1. < Breast Cancer

Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole

Posted by tinalove @tinalove, Jan 31, 2016

I completed all treatments for breast cancer but now I am supposed to take hormone blocker, named anastrozole. im concerned about the side effects. Has anyone here taken it and did anyone have hair loss?

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wyngnit | @wyngnit | Feb 13, 2021
In reply to @elizm "@grandma41 @mari I developed trigger thumb from anastrozole. I tried PT (where I basically was told..." + (show)
@elizm

@grandma41 @mari
I developed trigger thumb from anastrozole. I tried PT (where I basically was told to rest it) and a hand mold, but ended up with the hand specialist giving me a shot of kenalog in the thumb joint in 2019 and again in 2020. After a few weeks, the thumb returned to normal each time. He advised me that, if it returns a third time, he'll need to address it surgically by partially cutting its ligament. (I personally would prefer the kenalog as it also soothes the osteoarthritis in the thumb.)

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When did this show up after u started? Months? Weeks?

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mari | @mari | Feb 14, 2021

Did anyone have their finger nails curve downward on Anastrazol? Really weird.

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bluebird70 | @bluebird70 | Feb 14, 2021

Yes I did and big ridges along the cuticle line which caused my full nail to come off altogether. I have since been taken off anastrozole and I am now on exemestane. Have been on since January 21st. So far ok and hope it stays that way.

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jeaniebean | @jeaniebean | Feb 14, 2021

I had no hair loss, but terrible side effects. crippling hands and feet, insomnia, lethargy, and went into a very dark place. Stopped them all and now I take DIM supplements with myamin.

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elizm | @elizm | Feb 14, 2021
In reply to @mari "Did anyone have their finger nails curve downward on Anastrazol? Really weird." + (show)
@mari

Did anyone have their finger nails curve downward on Anastrazol? Really weird.

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@mari I lost my finger and toe nails from chemo. When they were growing back, I was on anastrozole, but only one toenail returned by curving around the tip of my toe. I don't know if I can blame that on the anastrozole, however. It might just have been a result of regrowing nails at my age?

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framegood | @framegood | May 6, 2021
In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi Mary @mollymiller, Imagine I've just poured you a cup of tea and we're sitting down..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Hi Mary @mollymiller, Imagine I've just poured you a cup of tea and we're sitting down together. If I were sitting across from you right now, this is what I would tell you. Thank goodness that you did the ColonGuard test. While it has a high false positive rate, you can get a colonoscopy to make sure. The best thing about screening for this type of cancer is that it can be stopped in its tracks. Colon cancer is very slow growing. It often starts with stage 0 polyps which IF you have any, they can remove during the colonoscopy.

The preparation for a colonoscopy is icky! I'm not going to lie, but in hindsight it really isn't that bad. I try the mind over matter thing and pretend I'm at some fancy spa doing a cleanse LOL. I've had 2 colonoscopies because of high familial risk. The second one they found a nasty polyp and removed it. I was so relieved that I hadn't delayed the procedure.

Here's another little thing to make you giggle. Like you, I'm not a great sleeper. The deep rest that I awake from after a colonoscopy is my fringe benefit -- that along with the warm blankets. Spa? Well no, but imagining that it is helps me. We can get through this together.

Would you like another cup of tea?

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I'm 80 years old, I had breast cancer in 2014, and I have always had digestives' issues, and always had my Colonoscopy last one Jan of 2017 and was told I would never need another one, in March started having issues my Doctor had me do Colon Guard and it came back positive, now waiting to see a G I Doctor, I'm worried what they will find, as hemorrhoids are also bleeding. I could sure use a cup of tea right now, It takes forever to see a Doctor for a Colonoscopy

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leeann66 | @leeann66 | May 7, 2021
In reply to @dmgweiss "Thank you for sharing your experience. I like your perspective that the side effects are basically..." + (show)
@dmgweiss

Thank you for sharing your experience. I like your perspective that the side effects are basically more menopause-good point. Thanks!

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Hello, just new to this group! I was diagnosed June 2020 with stage 4 breast cancer. I am on anastrozole as well as Kisqali and have injections of x-Geva every 4 weeks. My hair thinned out, but has settled down and seems to finally be growing again! I’m now also taking Biotin every day which supplements hair and nails. This many months in, the bone pain is much less, headaches are rare and my skin is looking better than ever! Biggest side effects that are still impacting me are insomnia and night sweats (one impacts the other I’m sure) some days my memory is a bit more foggy but not bad, fatigue is worse some days than others so I arrange my activity accordingly and still some bone pain but that is also a side effect of the other two medications so no way around that but - it is all working! The new combination of anastrozole and Kisqali is doing what it is supposed to do, and I need it to keep doing that!!! It is allowing me to keep living, working, caring for my family and friends, golfing, enjoying wine....! While it was rough when I first started 9 months ago, definitely all has settled down after 6 months! Hope the same happens for those of you just starting your journey!

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crazydaisy | @crazydaisy | May 11, 2021
In reply to @cautiousoptimism "Thank you! Very helpful to see all the drugs side by side. I'm sticking with arimidex..." + (show)
@cautiousoptimism

Thank you! Very helpful to see all the drugs side by side. I'm sticking with arimidex for now. My new trial is the Fosamax I've recently started because of the bone thinning SE's of arimedex. I've had severe thigh pain, my doc at Mayo checked for clots and bone issues, but all were negative. The pain went away after 24 hours, but scared me. I've read so many horror stories about that drug affecting the body adversely. Has anyone used it with minimal effects? I was told to come back in if it occurs again.

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My friend went on Fosamax and it turned her femur bone into Swiss cheese. I would get off that drug asap. My friend was just walking and her femur spiral fractured.

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sued08 | @sued08 | May 29, 2021
In reply to @jeaniebean "I had no hair loss, but terrible side effects. crippling hands and feet, insomnia, lethargy, and..." + (show)
@jeaniebean

I had no hair loss, but terrible side effects. crippling hands and feet, insomnia, lethargy, and went into a very dark place. Stopped them all and now I take DIM supplements with myamin.

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How long have you been on DIM supplements? Are you taking Myomin supplement (the one from China) also? If so, how are you feeling and what did your doctor say about you stopping Anastrozole? I’m thinking about not taking Anastrozole at all and going on to the DMI supplements.

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mjay | @mjay | Jun 11, 2021

What are DIM supplements?

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