Arimidex - Coping with the SE's

Raj20

I am with Arimidex for last 3 and half years. I am experiencing no big  side effects  with it,  but of course  gain weight troubling me all the time. I do  mild exercises, like breathing, step walking and yoga asanas (easy one) just to keep myself active. I also eat very little but  drinks  lots of water but my shape remain same particularly  my stomach.

samsue

rajkumari are you taking special vitamins/supplements to help with the side effects? I'm willing to try different management techniques. I'm trying to do this naturally but my onc is really wanting me to try/continue with the A's.

My hands are a constant problem and I've also had the charlie horse in the leg. Sometimes it freezes even when I'm walking which is the strangest feeling. I've also had the turning in of the leg. I just watched it turn, and couldn't do anything about it. And, yes it was painful.

ruthbru

Julia, good luck with the tonsils!

Anonymous

You ladies gave me the biggest laughs with your hockey players.  Especially after I realized that you are supposed to have no "raging" hormones left in your body because of A.

I was getting the charley horses also.  Daily now drink tonic water because of the quinine which is supposed to help with cramps.  Worth a try.

Claire_in_Seattle

My hormones still rage.  I told my surgeon that she needed to know that even Arimidex did nothing to dampen them.

The other benefit of cycling is fit guys in spandex.

Anonymous

Just wondering if Arimidex gives fibrobmyalgia-like sypmtoms.  Every day it seems like my whole body hurts all over especially upon waking up or sitting for a period of time. Hate the way this feels.

Barb

ruthbru

Barb, when did you start taking A? I was pretty achy, creaky at first; especially in the morning or if I sat very long (and way bad if I sat on hard seats; like bleachers). Just keeping moving, walking, exercising and TIME PASSING helped a lot. In fact, the other day I thought to myself, "Oh, I'm not creaky when I get out of bed in the morning anymore." (and it was so gradually better that I didn't notice it while it was happening). Hang in there! Ruth

mersmom

Totally forgot about the tonic water...Thank you for the reminder. I will pick some up in the morning.

TokyoSing

Now that acupuncture is controlling my joint pains, I get up in the middle of the night with "Charley horses".  I must have missed the thread on tonic water and quinine.  When I had middle of the night cramps in my calves, back in the dark ages when I was pregnant with my kids, the doctor said I was Vit B 6? deficient.  Drinking tonic water's more fun.

Anonymous

especially if you add gin!

(just kidding - never tasted the stuff but I know a lady, now in her 80's who still swears by it)

don23

Ruth - how long have you been on Arimidex? It's good to know that these issues go away over time.

ruthbru

I started Armidex in August of 2007, so over three years now. I had all the hot flashes, achy, creaky joints, really stiff when I got up in the morning, hard to sit for very long stuff in the beginning too.....and all of it decreased gradually over time and is very minimal now. (After I submit this I am going to immediately knock on wood!).

Rocket

I too am very glad to hear that the SEs ease over time.  I've been on A since April 15, 2010.  I can't wait for the pain to go away.  The trigger finger thing is new for me.  It started this week.  I have mentioned it to my PT and will ask for exercises to help.  I hope like Ruthbru that I experience relief over time.  I'm determined to stick it out one way or the other.

Enjoyful

I've been on A for 6 months now and some days I swear the SEs are getting worse.  I do walk my sister's dog at least an hour every day so I get some exercise, but I still have to take oxycodone for the pain.  Nothing else helps. 

I do hope this gets better with time. 

Claire...fit guys in spandex...*snicker*.  Nothing beats a hockey player for sheer manliness, though. 

E

Rocket

Yeah, I'm originally from Maine and we know all about hockey players.  Went to a NC Hurricanes game two years ago and loved it.  Those guys are even bigger in person.  I want one with teeth though too!

samsue

Patoo thanks for the reminder about the tonic water. I'll go and get some. The symptoms of A's are similar to those I've had with low thyroid. My feet would really ache in the morning when I jumped out of bed (just kidding, I really just crawled). The hormones are so interconnected it's hard to determine what's really being effected.

Enjoyful

I love to stand at the glass and watch warm-ups.  It's like being at the aquarium and watching the sharks swim by (though the sharks have way more teeth!). 

Rocket - Once in a while mMy sister and I drive down to see our beloved Capitals play the Hurricanes.  If you're available, you should go with us sometime!

mersmom

Enjoyful,

Beings you are a Caps fan you might be interested to know that Olaf (Ollie the Goalie) Kolzig played his junior hockey career here with our team and has his home here now and he is the primary owner of our team. We do alot of fund raising for the Carson Kolzig Foundation...named in honor of his son that is Autistic.Won our game last night and nobody lost any teeth. I would considered that a great night.

My cramping legs are much better...but i do take thyroid and so I may also see about an update on my blood work for that ...maybe it needs to be boosted up.

mellysu1022

 I am an ARIMIDEX taker and have very few SE's,. but I think my problem with the medication just became huge. it's has become 10 times more expensive since my prior 3 month purchase through my insurance home delivery service. And that was without telling me and they won't let me send them back! I feel scamed and sad. I guess I really wanted to know if anyone has gone to the generic with no difference.

