks, a vaca from the meds. I restarted after the three weeks and haven’t looked back and the depression never reared it’s ugly head again. I had osteoporosis when I started on the medication but was taking fosomax. My last dexascan showed improvement and am now considered osteopenia, so improvement.....YEAH. I still have a few hot flashes, my knees hurt but due to arthritis not meds. I exercise daily, have kept my weight off AND AM FEELING GREAT. I have noticed my hair never really came back as thick and grows soooooo slow....but hey. I have hair and am happy to have made it this far. I wish you all the best. It got much better for me, and I hope for all of you as well.
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MACTAZ- Thanks for checking in with good news. I’m glad you’re doing well.
Hum
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today is my 1 yr anniversary of starting anastrozole. 4 years to go. I have been doing acupuncture since November for joint pain, hot flashes and exacerbation of restless legs. Tremendous help!!!
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Hi all. I was coming here all through chemotherapy and radiation, but haven't posted since before starting Anastrazole. I just took my 6-month pill. 4 1/2 years to go! I felt pretty symptom-free until I hit 7 weeks in. Then I started having joint pain and neuropathy. I would have a hard time if I sat for a bit and then when I started moving everything would be frozen and achy and l looked like a 100-year-old. The aches and hot flashes were bad at night too. So sleep was difficult. I had no or very little discomfort when I moved. So exercise was no problem. I thought about starting the antidepressant that is supposed to help. But decided first to try acupuncture. I also take glucosamine-chondroitin, fish oil, vitamin D3, biotin (for hair), turmeric, and a woman's probiotic (for urinary tract health) daily. After 3 months of acupuncture, I really started to see a difference. The aches and pains are much less. I just went down from weekly acupuncture to every other week and am seeing some increase in the achiness. I would like to go back to weekly, but that may get too expensive. My insurance covers only 20 visits per year. I am wondering what kind of results people are having who are using an antidepressant. Is it Cymbalta? Are there side effects?
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Hi to you all
I hope you all do well on Arimidex
I took it for 10 years as is the protocol here in Greece
18 months after stopping mets to lung
Now I don’t know if that would have happened anyway or if I had taken it for longer I would have been ok whilst taking it but I have to urge you all to take it , deal with the side effects and don’t ever believe you are “cured” after 5 years There is no magic number with this disease
Wishing you all the best
Ann
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suz-ee - I'm wondering if more frequent acupuncture would help. I stopped inNov/ Dec, mostly because of Covid. I usually only went 2x/month at most, cost, and insurance would only cover 20, and only cover about 1/3 the cost. Planning on resuming. There are 2 clinics that offer "community acpuncture", where several people are in the same room, at a much lower cost. Am considering those.
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I haven’t posted in a while. I would like to share with you that Arimidex caused me to have osteoporosis. In August 2020, my oncologist told me that I needed to get Prolia injections. He assured me that I would be fine. I have always been afraid of it’s side effects. I agreed to get the injections, so he injected me in August 2020. On February 11, 2021 I asked him to check my ear because it was bleeding a little and an ENT had stated that I could have cancer. After checking my ear, oncologist advised me to get the biopsy that had been recommended by my ENT, that he didn’t think it was cancer and to take the results to him so he could take care of it. He gave me a second shot of Prolia ton 2/11/21 (I’m so upset he gave me a second shot of Prolia. I’m pretty sure he knew what I had when he saw my ear before ordering the second shot). To make the story short, I have been diagnosed with osteonecrosis of the ear canal. Now my otologist recommends a 2 hr surgery or daily drops + using earplugs every time I shower or swim. I am very lucky to have found it myself at an early stage, but it’s still hard to deal with. I don’t know if will have surgery or if I will try to keep it under control with drops and earplugs. I exercise 1 hour daily, eat well and take calcium, magnesium and D3 supplements. Should I stop taking Arimidex? Should I have the surgery? I don’t know what to do.
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Annadou - I'm so sorry to hear about the latest developments in your cancer. I wish you all the best.
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Cali58 - it is so hard to know what to do when SEs can be so serious and affect the quality of life. I think oncologists have a strong bias for treating the cancer and that SEs are a necessary risk. In 2009 the oncologist I was seeing put me on Tamoxifen after lumpectomy/radiation, even though I was already menopausal. He had more confidence in tamoxifen at that time than AIs. I took Arimidex for more than a year starting in 2019. Noticed some stiffening in fingers, hair thinning. After Ibrance/Arimidex failed, I'm on Afinitor/Exemestane. I have not had a bone scan since 2019.
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Annadou - we just never know what lies ahead after stopping. I know I look forward to stopping, 23 months to go, but if I'm told to stay on it (after crying & a temper tantrum) I would. Best of luck to you. HUGS
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bluegirlred— I will ask my oncologist about Afinitor/Exemestane. I need to schedule a bone density test. I will contact my onc when I get the results. I took Tamoxifen and Arimidex for two years each when I had cancer in 2002. Then I had cancer again in 2016 and have taken arimidex for 3 1/2 years. I have 1 1/2 to go. Thanks for your input
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