Joint pain waking me up at night

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shuttlemom
shuttlemom Member Posts: 5
edited June 2014 in Middle Age 40-60(ish) Years Old With Breast Cancer

I have been taking Arimidex for a year now I'm having so much joint pain it wakes me up during the night, Anyone else have this problem? What can you do for it?

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  • SusieMTN
    SusieMTN Member Posts: 795
    edited February 2010

    shuttlemom Yes, I have had joint pain that wakes me up at night.  I was first on Arimidex for a short time but joint pain was TOO bad, then I was put on exemestane (generic for Aromasin) which I stayed on for about 9 months and developed really bad sleep issues and weepiness - I couldn't stand it.  So I am back on Arimidex and the joint pain is not as bad as the first time but it is worse than when I was on exemestane.  I ended up having to take Tramadol as Motin was not handling my pain.  I recently started taking Tylenol or Motrin when I wake up in pain in the middle of the night, just can't get comfortable when I am in pain.  

    What joints are hurting with you?

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  • karen1956
    karen1956 Member Posts: 6,503
    edited February 2010

    shuttlemom....I had horrid joint pain on Arimidex.....knees and knuckles as well as other side effects....I switched to Femara, then tamox and finally to Aromason....the joint pain hasn't been as bad on the Aromasin, but the depression is worse....other side effects as well....I don't sleep well unless I take sleep aids...Ambian CR 12.5 or Ambian 10mg.....and when I wake up during the night, I take an Ativan 1mg....gabapentin is helpful for joint pain (and night sweats)....I took ibuprofen for pain, but it really didn't do anything....I hope you find some relief....these AI's just stink!!!!

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  • flash
    flash Member Posts: 1,685
    edited February 2010

    I found a few things helped me:

    increasing the calcium and D3, taking glucosamine, incresing antidepressant, taking some sleep aid and taking a prescription anti inflammatory (NSAID) called nambumetone.

    I hope you finds what works for you.

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  • debisongbird
    debisongbird Member Posts: 275
    edited March 2010

    I have been on Aromasin since May 09. Just now experiencing joint pain and sleep issues. However, the pain is not that bad. It's worse than when I first started it, but it only lasts like 20 - 30 seconds, then it's gone. I do have leg and hip and hand and wrist, etc., etc...but not so bad that I cannot function. I find taking calcium with Magnesium and D3 (especially D3) has helped (a little) with the pain. I also take pain pills when needed. Hope this helps.

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  • apple
    apple Member Posts: 7,799
    edited March 2010

    i hate that.. it's usually about 4 in the morning..  just early enough to get up anyway already

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  • SusieMTN
    SusieMTN Member Posts: 795
    edited March 2010

    I now take back what I said in Feb 9, give me the issues with Aromasin any day of the week as compared to Arimidex (generic for both)  I can't sleep, can't think, joint pain is worse AND my knee is so stiff I can barely walk!  This was not a GOOD change!  Can't wait for May appointment on so many levels!  SOME REALLY SMART PERSON NEEDS TO COME UP WITH AN AI THAT DOESN'T CREATE SUCH HAVOC in our lives!   Yell OK, done venting!

    Well, at least it is a beautiful day and I am going out for a walk even if it is a short one! 

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  • Isabella4
    Isabella4 Member Posts: 2,166
    edited March 2010

    Susie, sorry you're having all this awful joint pain.

    I have had it for nearly 7 years, it drives me mad. It's not just one joint, its all of them ! Some nights its not as bad as others, but I just don't get any length of sleep now at all. I have to have a shower, have an hour watching tv, or listening to the radio to try and settle myself down.  Then I take a sleeping pill, usually around 2am, and that'll give me peace 'til around 5/6 am....then its just a painful time 'til I can get myself out of bed. It will take me about 2 hours then, waking up, and hobbling around, before I can do much at all.

    My consultants take on my problem ??  ' Well, nobody else has complained about this' WHAT ? NOBODY ? Just like nobody else has complained about numbness under the 'bad' side arm, pain in the rest of the arm, just like I was looked at like something from another planet when I realised I needed VitD/Calcium with my Arimidex, and asked for it! Just like I was never offered a baseline bone scan on starting Arimidex, and I now have ended up with osteopenia, when I asked for my 1st scan SIX years after starting Arimidex.

    I have just been sent a very long questionaire about 'surviving breast cancer for 5 years' (when its actually SEVEN years) by my hospital. I really did a no holds barred answer session, especially when asked 'how do you think your experiences could help patients today'. AND I hope my consultant and her team get to read it.

    Isabella.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2010

    Hi everyone, is this the "Joint Pain Club" ?  Because if it is, I'm sorry but I have to joinUndecided  I started taking Arimidex in November, and now I wake up in the middle of the night in pain so I reach for the Motrin, then in the morning I wake up in pain all over, and I reach for 2 excedrin, and have my morning coffee http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNman000  and take my Arimidex and Effexor.  As the morning wears on I start to feel better, and less achy.  Then in the middle of the day I start again with the hip knee,and akle pain especially going up and down the stairs. My onc wants me to try 600mg of Motrin 3 x a day and if that doesn't work he'll prescribe something.  Uggg, I just don't want to take any more pain medication.  I'm staying active and taking walks but still I'm sooo stiff jointed especially these days with a huge storm moving thru our area.  All this joint pain and stiffness makes me feel like a 90 yr old woman, which I'm not.  This stuff is also drying me up like a prune too.  Not to mention the armpit pain.  It's all such a bitch to deal with.

    image

    Barb

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  • SusieMTN
    SusieMTN Member Posts: 795
    edited April 2010

    Shanagirl  Sorry about your pain, AI's are not fun! Maybe I could rip off Bill Clinton's "I feel your pain" 'Cause all of us do!  Cry 

    Has anyone tried Vit D, I was taking 2,000 mg but Onc said it was too much plus my calcium levels went up.  It seemed like my pain was lessened.  So I cut it back to 500 Frown but really do better on 1,000 mg.  So ladies, are any of you taking Vitamin D?  If so how much?  Does it alter your lab values?

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  • Isabella4
    Isabella4 Member Posts: 2,166
    edited April 2010

    Hi Susie....I'm taking 1,000mgs of calcium.

    To be truthful I saw no difference in pain levels at all when I went onto calcium / Vit D. I was taking them to help bone health, wasn't aware that it could have an effect on pain levels, but with me it didn't !!

    Isabella.

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  • SusieMTN
    SusieMTN Member Posts: 795
    edited May 2010

    WOW! I was taken off of Aromasin, weepy, and pain in back and neck shot up.  Onc took me off for a month.  So within a few days neck and back pain gone, and still have SOME joint pain.  But I have to say I am enjoying not taking AI's.  Onc also said it stays in your system a long time.  To be safe I will have a bone scan. 

    shuttlemom how are you doing now?

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  • NatureGrrl
    NatureGrrl Member Posts: 1,367
    edited May 2010

    in the for-what-it's-worth department, I just started taking extra D3 this past week (in addition to the 500 IU of D3 that are in my calcium supplement, I'm now also taking a 1000 IU capsule each day) and I had almost immediate relief from joint pain.  I didn't have it as bad as some of you but it did improve markedly so I'm really happy about that.

    Don't know what it will do to my blood levels, I guess I'll find out soon if it shows up fast, or later this summer if it takes longer.  Sure hope I don't have to cut back because it really is helping.

    Isabella, so sorry you had to be the one on top of your own treatment plans, very frustrating!  I know sometimes we are our own best advocates (and I'm grateful for these forums because they always help me walk into my dr's office prepared now) but you would think the medical community could have done a better job for you.

    Best to everyone...

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