Foot pain with Anastrozole?

Hi! @lhwoz :

Thanks for sharing your successful experience with us!

I am so grateful and excited to know that after 2 years+ on AI medications ( Anastrozole for 1 year, then Letrozole for more than a year), you are clear off BC and feeling a tiny bit like your old self! Haven't heard from you since, I am wondering how have you been in the past 6 months. Hopefully that you are still free from foot aches & pain, etc.; for this gives me hope to strive on.

Thanks again for encouraging us all!

Hello all! Hope today finds you all on a good path in all ways! Ugh fornthose facing bumps in the road.

Updates -I'm about 2.5 years in from 2x lumpectomy/radiation for ILC . Been on Anaztrozole for 1 year then switched to Letrozole and on that about 1.5 yrs.

My crazy unexplainable morning (or post chilling on couch etc) foot pain is gone. It had disappeared a while ago, then returned????, and now subsided. I honestly dont get it.

I had my 2 year bone scan and Bone Density was down 10% so I decided YES to the Zometa Infusion. One rough night then good. Highly recommend you ask specifically about Tylenol and Claritin cocktail before! I had read up beforehand and did take Tylenol and they also gave me a steroid right before Zometa but never offered Claritin and heard that helps the post infusion mysery (although short lived).

I am exercising quite frequently, walking, weights, hiking and Orangetheory and feeling good in general. Sleep is also much better. I try to take nothing and my night sweats and insomnia seem to just cycle thru here and there.

I have my Breast MRI soon and hoping for good news.

Also, for those with ILC there is a webinar via UCSF on Wed bc its Lobular awareness day (or something like that). Im tuning in to hear speakers and see if there is new info out there as recurrence always on my mind.

Xoxo all
Laurie

Also - I do have a lot of (at least in my opinion a lot of) issues with injuries related to tendons and joints. Not sure it's becasue of their zeroing out of estrogen or perhaps that plus coupled with lifelong activities that have affected. Struggled with harsh achilles tendinitis last year (went in a boot and problem solved after a year of trying to rehab thru PT and self guided stuff/limiting), Shoulder joint and biceps tendon (just had 3rd cortisone shot to R shoulder - diff locations and spanned over time but still, not ideal). I struggle with I guess what would be scar tissue and decreased mobility on R shoulder - I have started stretching a lot more and more importantly more consistently. Bands, foam roller and also hanging on Pull up bar (used to be able to do those sadly but now just hanging is my jam!) I also seem to get cramps a lot in my calf at night - or right on the verge of cramping?

lastly - I cant seem to get rid of the front zip compression bras from surgery. Deep in my mind is the worry of recurrence, although that space is much smaller than last year. But its there. I don't share that with anyone - just here :-(.

All in all, still, much better physically and head space vs a year ago. Keep on keeping on ladies!

XOXO
laurie

I’m joining the comments on foot and calf pain from Anastrozole. Worse on the others aromatase inhibitors for me and I tried them all. Diagnosed with bilateral Achilles tendinitis did some physical therapy. May do more. Good to keep active.
Also have elbow tendinitis.

@npandolph

Wow. Ya the tendon issues are a thing. Feel like I'm playing whack a mole.

Here’s my question for the group…after discontinuing an AI due to bad foot, ankle and/or leg pain…How long did it take before these problems resolved?
Thank you!

I had HORRIBLE foot pain when on Anastrozole, at times I could barely walk. Gabapentin really helped with the pain. I only took the gabapentin for a short time, the foot pain did improve but never completely resolve

I know the original post is old, but maybe more info will help someone.

Yes, I had similar foot pain, especially when standing up after non-movement. I would hobble to the bathroom in the AM, felt like my ankles wouldn't bend and bottoms of feet were sore. But once I walked a few min, it cleared up (mostly). This started after a year or so on Anastrozole for me, before that the pain had been in my hips, knees ... it's like it worked its way down. I've been on Anastrozole for 2 yrs now, and don't have too many aches anymore, but my feet are still tender in the AM. I'm a walker and put in several miles a day, do tai chi, try to stretch whenever I think about it (not enough), but I stay active ... any and all movement helps the situation.

When I brought up the foot/ankle pain to my Onc, he suggested I see an orthopedist. What??? I was just reporting symptoms, as he asked me to. He said no, AI doesn't cause that. I said - but I had NO foot pain before in my life. He said - coincidence.

Of course I do not believe him for a minute. He has never taken it. It is the anastrozole.

@deb23 in my opinion he is 100% wrong. I am super active, always have been, fit with some injuries along the way due to overuse (ie rotator cuff with heavy lifting). The foot pain is absolutely an AI thing. Hard to describe, bery predictable after laying down or legs up/sitting, and goes away but a strange and apparently unexplainable phenomenon. Mine has settled down and gone (again). None of my MDs really had an explanation except "swelling or circulation" which made no sense. They were not tight feeling.

Good luck and hope it completely simmers and doesnt return!!

Similar issues with foot pain in the early morning, but it subsides very quickly. I did develop trigger thumb and after using a brace for a couple of months on my hand at night, it seemed to resolve however, I would find that if I didn’t use the brace after a few days it would come back. Joint pain in my left knee had gotten to the point of a lot of discomfort, and I entered into some additional physical therapy. I am very active and have been for most of my life maintaining a pretty strong Workout schedule. I also watch my diet. I am on annastrozole and this is my second year on the medication. In May at about the 20 month point I requested a change in manufacturer and have been amazed by the improvement in my symptoms. I no longer have the knee pain, hot flashes have really subsided, And my trigger thumb has completely gone away with no use of the hand brace anymore. Sometimes they say the fillers in medications can be part of the problem.