For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing

I looked at that pill bottle for at least a week before I downed the first one. I was done with chemo and rads, surgery. I'd read here about the se's. I wanted so much to be DONE with all of it. Forget and move on. Then I realized that this tiny pill was my best chance for never needing all the nasties from the past year again. Down the hatch!

I haven't gained on it, I do have night sweats nearly every night. Some stiffness. All doable. 

You can do it!

I do major work on an exercise ball weekdays.  Keeps the waistline in check.  That is, unless it's something like Christmas!!

Cycling and skiing do wonders as well.  I am trimmer in that area than the lady half my age at the wine bar, and she isn't overweight. - Claire

DebDylan I was talking to a friend of mine the other day who has mets. She was just about to get a life lift when she found out she had mets over a year ago. Now she says she would love to get old and wrinkly. She is stable but not NED yet.

Yeah the goal here really is to live to get old and wrinkly. We all sometimes forget.

I'll be most happy to get old but I refuse to get wrinkly as long as I've got the good aging genes that God gave me and Avon skin care products!!  (and the range of motion to apply all those lotions and creams.....lol)

Have not kept up with all the postings, so this may have been discussed and I missed it.

Has anyone experienced (arimidex-induced) pain on inner hip (if there is such a thing)?  Not really upper thigh, and not rear...  kind of where the highest point of legs/lower pelvis would hit an English saddle.   It's sharp and infrequent, but MO just tells me to up the otc pain meds...  Recent bone scan was decent, but still have frequent more-than-mild foot pain and the weird inner thigh thing.   Any suggestions?

Thanks to all who give advice here.  (Have tried nearly all.)   Christmas hugs to each of you who needs one. 

DebDylan - my Christmas wish for you is that you find a wonderful, caring, loving, kind, taller than you man  with enough money for you to live comfortably the rest of your long, long life.  Oh, and he'd better think every solid inch of you, firm or soft, smooth or wrinkly, scarred or smooth, real or reconstructed, is the most gorgeous piece of woman-flesh he's ever laid eyes on . 

Between surgical recovery, truncal lymphedema, cellulitis and meds, figuring out cause and effect has been my biggest frustration. No one doctor wants to address everything holistically. Argh.  I switched from tamoxifen to generic anastrozole plus lupron several months back. I've been dealing with an aching hip, and  recently a very tender knee on the other side, both affecting my ability to move (or not move) comfortably, which puts a serious kink in the whole exercising thing.  Do I dare go off of this med to see if it's the culprit? If I do, how long will it likely be before I see an improvement if it is the cause of the joint pain?

flowergrl1960 - You're right - the frustration is the worst, and after while it seems like it's left to us to do the detective work.

If your hip is hurting on one side, chances are you're favoring that side and making the opposite side work harder, and quite possibly causing that opposite knee to hurt.

My advice would be to start with your primary care doc. Find out all the things you can do to rule out organic causes of your current pain (bursitis, arthritis, muscle strain, ligament strain, etc.) 

Ask what combination of modalities might help you: heat? Ice? Rest? OTC anti-inflammatory meds? Muscle relaxers? 

Remember, "exercise" can mean anything besides laying on the couch watching TV.

If nothing helps, and you've made a good faith attempt at keeping in motion, then it could be time to ask the MO about a drug holiday.

As far as how long does it take to see if it's the drug causing the pain, well, that may differ for each person.

Personally, it took two months to lose the SEs the Anastrozole was causing me. But unfortunately, I still had back pain, because I have pretty significant spinal issues. So sometimes, what we think is a drug SE is really some other issue totally unrelated to the AI.

Timbuktu is right. Part of it is physical relief, and part of it is psychological relief. I swear, the minute the MO gave me a two month drug holiday, I immediately felt better, knowing that I would not be suffering as much at some point. (I secretly wished that she'd take me off the AIs completely, but nooo.)

After two months off Anastrozole, all my SEs were gone except for back pain. She switched me to Femara.

Many women will take a short break, and then return to the drug they were on. That short holiday seems to make a difference in how SEs present themselves. Or, they may be prescribed a different drug.

The point is not to give up! Hang in there... wishing you the best....

flowergrl before you take any other drugs or give up anastrazole completely, have you tried taking Claritin with your anastrazole? I know it sound crazy, as it's for allergies, but it works. I use the generic, Loratidine which is a fraction of the price. My MO knows about it and approves.

The only SEs I have is a bit of stiffness after sitting or lying for a while, but it's gone by the time I walk to the bathroom. I've also noticed, it seems that those on brand, arimidex tend to have less problems.

Paula

I do think that while many of the SEs are common. every person has her own individual combination of SEs, and then there are some lucky ones without the troubles. I haven't seen yet how AL affected my osteoporosis - that I have had well before I started the Al. In the meantime not due for that checkup. I had the problem anyway, take a generic for Fossomax and Calcium +D (most of the time - hate those pills) and hope for the best.

Re exercise - I admit that I hate exercising - to quote a friend "I exercise every morning up/down 5 times, and then: THE OTHER EYELID! I don't mind walking, but have an on/off heel spur that makes it more difficult and let's not forget the weather. We had a major snow storm here recently, reminiscent of NY, and I was scared to go out, slip and break something. Now most of the places are fine. I guess I really should go back to walking and get my act together. 

This Tuesday appointment with onc. Hopefully all's well.

grannieval....Thanks for the info on Leslie Sansone, Walk At Home video. I want to start walking, but I work really crazy long hours and have a long commute to work. I can definitely do the Walk At Home in my office during the day, so I will get my exercise in. 

I haven't been on this thread in awhile. My main side effects from Arimidex are muscle aches, painful joints, insomnia, and weight gain...probably from lack of estrogen. 

I hope you all had a nice holiday. 

grannival - thanks for the post about the 1 mile walk... it looks doable and is quick enough to not get boring..

Cellulitis is a bacterial skin infection and moves very quickly, that's why it's important to treat it as soon as possible. It can quickly spread to the blood and lymph nodes. I have had it several times from poison ivy and insect stings but not while undergoing cancer treatment. For me personally, I must get treated immediately with strong antibiotics and steroids or it will just get worse. 2 times, I landed in the hospital. It also seems that I am prone to get it now after having it the first time. It is an extremely itchy infection, very red with raised, very defined edges. Then it weeps and gets crusty.

If not treated right away, cellulitis can be fatal. (sepsis)

DebDylan its a bacterial skin infection. Some women with lymphedema get it. If one gets it they must be treated quickly with antibiotics to make sure it doesn't spread. BTW I've had lymphedema for 3 years and never got cellulitis.

DebDylan - I wish!  Lack of estrogen means no personal lubrication which means OTC lube (which is an inconvenient pain in the ass in my opinion) and even with that it's still uncomfortable.  Probably TMI but if it weren't for oral sex and vibrators DH and I would be on a 5-year hiatus until I'm done with this pill.  Thank God for Duracell!!!! (and a loving, considerate DH)