For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing

Spookiesmom

Spookiesmom

Manu14

jojo, glad to hear your first week went well also. I've got a full blood work up scheduled for 6 months after starting anastrozole. Yes, I think there is a lot of variation as to what tests our MOs order and how often. As long as insurance will pay for them and it's not adding a lot of radiation, I'm ok with it

AussieElaine

thanks heaps for the recipe spookiesmom, i will be sure to give it a go

doxie

The recipe is from one of Ruthbru's postings. She is the source for the information. Though my avatar is included in the 2nd post, I've only been a tester of the potion. It seems to work for me.

Spookiesmom

Those are screen shots from when originally posted

Pita119

9 drunken raisins a day...are you ladies able to walk/function eating this potent stuff? lol

tobyholic

Hey Rhody MMM.....I live halfway between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg.

RhodyMMM

Hi Tobyholic, I see that! We just went past your exit on the turnpike at Christmas on our way back from Baltimore. Perhaps we can meet up one day? I know Bedford is a nice area for the outdoors!

Martha

Redheaded1

If nine raisens are good, 18 are even better...

NisaVilla

Hello Everyone - New to the thread and need help with making a decision. I had a baseline bone scan prior to Arimidex. After exactly one year on Arimidex, a new bone scan shows osteoporosis. I would my like to know what treatment you are doing (conventional or non-conventional/natural and how you are doing. Hope this question was not asked recently. I only read the last posts. Thank you. Nosa

Spookiesmom

Are you taking calcium and vit D3? I do, and over 2 years showed bone loss anyway. If this continues, I think my MO will start me on the pills. Some here say prunes can help too. Weight bearing Excercise too.

What is your doc suggesting

lago

2 years into Anastrozole I was diagnosed with osteoperosis. Tried Fosamax first but it gave me gerd. I would have done Reclast but I won't do infusions in my arms (LE in one and other at risk). We had to fight but I'm doing Prolia shot 2X a year.

Manu14

NisaVilla, I'm interested in what kind of responses you get to your questions also. I'm waiting to get the results back from my baseline DEXA scan just done as I started anastrozole last week. Not knowing what the test results will show, I took some suggestions I read elsewhere on the forums here and started taking a combo of calcium citrate, vitamin D3, magnesium and vitamin K2. Apparently taking all four in combination helps make them all more bioavailable for bone health. I figure it can't hurt as I start the anastrozole journey and may possibly delay the onset of bone density loss.

stage1

Nosa, after 3 years on Anastosole, I chose to go on Tamoxifin, bone loss and joint pain was too much for me. But Tamoxifin is not letting me sleep, not sure I want to continue that either, but I think you need to consider your own recurrance possibility

PontiacPeggy

NisaVilla, I started on Fosamax 2 weeks after I started on anastrozole. It's only been 3-1/2 months though. I do take Vit D3 and folic acid. Calcium doesn't agree with me. Hope this helps. Sorry about you have osteoporosis

Msqueen57

After reading some of the comments above, I called Walgreen and asked that my Anastrozole be only the kind manufactured by Teva. So hopefully my refills will be correct. Hope side effects will lessen with this manufacturer.

PontiacPeggy

MsQueen, I had read almost all of the posts on this thread and everyone seemed to think that the Teva anastrozole has fewer SEs. So I started out with it. All I can say is after 3-1/2 months, no problems. I hope that Teva brand helps you!!! HUGS!

NisaVilla

Thank you Everyone for responses. From day one of Arimidex, I was taking Calcium ( over the 500mg recommended), Vit D3, exercised (more than before BC), do not have weight problems, and still developed darn osteoporosis. I need to call the manufacturer because no one can tell me if at some point, Arimidex stops the damage or if it will continue to cause damage as long as I am on it. Doc recommends Fosamax and wants to "save" to more potent options of medications in case in gets worse later. She said it was mild right now but the bond loss seems to be advancing at a nice pace, in just one year.

lago

NisaVilla Insurance/Medicare usually won't approve Prolia or Reclast unless you can't take Fosamax. I knew I would get gerd on it but I had to try it first. We still had to fight for the Prolia. My insurance had the nerve to suggest I go on Tamoxifen instead!

PontiacPeggy

Lago, I hope you very impolitely told the insurance company where to shove it!

Moonflwr912

I've been on a nasty soul for 2 and a half years. My last Dexa was almost exactly the same as the one right after chemo. The one right after chemo was 2x as bad as my baseline. But it has not changed in 2 years. So there is hope. I am still dangling on the edge of osteoporosis. Still just osteopenic.

lago

PontiacPeggy my Ruematologist fought with them. Good thing it didn't go through my MOt. My NP or MO would have ripped them a new one. My MO doesn't like tamoxifn for me.

PontiacPeggy

Lago, one would assume that your MO would know better what you need to take than a stupid insurance company!

Redheaded1

OK Ladies, I want to know a couple of things----have any of you experienced extreme tiredness midpoint into your first year on this drug?  Or about when did the aches and pains start?  Did you ever poop yellow? 

Sorry for the crude last question, but  since I came home from being in the hospital overnight with extreme vertigo, this has been a daily thing for about a week and a half.  Of course, I am trying to drink a lot more water, but I think if left to my own devices, I could just hibernate until March.....

lago

PontiacPeggy Yeah I love how they can make recommendations without knowing the details of my case!

Redhead call your doctor. Yellow poop can be a sign of several things including a liver issue or celiac disease.

linnyhopp

I am sure that if I read through this entire topic I would probably be able to get my question answered. However, since I don't have the time, (or the patience...lol!), I will ask you longtime posters if you would be kind enough to answer my question. Has anyone been told by their onc that the only joint painthat's related to taking anastrozole) would be in the hands? I have had significant joint pain in my knees for the past couple of years. I also seem to have joint pain in my hands and shoulders off and on. My knees are very stiff at times and it hurts like heck to get up out of a chair or bed. Also, does anyone know if joint pain from anastrozole can sometimes be much worse than other times? I saw my onc earlier this week and asked him again about joint pain and he told me again it should really only affect the hands. I would appreciate any input you can give me. Thanks!

lago

Linnyhopp yes to all of that. The first year I found if I sat for more than 1/2 an hour I would be very stiff in my legs. It did get better after a year but then my lower back and left shoulder (did have a car accident at one time) started to hurt. I also had stiff fingers and toes in the morning.

The trick is to keep active and exercise daily. If it gets real bad you can switch to one of the other AIs. I had to do that after 3 years. I'm on Exemestane (generic Aromasin) and finding that I just have a little stiffness in my fingers and toes for about 30 seconds when I wake up. Back/shoulder pain was gone in a matter of days of stopping Anastrozole (generic Aromasin).

Don't let your MO poo poo your SE. The ones you are experiencing are not uncommon but some do get better. Some get worse.

Spookiesmom

What part of joint pain doesn't your MO understand? Every. One. Of. Your. Joints. Can. Hurt.

Hand doc the info sheet that comes with the meds.

Some of it could be arthritis too. I never know what is causing the hurt, only that it does.

Or like Lago said, you could switch meds.

proudtospin

or maybe you want a dif MO?