Arimidex - Coping with the SE's

ruthbru, I'd like to hire you as my personal trainer.  Maybe we could alternate - you on M-W-F-SU, Claire_in_Seattle on T-TH.  I'll give you two Saturdays off, because I have enough yard work stored up to keep me busy for 15 - 20 years.

otter

Hi,

I'm starting Arimidex today or tomorrow,(went to MO yesterday for the presc. and will pick-up from Pharmacy today) I had total hysterectomy and bc around the same time,(Hyst.surg.June, lumpectomy,in Aug.) and I'm not sleeping good ever since.

Question for all of you...

When do you take your Arimidex? morning? afternoon? or evening?

what is the best time that works for you?

Thanks,

Oh, oh, you may be sorry, but since you asked, I will give you my exercise advice....

I always wondered how much exercise was 'enough', then I heard Richard Simmons say that everyone should get 7 hours a week; 4 of aerobics and 3 of toning. That seemed like a lot until I thought about it. There are 168 hours in a week. If a person devotes 7 of them to exercise, that still leaves 161 of everything else!

Aerobics is anything where you move: walk, run, dance, swim, bike, zumba (for us that should include some weight bearing as swimming and biking, although wonderful in themselves, won't build bones...you have to smash down on them to do that). It doesn't have to be intense, after surgeries and during chemo, I would just put on my tennis shoes and walk around and around the living room, but it has to be consistent.

Toning is weights, pushups, sit ups, stretches, pilates, yoga etc. etc. Again, it doesn't have to be intense to 'count'.

You just have to find what types of exercise you enjoy (or will stick to doing anyway). Some people love taking a class or going to a gym. I love to walk when it is nice out, have a treadmill for when its not, and a whole bunch of exercise videos and DVDs. (You can go to a Goodwill or Salvation Army store and get really cheap, hardly ever used exercise tapes and DVDs for a quarter!). I like doing tapes because I like to be on my own schedule and they are well planned out by experts and have a balance of exercises. Of course start with no or light weights and work up (I don't do anything crazt 3-5-8 pound weights are what I use).

Here is what I do that makes me get the exercise done every week. When I started, I bought a notebook, put WEEK 1 at the top of a page, and divided the page in half. On one half I wrote the word Aerobic and then wrote down 15 minutes, 15 minutes, 15 minutes down the page to get to 4 hours in 15 minute increments, on the other side of the page I wrote Toning and wrote the 15 minutes down the page to three hours. Then, as I exercise during the week I check them off. I am so goofy that this works for me. I have to get them all crossed off (I go Monday through Sunday....which gives me more weekend time to exercise if I don't get it done during the week). Then the next week I started another page WEEK 2.

So if I walk 45 minutes tomorrow and do 30 minutes of toning, this is what my chart will look like:

Week 1

Aerobics      Toning

15 X             15 X

15 X             15 X

15 X             15

15                15

15                15

15                15

(etc. to four hours) (etc. to three hours)

ruthbru,

How long after your treatment you started excercising? after hysterectomy  I just walk around my driveway for  in 1/2 hour after 5-6 weeks post-op, or do my stationary bike if it's raining (I live in the Pacific NW)  I used to do weights too, (3-5-8 lbs. weights)I follow and watch Kelly coffey meyer's weights dvd's,but haven't done it since Aug. after my lumpectomy.I still feel weak too, so I pace myself.I just finished my radiation last Oct. 26th.

ruthbru,

Thanks! I'm on my feet 3-3.5 hours M-Th,I work as a cake decorator, I went back to work 5-6 weeks ago, to get me out of the house, keep me busy and get my mind-off thinking about my BC.I have to agree, moving helped me feel much better.

Ruth:  I may come over to the exercise thread after 12/8...My crazy, busy season at work will be over and I can concentrate on what I should be doing.  I love all your advice.  It's sound and straight-shooting.  

Barb-Good luck with the Tamox and Happy Birthday!!!

Ruth, I think I'll try the checklist also. I'm so intimidated by people on the exercise thread. They do amounts of exercise that make me dizzy reading them. Maybe we need a 'light exercise' thread for people like me.

I think I may possibly getting some se's from the anastrasole. I've had hip pain for several days this week. It's not a spot that has hurt in the past. I've been on since Mar 15.

You can come over, all my exercises are light! My belief is what 'counts' is consistancy, not intensity.

Aruba, I occasionally get a metallic taste....I'm on Letrozole. PS....just did some research on taking baby aspirin......a small percentage of people end up with macular degeneration....I'm 65 and have the beginnings of a cataract so I'm not sure that I will be taking it. Check out the research before starting it.....cheers.

Kjiberty......why were you told not to take baby aspirin?????

Weird my onc told me to start baby aspirin along with arimidex. This at major cancer center

Hmmm...Actually, it wasn't the MO, it was her nurse who told me this just last week when I went for my Prolia shot.  I may have to revisit that questions.  Thanks!

Unless you have bleeding, clotting issues, baby asprin is something most people should be taking daily. Of course, clear it with your doctor first.

Maybe check with your eye doctor about it, they probably would know more about what would be best to do in your case than your GP or oncologist.