For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
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Hello all. I just picked up my prescription for Arimidex. Been reading this thread and the other one, but wasn't sure which AI I was going to get. Now I know, LOL. Should start a week from Monday, as on Monday I will be getting my TE replaced. MO wants me to start taking it now that chemo SEs finally have mostly resolved. I was post menopausal when Dx, so hoping for managable SEs. Besides with bad knees, I AM on pain daily anyway. Thanks for being here though, in case I panic, I know where to come! Much love.
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Lot's of support here Moonflwr. Even for us newbies. Great ladies here. :-)
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It's the tradename for Zocor. I am tolerating it well so as long as I am she will keep me on it. I have been on it for many years. At my last physical my PCP asked if I was having muscle pain, I said yes, after 3 yrs of Arimidex the joint and muscle pain started, I think she was asking me because of the SE of Simvastatin. It also can cause kidney trouble.
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I also have been on Simvistatin for a few years. I am also on Amlodipine, which with Simvistatin can cause muscle pain. Just FYI..
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Had my Herceptin infusion yesterday plus appointment with MO. I am now officially NED, in remission, and a survivor. I still have another 3 months of Herceptin infusions and will be on AI indefinitely, but those are to lower the risk of recurrance rather than treat any active cancer. I'm now on an every 3 month schedule for follow up appointments with MO.
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nancyjac~ that's GREAT news!!! Time to enjoy life again!
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Nancyjac: Congrats!
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Whew! Congratulations, Nancy.
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nancyjac, Thanks for sharing your wonderful news with us. I am so happy for you
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Hi there, am new to this site. I am happy to see that you had no side effects so far. I start my Anastrozole tomorrow and have been very concerned about what to expect. I already have aches and pains so do not know if I would notice any new ones! (lol)
Has anyone taken this without having to take Zometa? My oncologist wants me to consider it, but that has even more side effects. I cannot afford to have dental problems as it is.
Thanks for any imput.
V
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Get a DEXA bone density scan for a baseline to start out with. If it is fine, you don't need to take Zometa. Make sure you get calcium in your diet, consider taking calcium plus vitamin D suppliments, get regular weight bearing exercises (light weights, walking, running, dancing etc....things that pound your bones). I have gotten a yearly DEXA while on arimidex and I have stayed in the normal range....but if I had gone down too much, with the yearly DEXA I would have known right away and I could have started Zometa or whatever at that time.
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Thanks ruthbru. That is great advice. I did start taking D3 supplemens and had a bone scan less than a year ago. Hopefully they will use that as a base. Will do walking, maybe some dancing, but cannot do the running, (mild copd). But will try anything to keep from taking more medication. V
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Nancyjac-That is wonderful news! So happy for you!
grannieval I started taking my arimedex about 3 months ago. I was scared to death. My Dr had me do a slow start to get my body acclimated to the new medicine slowly. (1 every 3 days for a week and then 1 every 2 days for a week then every day). Like you I already had a few aches and pains but I have had no SE's that I can attribute to the arimidex so I am a very happy camper. I am hoping to be like Ruthbru and take it my 5 years with minimal effects as it seems to be a pretty important part of all this .
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And eat a serving of prunes every day. They are GREAT for the bones!
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Ruth, I did buy prunes and I've added a few to my oatmeal in the morning. I like them even better than raisins.
nancyjac, great news!
Does anyone know if Zometa is better than Boniva? My onc only suggested the boniva.
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Not to mention digestion! I stew mine with a bit of water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Really perks them up.
Caryn0 -
Nancy ! Awesome news for you! Way to go! So happy for you!
I am fairly new to this but so glad to read some good news !
Redroan
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Ive been on Arimidex for 3 years now and while the hot flushes settled down during the first year, specifically the fuzzy head/memory issues & the aches and pains, stiffness etc have been horrible throughout. To the extent I tried to get a pill holiday last time I saw my onc & BS and got talked out of it. Tired of feeling like Im 100 instead of 46, I started lurking around reading the various alt and complimentary forums and finally decided to go visit a naturopath to see if they could help.
2 months later Im happy to say my quality of life has improved out of sight. The naturopath did a hair analysis test which showed I had a huge amount of calcium, but it was in my tissues and not in my bones. They changed me from standard calcium pills to Green calcium which is derived from a marine plant and is a liquid inside a capsule. The only other pill they introduced which I actually take is a probiotic and whether its the liquid calcium or the probiotic I dont know, but Im feeling wonderful now. The head has cleared enabling me to really get a grip back on my business and physically I have way more energy and way less stiffness and soreness. Even been able to do a few 9 hour shifts on my feet when before I was struggling badly to work 6 hours.
I have yet to see my BS or onc and will be seeing them at the end of the year, but I dont see how they could argue with the change in how I receive the calcium so i dont expect to be told to change back. Also cant see any issues with adding a probiotic as they are fairly common.
