Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole

There is an incredibly long list of natural substances that have been tested for their estrogen inhibiting qualities. Just scrolling through this journal article made my head spin:
- Natural Products as Aromatase Inhibitors https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3074486/

@nataliehope, I agree that anyone who is considering a non-synthetic aromatase inhibitor that they talk to someone qualified in Integrative Cancer Care specifically. Here's more information about integrative medicine and cancer care at Mayo for example:
- Integrative medicine https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/complementary-alternative-medicine/about/pac-20393581

Thank you@nataliehope. Am going to start on indole 3 and myomin. Eliminated all dairy and sugars. Have been juicing but was so sick from the exemestane that I had no strength to juice and no appetite to eat. It’s been five days since I am pharma free and very slowly starting to feel a bit better. I am lucky my doctor is supporting me.

@dianamiracle
Diana, I was sick in the beginning with the exemestane but was taking it on an empty stomach. Once I took it following my morning meal, I didn't have the stomach troubles anymore. I'm sorry you went through all of that and wish you the best on your pharma free regimen.

I’m so happy to hear you are pharma free! An omega juicer does all the work for you! Your body absorbs the nutrients with no work when you juice, where as in a smoothie or chewing your body has to work hard at digesting it. That’s why juicing is so healing and the number one thing to do to get your body back to healing itself! You can do this! I lost my Dad to chemo and radiation in 2019, I’ve been researching for months about the drugs and conventional medicine then I got cancer! I will never take or listen to pharma again, your body knows how to heal and wants to heal! Best of luck to you! God bless your healing!

I have been on Anastrazole/Arimidex for one year. I've had some joint pains but nothing unmanageable. I do notice my hair thinning likely due to less estrogen. I have recently been diagnosed with Gilbert's syndrome due to a slightly elevated bilirubin, which is a condition in which the liver doesn't flush bilirubin out sufficiently resulting in yellowing of the whites of your eyes or yellowing skin. I have a question out to my doctor about next steps but would be interested in hearing if any others have had this particular issue arise while on Anastrazole. Best wishes to all of you!

Hey mjay. I have been on Anastrozole since last December and my hair is also thinning and lanky. I noticed aches and pains shortly after taking it and my oncologist suggested I give it a two week rest to see if that helped. It didn't. I went back on it and after consulting with several doctors found out I had developed PMR (polymyalgia Rheumatica) for which I am now taking Prednisone. (Many posts about PMR on this board from Mayo). No one seems to know how PMR develops, but I personally think that chemo and all the chemicals associated with breast cancer lower your immune system so other nasty things creep in. Just my opinion. Good luck with your diagnosis of Gilberft's.

Thank you for your reply, NCGal. I’m sorry to hear you have now developed PMR after chemo treatment. It seems like it’s a pick your poison type of situation and hopefully we pick the right poison! I’m still awaiting my doc’s advice but I’m getting frightened of liver damage either through Gilbert’s syndrome and/or as a result of the hormone blocker. I’m trying to eat extra healthy and keep the liver clean in the meantime. I wish you all the best. Take care.

What r u doing for finger.? U can get a plastic formed brace and do pt.

@grandma41 @mari
I developed trigger thumb from anastrozole. I tried PT (where I basically was told to rest it) and a hand mold, but ended up with the hand specialist giving me a shot of kenalog in the thumb joint in 2019 and again in 2020. After a few weeks, the thumb returned to normal each time. He advised me that, if it returns a third time, he'll need to address it surgically by partially cutting its ligament. (I personally would prefer the kenalog as it also soothes the osteoarthritis in the thumb.)

@elizm, That was ONE of my side effects from Anastrozole, too. I ended up having an infection iin my thumb. I stayed on Anastrozole for a year and a half with awful side effects, switched to exemestane, and finally to tamoxifen. No side effects from Tamoxifen.