Tingling in Hands After Taking Arimidex

I have had periodic tingling in the fingers and carpal tunnel like pain that comes and goes.  It is a known side effect of Arimidex.  I haven't sought treatment because it doesn't bother me often enough or badly enough to see a doctor.

I have had periodic tingling in the fingers and carpal tunnel like pain that comes and goes.  It is a known side effect of Arimidex.  I haven't sought treatment because it doesn't bother me often enough or badly enough to see a doctor.

Coltsneck - I've checked the side effects of Arimidex and cannot find tingling listed.  Can you tell me where you saw it or heard about it?  My doctor thinks it has nothing to do with cancer, chemo, radiation, surgery or Arimidex.

Melissa - I developed carpel tunnel in both hands after 5 months on Arimidex.  It was Dx as severe in right hand and moderate in left.  I had surgery on right hand as was starting to have nerve damage.  A short time later, I called Astra Zeneca and found out that they had just listed CTS as a side effect (this was in Feb or March 07).  When I went off the AI's for a few months (on tamox and then a break from it all), the tingling and CTS in left hand went away and range of motion improved in right.  I started back on AI's (Aromasin) in July 07 and the CTS has stayed away - of course there are other complaints.  CTS is listed as a "rare" side effect but it does not happen.  I never had it prior to chemo and AI's.  Sorry for being so long winded. All the best to you. 

I have been on Arimidex for about 6 weeks, now I have problems with my fingers -- 3 fingers feel really hot from time to time, also feel the tingling.  My PCP suspected it is carpal tunnell, but I think it could be Arimidex.

Sue

This is from the "Adverse Events" section of the prescribing info on Arimidex--the very tiny print sheet that comes with the bottle that the doctors (supposedly) use for info about a drug:

"Patients receiving ARIMIDEX had an increase in joint disorders (including arthritis, arthrosis, and arthralgia) compared with patients receving tamoxifen." 

"Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints, which results in pain, swelling, stiffness, and limited movement. There are over 100 different types of arthritis."  (Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia)

Arthrosis is "a degenerative disease of a joint"  (Medline Plus Medical Dictionary)

Arthralgia is "pain in one or more joints"  (Medline Plus Medical Dictionary)

"Parasthesia" is also a listed side effect of Arimidex.  This is "a sensation of pricking, tingling, or creeping on the skin having no objective cause and usually associated with injury or irritation of a sensory nerve or nerve root" (Medline Plus Medical Dictionary)

If these don't describe carpal tunnel syndrome (a condition caused by compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel and characterized especially by weakness, pain, and disturbances of sensation in the hand and fingers -- abbreviation CTS--Medline Plus Medical Dictionary) I don't know what does!  The carpal tunnel is a bony structure where several bone come together in the wrist joint, with nerves running right through the middle of it.  Arimidex affects both the bones and the nerves, so tell your doctor to read his homework! 

developed C.T. syndrome about 6 months into Arimidex. I,too, called Astra Zeneca and received the same info. ..that it had been added to the list of s.e.

I saw a hand surgeon who spec. in CT.I was dx'd with it. He did pt. teaching..ways to stop curling your hands inward as u sleep...or w/ your hands bent back..also  encouraged the wrist splint that I wore almost 1 yr.  I rec'd about 4 cortisone inj. during this time . He did not want to do surgery unless absolutely necessary.

I d/c'd the Arimidex in Sept. '07 and by Jan. ..my last cortisone inj. was given and I have not had any issues since. I do not have to wear the brace at night time. I was also someone who had no risk factors for CT.

I'm another one that developed these issues while on Arimidex. I was initially treated for bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome but after reading here about others experiences, I spoke with both Astra-Zeneca (the manufacturer) and my oncologist. I also had no risk factors and no symptoms prior.  I ended up going off Arimidex and my symptoms eventually went away completely. I'm now on tamoxifen and doing well.  

I started taking Arimidex in October of '05 after completing chemo.  Within a month or two my hands and feet were tingling and numb whenever I raised them.  I couldn't type at the computer for any length of time or cross my legs without complete loss of sensation.   My GP was convinced it was carpal tunnel, although I'd had that before and the symptoms were completely different.  The oncologist said it was a rare, but not unknown, side effect of Arimidex, and had me stop taking it for two weeks.  The symptoms went away instantly.  He switched me to Aromasin, which I've been on for nearly three years now.  I have a little of the tingling, but it's nowhere near as bad.  Good luck!

I too have only been on this med for 2 weeks,and I now have tingling in my hands. I can feel tightness in my wrists and my toes are hurting. GEESH!! A couple of my fingers are "clicking". I'm not too sure about all of this? I can't imagine years of this getting worse?!

Add me to the list. Six months after starting Arimidex I developed severe tingling and numbness of both hands left more than right though I am right handed. As the numbness would dissipate there would be severe pain. I saw a hand specialist and had a nerve conduction test done, quite painful I might add, and results were severe CTS in the left and moderate in the right. I stopped the Arimidex and had surgery and I' m happy to report that my left hand is perfect and the right has gotten much better so I'm holding off on surgery mainly because I' m in the middle of a tennis tournament and don't want to stop to recuperate.