For Arimidex/Anastrozole new, past, and ongoing New

I am new to this board, but I have had a couple of strange reactions related to taking and getting off anastrzole and I wondered if others have had this combination of reactions. When I first started taking it I soon felt a burning in my hips, butt and thighs all of the time. I have compared the sensation to being at the end of hard exercise and feeling that burn in your muscles that seems to stop your ability to perform. The burn is especially troublesome at night when I am trying to roll over in bed as the pain is very strong, wakes me up and I feel almost too weak to roll over.

After 4 months of this and other side effects, my MO took me off the anastrzole. I am now a month off and the burning pain continues. however for the last two weeks I have also had unexplained breakout of hives every night from my breasts down to my inner thighs and under my arms but only on the front of my abdomen. I can control the hives with Benadryl but they come back every evening.

I started with research to discover what causes the burn during exercise to learn more. Some articles indicated the burn was caused by Heat Shock (stress) Proteins (HSP) that are released to help the muscles avoid damage when they were oxygen deprived. I then sought to find a connection between these HSPs and cancer. Voila, I found in people on AIs for breast cancer that the elimination of the estrogen in the cells could act as a stressor that also caused the release of HSPs to avoid cell damage. Consequently in some people the HSPs counteracted the AIs and continued to allow for the fast growing cancer cells. Oddly enough this could result in an inflammatory response that caused the release of histamines. And what do excess histamines cause? Yes they can show up on your body as hives.

No article I have seen has drawn this connection, so I am wondering if anyone else has had a combination of the burning/weakness in their muscles and hives while on or off of any AI medication. Any help would be so appreciated.

there is another person on another thread I am going to invite to this thread. Perhaps we can learn from each other. Thanks barbe1958

How could a dry vaginal cause hip pain????

Brutersmom that is so odd. I am glad to hear that someone else has the same pain. I just got a sample of Replens. Perhaps it is worth a try. I don't feel I am suffering from dryness but anything is possible.thanks for the info. By any chance do either of you also have osteopenia

I saw a new MO today. I could not stand my original MO. I came away from appointments and was depressed for weeks. This new MO was so positive and upbeat. One of the first things he asked was if I was experience vaginal dryness or back and hip pain. I said yes and then he proceeded to tell me that I should treat for vaginal dryness because it can lead to very sever back and hip pain. I said I already did that and it found the pain went away. We talked about other treatment plans and side effects. I found this visit to be hopeful and encouraging. This is how all Dr.'s should treat their patients. I enjoyed is one comment. He loves to here that there are side effects as long as they don't interfer with quality of life because it tells him the drug is working and he can avoid blood and other test.

During perimenopause I've suffered from chronic yeast infections (being diabetic didn't help either) like clockwork every month. It took me a year or so to connect the two, but finally that my chronic hip pain (which I saw a chiropractor for for months) coincided with the yeast infections. Now I can tell when I am getting/have a yeast infection as soon as the hip pain begins. I've mentioned it to a couple of my docs, including my gyno and no one had seemed to ever hear of it. I thought it was just me. But then again, if they weren't chronic, I never would have put 2 and 2 together. As it was it took at least a year to notice the connection.

Hello ladies hope everyone is having a nice day. Just wondering if anybody had any advice for me. I started Anastrozole about 2 months ago and within the last 3 weeks have developed tingling, sensitivity and slight numbness in the fingers of my left hand. It's on the same side of my surgery. I was wondering if this is a common side effect of anastrozole. I'm not sure if it's the drug, herniated discs in my neck or just still problems related to the surgery. I messaged my Dr and she said might it be carpal tunnel. I know it's not carpal tunnel but they told me to go off the drug for a few weeks and see if it goes away. I'm a little nervous to do that thanks in advance for any insight.

I was wondering if you had chemo or radiation? I had neither and was thinking some of the SE came from that. Is letrosole a new drug? My doctor has told me nothing about anything other than Anastrozole. I am glad you are doing better.

Hello

I have been on Arimidex since April 2016. Was on Tamoxifen for 4 years, but that failed and I developed 2nd primary, ILC the second time. I am also on Effexor and Prolia. I am really noticing muscle weakness, especially my quads. I am 65 I don't have any aches and pains or other symptoms. Is muscle weakness a SE of Arimidex or is it just age? I have trouble getting out of a chair without using my arms.I am normal weight for age.

gerrib....so sorry you ar going through this. IMO it could definitely be the Arimidex. Anti hormones speed up the aging process due to the lack of estrogen. Good luck to all navigating this disease.

I have been on anastrozole since July. I have had the muscle aches, still do, but I have found that if I keep moving I feel really good, both physically and mentally. I am 60 and have been in menopause for 3 years so I think that helps me because menopause itself brings a lot of aches and pains. The main thing that I have noticed is how much everything dries out. My hair, skin, nails, etc. It's like it happened over night. Because I had a low grade breast cancer and a double mastectomy, I don't talk to my doctor until 6 months from my surgery, which was in July. My main concern about this drug is the long term effects I have read about, both bone health and aging faster. I will talk to my doctor because I am not sure the good out weighs the bad. Don't get cancer, but am a crippled old lady by the time I am 70. I would love to hear from anyone who has had more good than bad and I thought it might help if I told everyone about my "keep moving" outlook. This is such a hard thing for everyone to choose between having cancer again potoentially or having a good qulaity of life. It is a shame that ends up being your choices.

Congrats to you!!! I'm on it to for the rest of my life or until I progress....at least it's easier than an IV chemo. Just more expensive. In the hospital = $0. At home =$$$$$$.