1. < Breast Cancer

Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole

Posted by tinalove @tinalove, Jan 31, 2016

I completed all treatments for breast cancer but now I am supposed to take hormone blocker, named anastrozole. im concerned about the side effects. Has anyone here taken it and did anyone have hair loss?

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kwanless | @kwanless | Apr 4, 2019
In reply to @baker1 "My lips have been extremely dry for the past few weeks. They feel like they are..." + (show)
@baker1

My lips have been extremely dry for the past few weeks. They feel like they are burning and have become a size too small! I have tried Chapstick, Vaseline ( which has always worked for me before cancer) and Blixtex. Nothing seems to comfort my poor lips. I'm taking Anastrozle. Could that be the source of my discomfort?

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Anastrozole takes all the moisture out of the body. I have dried up everywhere

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appaloosagal | @appaloosagal | Apr 4, 2019
In reply to @jeannie53 "@kwanless - I also had terrible leg pain and at times could not climb stairs unless..." + (show)
@jeannie53

@kwanless - I also had terrible leg pain and at times could not climb stairs unless I pulled myself up by the bannister. In addition to fatigue and getting depressed because I felt awful. I stopped my pills after 6 months and saw my oncologist yesterday, I have been off of the pills for a week and started to notice the difference after 5 days. My doctor could not believe that I have been suffering and told me I should have let her know and stopped the pills when the pain kicked in. She has instructed me to take a break for 1 month to get it all out of my system and wait until I feel like my old self. I was on anastrozole and she is going to change me to letrozole. She said if that does not work we will just try different drugs until one works and if none agree with me we will figure my next step which may be no drugs. My point is please do not suffer I had no quality of life and was starting to feel very depressed. Quality of life is very important I get having some off days but every day was off and that's not living it's existing. Please talk to your oncologist and if you get no results consider getting a new oncologist that listens to you. Sending good thoughts your way!

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I started out on Tamoxifen. I was on it for 2 years. It damaged my Liver. So my Dr. put me on
Letrazole. The pain in my joints was terrible. I am now on Anastrozole. The insomnia and fatigue and constipation has been bad. Not sleeping has been the hardest for me. I am taking a break from it for a couple of months. I have been on it for over a year.

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2 replies
baker1 | @baker1 | Apr 5, 2019

@gwinter I drink 3-4 bottles of water daily, 16.9 oz each. I'm not overly dry anywhere else. So I don't think it is dehydration.

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1 reply
gwinter | @gwinter | Apr 5, 2019
In reply to @baker1 "@gwinter I drink 3-4 bottles of water daily, 16.9 oz each. I'm not overly dry anywhere..." + (show)
@baker1

@gwinter I drink 3-4 bottles of water daily, 16.9 oz each. I'm not overly dry anywhere else. So I don't think it is dehydration.

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@baker1 impressive!

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jeannie53 | @jeannie53 | Apr 5, 2019
In reply to @appaloosagal "I started out on Tamoxifen. I was on it for 2 years. It damaged my Liver...." + (show)
@appaloosagal

I started out on Tamoxifen. I was on it for 2 years. It damaged my Liver. So my Dr. put me on
Letrazole. The pain in my joints was terrible. I am now on Anastrozole. The insomnia and fatigue and constipation has been bad. Not sleeping has been the hardest for me. I am taking a break from it for a couple of months. I have been on it for over a year.

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@appaloosagal - Enjoy the break from the meds. Sometimes I feel as though the cure is worse than the disease.

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kathyomaha55 | @kathyomaha55 | Apr 5, 2019
In reply to @appaloosagal "I started out on Tamoxifen. I was on it for 2 years. It damaged my Liver...." + (show)
@appaloosagal

I started out on Tamoxifen. I was on it for 2 years. It damaged my Liver. So my Dr. put me on
Letrazole. The pain in my joints was terrible. I am now on Anastrozole. The insomnia and fatigue and constipation has been bad. Not sleeping has been the hardest for me. I am taking a break from it for a couple of months. I have been on it for over a year.

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I also have insomnia. When mentioned to my doctor - she said it was an unusual side effect. She suggested taking a benadryl before bedtime. Yes - it does suck all the water out of you - I seem to drink water all day long, like 6 to 8 bottles. I also had the constipation - starting taking like 4 dried prunes a day - I buy the ones packaged singly. That really helped with that problem. I think the fatigue has lessened - but I starting going to the gym regularly, as my Dr. said EXERCISE. And I do feel much better. I'm on anastrozole - Starting my 6th month on it.

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sadfeet | @sadfeet | Apr 6, 2019

Just switched to it two days ago from Tamoxifen. We'll see how it goes. I am already suffering from CIPN in my feet ( feels like electricity 24 hours a day) so I hope no more pain with this med!

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1 reply
elizm | @elizm | Apr 6, 2019

@sadfeet
I, too, have CIPN... it's a bear, isn't it? I have found remarkable relief (from the burning and electrical shocks) with an all natural fatty acid amide called Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) -- no side effects, AND, you can buy it on Amazon. Look for the unadulterated kind (without B vitamins and such). It normally takes about 3 weeks to notice a considerable difference.

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1 reply
kathyomaha55 | @kathyomaha55 | Apr 6, 2019
In reply to @elizm "@sadfeet I, too, have CIPN... it's a bear, isn't it? I have found remarkable relief (from..." + (show)
@elizm

@sadfeet
I, too, have CIPN... it's a bear, isn't it? I have found remarkable relief (from the burning and electrical shocks) with an all natural fatty acid amide called Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) -- no side effects, AND, you can buy it on Amazon. Look for the unadulterated kind (without B vitamins and such). It normally takes about 3 weeks to notice a considerable difference.

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What dosage do you use? I have PN - got it before I had cancer. Not from Diabetes.

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