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

PontiacPeggy

PMR53, Not so much "better" but the fillers Teva uses seem to be less likely to cause allergic reactions according to ladies who have had trouble with fillers. Great that the end of Herceptin is in sight!

tjh, YES!!!

HUGS!

mysunshine48

PMR53, Just for your information, some of us get our Arimidex direct from the manufacturer, Astro Zeneca. It cost $30.00 a month and I get a three months supply. So far no side effects. I have some back aches, but not ready to blame Arimidex. I just do not trust generics with this. Others say TEVA brand is find for them. ????

Spookiesmom

For a different opinion, all my meds, about 6, are generic. I do use TEVA, my SE seem to be less.

Go on line, pull up the arimadex site, get info. I think your doc has to fax in a script.

tjh

I only use name brand Arimidex. My oncologist wrote the script that name brand is medically necessary.

Spookiesmom

ohhhh I love when that happens!!! Insurance companies hate it!!! 😍

LindaKR

So I saw my oncologist yesterday, for my 5 years of taking AI appointment.  Things still looking good - appear to be NED still.  Yipppeee!  I'm definitely in the stay on the AI for another 5 years, or longer group - no question about it.....and he doesn't really want me to even take a break.  I said I would like to know how much of my pain, fatigue, depression, night sweats, etc... are attributable to the AI and how much are due to something else, so he agreed to a 4 week break, possibly 5 weeks.  I kind of wanted to go off it until after my daughters wedding on January 2nd, and he said he would agree, but really wasn't for it.  Of course my husband and parents are saying don't even risk it by taking a break, makes life fun.  Anyway, in the next few days I'm going to start my break and according to my MO he said I should really know within 3 weeks whether or not it will make a difference.  He also said that only about 10% have as severe issues as I do. 

I mentioned to my MO that some brands of generic AI's seemed to make my pain worse, and I thought I might be the filler, he felt that it might be because they had more or less of the active ingredient - apparently the generic is fine as long as it contains between 80 -120% of the active ingredient compared to the brand name.  Kind of makes sense to me, but he's very scientific and probably wouldn't think that fillers could cause major issues. I love him though, he's an amazing oncologist.  

PontiacPeggy

Linda, way to go for making 5 years! Good luck with your break.

HUGS!

meezers3

Day 5 of taking anastrozole and really bad insomnia tonight. Last night I slept for a few hours and then woke up every hour starting at 3:00 am. I had a lot of pain from my radiation treatments tonight and heartburn. Hope it's not the anastrozole causing the insomnia. I take my pill between 9 and 10 am.

PMR53

Thank you Ladies for all the information on AI.s. Yet another decision on This BC Journey. 

PMR53

Molly50

meezers3, I take mine at night. Try switching the time to see if that helps.

meezers3

Thanks Molly, I'm going to take it with dinner and see how it goes. I had to call in sick, I didn't fall asleep until after 5.

Redheaded1

Meezers, it takes a while to get over coming off your treatment schedule also.....I actually sorta think I had "separation anxiety" because the doc was not longer seeing me once a week, tech wasn't seeing me eery day etc. Insomnia has been one of the biggest complaints for me--I had it before Cancer and it got worse after the AI kicked in.....Talk to your PC if it persisits, sometimes just a low dose antihistamine at bedtime can help.

LindaKR---Halleluiahs---you hit the 5 year mark. What a MILESTONE!!!! So far, I can tell a difference in symptoms with just a two week break---so perhaps you can compromise with your family and just do a short one , even a 30 day one would probably show you what you want to see.....

LindaKR

Thanks redheaded1

meezers3

Thanks Redheaded1! I am no stranger to insomnia too. I get it easily, For a while I was convinced taking atorvastatin at night gave me insomnia. Taking it in the morning works better for me. I'm not sure what triggered off this bout. I was told by my MO to call the nurse navigator in one week regardless of how I was reacting to the anastrozole. I left a message with her this morning and am waiting to hear back from her. Taking the antihistamine sounds like a good idea too. I haven't gone for my allergy shots in over a month because I was too sick from the radiation. I was really surprised to have such a bad episode of insomnia last night because I didn't get enough sleep the night before, got up early, and went for a long walk during my lunch break. Taking an antihistamine will help with the itchy skin problem too.

208sandy

One of the main reasons I had to go off Arimidex a few years ago was insomnia - my PCP prescribed Ativan which I took twice a week just so I'd get at least two nights of good sleep - it didn't matter what time of day I took the Arimidex - check with your onc before taking the antihistamine - it didn't work for me but does for many - good luck!

Rosiesride

I do believe the numbness and neuropathy is from the taxol drugs from chemo...not anastrozole as I had it before I started...still pretty annoying...I have been on anastrozole for 2 months... Nottoo many side effects...just the numb feet, but from chemo...

meezers3

Thanks Sandy. Fingers crossed I sleep tonight!

Anonymous

LindaKR, congrats on completing 5 years. Note, (I googled) according to US Federal Law: "Generic drugs are required to have the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form, and route of administration as the brand nameproduct. Generic drugs do not need to contain the same inactive ingredients as the brand name product." www.fda.gov/drugs/. So it's the inactive (filler) ingredients which make the difference between brand name and generic. AstraZeneca is the brand name manufacturer. When arimidex came off patent, many have reported they can best tolerate Teva brand over other generic manufacturers. I switched to generic when they first came off patent and have not have a problem with a few different generic brands so it really is, as is everything about BC, individualized.

sherry67

I had the Teva brand and the bone pain was to the point of having issues walking. Thank god I'm off.Now trying Exemestane. Hope for no bone pain.

