Is this normal?

jlee2511

Since starting arimidex in January my mom has had very sore joints. It started in her elbows on and off. Now her right hip is bothering her. She said that for a few weeks now it feels like her hip is "catching" when she bends over or moves wrong. Last night she was watching a movie and she said it really started to ache in the joint. (she did do a bunch of yard work yesterday). She just saw her oncologist last week for her 6 month check up and she also had her first Zometa infusion then.  She did have a horrible reaction to the zometa, sever flu like symptoms and body pain. Her onc thought it was just pain from the arimidex. Is that normal to have one joint affected? Shouldn't both her hips be hurting? Is it normal for a new side effect to pop up six months after starting arimedex?  I just dont know what to think, we are supposed to know the cancers back by the symptoms but it seems every day there is a new symptom. It gets so confusiung....

Celtic_Spirit

I began taking Arimidex last Christmas Eve. I took tamoxifen for a little more than two years prior to that. I didn't feel any Arimidex side effects until last April, so it took me around four months to feel the side effects. I can't say that it's normal to have one hip hurt, but I can tell you that I have different joints hurt on different days, and some days are much worse than others. Today, for instance, my ankles and knees hurt. Other days, it's the vertabrae in my neck or my hands. I do find that I have a harder time sitting for long periods of time; often, my back or hips will hurt. Drinking a lot of water helps with the aches, as does exercise.

BTW, the first infusion of Zometa frequently causes flu-like symptoms, so don't worry about that. It did for me. I had four infusions total over a two-year period, and only the first caused a reaction.

lago

It does sound like it could be either the Arimidex or the Zometa from what I have read. The fact that it is happening on both sides make it less likely to be bone mets IMO but I'm no oncologist.

Your mom might need supplements like D3 and Calcium. If she isn't on any she should talk to her onc about this. Having low D and being on these drugs can create SE like stiffness.