Arimidex - Coping with the SE's

Letty, I started on anastrozole on July 17. So far, so good. My dry eye problem seems to be a bit worse but I have drops for that. I take generic Claritin every day as folks have said it helps prevent the joint pain (which I haven't experienced). I'd go ahead and start taking it - you can always stop.

MJ

I finally accepted after long internal battle that I have to be on hormonal blocker for probably 10 yrs. Rads will be completed today and I have appt w RO for the purpose of AI script. I still fight internally that I will be paying good money for something which could give me a few SEs.

Decided on brand name despite high price. I found ways to reduce brand name AIs as form of copay cards. Will be branded by Novartis or AstraZeneca by agreeing to be included in exchange for the price reduction. Well I have been marked by all insurance companies due to BC dx anyway.

Mimi

I've been on name brand arimidex since May 9. So far, I've had minor SEs which I'm really not sure is associated with the Arimidex or just the aging pricess. I know yoga has kept me limber and flexible. It also helps with maintaining bone density. I do take Prolia injections every 6 months. I didn't have any side effects from the first injection. I truly believe keeping active through regular exercisie is crucial in fighting off the joint pain associated with these hormone inhibitors. I started with gentle yoga and now I mix it up with other classes. I do try to get to the gym, but right now yoga comes first. Do I get stiffness and soreness? Sure, but I had that before the Armidex. If my body needs rest I give myself a day off or two from exercise. But, now it's no longer for vanity it's vital to my well-being. Warm baths with mineral salts helps too. CVS sells one with lavender and it's heavenly,

Honestly, I'm trying to take it one pill, one day at a time and pray my SEs will continue ton be manageable.

I use retaine for my dry eyes which was recommended by my optometrist prior to my Dx,

Gentle hugs to all as we navigate through this BC maze. It "ain't" easy and some days are better than others,

I was taking Aramosin but the SE were just horrible. Went on Arimidex in fall 2016. Didn't experience any SE's til past few months. Now I have joint & muscle pain & weakness, some fatigue, weight gain (I completed chemo January 2016 after double mastectomy ).

Positive PALB gene, Triple Neg. Strong family is of breast cancer.

I wonder if these AI's will really make a difference in my survival rate. If I stop taking them, I'd be able to lose weight & exercise more.

My quality of life is deteriorating. I'm 65, try to go to gym, take chair yoga, swim, Cancer Wellness Exercise Group.

I posted earlier about bilateral hip pains and followed someone advice, took Claritin, and it helped right away. I only took it Monday this week and didn't have to take it again. I also started taking Selenium and Magnesium to add to the list of vitamins and supplements like calcium. I also resumed hot bath which also makes my aches, stiffness Alot manageable.

Sophiee....so sorry you are suffering. Joint issues are a common SE of the As. Your hip is a major joint. IMO you should discuss with MO and maybe look for an alternative. Also have you tried Tumeric? Its an anti inflammatory that might help. Good luck and keep us posted.

Is anyone taking glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for joint pain? I read a possible side effect can be hair thinning? Anyone know about this? Also is anyone taking omega 3 fish oil for joint pain? I will call my MO to see if these are OK to take along with Prolia injections. Getting restless leg syndrome at night. Anyone experiencing this? Gentle hugs to all.

Butterfly, I've taken glucosamine & chondroitin (in the form of Cosamin ASU) for several years for my arthritic knees. But the additional pain I'm having since starting anastrozole hasn't responded to the Cosamin or to Claritin. My orthopedist recently recommended Naproxen (an OTC NSAID) & it has worked amazingly well. I also think regular exercise helps a lot. (Re hair thinning: I never had any problems while on Cosamin but have noticed a minimal amount since I began the AI.) Good luck finding something that works.

Butterfly1234,

Regarding thinning hair, the dermatologist I see has me on several over-the-counter supplements as well as prescription pills, shampoo, lotion, spray, and injections in my scalp (those happen every 3-4 months and aren't as bad as they sound). It has all made a big difference for me. He told me he treats lots of women who have had cancer.

Don't go to just any dermatologist; it needs to be someone who deals with hair issues.

Butterfly--hair thinning is a known side effect of the A I s.

Butterfly12- I have restless leg syndrome and my doctor said low levels of iron can cause it... she tested me and I did have low levels of iron - I now take iron and it has helped - and she gave me a prescription also... helps so much

Anyone done or almost done with their Arimidex 5 years therapy? I will be done with mine in a week. On my last onco visit, she asked me if I want to continue taking them for another 5 years, since I'm doing well with it and has fewer side effects. good thing I have read about it before hand so I told her No, she readily said--"That's ok, there's not a lot of benefit for you huh?" why would I want to continue on when I'm already having joint pains and already have osteopenia? (very mild bone loss, just a bit higher than normal is what she told me) I also can't lose weight, I have no problem gaining though.My BC is ER+ stage 1, I had lumpectomy with radiation, no chemo, negative nodes and low recurrence rate, I also had total hysterectomy. I read that women who has higher stage BC or high recurrence rate and positive nodes will be good candidate for the extended Arimidex therapy. What do you ladies think of this new timeline they're doing with Arimidex?

Hey:

I am on Arimidex 6 months now. I have one sore hip, insomnia most nights, and migraines.

The newest side effect - memory issues. My brain feels foggy. A friend said I am thinking and responding like I have pregnancy brain.

Anyelse suffer from memory issues?

wallan

MJ- sometimes the docs don’t differentiate between SE of the drug and SE of the effect of the drug. Low estrogen can cause that foggy brain. What does an AI do? It blocks the process of fat turning testosterone, progesterone & DHEA to estrogen. If your ovaries don’t work anymore/have been removed and now you’ve blocked the other estrogen supply, you effectively have low estrogen. But the AI didn’t cause the foggy memory directly. Hope that makes sense

Thanks, Lula - that does make sense. I had a complete hysterectomy in 2008 due to a pre-cancerous condition so I’ve had low estrogen for years now. So even if the book the pharmacist dragged out to show me the list of SEs from anastrozole didn’t list foggy brain, it’s most certainly a side-side effect!

MJ