Amstar15

My wife just started on Arimidex ( got the generic Anastrozole) Thursday morning. Wondering if there are any tips that people may have? By tips I mean:

Drink a lot of fluids (okay that is a given). Claritin tends to help...?? Walk as much as you can each day.

My wife just turned 40. Had 6 rounds of TCH (finished Oct 7th).. and still has her Herceptin until Summer of 2016. Blood work showed that her ovaries were at a level that the Dr. prescribed Arimidex instead of Tamoxifen. Dr. suggest 1200 ML's of calcium vitamin daily, Vitamin D milk, etc and lots of exercise.

It will be interesting to see since she is just on the first few days of her arimidex journey that as she gets closer to the 5 years if the norm then will be continue out to 10 years +???

doxie

Amstar15,

Interesting that the MO prescribed Arimidex to someone so young and just out of chemo. It's not unusual for chemo to shut down ovaries of premenopausal women, but sometimes they revive. I hope your wife insists that her hormone levels be checked often.

Maybe someone else can speak to their experience with this. I was clearly menopausal when started on AIs. But my MO had my hormone levels checked a couple of years later when I had unexplained bleeding.

Amstar15

I to thought it was interesting that he considered her "post-menopausal" being only 40 and so close after chemo (a month out today from her last treatment). Wonder what happens if her Ovaries "awaken" again? If they were to "awaken" wonder if she will continue on with arimidex and be given a shot/medicine to suppress her ovaries to keep her in the "post-menopausal" state.

Interesting thought and a good question to ask him when we go back and see him Nov 25th.

Creativevintage

I had a DEXA scan yesterday in preparation for Arimidex. I won't start taking it ump till I'm done with reds, which start in a couple of weeks. I was shocked to learn that I have significant osteoporosis in both hips! I also have osteopenia in my spine. When I went for my herceptin infusion last week, I saw another Mo (Mayo is a teaching hospital so I see my Mo every third visit and see fellows and other MO's in between) who told me she was putting me on Zometa for the next three years. She seemed supreised that mo one had mentioned it to me because I was hormone positive and originally had nodal involvement. It upset me, but I agreed. I have a bit of a medication phobia that I have struggled to overcome with this whole situation, but sometimes it just throws me for a loop when I don't have enough time to prepare mentally for a new drug. I did to,erase the Zometa infusion and now that I know about the osteoporosis, I am kind of glad she did this. I also sent my sister who is a naturopath a note to talk to her about supplements, diet and exercise choices to combat the osteo. It just seems like this is never ending...

Redheaded1

My Mo only gives Ai's to post menopausal---not sure about how you know when your ovarian suppression wears off if you are on the AI---so I would definitely be confronting the MO to get some solid answers on this .

Vitimin D, calcium, exercise, no alchohol, all good tips.

amylsp

@Amstar15

I agree with the Ladies above. The AI drugs have no effect on the estrogen produced by the ovaries. That is why they are contraindicated if you're not 100% certain you are in permanent menopause or receiving shots to suppress the ovaries. Ovaries damaged/shut down by chemo in a pre-menapausal woman can turn back on at any time. There have been a few women on this Board whose ovaries 'revived' a few years after Chemo pause.

I just turned 54, have been in Chemo pause for a year, and blood work every three months shows I'm menopausal. But even with all of that, my MO wants me to have my ovaries removed or suppressed if I want to switch over to an AI drug. I'm currently taking Tamoxifen. The fact that I was still menstruating up through my first Chemo means I did not go through menopause naturally. So we can never be certain if the ovaries won't start functioning again, even if just weakly. I would think these issues much more likely in a woman your wife's age. Definitely question the MO on this.

Outdoorswoman

My MO decided that my levels were close enough to menopause at age 48, I wasn't interested in having more children, and some of the side effects of tamoxifen that if I wanted we could do the Lupron shot every 3 months and the anastrozole.

Have a great Saturday everyone 🌈

lago

Amstar15 I turned 50 right after chemo. I was still getting regular cycles. My MO decided bases on my age, mom/sister menopause history (age 51/52) and being perimenopausal she would put me on Anastrozole. She did test me for 5 months to see if my oestradiol levels remained in menopause though.

Amstar15

Ladies all excellent points. I know in my research before she was prescribed arimidex I know that those that were pre-menopausal before chemo usually had the Lupron shot with arimidex or they get prescribed tamoxifen.

So yes I need to talk to the MO to see how her ovarian estrogen is going to be monitored for her to stay on arimidex.

So is this something that can what to be asked when we visit MO on the 25th of November or should I give him a call on Monday?

tjh

My oncologist was adiment that I was in menopause before I started Arimidex. I had gone 6-9 months without a period before BC so I had several blood tests then that showed menopause. Even with that I had 3 more tests before she started me on Arimidex . I would call the dr. on Monday and move the appointment up. My advice would be take the name brand and not the generic. 1200 mg of calcium and vitamin D, I also take biotin-no soy ingredients for my hair and nails, walking, I do drink a glass of wine about once week and take 1 Aleve if I have joint pain.

Redheaded1

I would not take a single pill until I had an answer, and perhaps a second opionion.