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

Anonymous

red....my orthopedic guy prescribed a compounded cream for my wrist that has tendonitis. It is really great. Mine has lidocaine and a bunch of other stuff. Really helps

Spookiesmom

ewwwww red, that bites! No driving???? Well, if you are in snow country, can't shovel the stuff, that's a plus!!!!

Fluff, what is this cream? I broke my wrist last Oct, still bothers me some. Could be this blasted pill too, but I'd like to ask my doc about it

Anonymous

what he prescribed didn't have a name. It was a combination of lidocaine, anti inflammatory ,and other stuff I couldn't read on the prescription. My bottle says BACLO 2% and that it was compounded especially for me, lol. Insurance covered some, but it was $60 that I paid for a good size bottle.

3rdtimenow

Hi Jen and fluffqueen, I will mention all of your advice to my onc tomorrow. Has anyone else have success switching to another Al, I don't want to be a quitter, just want to be able to walk. I am at the point that I have to use a cane first thing in the morning and when going to the bath room at night. I am only 62 and feel like 90. Thanks for the support ladies. Stephanie

lago

3rdtimenow after 3 years I switched to Exemestane (Aromasin). Most of the SE are gone. No more sleep issue, muscle pain, lowered pulse rate, lost the 10 lbs I gained on Anastrozole, etc. April will be 1 year on Exemestane.

Redheaded1

The crème is supposed to help with the scars not being so noticible....

PontiacPeggy

Red, that sounds like a great creme!

SoLinda

Jilly59 just saw your message and wanted to say thanks for the kind thoughts! Hubby and I finished our 3,000 km drive a few days ago and I am currently having various check-ups. Cancer has been a long road, literally! All the best and big hugs and good luck with your treatment!!!

PontiacPeggy

Glad you survived the drive! That is sooooo long. Sending positive vibes your way!

dunesleeper

We're expecting 6-10" of snow tonight and tomorrow, but we are determined to get to the appointments I have scheduled, which includes the once. She will either change my medication or write TEVA ONLY on the script. Either way I hope I will be without high-level pain very soon.

farmerjo

Dunesleeper...hope you make it! Be careful! I'm not far from you, just over PA line.

PontiacPeggy

Dunesleeper & Jilly59 - you guys just can't win this winter. Dune, can't you have her call it in if the weather is challenging?? Stay safe, Sisters!

Jennie93

Question. Does Arimidex cause headaches? I've been on it about a month now, and lately have been having a lot of headaches. Wake up with pain sometimes. I know, everyone gets the odd headache from time to time, usually for no apparent reason, but this is almost every day and that's not normal for me. Just wondering if this was common with this drug.

PontiacPeggy

Jennie93, I don't know about anyone else, but I haven't experienced headaches beyond what I consider normal and I usually don't get them. Good luck figuring it out!

Bren58

Jennie, I had daily headaches on Arimidex. It was one SE that my MO said I could blame on the drug.

3rdtimenow

Thanks Lago, Stephanie

PontiacPeggy

Jennie, have you thought that maybe your eyes might need to be checked? That could be making the SEs worse.

GG27

I had a slight headache every morning for the first couple of months of taking anastrozole. MO said it was a known SE. Haven't had it for a while now, I think sometimes your body needs a period of adjustment. GG

Spookiesmom

Make sure you are hydrated too. That will cause headaches.

proudtospin

I know it sounds odd but whenever I get a headache, the first thing I do is reach for a glass of water, I seem to get dehydrated easy and the nurse at my gym told me that.  Dang but most of my headaches go away.  If they do not, then I reach for a pill

 

PontiacPeggy

Very good idea. I normally drink tons so wouldn't have thought about being dehydrated contributing to a headache.

lago

Dehydration does it for me. That's what a hangover headache is from. That's why you should always drink a lot of water if you've been drinking alcholol.

proudtospin

I take allergy meds and they do dehydrate me, I have a routine of how many bottles I need to drink in a day!  if I miss a bottle, headache!

PinkCarn

I have been on the generic since Aug 2014. I had joint pain at first; but in the last couple of months I have had carpal tunnel symptoms in both hands. I went to the hand surgeon and he said he has seen this with post menopausal women on this med. I am not sure what to do next.

TessaW

Oh man, if you can take Arimidex you're lucky. The joint and muscle pain was so bad at times I actually used my grams walker. I could barely get around. Femara had caused me extreme fatigue. The latest is Tamoxifen. I can handle hot flashes, but the rest of it gets to be a bit much. I haven't been taking it like I'm supposed to. I also have Zoladex infusions done. Those SUCK. Pain, fatigue, nausea, cramping, etc. The SE's do make me hesitant to take tamox twice a day, but what else can you do?

My employer is laying me off soon due to being sick. ( Hope they call me back in a few months.) Do you work outside of the home while on AI's etc? How has it affected your work life?

RhodyMMM

If I recall I did have some headaches on Arimidex. I was almost worried about brain mets because I had headaches and foggy brain. No more headaches since I stopped the Arimdex and switched to examestane.

doxie

TessaW,

You should go to HR to make sure your employer can lay you of for illness. I'm not a lawyer so don't know except that in my field of education, that is not possible.

proudtospin

Tessa, consider seeing a personal injury lawyer if they do lay you off, they will take your case for no money if they think they can win, then they will take their fee out of the judgment....do not let them mess with you, it is illegal

luvmygoats

Just read the past few days on here. Fluffqueen mentioned her compounded Baclo 2% for her tendonitis. Think that the baclo is Baclofen but do not know what other parts are. I'm not familiar with that particular compound but Ketoprofen gel is fairly common. I'm a retired hospice RN and have used this with several patients. It is a premade product so no need to find a compounding pharmacy.

Voltaren is another commercial product containing diclofenac which is an NSAID, same family as Aleve, Motrin and Ketoprofen are. I found a bunch of different combos of meds compounded into creams by searching "baclofen topical". Bet most orthopedic docs have their favorite. Hope this has been of some help.

tucker3

Proudtospin...I was stage 2, did chemo (ended Aug. 2014) and still have neuropathy in my feet. I am in Canada so I may not be eligible to participate in the study. I would be happy to contribute any way that I could and very interested in learning about the findings. thanks!