Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole

Please talk to your doctor about these side effects. This is a hard regimen for some people. There may be other options with less side effects available to try or they may need to add something to help treat the miseries. We have options now to help us LIVE with advanced cancer. The days of MBC being imminently terminal for everyone are over. @leeann66 mentioned another regimen, and there is another discussion right now that has some other members on different treatments. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/struggling-to-cope-with-stage-iv-diagnosis-and-what-the-future-holds/
All this to say again, please talk to your doctor. Will you come back and let me know how you are doing?

One year

I might be repeating myself but I had minimal side effects on the aromatase inhibitor Femara. Hot flashes in the beginning were no big deal, and if I felt a little stiff, walking more than 20 minutes helped that. I was way more scared of a recurrence than the meds, but we are all different in our responses.

Both my girlfriend and I have had BC twice and are currently taking anastrozole. We are both 70+. Neither one of us have had or are currently having any issues with this medicine. Both of us are active and get plenty of exercise. I walk 3 miles/day weather permitting and knit which I think may help my hands AND we both take our medicine at night. We were just talking about it the other day. She said her doctor advised her to do it that way. It is worth a try.

Congratulations! What do you mean by ‘pure prescription’? I was on Anastrozole for 2 years and stopped after 2 years. Side effects are going away after 2 1/2 months being off of med. I would like to finish it, but quality of my life is important also. I’m 69 & I’m pretty active. I keep pushing to do exercises and walking as it makes huge difference. Appreciate the information on the pure prescription. TIA

Could it be the Verzenio causing the hair loss or could be the combination of both. I am 54 was on Tamoxifen 7.5 years, hit menopause and was switched to Anastrazole which I have been on for 1.5 years. Hair is thinning a lot but no bald spots or baldness yet. I have one more year to go on the Anastrazole but I was just diagnosed with a reoccurrence or a new cancer that is in my liver, abdomen, chest, rib, spine, sternum, fore arms and a tumor in my clavicle although I took the Tamoxifen and Anastrazole as directed to complete 10 years. I have a biopsy this week on 1/6/2022. My breast cancer was ER+ PR+ HER2+ aggressive, I had chemo, trial drug, double mastectomy and 35 radiation treatments in 2012 followed by Herceptin.

I am in canada and the drugs that are covered by medical have fillers in them that make them cheaper to produce. If your onco asks for no fillers, it is purer but more expensive. The pure ones were easier to hamdle but the damage was already done for me. I am 68 and after struggling with the drugs, I opted for quality of life. It is working for me, but still do not have any flexibility in my hands and fingers. The drugs bring forward any underlying issues, which brought my arthritis in with a vengeance. That is my only struggle now, and the ability to move freely, clear mind and feeling of happiness was worth it to me. I will eventually get it again, but I want to live my life as a fulfilled person, not a labrat.
Took me a full year to get past the side effects. Good for you!! May we live the lives we hoped for in our retirement!! I now am doing the Starch Solution diet, which has helped me immensely. Pure foods and no cravings, and in the meantime have lost almost 50 pounds in 7 months. I am going to eat this way for one year, and then see where it takes me. My blood pressure was very high through the cancer treatment, but without drug, I have managed to get it to wonderful numbers!

Thank you for sharing. This is really good information!

I agree that this is probably from the Verzenio, I took tamoxifen for five and anastrazole for even more years. My cancer looks very similar to yours. My journey slightly different but not much, I am currently progression free. please come back and let me know how the biopsy goes? Did they order a PET scan yet?

Thanks for sharing this! Sometimes it is good to hear from people who are not having issues with the medicine as a reminder.