Arimidex - Coping with the SE's

Have been off of Femara for almost a month & it has been heaven (in comparison) but have to start something new Aug. 12th...maybe Arimidex is the answer. Femara side effects were terrible.

kjiberty - Hmmmmm, my MO told me that standard of care is a DEXA scan every two years if results are normal or borderline, but definitely yearly if results show osteoporosis. Two years seems like a long time for a recheck if things have dropped into the abnormal range.

I 'made' them do a yearly DEXA. I figured if something was starting to happen, I wanted to know about it right away.

I have a yearly bone density test as well.

They're waiting 2 years for another DEXA, despite having osteopenia. I'm probably fine however. Recently fell catching all my weight on my outstreched hand. Figured if my wrist didn't break it must be OK.

Vitamin D3 too

I have my raisins soaking.. will try to wait the full 2 weeks but if my knees keep hurting, I might be in there sooner..

here is the good news for me anyhow...after I finished arimidex , I still took the fosadex for awhile and then my DEXA was better...

Claire, you are quite the inspiration.  I just signed up at a gym and hope improve soon.  Can I ask your age?

socal, did you get your vit D up to 50?   and if so, how?

I take 4000 units a day and it's still only 27.5.

Timbuktu, my doctor gave me mega dose pills for about a month I think...then it was just adjusting the maintenance dose..believe it or not I take 6,000 a day to keep it at 50...my son who is also a family practice MD also agrees with this..

It took me three years of taking 5,000 IUs of vitamin D3 daily to get my level to 70. Hoping to keep it there. I have it checked every three months.



I also eat a serving of prunes daily and my last DEXA scan, a year ago, showed osteopenia. I have another scan coming up in October to see if it has gotten worse. I'm really hoping the prunes helped.

I eat either four or five. I used to hate the taste, and now I like them. Sometimes I cut them up and cook them in my oatmeal for breakfast.

Hi Rocket,

Thanks for the answer.  Must tell you I saw a bone & mineral specialist at John Hopkins & she said, "yes" prunes can help.  So, keep eating them prunes!

Sharon

I was wondering the other day why I hadn't received any posts in a while.  Looks like it's been quiet around here.

All I'm just wondering if anyone has had any issues with what I guess I'd call muscle weakness in the legs.  I'd been having problems with joint pain.  PCP put me on 50,000 IU/week a few months ago.  The pain went away after about six weeks except for my knees.  So, I started physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around my arthritic knees.  I started with pool therapy, but after a month not much improvement.  So, they switched me to land therapy. 

Been going for about a month now and the muscles above my knees still seem to be as tight and weak as when I started.  Also, I've been having problems with my IT band in my right leg since just after starting land PT.  She tells me my left leg wasn't tight before, but she checked it last week and it's tight now, too.  About once a week I'll get up wrong or something and cannot straighten my leg to stand up.  So, I've been taking to using a cane on those days.  It was so bad the other day I pulled my pain meds out and it didn't even touch the pain.  But, I'll wake up the next morning and all is fine.

Anyway, I'm just wondering if this all has to do with s/e from Arimidex (generic).  I do see my PCP next Monday and will be asking her opinion.  I had just started PT when I saw my MO.  Don't see her again until January and hate to call about this if it's not the possible cause.  Maybe just me getting old.  I feel like I was in better shape physically after I recovered from my radiation than I am now.

Thanks, Patty