Any remedies for Arimidex side effects?

PinPDX

Hello

I am new here but thought I'd give it a shot.  After taking Tamoxifen for 2.5 years, I was switched to Arimidex a few months ago.  I had some joint pain on Tamoxifen but it is so much worse now.  Mostly in my feet and ankles but even the little joints at the ends of my fingers hurt!  I can hardly walk when I get up at night to go to the BR!  Stiff, achey, etc.  It gets a bit better when up and moving but when I am not at work, the grocery store or trying to exercise, I am on the couch!  I used to be an active person!  Not sure I can go on like this but don't want to jeopardize my survival (stage 2 IDC, then DIC a yr later; I am now 55)  Can anyone tell me what helped them?  And will this all GO AWAY after I stop the drug?? 

ruthbru

Check out some of the arimidex threads, they have lots of information. It will get better once your body adjusts; but keep moving and active even if you feel creaky, it really does help that happen faster.

PinPDX

Thanks, Ruthbru.  I am finally figuring out how to navigate this amazing site.. Sure wish I had known about this right after my dx.  I am reassured that the side effects won't be "forever..."

ritaz

Hey PinPDX - check out:  Arimidex - Coping with the SE's thread...Started by Lowrider54  I have been taking Arimidex since Jan '10 and was experiencing terrible joint pain especially knees and hands. I learned on that thread that to go gluten free is to go pain free...it took about 3 months for all the pain to go away...Believe me, it isn't easy, I was such a bread girl!  But, I look at that bread and remember the awful pain and I don't eat it...We live in such a gluten society!  But, it's doable...I highly recommend that thread...Ruthbru - you ROCK girl - I see your posts all over the place and you are just wonderful!I myself just got the news last Friday that cancer has reared it's ugly head again in only 15 months...Ahhh, just gotta go for the ride again...this time DCIS and NOT ER+ so I'm thinking that the Arimidex is doing it's job...Just a little disconcerting that my body can make two different types of cancer - disconcerting and just a bit scary...I wish you well... 

PinPDX

ritaz - thanks for the reference.  I stumbled across some of those posts today.  But I can't figure out WHY the gluten-free thing would work?  I can't imagine how I'd do it... but I guess if I really want to, I'll figure out a way.  Is there any chance that the SE go away with time and it might be a lucky coincidence??  Just sayin'...  I really appreciate your input!

 As for the DCIS, don't worry.  I had IDC stage 2 on the left, then - while on Tamoxifen - got DCIS on the right a year later!  I figured the Tamoxifen prevented the DCIS from becoming invasive.  Just get rid of the DCIS and you should be okay...  It NEVER FUN but having been through the whole thing once, the second time wasn't as bad.  Wishing you well, 

P. 

ritaz

PinPDX - I have a friend that is an RN - she said that gluten is an inflammatory and that by stopping the gluten, I have stopped the souce of the inflammation.  I've heard that these side effects can go away with time but for most, they will go away when the Arimidex goes away :-( 
Oh, and another group of ladies suggest fish oil supplements help with the side effects as well...

Thanks for the encouragement with the DCIS - I have an MRI scheduled for Thursday and I'm hoping they don't find more of this crap...Yes, it's not so terrifying this time...I'll live thru this one too...Gotta love early detection...

Good luck with Gluten Free - it's really, really worth it and lucky for us, there's so many gluten free options these days - I can even find restaurants that have gluten free menu's...And best of all?  You'll most likely lose weight as you're not eating cookies, bread, cakes and twizzlers...

PinPDX

Oh nooooo, not the TWIZZLERS!!  Those are my absolute favorite sin!

P. 

ritaz

Yeah, bummed me out too - who'd have thought that the very first ingrediant would be wheat flour?   At first, you have to read all the ingrediates of things...In no time, thou, you'll figure it out...

Annabella58

hi there, try checking your vitamin D levels.  an awful lot of my SEs went away with supplemental D as i was low.

And as Ruth says, keeping active is the single most imortant thing.  If you move, you are OK.  If you sit, you aren't.

good luck.

