Anastrozole SEs

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ILwoman
ILwoman Member Posts: 9
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

I took first Anastrozole yesterday, had insomnia last night.  Today, I have difficulty focusing and read that a side effect of this med is impairment of thinking ability.  Will my body adapt to this without being a serious issue, or will that be an ongoing thing?  It's very disturbing.

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  • catbill
    catbill Member Posts: 326
    edited November 2011

    I think everyone reacts differently, but what you're describing sounds familiar to me.  Check out the Arimidex SE's thread since Anastrazole is the generic for it.  There is lots of information there.

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  • stage1
    stage1 Member Posts: 475
    edited November 2011

    I was not sleeping, as I took it in the evening.  I switched to taking it in the early afternoon.  Sleeping better:)

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited November 2011

    Hi ILwoman,

    You might find some information helpful on the main Breastcancer.org site on Arimidex and also on managing Treatment Side Effects.

    Hope this helps!

    --The Mods

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  • DocBabs
    DocBabs Member Posts: 775
    edited November 2011

    First of all , if you just took the medication one night ago it's doubtful that side effects would have kicked in that soon.It takes a little time to build up a blood level. Secondly , I would avoid looking up any more about the side effects.I agonized about whether or not to start Arimidex as everything I read about it scared me to death. I felt much better about taking the stuff when I wasn't anxious about every little ache or pain I felt.. I'd keep track of anything new and discuss it with your onc.I' m 67 years old , play tennis every day and have arthritis in a few body parts so joint aches are almost always a daily occurrence.This is just MHO.



    Barbara

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  • bgud2me2
    bgud2me2 Member Posts: 28
    edited November 2011

    I am scared to death as well. I am already fatigued since surgery, and with the plummeting estrogen, I cannot even imagine what it will be like when I start Arimidex.  Why not tamoxifen?  It is not as hard on the joints and bones as SE's...so I have been reading.  What does everybody take for hot flashes??  Any input will be great.

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  • LindaKR
    LindaKR Member Posts: 1,577
    edited November 2011

    The studies show that the aromatase inhibitors have a work better than tamoxifen in preventing recurrence in post menopausal women, they call it a significant difference, though tamoxifen works well too.  I am choosing to stay on the AI as I was Stage IIIA at diagnosis which comes with a higher risk of recurrence, I want to do the most that I can to prevent that, even though I'm having a lot of pain issues with the AI.  Tamoxifen runs a higher risk of blood clots and uterine cancer than the AI's too.  Both cause hot flashes, I've learned to just roll with those, I find that a lot of times they are triggered by what I eat, so try to stay away from too much coffee, and I only have a glass of wine now and then.

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  • bgud2me2
    bgud2me2 Member Posts: 28
    edited November 2011

    yes I hear you Linda.  I go in for surgery 2mrrw for my bilateral, which should have been done at the time of my original mx on Oct 27th.  I did not have to do chemo or rads, and onco score of 22.  I am seriously debating whether to do anything at all because the rate of recurrence from the onco was an 18, and onco dr. stated if I took an AI, it would lower it to a 9.  I am highly ER /PR positive. I dont know what to do now.  I see in a lot of different articles that it causes hair thinning.  Have you experienced that or no anybody who has?

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  • LindaKR
    LindaKR Member Posts: 1,577
    edited December 2011

    bgud2me3 - I haven't had hair thinning, though I started taking it while I was still bald from chemo, but hair has come back thicker than it was before.

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