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?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group.

@auntieoakley

Yep, this too!! 🤪
I have learned to keep hand fans everywhere, and since I am still here 18 years in. I have learned to keep a sense of humor about it.

Jump to this post

Ya gotta have a sense of humor about all of this. I’ve hot flashed since around 42/43 yrs old & I’m 69 next month. It is just part of my life. 🥵 😂

REPLY
@lisman1408

Being on any of these drugs to lower our estrogen to help keep breathing cancer away, is just like going through a never ending menopause! During menopause our estrogen drops naturally and now we’re taking pills to make it drop even more! No wonder we are often miserable!

Jump to this post

Breast cancer, not breathing cancer…

REPLY
@reneed

I have started having burning full body neuropathy pain, but mostly in arms and legs, hands and feet. I have numbness in toes and swelling in left calf. It is exhausting. The other SEs I have is weakness, bone, muscle and joint pain, fatigue and cognitive issues. Put up with it all but nerve pain is intolerable. I took myself off the drug for now.

Jump to this post

on the 14 October I had (ACDF) to remove damanged disks. Now I have ALL of the above , full body nerupathy pain etc. as the above person .It started one morning with a cramp in the back of my left leg.I am only taking Gabapentina 300mgs at nights I am due to see the Neurosurgeon oth Monday 20th December I have had no releif since this started 2 weeks ago.Any advice will be welcome.It is the worse pain ever

REPLY
@deloris2

on the 14 October I had (ACDF) to remove damanged disks. Now I have ALL of the above , full body nerupathy pain etc. as the above person .It started one morning with a cramp in the back of my left leg.I am only taking Gabapentina 300mgs at nights I am due to see the Neurosurgeon oth Monday 20th December I have had no releif since this started 2 weeks ago.Any advice will be welcome.It is the worse pain ever

Jump to this post

Deloris this just sound awful, I am not familiar with (ACDF) but it sounds as if your pain might be related to that. I am going to post a link to a neuropathy group that will likely have some better information for you.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/non-opioid-alternatives-for-chronic-peripheral-neuropathy/

REPLY
@deloris2

on the 14 October I had (ACDF) to remove damanged disks. Now I have ALL of the above , full body nerupathy pain etc. as the above person .It started one morning with a cramp in the back of my left leg.I am only taking Gabapentina 300mgs at nights I am due to see the Neurosurgeon oth Monday 20th December I have had no releif since this started 2 weeks ago.Any advice will be welcome.It is the worse pain ever

Jump to this post

My heart goes out to you. Best of luck finding relief on this journey.

REPLY

I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in August of 2017. One sentinel node was involved and 2 axillary nodes. I had a right mastectomy and all axillary nodes were removed. Radiation was proton beam therapy over a three week course. Oncotype testing gave me a “1” rating which is extremely low therefore chemo was not necessary.
I started taking Arimidex or Anastrozole since December 2017 and side effects have been mild. My main complaint has been fatigue however I had 4 surgeries in 2 years which I felt factored in to the equation. I had frequent hot flashes which have subsided. I’ve had normal hair loss which it sounds may be a bit unusual. Fatigue is my main complaint but I’m willing to take Anastrozole if it will help me stay cancer free

REPLY
@wandering

I took anastrozole for almost 3 years before it stopped working for me. My oncologist put me on Tums. Tums are high in calcium which I assume is why he put me on that. I am off the anasrozole but continue with the Tums.

Jump to this post

How are you doing today? Are you on any other AI or have an my reoccurrences? I pray not.

REPLY

Hi. Any runners out there on Anastrozole? Been running for years, decades, but stopped for a few months. Started training for a race and quickly developed very bad plantar fasciitis and other foot pain too, haven't gone to podiatrist yet but feels like could be bone related too. It's been about a month and still bothersome. Wondering if possible foot bones were weakened from Anastrozole but only been taking about 4 mo. Doesn't help that I gained about 10 lbs in last 2 years! Any one else have foot issues post med ? Thanks.

REPLY
@blue850

Hi. Any runners out there on Anastrozole? Been running for years, decades, but stopped for a few months. Started training for a race and quickly developed very bad plantar fasciitis and other foot pain too, haven't gone to podiatrist yet but feels like could be bone related too. It's been about a month and still bothersome. Wondering if possible foot bones were weakened from Anastrozole but only been taking about 4 mo. Doesn't help that I gained about 10 lbs in last 2 years! Any one else have foot issues post med ? Thanks.

Jump to this post

YES !!!!!! Meeeeee!! I was on tamoxifen for 9 mos and one day I felt like I had small golf balls on balls of foot. I can’t wear heels any more or walk barefoot in my apt. Went to podiatrist and he diagnosed me with metatarsalgia , finally after too many side effects , dr took me off. We might try something new in January I am still in pain

REPLY
@blue850

Hi. Any runners out there on Anastrozole? Been running for years, decades, but stopped for a few months. Started training for a race and quickly developed very bad plantar fasciitis and other foot pain too, haven't gone to podiatrist yet but feels like could be bone related too. It's been about a month and still bothersome. Wondering if possible foot bones were weakened from Anastrozole but only been taking about 4 mo. Doesn't help that I gained about 10 lbs in last 2 years! Any one else have foot issues post med ? Thanks.

Jump to this post

I had similar but am not a runner. I’m an outside Walker or treadmill Walker but did it regularly 3-4 times a week. After 5 months on Anastrozole ( started July 2020, metastasis to my bones) I had the same
Thing, feel like plantars fasciitis on my left foot. It is finally better after 10 months but I still have some pain from time to time. Now it is starting on my right foot along the side (different position on the foot but same pain) Ugg! I were Crocs instead of slipper in the house and running shoes with a very cushioned insole and that makes a big difference. I also had some hair loss (I think one person who responded to your message spoke about hair loss) and now in the past three months it is starting to regrow and I have all these new baby hairs so that is encouraging. I think all of those side effects unfortunately are normal. As long as the medication’s are doing what they need to do, and I pray they are, the rest I will manage and I’m sure you were all the same. Stay strong ladies you are warriors!

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.