Annabella58

I live for twizzlers. 

Not so sure on the gluten free.  My onc said that if you have a gluten intolerance already and do not know this, it would help.  If you don't, it may not.  Worth a shot?  He kind of pooh poohed it.

Also, yes, with a bit more time, those achies tend to subside.  Take some fish oil caps, get more veggies, drink lots of water, check you D levels and get thee moving, girl.

xox

PinPDX

Anniealso,

Absolutely true on the movement advice.  Every time I think I'm just going to take a whole day and stay on the couch, I get WORSE!  So no more of THAT!  Move move move is now my motto...

Helps to have the encouragement - thanks! 

ranson84

     Hello everyone, my wife is stage 4 Inflammatory breast cancer, she is now on Arimidex and had the severe joint pain, I researched that one topic and found a Washington University study that used Vitamin D and Calcium combination to resolve the joint pain.  She has been on this specific regimen for about 5 weeks and reports the joint pain is gone!  The study used 50,000 units of Vit D2 once a week and a daily dose of 1000mg Calcium with 400 units of Vit D3.  The Vit D2 is probably prescription, I know hers is.  The Vit D level needs to be checked from time to time so it does not go to high as this could cause kidney stones.  Now, anyone have any input on the hot flashes?

PinPDX

I find that a very small dose of Celexa (Citalopram) 10 mg every day makes a difference in the number and intensity of the hot flashes.  They don't go away completely but I am convinced they are better since I've tried stopping twice and the hot flashes became unbearably worse.

 Good Luck and best wishes. 

ranson84

     Thanks, I will look into it with the oncologist.

pitanga

Pin PDX, I had a lot of pain with Arimidex and finally my onc switched me to Aromasin. That was a year ago and though I am still a little creaky i feel MUCH better than i did on Arimidex.

honkittle

Thanks for posting this.  I just made the same switch to Armomasin.  I couldn't envision going years with the aches and pains of Armididex.  I'm glad to know it is working for you.

PinPDX

I am now also on Aromasin but find that with time the achiness has returned; it seems to migrate around - different sites/different days!  I also find that if I injure or use a muscle it take forever to heal.... sigh.  Just hoping this will all be better when I stop the drugs in about a year...

 I appreciate the input.  I guess everyone is different. 

peggy50

I have gained a lot of weight on the anastrozole and am going off it for a month as I can't lose weight on it. I have been taking it since Jan. 2012. It has pushed me into pre diabetes and having high blood pressure. I have always been healthy so these are a big concern for me. My oncologist wants to try me on the other cancer pill but I am taking a break to try and heal some of these other issues. It put me back into menopause and that is where I originally gained my weight.

vacationbound

I started Arimidex in May after my hysterectomy. To avoid any bone loss and Bisphosphonate drugs, I have been taking the Power 4 (Mag, Cal, Pot, Vit D3) and Strontium by Doctors Best-I also take Celebrex every morning and an aspirin. My bone pain started in my wrist and ankles, then to my back, after starting my regimen with the Arimidex the bone pain is slowly dissipating which is remarkable to me!

Genna_mac

I too am new and have joint pain which is driving me crazy I also have developed a rash ( like sunburn) from the second knuckle of my hands to my shoulders been on arimidex since June

tonyacozart

I see this thread is old, but I thought I would chime in as I am new

I have been on arimidex for abou t8 months now. I had terrible joint pain before I ever started it. I had a hysterectomy several years before my BC so I was on estrogen. When my mammogram came back bad, I was immediatly stopped from my estrogen. It took a few months but then the joint and achy legs came into play. I thought it was going to be what took me down, after a mastectomy and all. I got a great pcp along with all my doctors and she put me on wellbutrin, this was a total LIFESAVER for me. within 10 days the joint pain was gone. I am doing really well pysically now, lost weight, excersising, feel fantastic. I still have some achy legs, but I take some advil if I need to, and I eat a bananna every night. (they have magnesium and potassium for leg aches and melatonin to help you sleep). HTH!