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When do side effects of anastrozole begin?

Breast Cancer | Last Active: Mar 12 3:52pm | Replies (50)

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@einnoc

I'm 78 now, but, 6 months out of taking "adjuvant therapy" I'm feeling the best I have since December of 2021 when I was initially diagnosed. Being old weakens everything on your body. In many studies they don't even have anyone over the age of 70 (or younger). It stands to reason that an older person will have reduced immunity, less strength, etc. Instead of letting me continue on 10 mg every other day, which I WAS taking, I was told (after 2 months) to move up to 20 mg. daily (which was 140 mg. weekly versus the 40 mg. I was taking) because "the clinical studies we have are for 20 mg. daily." Well, maybe run some clinical studies on older subject who aren't in peak condition to begin with. If I had been left alone to take the 10 mg. I was managing to tolerate, I would still be taking (some) Tamoxifen. Instead, the instructions to move up to 20 mg. a day caused the total collapse of what had been a not-fun, but not godawful experience of taking Tamoxifen. On 10 mg. every other day I had to pee all the time and things did not "feel right" below the belt, but I was coping and taking it and there was some of it in my system. Now there is none and I feel much better for it. However, if the 29 oncotype is accurate, I fear a recurrence, because now I'm on nothing to prevent it from coming back. I've asked for good tests to monitor the spread, if any, but, as my Texas oncologist has said, "I'm not afraid of it coming back on the contralateral side. I'm worried about it coming back somewhere else." I will have a bone scan in May. It is the bones that I think he is most worried about. I can't have that one until 2 years has elapsed since my last one in May of 2022. Another thing that amazes me is that I did not get the 2022 bone scan until late May (May 22) but I was put on Anastrozole in February. No wonder my bone density took it in the shorts and now I'm having dental (and other) woes.

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Replies to "I'm 78 now, but, 6 months out of taking "adjuvant therapy" I'm feeling the best I..."

Have they not done tumor marker blood tests?
I just started on Anastrozole and after just 3 days, I have joint & muscle pain like crazy. I'm almost 74 next month so YES, getting older is not quite the same as dealing with it when you are younger. Going tomorrow for a bone density baseline even though I've done that for years in the past and they were good results.
Hope you continue to do well.