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

Posted by christinej @christinej, Jul 24, 2018

Monday, July 23rd, after consulting with Dr. Loprinzi, we decided to have me stop taking anastrozole. (Arimidex). It has been 5 years since I started the drug after breast cancer surgery and radiation. Has anyone stopped this drug and had any withdrawal symptoms? The nurse from Blue Group sent me an email today saying that there are no withdrawal symptoms after stopping this drug. Soooooooooooooo, is this all in my head? Definitely having some type of withdrawal.

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chris2024 | @chris2024 | Dec 11, 2022

Ive been ok except for the joint pains, Anxiety from Time to time, and no energy from time to time also.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Dec 17, 2022
In reply to @chris2024 "I also stop in October 2024 I hope I can last that long. the aches and..." + (show)
@chris2024

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.

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Welcome, @chris2024. I see that you included 2024 in your username to keep your focus on your goal of continuing treatment until October 2024. I can sympathize that you're tired of feeling the aches and pains, and sometimes anxiety. It's tough.

Does it help you to focus on "who" or "what" your taking the medication for? A loved one? An upcoming important event?

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2 replies
anjalima | @anjalima | Dec 18, 2022

Nothing is ever “ in your head”. We BC survivors are hyper vigilant in our bodies, generally speaking, we know that we feel everything. When hormones have been, thankfully, minimized for 5 years and then suddenly not… my bet is we are going to notice!

Good for you that you were able to complete your treatment. BRAVA!
Now you may need to give this body time to adjust to no med 🌸

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maloney | @maloney | Feb 15, 2023
In reply to @rsc "So sorry to hear about your mom's struggles. I also had an itchy head, although that..." + (show)
@rsc

So sorry to hear about your mom's struggles. I also had an itchy head, although that seems to be doing better. The restless/anxiety feeling is so uncomfortable and inconsistent. I am interested in learning if others have experienced these "withdrawal" symptoms after going of aromatase inhibitors. Perhaps, oncologists should advise patients to withdraw slowly, not all at once. Particularly, when one has been on the drug for many years. Those of us that have been on these drugs for 10 years are pioneers, as the period of time and recommendations have evolved over the last few years. Thoughts?

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agree...taper off should be better....i was instructed
to just stop.....oh boy... w/i two weeks, my immune
system went crazy. severe fatigue, then depression, then bowels (constipation or loose bowels). had itchy head whole time i was taking med, still have. i had very few problems while taking med. Making up for it now....HA!

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1 reply
chris2024 | @chris2024 | Feb 15, 2023

I have a question. I've been on anastrozole. since 2019 now my oncologist I had till this year, and another person said no I'm not finish till 2024 I thought we count the first year we start it. 2019 through 2023 would be 5 years.

My body has so many aches and pains since being on this medication, my memory seems to be now getting fuzzy.

Another question why we can't just instead of taking 7 days a week maybe take it every other day. what would be the difference. Maybe we won't be in so much misery.

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1 reply
chris2024 | @chris2024 | Feb 15, 2023
In reply to @colleenyoung "Welcome, @chris2024. I see that you included 2024 in your username to keep your focus on..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Welcome, @chris2024. I see that you included 2024 in your username to keep your focus on your goal of continuing treatment until October 2024. I can sympathize that you're tired of feeling the aches and pains, and sometimes anxiety. It's tough.

Does it help you to focus on "who" or "what" your taking the medication for? A loved one? An upcoming important event?

Jump to this post

Kind of.
I thought I would be done in 2023 since I started in 2019 not sure when or how they count the 5 years.

I don't see why we can't just take it for 3 or 4 days out of seven days in the fifth year. the medicine is still getting into our system.

That would also help us in trying to go back to normal when we stop it completely. I feel like my life is diminishing slowly.

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chris2024 | @chris2024 | Feb 15, 2023
In reply to @maloney "agree...taper off should be better....i was instructed to just stop.....oh boy... w/i two weeks, my immune..." + (show)
@maloney

agree...taper off should be better....i was instructed
to just stop.....oh boy... w/i two weeks, my immune
system went crazy. severe fatigue, then depression, then bowels (constipation or loose bowels). had itchy head whole time i was taking med, still have. i had very few problems while taking med. Making up for it now....HA!

Jump to this post

I have a question brain fog has set in lol. what year you started and stop taking, it. I'm going to talk to my oncologist about being able to take it for only 4 days a week and slowly stop taking it. as the 5th year approaches.

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1 reply
maloney | @maloney | Feb 15, 2023
In reply to @chris2024 "I have a question brain fog has set in lol. what year you started and stop..." + (show)
@chris2024

I have a question brain fog has set in lol. what year you started and stop taking, it. I'm going to talk to my oncologist about being able to take it for only 4 days a week and slowly stop taking it. as the 5th year approaches.

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started 1/2018, stopped 10/2022

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x026262 | @x026262 | Apr 26, 2023

I stopped anastrocele 6 months ago and o have an excessive weight gain is this a side effect?

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polianad22 | @polianad22 | Apr 27, 2023
In reply to @vikkr "I too stopped taking Arimidex after five years now have enlarged fatty liver, osteopenia, debilitating fatigue,..." + (show)
@vikkr

I too stopped taking Arimidex after five years now have enlarged fatty liver, osteopenia, debilitating fatigue, progressing weakness muscle weakness weight loss poor appetite hearing loss neck and back arthalgias, abnormal high white blood count high monocytes high MCHC and high hgb, UTI's, bladder incontinence, bone spurs, herniations etc. anyone else have "withdrawal symptoms"?

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I am sorry to hear that. How are you feeling?

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