I strongly recommend anyone suffering the aches and pains to buy a bottle of calcium in capsules containing the liquid form instead of the sollid form and see if it makes a difference. If it doesnt you can always change back. BTW the naturopath also sold me a heap of other pills like zinc and magnesium, which Im not taking until i see by BS or onc and seeing as Im feeling so good Im not in a hurry to take yet more pills. Im also not sufficiently educated in all this stuff so until I know for sure those other supplements wont intefere in the performance of the arimidex, I wont take them.
Hope this helps someone, cause the change has certainly helped me. For the first time in 3 years Im not waiting for the day I can stop taking arimidex. And the thought of finishing the 5 years and being told to go another 5 doesnt give me nightmares lol.
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Linda1966~ You have given me hope. Just when I wanted to get on here and vent about the fact that my DEXA scan results came back with "thin bones" - mind you they only check the weight bearing bones -hips and lumbar (lower back) vertebrae. I have only been on Arimidex since August 1st so I know it's not a matter of the Arimidex! However, I am frightened for what's to come if I need to be on this for 5 years and started out with a poor baseline. I'm only 48.9 years old (will be 49 in November) and I, too feel like I'm 80 every time I transition from a seated to a standing position throughout the day. I work with children in school and as a therapist I need to be getting up and down from the floor -HA!
I"m aware of what helps..., weight bearing exercise, Calcium and Vit D, and I'm currently compliant with all of that. I am so greatful to you for another resource and I look forward to finding more help. Thank you again for sharing your story. It truly brings me hope.
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Linda - That's awesome to hear. I see my naturopath Friday. I only made it on the meds for 3 months. I don't know how you did it for so long. It's no wonder studies show that something like 50% of women stop taking them within 2 years. You may want to at least consider taking the magnesium. It makes the Vit D and calcium work more effectively.
I'm so glad your feeling like yourself again!
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C Squared, so glad I could give you hope. I have a bone density scan comng up next month so will be intrigued to see if theres been much deterioration since the original one 2 or 3 years ago.
Mini, the new calcium capsules have per serve 600mg Calcium, 43 mg Magnesium, 53 mcg iodione. 6.9mg sodium, 1.7mcg selenium, 3.2mg strontium & 24 mcg Boron. Have absolutely no idea what they all do but considering how im feeling they must all help the calcium get to the bones instead of the tissue. The bottle advertises that it is a unique wholefood source of calcium from an organic marine plant naturally rich in calcium, magnesium & 72 other trace minerals important for maximum calcium absorption & bone health. I put all this in cause I dont really know which is the important part, I just know that over the last 2 months my qol is way up.
Off topic, but oddly Ive had these "spells" since I was in my early 20's where I would have my arm start shaking and have to sit down really quickly (or fall down), get a heavy sensation in my head and then have to urgently go to the toilet. Underwent a whole heaps of hospital tests back then and again when they got way more frequent during chemo. Both times told it might be a mild form of epilepsy and offered pills (which I declined as they couldnt say definately that it was epilepsy )and to drink more water and add salt to my diet (which I never really did lol). I havent had a single one of the "spells" since starting to take these calcium capsules and the probiotic so my visit to the naturopath seems to have sorted that issue out as well. Happy days
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Thanks all. Being a survivor (again) feels good after being a patient for so long :-)
I've had the whole raloxifine/zometa/etc. discussion with my MO. I was on raloxifine for years and still got osteopenia and invasive breast cancer while taking it. My MO is not sold on Zometa and other bisphosphonates either. She feels there yet enough data to determine long term risk vs. benefit. She had me up my calcium and Vitamin D supplementation and increase weight bearing exercise. Having a bone density scan in October, so will evaluate if any changes are in order after that.
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Hi, I am new to this site and have been on Anastrozole for 1 week. Last night--and again this morning--I have noticed blood in my urine. Is this a common side effect?
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Hi Kim,
I haven't heard mention of that but this seems like something your doctor should check. Hope you'll give her/ him a call. Take care.
Caryn0 -
Shouldn't be happening, get it checked out.
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I stopped by my pharmacist's and they suggested the same--get it checked out, so I am following up with my doctor.
Thank you!
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Good job, Normandy, I was going to suggest the same! LOL
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Hi JO-5
Thanks for sharing your info with me. Yes I am a grannie! Have 4 grandchildren and 14 step grandchildren. My oncologist did do blood tests that included a vitamin D and lots of other things. I see him on the 5th of sept. and will see what is going on. He also had me start taking D3 and I do the multi's also. Took my first pill this morning!
It is wonderful that you did so well on the arimidex. I am truly encouraged! Thanks again.
Good info and advice on this site.
V
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Ok. I was supposed to start Arimidex today, forgot to take it this morning. So, question, better to wait and start tomorrow, or take it tonite and tomorrow morning , or just take every night. Any opinions?
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