Side effects with Anastrozole/Arimidex

The tingling feeling is called neuropathy and mine started while on radiation then of course on Arimidex and Femara it continued and after stopping both those drugs it continues to this day - mostly in my feet and not annoying anymore because you can get used to anything - I've tried lots of drugs including neurontin which don't work they just make you feel drugged - I think walking, running or any exercise helps out so does getting back to a normal living pattern - you just don't have time to think about it.

Sandy

I have been on Arimidex for 2 1/2 years now....i have tingling in my hands and feet......I had started out on Tamoxifen but had severe side effects, including weight gain, severe joint pain and the worst of all tumors in my uterus and on my ovaries which resulted in a total radical hysterectomy only 8 months after starting it.......Luckily the tumors were benign.....My OB/GYN onc thought it was cancer and had me and my entire family scared witless.......

I then went on Femara for about 6 months but again I had the severe joint pain...This time it was so bad I had a hard time getting up from a seated potition and also had trouble getting around when getting out of bed.....I could not stand for long periods of time either......And my job requires me to stand a minimum of 4 hours at a time.....I take an antiinflamamtory 1 to 2 times a day now and that really helps with any soreness I may encounter........

Since being on the Arimidex i have more mobility, less stiffness and actually have managed to lose 20 pounds...I still have really bad leg and foot pain at night but it is tolerable now...I wish you all much luck with these meds.........

Edited to add i still have the tingling in hands and feet.....Hopefully when I stop in december of 2012 it will go away.......

I have been on arimidex for 10 months, I am 53 years old but feel like I am 90.  I just stopped taking it and have an appointment with my oncologist in 30 days to re-evaluate.  I am scared to stop taking since my cancer was hormone positive.  I was premenopausel and still having periods up until the day my ovaries were removed 11 months ago.  I was diagnosed in July of 2010 and had a bi-lateral mastectomy in October of 2010 followed by the removal of my ovaries and several breast reconstruction surgeries.  Before all of this I was very fit and active but now I can hardly get out of bed in the morning my body aches so bad.  So I just stopped taking the arimidex and hope and pray that I am doing the right thing.  Any comments from anyone?

I have been on anastrozole for close to 2 years now. Have been experiencing arms and hands falling asleep, tingling etc. but when I put my arms into a different position it fades. My onc suggested I try the real Arimidex as I've been on the generic, and things became pronounced. I was on it for 6 weeks and I noticed the minor aches in my shoulders became excrcuciating so that I couldn't sleep.

I've developed a trigger finger in my right thumb and the sleeping hands and arms are worse.

I saw an orthopaedic for the shoulder who sent me to a physical therapist after diagnosing rotator cufft tendonitis. I'm in a neurology office as I write this awaiting an EMG test to determine if the nerve conductivity is normally functioning in regard to the tingling, the chiropractor that I see thinks I have pinched nerves however I will still need to take MRI's to confirm that there is no bone deterioration in the cervical disc area and the hand specialist that I need to see will tell me what to do regarding the trigger finger. An MRI will also be taken on the shoulder.

I am a fitness instructor and physical education teacher who is becoming depressed that my quality of life is now compromised.

I was deliriously over joyed that the chemo and radiation was completed and started the anastrozole with zero knowledge regarding what horrific side effect lay ahead.

I was told by a complimentary medicine doctor who by the way prescribed numerous supplements to support the bone loss issue, that I should leave no stone unturned when investigating thes new physical ailments.

I am convinced that the anastrozole has caused all the above. I was an active 56 year old athletic woman before the diagnosis and up until 6 months ago. It seems the side effects peak after a year or so give or take a few months.

I haven't done a push up in weeks and Am inconsistently in the gym due to appointments!!!!!!

I have an appointment to discuss all the above with the oncologist at the end of the month and hopefully he'll allow tamoxifen which his PA claims has no bone, muscle tendon pain.

I'll try one more drug, if things don't improve I may have to take my chances.

So sad.

I started Anstrozole about 5 weeks ago, I have tingling and burning in my arms & legs, I have severe body pain, ache in my hips and joints and I swell in my hands and feet. I quit taking it almost 2 weeks ago. I could not stand the pain any more. I am 32 yr single mom of 3 young kids, I hurt just as bad as I did during Chemo. Being stage IIIa I don't want my cancer to ever come back but I could not stand the extremely painful side effects.

emzeee, the main Breastcancer.org site's information about side effects of aromatase inhibitors includes this:

 "If you're experiencing side effects from taking one aromatase inhibitor medicine, tell your doctor. You may be able to take a different medicine. Arimidex and Femara have similar chemical structures, while Aromasin has a different structure."

