Anyone take Anastrozole every other day?

@jsparkle42 I am taking Anastrozole and am realizing how this drug has done damage to my bones. Oncologist added Alendronot (Fosamax) to my medication list and it has its own set of issues. Looking for something to help with bone density that is over-the-counter available.

I'm surprised they're so adamant about not every other day. Considering that this one dose has a 50-hour half life. So you're doubling and tripling up every time you take a pill? Is that why you get sick later rather than at first. I am so tired I can't lift my head off the pillow. I sleep 24/7 almost. I have no energy to walk one small block to the pharmacy. I feel sick all the time. I swear to God this is not living. I do not even want to stay alive like this.

I'm so sorry to hear of this extreme fatigue. And the feeling ill all the time is worrying. Can you check in with your doctor(s) about what is going on? Do you suspect this is caused by Anastrozole or another aromatase inhibitor? If so, talk to your oncologist about taking a break, trying a different one, or other options. But if I was in this position, I would get a full check up. What kind of support do you have? This sounds grueling.

I would also like to know what others think about every other day dosage.

I’m taking every other day for a month (without my oncologist’s approval). No side effects so far. I thought best for me since I’m 77, low estrogen level, stage 1, small and no lymph nodes. I already have osteoporosis, high cholesterol and high BP and didn’t want to risk making this worse. I had radiation and think my surgeon will be okay with my decision. She may agree to ordering 0.05 which I’ll then take daily. That lower dose must be made by a compounding pharmacy.

@kherman8434 @lizr5678
As a bc patient myself I totally understand your decision. I couldn’t tolerate full dose of anastrozole so my onco switched me to exemestane. I tolerated much better but decided to skip one day a week to lessen aches and pains ( not telling my onco) I found this article about taking exemestane three times a week is non inferior to taking every day. But since I can tolerate exemestane daily, I haven’t started yet.
https://dailynews.ascopubs.org/do/reduced-dose-exemestane-noninferior-standard-daily-dose-postmenopausal-women-early-er
I wonder why there is no study of lower dose for anastrozole, especially the half life is 50 hrs?
However, I also found an article suggesting old patients being overexposed to AI could develop renal impairments. The article suggests further research but I guess there is no agency decided to follow up, definitely not pharmaceutical co.
https://aacrjournals.org/cancerres/article/75/9_Supplement/P1-12-15/606865/Abstract-P1-12-15-Intermittent-dosing-of-aromatase
In the meantime we just have to do what we think best for us. Living with intolerable aches and pains is not living at all. Besides there is no guarantee the cancer won’t come back if we take full dose. Wish you all the best.

@myoga Here's a study on intermittent dosing of Letrozole. My onco says that Anastrozole and Letrozole are like "kissing cousins" as they're very similar. No idea why there are no studies on Anastrozole.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4740217/