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Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole
Breast Cancer | Last Active: Nov 21 7:48am | Replies (1935)Comment receiving replies
I have just started Arimadex and wanted to hear from others taking this drug. My Dr. said I will be taking this pill for the next 10 years. He stated that I will have joint pain in my hands and wrists. I experienced that immediately! I take it at night because I feel into a deep, deep sleep about 3 hours after taking it. I am a school teacher and really do not need to be falling asleep with students!
I feel depressed and unmotivated, my joints ache all the time. I am taking calcium with a Vit D supplement. My knee was hurting from laying on the radiation table and it hasn't gotten better. Here are my questions, does the joint ache go away with exercise? I used to play tennis and I still play the piano and I REALLY do not want to lose any of these activities. I am starting to get out on the courts but when I get home, my body is so sore, I can't move.
I am thinking about taking the pill part time but when I didn't take it for Christmas, it seemed like the joint pain was WORSE! So my questions are:
Do you take ibuprofen to help the achy joints or another supplement?
Do you find that taking the pill at night that you still are restless and mornings are very hard to get out of bed?
Does exercise help relieve the joint pain? I know it will help the bone loss!
What essential oils does anyone take to help with these side effects?
I know these questions are numerous and a little disjointed but this is what is on my mind! The pain in my body makes me feel like I am 80 and not 60, sad and not happy like I normal and have a very short fuse!
Thank for your input!
Replies to "I have just started Arimadex and wanted to hear from others taking this drug. My Dr...."
Hi @ljwright4778,
I moved your posts to this discussion on Anastrozole (Arimidex) so that you could reconnect with the members who've joined this discussion. I’m so glad you’ve reached out to the Connect community with your questions, and I’m confident fellow members will join in and share their insights.
Hi. I started on Anastrozole in early October. By mid-November, my joint pain was so bad that I dreaded going from sites to standing position or having to squat down for any reason. My doctor put me on a “drug holiday” - not as fun as it sounds lol -where I did not take the drug for 3 weeks. I went back on the drug on Dec 11 and so far have had minimal side effects. My oncology team does not know why this works, but have found that often after taking a break from the drug, the side effects are lessened once back on. I am 47 years old and stage 3, so feel that not taking an AI is not an option for me. So, if your pain gets to the point that you feel you can’t endure be sure to talk with your medical team about the possible benefits of a drug holiday. It just might work for you, too! I’m also curious about the 10 yr expectation of you taking the drug as I was informed (and the little bit of research I’ve done seems to support) that there is no added benefit to 10 yrs vs 5 yrs of AI. If anyone has other info, I’d love to hear it. Thanks. And we are all so much stronger than we think we are! Hang in there, all!
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This sounds exceedingly familiar! I take the anastrazole in the evenings since I take Ibrance in the mornings. I have had severe hand and wrist pain as well as knee and hip pain. My doctor recommends Claritin to help with the joint pain. The other thing that has helped me tremendously is sunlight! We just returned from two weeks in Florida and I couldn't believe how much better my hands felt there. Best of luck as you navigate this adventure.