You'll find more support and members' personal experiences in the Hormonal Therapy - Before, During and After forum.

I posted on 2/24 and I started taking Tamoxifen on Mar. 1.  I have been on it for two months and really have no problems with it.  I went to my FP and they put me on cymbolta and ambien and I am feeling much better.  I had not had a good nights sleep in a year.  I keep trying to not take the ambien some nights but I sleep for about an hour and then I am awake until 3:00 AM .  Dr. says at this time in my life I need it.  I am only taking 5 mg, I wake up refreshed and ready to go.  I take one cymbolta a day and it has really helped.  I did not realize I was probably depressed until one day I could not quit crying and when you go to work and break down that is not good. 

I still wear out real easy, so after I work 5 hours a day I go home and stretch out and relax and that helps.

emzee, I told my ONC that the AL meds were worse than chemo.

i am 55 yrs old and finished a 5 year course of Tamoxifin with no side effects.   I started Anastrozole since Jan 2012. Quickly I experienced joint pain everywhere. My doctor felt the symtoms were not severe enough to stop the meds. I went from a active, vivacious women to aches and pains daily. It is a chore to get out of my bed daily. Now in May, I have body rash on my arms, legs and torso. They areas are red and very bumpy. My ONC and dermatologist felt it is medicine related and had me stop the drug. I was told my skin ailment may get worse before it gets better. I am trying to search for images of this skin reaction on the internet but can't seem to find it. My joint pain still persist.  Wondering when things will get better. It scares me to be on no meds since breast cancer runs in my family. I just lost my sister 2 years ago to breast cancer.

I first was put on anastrozole. I was already on an antidepressant. Within 6 weeks ,I was so depressed that ,not only was I crying all the time,but I couldn't hardly get out of bed.I went to my MD because I thought that my antiDepressant was not working.He increased the AD and put me on abilify which only made things worse. I was feeling a sense of doom by that time. I went back to the MD to reqest a referral to a Psych MD to manage my AD meds. He gave me a file of referrals and told me that his clinic did not make referrals to mental health specialists and that I was on my own. I could never get a referral. Finally, I was so desperate that I showed up at my oncologist's office in tears. They allowed me to see the triage nurse. I told her that I had changed ADs several times and came to the conclusion that it was the AI that was causing this severe rx. She told me to stop taking the AI and to keep my appointment with my MO. When I finally saw the MO, I was still a wreck. He got me a referral to a Psych MD. and would see me in a month to discuss another AI. In the mean time I saw the psych MD. and he put me on effexor. By that time I was feeling better. When I saw the MO the next time, he said I should  start aromisin in another month. I said that I did not want to get depressed again. He said that I should work with him and try it because it had a different chemical structure. I started it April of 2012. By the end of 6 weeks I had started to break down crying uncontrolably at work. I was also irritable and snapping at people. My manager wanted me to take a leave of absence. I realized that I was depressed again. Also, my knees and thumb joints began to ache. I Called the MO. He told me to stop the aromisin and see him in a month. Within 2 days of stopping it I felt so much better. When I finally saw MO he said I could try femara, but he left the choice up to me. I said reluctantly that I would try it.Soon after I saw the psych MD. He told me that if I was not completley over the depression, I should not start the femara because the more times I got depressed, the harder it would be to reverse it. I relayed this to the MO and he said it was ok to wait until the depression was totally resolved to try the Femora. That's where I am now,still weighing my options.All these Doctors say stay on track with the AI's .One can managed the side effects. I ask, Have they ever experienced the hell of depression, or the horrible joint pain and fatigue.I bet they would be more empathetic if they had experienced this living hell. What is the use of reducing the recurrence rate if one's life becomes so miserable on these AI's?

I am up at 6 am on a Saturday morning because I couldn't sleep due to tingling, numbness and a achiness in my hands as well as reflux. I looked up arimidex side effects, thinking it might explain the persistence and frequency of the reflux symptom, and was shocked to find the tingling and numbness you all described in the first entrie i read!!

