Arimidex - Coping with the SE's

Happy 4th to all.

Had a good day.  Slept in till 7:45, which is late for me.  Spent morning helping my youngest daughter with her resume.  She recently acquired her Batchelors degree in Business Management and is looking foward to obtaining her first "real" job.  Am so proud of her.

Spent the afternoon weeding flowerbeds.  Actually got both sides of side yard, about 30' each side done--AND--felt good doing it.  Previously been struggling with aches and pains and stamina issues.  I think I might have gotten over the chemo residual effects wall.  YAHOO. 

Expecting my eldest daugher, her finance and their daughter, my only grandchild--so far-- to come over to light off some fireworks for grandchild. 

It's a GOOD day!  Happy 4th everyone.

Claire - you are so right about the mind/body connection and the synergistic affect that occurs when both are attended to as best we can. I am seeing small gains and trying not to compare my previous abilities to where I am now. My goals and self perception are changing and shaking things up. Change is unsettling, but can be beneficial or not, and most certainly part of our life path. Zen approach makes the most sense at this time.

Its so cool that many folks in these collective conversations are tapped into simple, lasting joys and ways we reconnect with what matters and nourishes ourselves. I love reading about them all - its like a peek into the journals of many brave women. Thank you.

Welcome, Florbo! I am just down I-35 from you here in San Antonio and just enjoyed a wonderful visit with my daughter and three granddaughters who came down from Dallas.

I'm doing fine so far after starting my arimidex almost two weeks ago. I didn't bother with the gin and rasins since I think that's for joint pain and I don't know if I'm going to have any. I figure if I do start having significant joint pain, I'll consider the gin and raisins then. I am taking D3 and krill oil though.

I am not doing well with the Arimidex. Of all the SEs, my throat has not been sore. I have all the others. I have raisins soaking. Ache and feel rotten....like the week after chemo. I'd been on tamoxifen and while it made me achy, I got accustomed to it. Then, due to my age, the onco switched me to the Arimidex about a month ago. I am hoping the pain becomes more tolerable. I actually got a prescription for some pain meds & it helps....but I cant live on them.

I started an exercise program last year which helped in gaining strength after chemo. I have continued that. I skipped for a while after DIEP surgery (doctor's orders) and had been back for about 2 months prior to the med change. I've skipped a few times when I felt rotten (which is about everyday now). I did not want to go today, but made myself. ANd, I will say, I do feel much better afterwards. I have truncal LE, too, so it helps with that as well.

I was looking forward to everything returning to normal after the reoncstruction, but it's not loooking like that is going to happen now. I'm just hoping that the SEs subside over time. And, I'm hoping my gin-raisins work, too.

I was taking Mega Red/fish oil, baby aspirin and D3 prior to starting the devil medicine! I hate taking meds, but guess it's now a part of my life.

After taking Arimidex for 2 1/2 yrs. I have had tendonitis in both wrists now for 3 months.  I have stayed active, even bowling on two leagues but now I can't do anything without wrist pain.  My doctor gave me splints to sleep in and said to ice the wrists several times a day if needed.  I read on one of the threads to take vitamin B6.  Have been doing that for a couple weeks now and see no difference.  Have scheduled a physical therapy appointment soon to see what hand/wrist exercises might help.  Anyone else dealing with the tendonitis SE and if so, what are you doing for it?

Do you think I could take PharmaGabba because I'm ER+ PR- HER2-???????

I just started taking PharmaGabba and the nurse who suggested said to only take the PharmaGabba.  I did run it by my oncologist and she said it was okay for me to take.  You should check with your doctor before you take anything.  Right now I would try anything.

My husband may go down for "sainthood" for putting up with me!

jsmiley, I'm new here and raisins soaked in gin sound yukky to me, but they're supposed to help joint pain as per Ruth. Yes, people eat 7 of them a day I believe. Other people, not me. I'd rather have my weekly margarita.

I've been doing the gin and raisins now off and on for about three weeks.  Had to take a break in between as about the same time I started this I had eaten blueberries all week and ended up itching all over and my face drying out.  Quit the blueberries and raisins.  It went away.  Started the raisins again and nothing, so started the blueberries again this week.  So far, okay.  But, it was a few more days before the symptoms started.

Anyway, because of all this, it's hard to say if the raisins have been helping or not.  They really aren't that bad.  If you let them sit the two weeks, they are just like eating sticky raisins.

It's also going to be hard to tell because I started PT this week.  It's pool therapy for my knee pain.  The vitamin D (50,000 units/weekly) helped all but my arthiritic knee.  If the pool therapy helps, maybe I can start walking and going to the gym again.

Patty

Lakewoman, I'm still pretty new here and don't know everyone yet. Did you complete 5 years on arimidex? I've just completed my first month and so far, so good. I also just turned 58, so I have 59 months to go and will finish just before I turn 63.

Yes AnnieLane I did finish my arimidex on April 17th. after being on it for 5 yrs...I was 68 THEN!..Also another thing I did not post was that I have less facial hair..THe drug has some testosterone in it bodybuliders use it..I rmember when I first started taking it my mom always thought I was my husband and remarked how low my voice was..Well I thought maybe it was her age,,SHE is 96 now! ha...But my brother called the other day and said I did not think it was you ..I asked how my voice sounded ..he said higher!!! WOW mom was right!! Good luck to you ..feel free to ask me or others any questions.

Thanks for sharing your experience, Sharlene! This should be interesting, but it gives me some prizes to keep my eyes on at the finish line 5 years down the road!

I started taking Anastrozole on July 22nd (this will be my 3rd day).  Other than being a little hungrier than usual, no SE's so far.  Could some of you share about how long it took for your SE's (the difficult ones) to appear?  I would really appreciate any info you would be willing to provide.  Thanks.

Sandylyn, I was on it for a year before I had any side effects. I did have to switch it to pm instead of am because it made me sleepy. When the second year started I had a short period of nausea, pretty mild hot flashes and some joint pain. Since I'm 72, I don't know if the joint pain is from age or meds.