Arm tingling/numbness from Aromasin?

I have been on Aromasin since the end of May.  I have joint pain and stiffness in my hands, feet, and knees.  I have a pain that runs down the inside of my upper arm, across my lower arm, and into my outer wrist.  Both of my hands fall asleep at night.  I am thinking the pain in my arm is from cording, even though my surgery was almost a year ago and I only had two nodes removed.  Maybe it is from the Aromasin??? I see my oncologist in about 10 days and I am going to ask her about the pain.  I am thinking maybe I need to see a physical therapist.  Please let us know what your doctor has to say.  Hope the pain/numbness improves soon.

Karen...  Well, I learn something every single dadgum day!  Did NOT know that CTS was a potential SE. 

I was actually in tears last night, and believe me... that is VERY unusual for me over the pain in my arm.  I, too, had an ooph at the start of this so-called journey.  I'm changing my diet, thinking about exercising more , and definitely on more supplements.  Like you said, Lea, what to do, what to do???

Hi Tj,

I just happened by your post. You may want to go the a more active thread with more recent posts like the general one on Aromasin or another one. I have been on Arimidex for 2 months and have had a lot of arthritic pain, etc. My hands hurt so much that I couldn't type or write for 2 weeks and it was getting me depressed. I am trying to figure out how to keep going - just got a script for pain killer once a day to help me try to get through this next couple of months before we re-assess. My onc said it is common to take a month off and try again with the same AI with 55% of folks having fewer side effects. He also said switching to another AI or Tamoxifen were other options. I am determined to stay on something - either an AI if I can or I will try Tamoxifen. But all of us have to search out what is best for us personally.

 If you check out, the other threads, you will see a lot of folks trying to figure out what is the right path for them. You don's say what your stage or grade are in your post, but I imagine that could play a part in what you decide. I hope that your pain gets better or that you are at peace with whatever you decide.  Best, Beau

I am now in year six of the aromasin. The first year was not easy. I never had the shooting pains down the arm that you are discussing, but the bone pain required daily pain medication. The fatigue was bad. I often needed a nap at 11am, and I got up at 9am! By 18 months, the bone pain lessened so that pain meds were no longer needed, and the fatigue was intermittent.

I stuck with the aromasin since I was in a Phase III study that covered the cost of the drugs. My point is, at least in my case, it does get better.

Hope this helps. 

As you can see you are not alone.  I to started off on tamoxifen and everything was great until my friend also on Tamoxifen had clots that went to her lung- Pulmonary embolisms ..many.  Her doctor said that this was slightly common in women on tamoxifen.  I had my D-dimmer taken a blood test for clots and it was over 800 which means I could have a clot developing somewhere and could have a stroke or Pulmonary embolism as well.  My oncologist took me off Tamoxfen and on arimedix..Ouch!!! Less than a year I got trigger finger and need cortisone shots....Then removed my ovaries and on Aromasin for two years.  The pain tingling and cramps have been god aweful.  I too have had nights of tears.

What helped

Vitamin D 4000u every day

Vitamin E

vitamin A

and other supplements- go see a nutritionist or a naturopath.  They can help lessen the side affects and buy you time to finish your 5 years.  Hang in there.  Do your best... no one would fault you for stoping who has been through this, but try EVERYTHING before you do it.  Myself I am going onto Femara and trying Vit B12 shots and some other suggestions on the site.  I got only two years left.  If it doesnt work well I did my best and will choose feeling good over being on disability or a wheel chair.  Good luck!!

Good to know I'm not alone. I had many of the tingling CTS and trigger thumb symptoms on Arimidex (took it for 6 months)  along with hot flashes, memory loss, sore joints and so on. I was off a month then on Aromasin (for 6 months now). The joint pain and hot flashes continue. The CTS went away but is now back after 6 months. Some days I feel as if I am going crazy. I'm off the Aromasin for a few weeks and will begin again 3 times a week. I am with a new Oncologist and after discussing the options we decided to try lower dosage. He did tell me that there are no real studies about lower dosage effectiveness. I feel so bad, I was just ready to stop all together. The interesting thing is that I have been off for four days and am having bad joint pain and tingling in arms. I just hope it will go away as my body gets back to some semblance of normalcy. Thank all of you for sharing and it is great to have a place to share with people who really understand

First time I have read this discussion board, but I would like to share my experience.  5 yrs ago I was treated for BC, and went on Arimidex for 5 months (I later switched to Tamoxifen).  I had many of the symptoms under discussion, and attributed the numbness to having had Taxol.  I also had wicked joint pain, which I knew was from the Arimidex.  At the time, I started receiving some acupuncture, and IT REALLY SEEMED TO HELP with the numbness.  Give it a try. 

I did not know that CTS symptons can result from AI inhibitors.  I have recently completed more chemo and radiation, and am on Femara.  All of the same sympoms are back.  Although it certainly is possible that as I was receiving acupuncture 5 years ago, the symptoms were abating anyway, I will be getting more acupuncture soon to try and relieve the side effects. 

TM60 - I've been on Ariidex for 5 years on my way to 10 or 15. Anyway, my hands and fingers would be numb and "fall asleep"

for probably the first two years. Suddenly, it subsided, and I never have that issue any more.