Anastrazole and anxiety

I had early stage estrogen positive cancer in my left breast. No lymph node’s involved. I only had 22 rounds of radiation and a lumpectomy. Doctor said good margins also. I have the Anastrozole meds but I haven’t started them yet. I’m afraid this medication. What was your experience?

Thanks Gegost, and I hope all goes well with you. After months of doing exactly what I am told to do, it is almost scary to contemplate breaking the rules! Especially as things have gone well for me. But these drugs are so horrible.

I had Stage 1A lobular cancer in my right breast, Had a lumpectomy with clear margins and radiation therapy, No chemo, as lobular breast cancer doesn't respond to chemo. No cancer found in my sentinel lymph node. After a year, I was given the all-clear. I was on Anastrozole for 14 months and asked to be taken off last month. Initially, the only symptom was hot flashes. But then, out of the blue, I became very emotional. I would cry over nothing and would feel overcome by waves of sadness would come and go. I had never had a problem with depression before. Since being on Anastrozole, my triglycerides went from 150 to 216. I also developed severe pain in the joints of both hands and in my hips and lower back. I have osteopenia and since I can't have another bone scan until February, I don't know how being on the med affected my bones. Based on My Oncotype DX score, my risk for recurrence is about 8%. Staying on Anastrozole would reduce my risk to 4%. I decided that quality of life was more important so I made the decision to go off the drug. I have been off it for 5 weeks now and the pain in my joints is gone as is random spells of the blues. If my cancer comes back, I will deal with it. But for now, I'm enjoying my life one day at a time.

Thanks for sharing as I can relate to your joint pain. After my lobular 2cm lumpectomy I had 20 radiation treatments and have been on Letrozole for about a year which put me into osteoporosis at 58 yrs. Now I take weekly Fosamax pill which also causes joint pain but so far I am tolerating. Lobular they say in sneaky so stay up with your surveillance. I have very dense breasts and hopefully will continue with alternating 6 months Mammo and MRI.

Yes, it made me super sensitive as well, did not like the “ not normally me” reactions to anything!!

I tried 2 different types, joint pain, anxiety.. decided to just keep up with my mammo’s and take nothing…

Not that you ever want anyone to have to deal with these drugs, but it sure helps to know I’m not alone! I have a little over a year left on it( I’ve toughed it out for 4 years) so I’m getting there, but it sure hasn’t been easy!

Hi, I've taken Tamoxofen, Letrozole & Anasrozole.
Have ER positive cancer so have to take them.
All these drugs have caused me very severe side effects.
Tamoxifen was the worse for me affecting my vision & caused yellowing, had constant migraines & felt totally disoriented, exhausted & very ill.
My Consultant stopped me taking them as suppected liver probs too. All symptoms stopped when NOT taking the Tamoxifen.
Next, given Anastrazole I had all menopause issues, C.fatugue was off the scales & lack of concentration & cognition & depression, I had to stop driving as I couldn't concentrate. I asked to stop as I felt awful, I had a 2 week break & ALL side effects went.
Next was put on Lansoprazole & this was dreadful too. All the same issues plus sickness, diarrhea & acid reflux. Again I stopped & side effects went.
I was told I have to be on these drugs for min of 5 years My consultant & doctors then said to try the original Brand of Letrozole ( Femora) as I had no choices, so far this has been better.
I'm still on these but I have very bad cognitive funtion, my brain feels like early stage dementia, I have still have poor concentration & extreme fatigue still, tend to bump in to things & have minor falls as my spacial awareness is bad with the extreme fatigue.
I'm very soon seeing another consultant for a 2nd opinion. I've no life on any of these drugs & want to know my % risk of recurrent cancer or spreaf if I stop taking these drugs.
Life's hard with cancer but these drugs make it far worse.
I want quality of life over quantity.
Is there anyone else who feels like me ???
I really feel these drugs are diminishing my brain cells in some way. I'm very worried.
There appears to be little research information available regarding this.
We need a better drug asap.

I have been on two of the AI's thinking if I switched, the next one would make me less anxious. The first one was Anastrozole, I was quick to anger or touchy most of the time. Now, I'm on Exemestane............same thing. They all mess with your hormones so I guess it's to be expected.

I’m so sorry to read about your negative side effects of these AI’s which then have f course put many of us in osteoporosis-then more tough meds need to be taken along with AI—-maybe we should be having more liquid biopsy to check for reoccurrence as sounds like cancer shows up in blood years earlier! Good luck-xoxo