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Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole

Breast Cancer | Last Active: Apr 27 1:15pm | Replies (1931)

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@deniseestrada

Hi there. I recently had a mastectomy for Estrogen and progesterone positive receptor breast cancer. No chemo or radiation. I am unsure if those factor into the side effects of the anastrozole therapy. My main concern was joint pain. I am very active and did not want the drug to take that from me. A friend suggested I take the drug closer to bedtime or in the evening after my workout and daytime activities. I have to say, it has made a difference for me. The one thing that has REALLY helped me is that I now stretch my legs and hands. Every day without fail. Nothing fancy. There are a lot of great tutorials online. If you live near a yoga studio try restorative yoga. Longer stretching postures, seated or laying down. Not sure about hair loss. I was expecting chemotherapy, so frankly any hair I have is a bonus! Best of luck and God Bless to all of you!

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Replies to "Hi there. I recently had a mastectomy for Estrogen and progesterone positive receptor breast cancer. No..."

Welcome Denise. So glad that you shared your tip for when to take the medication and how it helped you with joint pain. How long will you be taking anastrozole? Have you experienced any other side effects?

Hi Colleen, the only other side effect is insomnia. I went through the same thing at menopause. I take a Benadryl before bed and no caffeine after noon. That helps. I expect to be on this drug for several years. Even in menopause, I had a noticeable surge in hormones in the months before my diagnosis. Night sweats. Tender breasts. Insiomnia. Most interesting, I had severe itching in my right breast, in the area of the cancer. My blood work confirmed elevated estrogen. So I don't expect my oncologist to take me off anytime soon.