Completed 5 years of anastrozole. Withdrawal symptoms? Side effects?

It's also possible that this pain is unrelated to the anastrozole. The armoatase inhibitors can cause a lot of different bone and joint pain, not in all people, I hasten to add though. But they're not the only possible causes. Or maybe you can switch to another AI and have less discomfort. Does your doctor have any ideas for helping with this? I hope so...

@teri512
Have a talk with your oncologist. I first started anastrozole and could barey walk as well as the fatigue. My oncologist then switched me to letrozole which was not quite as bad but then we finally switched to exemestane. I did quite well with that (putting up with hot flashes) and have been on this for 3 years, but the fatigue has become worse and feeling jittery and weak to the point I just had another talk with my oncologist. We agreed to go off of this for 1-2 months and then re-evaluate. I cannot go on tamoxifen as I had a stroke 2 years ago so the chance of blood clots are high. Not everyone has the same reaction to these pills so if one doesn't work, again, talk with your oncologist and maybe try a different AI. Hoping it all goes better for you.

Switching to brand name or to a different manufacturer can make a difference, as well as or instead of switching to a different AI. I took brand name Femara because I reacted to two generics. At the end of 5 years I found a generic I could tolerate- too late after spending all that money! In general, I do well with TEVA meds.

I know that my oncologist has had, or still has, patients who've taken a holiday from anastrozole but your doctor might have a different idea. I think doctors would prefer continuity of drug intake but the reality is that a temporary appraisal time is better than complete non-compliance so they are realistic about some peoples' tolerance levels. And if a holiday off the drug alleviates the discomfort, it's easier to identify that particular drug as trigger.

Hello, I’ve just finished taking anastrozole like you after 7 years. A few weeks after stopping I started getting daily headaches which I didn’t experience while taking the medication. My oncologist has referred me for a CT head scan which I am due to have this weekend. Understandably, I am so anxious it may be secondary breast cancer but am hoping it may be withdrawal from the drug.

I actually had these headaches beginning every afternoon for a few months. They tapered off and went away. I am glad you are getting it checked out. I did get relief from an aleve.
Are you getting relief from these headaches?

I take ibuprofen which helps a bit but doesn’t get rid of the pain entirely.

I have been on Astrozole for 6 months after surgery for a hormone positive, lymph node negative low grade small breast cancer. I have started having cardiovascular issues- high blood pressure for the first time in my life, and I just had amaurosis fugax ( basically an eye stroke). It seems too coincidental to not be related to the taking of the drug. Anybody have anything like this happen to them?

I have been on Anastrozole for nearly five years. During this time I have had bouts of nausea followed by vomiting. The strange thing is, after I throw up I feel fine. This has probably happened about thirty times over this period. It was worse in the first couple of years.

I also stop in October 2024 I hope I can last that long. the aches and pains and everything else So tired of feeling like this.