Enjoyful

mersmom -

I'm so glad your legs are better.  Mine were awful during chemo but they've subsided.  Here's hoping your problem is gone for good. 

OMG Olie Kolzig!  I love him!  I was so sad when he left the team, but at least the ice at Verizon Center got better (all that goalie hotness just melted it to bare floor).  I knew he lived in Washington now and was involved with juniors, but I had no idea I kinda know someone who hosts kids who actually PLAY on the team that Olie owns!  So amazing! 

Please tell Olie I said "OMG!!!!!" when you see him next.  :-)  And congratulations to your team on their double victory last night! 

mellysu - I take the generic and I haven't had any problems that I can pin on the generic version.  I seem to be more sore these days, but that may just be the Arimidex SEs kicking in for real.  How rotten that your insurance company did not make the generic available to you!  Want me to call them for you?  Grrrrrr!

Annabella58

I'm thinking UTI as well, that's my symptom!

Also, if you are drinking any caffeine, cut that out.  If you are taking any herbal supplements, stop those, many are dieuretics.

Hi Ruth!  Taking my viactivs just like my "personal trainer" reccomended...one question.  When the heck do you find the time to exercise???

mersmom

Yes, Olie is a thing of Beauty. Love the ice cream referance. My daughter and her buds refer to him as "the beauty that is"...his wife is a real looker too. Oh to be that young again.

My legs are much better...I need to get out tomorrow and do some serious walking...makes such a differance.

Need to get going ...get ready to watch "McDreamy"

ruthbru

Melly, I went generic and have felt no difference what-so-ever; and you shouldn't, according to my pharmist, it is a 'serious' class A drug, which means the generic has to have EXACTLY the same ingredients as the original.

Hi Annie, you really have to plan your day around your exercise (instead of 'fitting it in'). If you have 20 minutes; put some exercise in 15 minutes of them. Walk on the treadmill while reading the paper or watching your favorite show, at work walk for some of your break, put dinner in the oven and do a DVD while it cooks, do situps or walk in place while watching the evening news. It is hard at first; but once you make it a habit, then it is something that you want to keep at and you'll ditch other things before you skip the exercise. Maybe we will all have to take up HOCKEY......scouting hockey players anyway !

Enjoyful

While we're scouting hockey players, let me just say one name - Jose Theodore.  D-d-d-d-d-DAYUM.  Why is it that the goalies seem to hog all the hotness?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mqNiAkT1BtI/THSL3qjxO_I/AAAAAAAAAg0/6aTQjC2br-Q/s1600/JoseTheodore12.jpg

Sorry....the threadjacking is now over!

ruthbru

Threadjack away! One very good way to deal with SEs is to keep busy with more pleasurable thoughts and activities......and what could be more distracting (and pleasurable) than hot hockey players?!

Annabella58

...I think I'd better start watching hockey.  (while doing situps Ruthie)

sounds like that will bring on a hot flash or two

otter

mellysu, I've been on Arimidex for more than 2 years, and I just switched to the generic about 3 weeks ago.  I haven't noticed any difference at all in the SE's.  My SE's never have been very bad -- just some annoying hot flashes and intermittent achiness.  Everything else I attribute to the fact that I'm 58, I've been menopausal for 7 years, and I had mild wear-and-tear arthritis in lots of places years before my adventure with BC began.  Arimidex may be making some of that slightly worse, but the generic  hasn't been any different from the brand-name, at least for me.

There is one difference, of course:  the generic is a lot cheaper, especially if you can shop around for a low price.  I didn't -- I just get mine at the same pharmacy I've always used, because my insurance covers it anyway except for a co-pay.

otter

Valjean

Hello! I have been on Aromasin since Feb. 09. SE's are minor. The usual stiffness if I sit too long, mostly in the evening hours ~ numbness in the hands, makes it hard to sew  (working on a Christmas stocking for my Grandson sewing on tiny beads & sequins. Have to stop often to let the blood get back into my fingers to continue.) ~ the usual weight gain.    ~ some trigger thumb crapola when I wake up in the morning ~ some memory loss like a name or book (it's on the tip of my tongue but can't quite get it out). Edited to Add: hair loss as well.

OKAY, maybe the SE's aren't so minor after all when I see them listed. And, I'm sure I've forgotten something! 

I'm hoping Aromasin becomes generic in April 2011 when the patent is up.

{gentle hugs to all}

Oh, by the way. I love me some hockey players, too. LOVE my Red Wings. Have been to two games & I was in instant love. Stevie Y (Steve Yzerman) was still the Captain the first time I went & I was stuck to the glass during warm ups.   I'll watch any hockey, anytime. College hockey is great!

Annabella58

I wonder why it is that so many of us have had bad experiences with the generics?

It has to be the inert ingredients.  ??

Lowrider54

Only the first pill gave me any different effects...the next day, drank more water and had a little more to eat before instead of with all my meds and it eliminated the tummy upset and slight cramping I experienced.