Positive Experience with Aromatase Inhibitors

I have been on Arimidex for 8 years and the symptoms have been minimal.

I am starting on year 6 of arimidex therapy with very few problems and I plan to continue for the immediate future. My side effects have been minimal. My primary complaints are it does seem to affect my memory [difficulty recalling names etc,], some hair thinning and I find it easer to gain weight and harder to lose it. These are all things that also happen with age so it's difficult to know if it's the drug that is wholly responsible. My bones are doing fine as well. So I decided to continue for a while to see if any new studies come out which confirm benefits to staying on longer than 5 years.

One caveat; I once switched to the generic Anastrozole and almost immediately noticed significant side effects--joint pain, nausea, fatigue. It took me a couple months to make the connection. Once my onco switched me back to the name brand, these effects disappeared in a few days. I understand many women do quite well on the generics, but I have met others who had the same experience I did.

But in my case I feel that arimidex really has been very well tolerated.

I have been successfully taking anastrozole for 8.5 months. During the first couple of months I had many and pretty severe night sweats nightly and some hot flashes daily, but they steadily decreased until it is now no worse then it was before cancer (I am 12 year post menopause, but have never been completely free of night sweats). The only really difficult side effect was a couple of months early on I suffered a very strange depression: I lost almost all joy in anything and was beginning to think "what's the point," but it did not interfere with my living my life as usual (just joylessly). Overnight, literally from one one day to the next, it disappeared and I wokeup feeling completely normal, as I have ever since. My MO said it was my body reacting to the loss of estrogen, but that eventually the body adapts. I have had no joint or muscle pains different than the usual ones of being 67. I walk 3-5 miles pretty briskly every day, do strength training three days a week, and also have taken glucosamine/chrondroitin prophylactically for at least 10 years. My mother suffered from severe arthritis, but I have none that I am aware of. Anastrozole costs me $4 a month, and I regard that $48 a year as the cheapest insurance I can buy for preventing recurrence!

I agree with Lindissima.  The generic Arimidex was much harder on me than the non-generic.  Try to get the real Arimidex if possible.  I had to really work with my health plan to get them to pay but it was worth it.

My DH has been eating them faithfully and ran last week for the first time in months. He is pretty excited!! Go Team Raisins!

Doing ok on exemestane.  2 more years I can do it. Seems to be working NED for 3 yearsm

I have now started 8 years on AIs.  My major problem has been GERD which is managed with meds.  I have normal bone density, normal cholesterol, normal weight and blood pressure.  My onc gave me the option of continuing on the AIs after studies in Europe started to point toward continuing the AIs gave longer no recurrence.