For Arimidex/Anastrozole new, past, and ongoing New
July 10, 2012, nancyjac started a new thread for Arimidex/Anastrozole users because the older threads covered a large time span with a gazillion posts. The last thread was 424 pages; so here is a new thread for Arimidex/Anastrozole users. I hope that this will just carry on with the same support and information shared over the 424 pages of the original thread.
Edited by Mods to add:
- Link to the old For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing thread.
- Content from the main Breastcancer.org site on Arimidex: Benefits, Side Effects and More
Comments
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I started Anastrozole last Friday. My concern was weight gain. Katemom (California) said: Cannot blame it on the medication. So, just eat healthy, exercise and avoid (her) chocolate chip cookies! She was working through Weight Watchers - just didn't want to gain weight and blame it all on the medication. The medication is not an excuse to gain weight. Eat healthy is the key along with exercise.
I am taking my anastrozole in the morning and then getting on the stationary bike. I am also taking Calcium supplements two times a day in addition to my D vitamins. I am going to think positive - there were a number of posts that noted no side effects.
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It's been a little over a week and I have not really noticed any real side effects. I have o arthritis and have underwent a left knee replacement in 2012. I was scheduled for my right knee replacement with the BC was diagnosed. I put it off to February and then with the delay in tests and start of radiation, I am now looking at June/July. The joint pain that I am feeling is no different that what I have been feeling for years. I am keeping a journal. Don't know that anyone else will follow this topic but will try to continue to note my progress so give hope to others and, heaven forbid that I do have any side effects, will provide note of those changes.
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I am now two weeks into anastrozole; nothing unusual to date. I am fighting the peeling of the final effect of my radiation. But all seems to be going well.
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Prior to my diagnosis I had been seeing a Naturopathic physician. My hormones were in the "ditch" and I was using a bioidentical compound cream. I had finally gotten rid of hot flashes. NOW of course the expected side-effect has returned. Welcome HOT FLASH>>>>>
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I started taking anastrozole 2 weeks ago (one week after radiation) and so far I have not noticed any SE's. I am taking my pill at night and I can say for whatever reason since I started taking it I have slept better. Not sure if it has to do with the pill or still the after effects of radiation. Here's hoping it continues this way. I also take Calcium Citrate twice a day and currently a weekly 50000 Vit D until my levels come back up.
Here's to hoping most have minimal side effects and we can help each other along the journey.
Connie
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I heard back from MO. He wants me to take a two week break. If my symptoms subside he wants to switch me to Tamoxifen. Is that unusual?
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Completing three weeks of anastrozole; Hot moments prevail. I know that I had passed that point a number of years ago, but I can live with them knowing that it is the result of preventive treatment. I have decided to join Weight Watchers to lose those 20 pounds + that I put back on after a wonderful 62 pound loss. I am not going to give in to believing that that it is the medication.
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Thirty days - all is good.
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same here I am at 25 days and so far I do not notice any difference. If anything I started out taking mine at night and I seem to sleep better or maybe it is just from healing from rads
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I started taking anastrozole on November 8. 2015. The most bothersome side effect that I have to date is bone and muscle pain. Nothing that I can`t live with and work through if it keeps cancer away.
There are no hot flashes and ect. involved and for that I am glad.
I have gained some weight but I honestly think it`s from not eating as healthy as I should and not enough exercise.
That is about to change though, as I`m going back to Weight Watchers (I`m a lifetime member but am no longer in my goal range) and am going to work really hard to get back to a weight that I am happy with.
Oh and I take my pill at noon each day.0 -
I am still taking it in the am. I take it first thing. I am trying to get at least 10 minutes on the stationary bike before work. I also am taking a probiotic, a b complex; a CoQ10 and calcium chew. My night routine is 2 Vitamin D3; atorvastatin and another calcium chew.
I haven't noticed any bone or joint discomfort, but then I had bone and joint discomfort before all of this. I had a left knee replacement May 2012 and was planning to have the right knee done January 2016 and then breast cancer changed that plan. Looking to June now.
I had gained 20 pounds of my 60 pound weight loss between July and March. I decided to return to Weight Watchers. Let me know how you do. I am going to start a concentrated effort. Good luck.
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Ok so I am not too happy. I have been on anastrozole for 3 weeks and overall I feel pretty good. I take it at night and I seem to sleep good. My problem is I went for my 3 month follow up with my surgeon and since I finished radiation 4 weeks ago I have gained 6 pounds. I have not changed anything with my routine as to what I eat or how much I exercise and in fact I am working more hours. I need to figure out how to stop this. Not sure if it is from the pill or the lack of estrogen but I was not a happy camper. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Happy Hump Day
Connie
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I had lost 62 pounds. With several things including BC, I put 20 back on. Katemon had posted that she had lost 8 pounds returning to Weight Watchers. I had been a member of Weight Watchers a number of years ago; so I rejoined. I was on a high protein diet which I lost weight, but it puts a lot of stress on the kidneys. So Weight Watchers (especially the new plan) sets a reasonable and sane way to lose and then maintain weight.
