Just filled prescription for Arimedex..when should I take it

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Sistercoyote2
Sistercoyote2 Member Posts: 38
edited June 2014 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After


I just filled my prescription and putting off taking it until I don't have to go to work that day.  Which is better morning or night and should I expect side effects right away.  I must admit I am very hesitant and nervous about starting this portion of my treatment....I need advice from those who have been taking it....Please help...

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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited May 2014

    Begin by taking it at a time of day that is most convenient and when you will be more likely to remember taking it.  I take it at night before I go to bed....after I shower and brush my teeth.  I used to take it following brushing my teeth in the morning, but I was getting too many hot flashes during the day.  Taking it at night seems to work better.  While I still feel warmer in general, after two years of taking Tamoxifen and two years of letrozole, I seem to be doing well.  Good luck!

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  • mema4
    mema4 Member Posts: 574
    edited May 2014

    I'm just starting mine tonight. I think I had seen voraciousreader on another thread saying it worked for her so I thought I would try it that way. Makes sense to me. I've put it off for months so here I go. I have been a nervous wreck all day and already have a stomach ache and leg aches and haven't even taken the darn thing. Just staring at it. So, an hour ago, I took an Ativan, which I hate doing. Glad you started a new thread on this!

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  • juliaanna
    juliaanna Member Posts: 1,043
    edited May 2014

    I take mine in the morning as I was having issues with insomnia.  It seems to be working fine.  I also take Claritin for allergies but it seems to help with the achy joints.  My MO also suggested Tumeric which has been helpful, too.  Hope you don't have any side effects.  It will be 2 years on July 4th since I started.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited May 2014

    Sistercoyote and mema, please come back and keep us posted on how it goes - and of course ask any more questions you have!

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  • BrooksideVT
    BrooksideVT Member Posts: 2,211
    edited May 2014


    I started my arimidex a couple of days early--April Fool's Day just happened to, er, happen, and I thought that would be a good day, as will probably always know how long I've been on the thing.  I take it in the morning, after breakfast, which is not the best as I tend to forget it about once/month.   It was several months before I felt any side effects, so please do not be afraid to get started.  For those of you kind of hanging back, Memorial Day might offer a perfectly good and memorable blast off opportunity.

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited May 2014

    I took mine in the morning, but it doesn't matter when. Play with it & see what works best for you. I did buy one of those little daily pill cases because it got to the point where it was so automatic that some days I couldn't remember if I had taken it or not.... I could look in the 'Monday' slot; if  the pill was there, then I hadn't taken it yet....if it was gone, I had Loopy

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  • checkers
    checkers Member Posts: 95
    edited May 2014

    After reading other posts I decided to take mine in the evening right after dinner, since the pharmacist recommended taking it with food. I have found that within a few hours I am sleepy and ready to go to bed for the night.

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  • grammakathy
    grammakathy Member Posts: 407
    edited May 2014

    I started out taking mine in the morning but had terrible episodes of wakefulness at night. I switched to taking it before bed and that problem went away for me.  Let us know how it works for you.

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  • mema4
    mema4 Member Posts: 574
    edited May 2014

    So far so good. I take it at night with other meds I have to take but I don't notice if it changes my sleep one way or another. I am usually reading or on this site! I'm a night person but maybe I'll try the way you do checkers. It would be great to be sleepy when I go to bed. I do find since I've been through disease it has taken its toll and I feel exhausted more than I used to feel.  You guys give good info. I'll be back to let you know how it goes so please don't go away!

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  • Janett2014
    Janett2014 Member Posts: 3,833
    edited May 2014

    Took my first Arimidex about an hour ago. I will be very curious to see how I feel over the next few weeks. It is nice to check in here and see how the rest of you are doing too!

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  • mema4
    mema4 Member Posts: 574
    edited June 2014

    Janett2014, how are you doing? So far, it's been okay with me. I have had insomnia for years but I do think this might be "encouraging" it even when I take a sleeping pill. May switch to days.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2014

    I take mine at night.  Better for hot flashes and sleep, for me , anyway. I take 37.5 mg of effexor daily as well and have few to no hot flashes from the arimidex.

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  • mema4
    mema4 Member Posts: 574
    edited June 2014

    Thanks, claireinaz, that's good to know!

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  • Janett2014
    Janett2014 Member Posts: 3,833
    edited June 2014

    Hi mema4,

    I'm doing fine but it has only been a few days since I started the Arimidex, so I really haven't expected to notice any issues yet. Most people say SEs start after a few weeks. My sister was on Arimidex after Tamoxifen, and she had no SEs, so I'm hoping that I will be the same. Time will tell I guess. 

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