Anastrazole and anxiety

I am from Ottawa and 87. I have been on Anastrozole for four years and have had a sleep problem since plus
losing hairs all over the house every day. I can’t wait to get off of it but my dr. thinks it’s a good idea to take it another two years. I am sorry you don’t have your own dr.. I hope you are on a wait list and that you can at least get care when you need it.

This is completely my experience also. I too do not want to take any further medication ( enough side effects already from Anastrozole) and don’t need to add to these. I find social situations problematic at times as the onrush of tearful emotion is often so random and impossible to batten down. I do think this is a side effect of the drug that warrants more investigation as it’s impact on quality of life is quire daunting.

I’m getting ready to start Anastrazole and I’m very nervous about it. What did it do to your hands?

Here's what I think..................since all of these AI's are "hormone receptors" that is exactly what they do. Mess with your hormones. They stop estrogen and cause a bunch of hormonal changes in all of us that take them. I don't know how we can get around not having emotional changes when we take them to stop fueling the cancer cells. They make us cry and have emotional outbursts. We get very moody and are just plain miserable. All we an do is pray that they work in stopping the cancer. This is just my opinion.

I have chosen to stop all of them including Anastrozole
I have had no quality of life.
I am 76 yrs old and I am going to take my chances of untreatable cancer recurring

I feel I may eventually take this path too as I am the same age as yourself. One of my Oncologists has suggested that if I could get to two and a half years in treatment this could be an option to consider.

I am struggling with the anxiety aspect of side effects from this drug. It is good to know that how I feel is very much related to this drug. The anxiety plus bone density issues are the two side effects that seem to be happening to me.

On Anastrozole just over a year and half. Age 73, active/healthy, other than my "decades old breast cancer" returning in my lymph nodes. The Anastrozole really did its job - reduced the cancer size so they could do surgery - then had 16 rounds of targeted radiation. My oncologists pushed for Chemo then CDK but I declined due side effects and my age - they did recommend ZOMETA infusions every 6 weeks - not for osteoporosis but to prevent this cancer from metastasizing in the bones - this month will be getting a second infusion. This biggest problem is that AI's are hard on your heart, bones and also can be associated with dementia. Personally will stay on Anastrozole no more than 2 years unless they find my cancer is coming back which my oncologists seem to think is likely. Unfortunately oncologist offer only solutions that poison or made us weaker and more susceptible to other diseases - especially if we are in the "elderly" category. I am keeping close tabs on ANKTIVA/BioShield and hopeful the FDA will approve for ALL CANCERS - this treatment alone or with other cancer drugs like Chemo are strengthening cancer patient's immune system/NK cells - successful for bladder, brain and lungs cancers. This make sense - all cancer patients need to ensure they are checking their ALC levels - your lymphocyte count should be above 1000. Only 4.6% of patients with lymphocyte counts under 1000 were alive 4 years after surgery compared to 23% with lymphocyte counts above 1000. Old age, chemo, radiation all reduce lymphocytes. I am hoping to hold off my cancer and the destruction of my health with traditional cancer drugs - optimistic ANKTIVA will finally become available for all cancer patients and we will be allowed to strengthen our own immune system NK cells.

@aubreybill
Thank you so very much for your comments.
I have been on Anastrozole for six years.
My eye doctor says that it may have contributed to a problem that will require surgery.
However, the same problem mentioned is one my mother had, and she never had
cancer nor Anastrozole. So, here we are.

Thank you again. God Bless and wishes for save keeping. And, oh by the way,
I am 82. I am working with a school system as their needs materialize.

Joyce Hendrixson

@jhendrixson you sound amazing. Hang in there - honestly believe we are on the eve of a cancer cure - have never been closer.