I have had both symptoms (tingling AND reflux) in the past, now both are worse. I had assumed the numbness and throbbing in my hands (almost exclusively while in bed or while knitting) was positional, caused by tension, hunching,etc. I have been undergoing radiation and the discomfort of the position seemed to have triggered some cervical or spinal pressure. I had been looking forward to the end of radiation (December 18) for relief, but now am not so sure! It could be the arimidex, I guess. I will continue to try other therapies - stretching, Pilates, massage, a "Mother Earth" shoulder trigger point pillow - to try for relief.

I know it has been awhile since you posted this but I wanted to get with you on it.  I am a 71 yr old and have been on anastrozole for 14 months.   My left leg started bothering me several months ago and in May it got so bad that I have to walk with a limp.  My leg will not straighten out fully.  Not the knee.  No pain to touch, but standing or walking the tendon or muscle is so tight that the pain is extreme.  I have always had a high tollerence for pain.  Before this med and my cancer (had a double mastectomy in 2012) I at 70 yrs old took no meds was in excellent health, and still working.  I can barely stand up now.  I just went off the meds 10 days ago.  I am slightly better.  I will wait to see how much improvement I have over time.

I started Anastrozole about 15 months ago. I am a 55 year old preschool teacher that has recently had surgery for torn minuscus on both knees. My legs hurt so badly now that I have trouble even walking. I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer on Sept. 16, 2011. I had a partial mastectomy, 10 rounds of brachytherapy radiation, and 8 chemo treatments. I thought I was through the worse part but now I can barely walk. Interesting to find out others have my symptoms. Calling oncologist tomorrow!

It took close to a month after stoping Anastrozole to regain use of my left leg, to be able to straighten it without pain, to actually be able to sleep a whole night through.  I switched to Arimidex, thinking it may have been the additivies in the generic that were causing the problem (since my oncologist nurse said my left leg pain was not associated with the drug, in her vast 5 years of experience); I lasted 1 1/2 months and then was back to where I had started - so stopped taking the Arimidex and within a week was back to normal.  This was 1 1/2 month ago.  I decided to re-start Arimidex because I'm not on anything at the moment, and lasted one day - I expect to be back to normal in a couple of days.  Just depends on how much is in your system.  And by "normal" I mean there is ALWAYS some pain, but not so debilitating.  I'm curious as to whether these nasty side effects ever go away.

I am on Arimidex since 19 September 2012, bone pain can be addressed by taking 600 mg-calcium caltrate or citrate with 1000 iu vitamin D3 and 1500 mg of glucosamine sulphate a day (if suffer triggered finger and stiffness of fingers)

Morning blues and nervousness are my side effects, and I balance it with goat milk and egg as breakfast

The blues hit when I stop the goat milk 

Nutrition works better than on drugs like lexapro that cause nausea and make you more depressed and loss of appetite

To address loss of appetite, I took 500mg lingzhi cracked spores powder, then brisk walk and drink lots of water for half to one hour before dinner

It takes 2 weeks to be effective

To fight fatigue, start your day with a lemon juice, a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses, add water to 300 ml, then add one tablespoon of barley green and drink with a straw, half an hour before breakfast

Do not give up, if depression is bad, stop for a week and replace with indole-3-carbinol which will suppress estrogens

I take Arimidex before bedtime and alternate with insole-3-carbinol the next day on trial for one bottle due to nervousness and morning blues

Will share the effects in June

Abstain from chicken, soya products, deep fried or grilled foods

When in poor appetite, cook porridge with vegetables and fish plus egg then add Marmite

All cruciferous vegetables like endives, broccoli, cauliflower, mustard green, brussel sprouts are anti-estrogen

Abstain from alfafa, beansprouts, tofu, promegranate, red cherry, etc

Supplements like yunzhi (PSK or turkey tail) helps to boost up immune system

Note :- Lingzhi cracked spores are proven to treat ER+ breast cancer by blocking the MCF-7 pathway of the cells (*Refer to NIH website or search ganoderma lucidum and breast cancer)

Wearing long socks and walking shoes protect you from catching cold too and keep you active Walk at least half an hour a day

Take TCM herbs as complementary if your country has TCM oncologist

Do not eat ginseng, cordyceps, dong quai, birdnest, snowfungus, wai sun, burdock if you are estrogen positib

DX Aug 2011, 3.2cm DCIS, Stage 3A, Grade 3, ER+, ACX2, Paclitaxel X 12 weekly complement with TCM herbs, lingzhi cracked spores and alternate with yunzhi

Read Ezekiel 37 and pray for strength, wisdom and peace and joy

Shalom!