Arimidex - Coping with the SE's

I am going to pop in hear. I've been reading for a while and realize how many of us deal with SIDE EFFECTS of the Arimidex!- I too started with a itchy head just recently.  I thought maybe it was winter dryness. But the strangest thing is a "thorn like" feeling on the left side of my head. Has anyone experienced this? Just barely touch my HAIR and it feels like thorns in my scalp.

Valjean - the carpal tunnel might resolve itself even while on arimidex, as mine did. I'm 3 years into arimidex and I think i havent used my wrist splints ofr maybe about 6 months or more....the ses change over time. Mine have all lightened up a lot.(except the hair thinnning

Elizabeth 1889:  Thanks for having the same lousy, confusing side effects.  I have not been cold like this since I was a young kid, low weight. It does not suprise me to get hot flashes, expected somewhat, but hoped my estrogen was so low that Arimidex would not make a difference. I get teeth chattering cold with my hoodie up. I bury my head underneath the comforter like an Eskimo.  2 minutes later, I may need to pull everything off and pull my shirt up to feel the overhead fan.  I understand the hot flashes. I was never cold like this, want to beg for heating pad under my ass and thick comforter covering everything but my nose.  I have to put thermostat 10 degrees higher than last year because of cold flashes. It feels crazy like old people that wear winter coats when it is 90 outside.  Then I might get a hot flash after that.  Dang. I never understood why those crazy old people wore winter coats in the middle of summer.  God, am I going to be one of them? I am shivering now and the house is at 70. Where is that heating pad. Brrrr.  I shouldn't say this, but is this cancer effect?  My night sweats went away but now I'm freeezing like my toes are on dried ice.  Hmmn. I wasn't cold for a second until Arimidex so maybe it isn't the cancer.  This hormone thing is just nuts to deal with.  Mom and my oncologist never told me I would have cold/ice flashes too,

I just found my heating pad in the closet, best thing since heated leather seats in the car.

 God now I feel like 110 degrees and want to open all the windows, because this is too hot to bear.

Kimberly1961, I don't know if it will help you or not, but for me taking the pill at night has helped with the hot flashes. I still have them all night long, but at least the worst of them are over by the time I go to work. I still have no idea why some nights I'm sopping wet most of the night, yet other nights I have very few of them. I keep wondering if it is connected to what I eat during the day!

I think we have to remember why we are taking Arimidex in the first place. I am in a hurry right now, but grabbed these statistics from a study on from the American Cancer Society website. It is a couple years old and I bet the numbers are actually higher. 

Why should we try to stick with our anti-hormonals?
- The risk of dying was reduced by 29%
- The risk of the disease returning was reduced by 45%
- The risk of the disease spreading from the breast to other parts of the body was reduced by 39%

Kimberly1961, Sorry you are having the hot/cold flashes, too, but it does help to know I am not the only one with this problem.  So far, I would say I feel cold much more often than I feel hot.  Quite an unusual situation for me.

Just a quick few minutes to post a couple things...knowing me, it will turn into a rant/rave and then some sense and then move raving, so ignore if you please, or read if you will......

I had it with ARIMIDEX ruining what has become my life of pills.  This last june I went off all pills for a week and then only continued on Arimidex.  I gave it all it's own space and it was nice.  I had been on thyroid pills, effexor, fosamax, lodine, calcium and D3, uh...let's see...oh, occasionally lasix for swelling in my lower legs.  I had gained 30+ and have never had a weight problem in my life.  Had joint pains all the time, with bone pain other times mostly in a thigh.  Had problems with my feet I'd never had, and now have those $400 inserts....all this since the dx in 2007....never and aspirin before..even with the pills, I was miserable with pain that would wake me or prevent me from getting up and going when I needed/wanted.  Did I mention I was 49 when dx and now feel 90....not 83, b/c my mother is 80 and gets around better than I can at times.

So, I gave arimidex a trial all it's own for nearly 5 months.  Still the same ol', same ol'.  So, at my appt with onco last week, he switched me over to tamaxifen.  Started Late march of 08, so I'm assuming this tamaxifen is it for another 16 months.  Scares me b/c while I don't want the C back, I do want to live my life as a 53 year old.  NOT a 90 y/o~  What to do....I had not discussed with the onco (1st one with english as a second language) the %'s when starting all this.  Now I asked the onco last week.  He says, 35% without anything, 5 % with the antihormone...just doesn't sound right to me...does it you?  i had a left mast with chemo A/C and then arimidex for 3years and 8 months. And does anyone know what the % is of women whose bodies don't use the tamaxifen right?  I dont' remember anything I researched 3 years about it, other than the possiblility of blood clots is higher and it's easier on the bones....

Anyone? 

Well, I bought a wrist splint at Walgreen's Saturday, wore it last night & this morning while putting on my makeup, my hands did not go numb. Can it work that fast???!!!

One of the times I woke up last night I could feel a slight sensation in my hand, but not too bad; I did not wake up from any pain. I was amazed I could put mascara on both eyes & not have to stop - drop - and hang my arm down for a few seconds. All my makeup even! From just one night of using the splint?!?

I don't know what to say except I am amazed. I should have bought one sooner. I do plan to call my Onc's office to see if they will give me a prescription for two splints (R and L) after I call my insurance company to see if they cover it.  

Thank you so much, flannelette, for the suggestion, and Sunflowers for the psysiotherapy suggestion for further help. The one I purchased wraps, has a good solid splint and has velcro fasteners. I first checked Walgreen's, liked one in there, walked across the street to Rite-Aid, did not like what they had - never even looked in Wal-Mart.

I truly appreciate the help ladies!   

Sensa is a diet aid you sprinkle on everything you eat. It has no taste and you don't notice it on your food. I cuts your appetite way down! You don't have to change what you eat but you get full faster and don't snack. I got mine at GNC.

me too!

MamaV

I hear you...one of my SE's too  - but SO much better than a reoccurance.  I think it eases the longer we're on the stuff - mine are n't nearly as swollen as when I started.  Then my FEET were so swollen, now, not at all.  HANG IN THERE - it seems to get better!

I re sized my rings this summer best thing I ever did I got them a little big so in the mornings I can still get them off when my hands swell, they  do move a little later in the day but I have gotta use to it. I missed my rings when I had to take them off from all the swelling.With gold being so expensive I sold my old gold so I could get them re-sized and had a little left over .

Nancy

I looked up the ingredients - on the Web MD site for Sensa.  Not for me ;(  Malodextrin, silica, can't remember the other one...

Wikipedia says that Maltodextrin compromises absorption of vitamins and minerals.  (if that is what is in Sensa).  Doesn't sound safe for us with BC...