I am now into the second month of Anastrozole and I don't think that failure to lose or gain is related to Anastrozole. My MO mentioned that weight gain was a side effect, but I have found other research that contradicts that.
I am 198 right now. I started concentrated Weight Watchers Monday April 18, 2016. I'll let you know how it goes. I am determined. Let me know how it goes for you. I will give you whatever support and encouragement that I can. Any yes Happy Hump Day -
Jo
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JNU3 that's great that you were able to lose 62 pounds. I hope it begins to taper off the longer I am on the hormone therapy. I took my first trip since being diagnosed. We went down to Beaufort SC and it was nice to get away for a few days. I was a little nervous but manage ok. We tracked our steps and we were averaging 13,000 steps a day so I want to keep that up now that I am back. Maybe that will help with the weight gain. I also start my golf league in another week so hopefully will get a lot more exercise in. More exercise less carbs is what I am going to try. Please let me know how you do with the weight watchers.
Other than the weight I really have not had any other issues.
Have a great week everyone.
Connie
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I really feel lucky not to have decided to bury myself in chocolate cake and ice cream along with all the other heavy duty snacks that were my downfall years ago. I am snacking on vegetables and fruit and drinking a lot of water. I will let you know if I start seeing results.
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I started Arimidex in March just before I started rads. By the time rads started I was SO sick with a kidney infection that took two different antibiotics to fix it! Then I had horrid joint pain, I have bad arthritis as well as Fibromyalgia. Headaches and nausea! So bad that my RO had me repeat a brain scan "just in case". My stomach hurt and I ate to soothe it. Gained 10 pounds in a couple of weeks and was VERY upset as I was eating smart. My MO took me off Arimidex for a couple of weeks and I've been back on it for about 10 days now. What a difference!! My body seems to be handling it now. Maybe it was shocked the first time into behaving. I did add tumeric, B12 and Claritin to my daily pills that I take and even my Fibro seems better! I am gently optimistic this round....
I was so bad I was considering asking for medical marijuana but then found out it's too expensive! I could just buy it local, but in pill form you don't get high. Smoking or baking it into something I would get high. Not what I need to work...sigh.
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Been taking Letrozole by Femara for four months now and believe it is why I am hungry most of the time. Other symptoms are feeling weak and tired, sleep interruption, depression, memory not working well, when out walking, my legs feel so very heavy, developed a sore throat and a cough. Been using Ricola drops without sugar to help, but it returns quickly. The price of Letrozole is impossible so thinking of switching to Arimidex which is less. I am now learning that these are symptoms of others on these drugs to kill estrogen to ward off a return of breast cancer. What can I do, or take, to lessen these symptoms, or is it a lost cause?
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iammax, my Arimidex is $200 a month. How the heck much is Letrozole????
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I am taking name brand arimidex and am paying $48 a month. I do have a good bcbs plan. If I switch to generic my cost drops to less than $2 a month. No real SE yet so don't know if I will switch.
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A few drugstores have been paid over $300.00 for 30 pills. It's a ripoff. Must investigate Armidex prices. Still, the symptoms from taking this drug are not good. I am tired of being tired, not being able to sleep well besides feeling that my legs are lead filled.
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So far so good; this is my second month on Anastrozole and not noticing any significant side effects. First appointment with MO and RO following completion of radiation is tomorrow. I am paying less that $4.00 for my anastrozole at Costco for 30 day supply.
I am watching weight and have lost 2 pounds this week.
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I'm finding that the Claritin IS making a difference in my reaction this time. Perhaps it's not allowing the inflammation of joints as it's an antihistimine.....who knows. I just know that tumeric, magnesium and Claritin are helping. I'll take it.
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I pay $38.30 for my Arimidex (30 tablets) here in Australia.
barbe1958 what daily dosage of tumeric, magnesium and Claritin do you take please? Muscle and joint pain have almost crippled me since starting Anastrozole. I have just had a two week break from it and felt so much better. I started a new brand just 2 days ago and already my ankles are aching. I see my Oncologist next week and think he may change me to a different AI.
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Smurfette, I take whatever the "daily recommended dosage" is on the label. I have Fibromyalgia and have suffered for years with debilitating joint pain along with horrid arthritis. My last bone scan showed every single joint including fingers and toes are arthritic! I'm not pain-free but the pain has eased.
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Thanks so much for the reply barbe1958.
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OK this is it. My first ever dose of Arimidex. I usually take my daily medications hours before this but I seem to be putting it off. For all my bravery, I'm afraid. So I'm channeling my inner Elizabeth Taylor today and off to find some water to wash this down with. Apparently there's no other way. Then I'm going to put on too much make up and go to the dollar store.
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You got this CB123!
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We're in your pockets, sweetie!
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Thinking of you cb123.
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Hi Guys,
Thank you. I feel so much better. Too much stress. At least I had the stress pimples before the hormone affecting treatments, so I know they're not SEs.
Last week was first pimple in over 10 years. Can't blame it on the hormones changes. LOL!
cb
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