1. < Breast Cancer

Aromatase Inhibitors & carpal tunnel and trigger finger: Anyone?

Posted by shenriq @shenriq, Feb 27, 2018

14 mos of “AI” meds, I’m coping with daily hand-wrist-finger pain. I’m on my 3rd drug, having taken Anastrozole & Aromasin-each for 6 mos and now on Letrezol since January. Any advice to deal with this, besides using hand braces&finger splints and daily exercise? I need to be on this for 5 yrs total and can’t take Tamoxifin. Help!

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simba2022 | @simba2022 | Apr 30, 2023
In reply to @eku "Hello, I've been on anastrozole for 14 months. Started to have locking and numbness on my..." + (show)
@eku

Hello,
I've been on anastrozole for 14 months. Started to have locking and numbness on my right ring finger around month 6. Went to OT/PT for about 6 weeks. It helped but it never healed completely. Then I started having trigger finger on my right thumb. It is not severe as in a complete lock but I was not able to do certain things such as holding a pen and it was painful to release. Oncologist referred to orthopedics. She gave a cortisone (celestone) shot to my thumb. It's been 3 weeks. Better but now I have a subtle thumb pain (not a locking though) and when I move my right and left fingers (open/close), they are not the same. There's as if a "weight" on the right. I'm sorry I couldn't picture a relief. I, too, asked a fellow poster about the exercises they were doing for their fingers, waiting for a response.

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Sure seems like it usnt just my imagination. The shot did help my thumb but wish it would have been longer than 2 months.
It does seem to be moving a bit.more now that I took a two week off anastrozole then switched to.exemestane. hopefully it'll stay this way.

REPLY
eku | @eku | Apr 30, 2023
In reply to @simba2022 "Trigger finger and carpal tunnel? Dizziness? Hi,I'm curious how many have experienced them with an AI...." + (show)
@simba2022

Trigger finger and carpal tunnel? Dizziness?
Hi,I'm curious how many have experienced them with an AI. I had dcis about a yr ago. Lumpectomy, radiation and started anastrozole. Lots of side-effects. Fatigue,joint and bone pain etc. Starting Oct I had the start of carpal tunnel in right hand and trigger thumb in left. I had cortisone in thumb around late Dec and it wore off after 2 months.
I also have a history of vertigo in the past and had some vertigo like dizziness late Feb which lingers at times.
I switched to exemestane( aromasin) early April. Strangely enough my thumb seems to ve a bit better.
I saw my surgeon for final 1yr follow up Friday. He didn't think the thumb/ hand were tied to meds but ortho dr said possibly.
Anyone else have similar issues? What about dizziness? Its not the room spinning type. More like I'm wobbly. BP is fine. Dr's think it's my vertigo but I'm wondering if it's another thing triggered by lack of estrogen.

Jump to this post

Hello,
I've been on anastrozole for 14 months. Started to have locking and numbness on my right ring finger around month 6. Went to OT/PT for about 6 weeks. It helped but it never healed completely. Then I started having trigger finger on my right thumb. It is not severe as in a complete lock but I was not able to do certain things such as holding a pen and it was painful to release. Oncologist referred to orthopedics. She gave a cortisone (celestone) shot to my thumb. It's been 3 weeks. Better but now I have a subtle thumb pain (not a locking though) and when I move my right and left fingers (open/close), they are not the same. There's as if a "weight" on the right. I'm sorry I couldn't picture a relief. I, too, asked a fellow poster about the exercises they were doing for their fingers, waiting for a response.

REPLY
1 reply
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Apr 30, 2023
In reply to @simba2022 "Trigger finger and carpal tunnel? Dizziness? Hi,I'm curious how many have experienced them with an AI...." + (show)
@simba2022

Trigger finger and carpal tunnel? Dizziness?
Hi,I'm curious how many have experienced them with an AI. I had dcis about a yr ago. Lumpectomy, radiation and started anastrozole. Lots of side-effects. Fatigue,joint and bone pain etc. Starting Oct I had the start of carpal tunnel in right hand and trigger thumb in left. I had cortisone in thumb around late Dec and it wore off after 2 months.
I also have a history of vertigo in the past and had some vertigo like dizziness late Feb which lingers at times.
I switched to exemestane( aromasin) early April. Strangely enough my thumb seems to ve a bit better.
I saw my surgeon for final 1yr follow up Friday. He didn't think the thumb/ hand were tied to meds but ortho dr said possibly.
Anyone else have similar issues? What about dizziness? Its not the room spinning type. More like I'm wobbly. BP is fine. Dr's think it's my vertigo but I'm wondering if it's another thing triggered by lack of estrogen.

Jump to this post

Hi @simba2022, I moved your question to this existing discussion about AIs and trigger finger and carpal tunnel.
- Aromatase Inhibitors & carpal tunnel and trigger finger: Anyone? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/aromatase-inhibitors-carpal-tunnel-triggers-finger/

I did this so you can easily connect with other members like @mrsmary @sarahmh @eku @jaynep @tasha35 @debbie2721 who have experienced these side effects with aromatase inhibitors as well.

There have been enough case studies that the association between trigger finger and aromatase inhibitors are being studies. See this abstract and excerpt that you can share with your doctor perhaps:
Increased Risk of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Trigger Finger in Women Using Aromatase Inhibitor Medications https://meeting.handsurgery.org/abstracts/2020/HS25.cgi
"There is some evidence to suggest that aromatase inhibitor (AI) medications may be associated with an increased risk of musculoskeletal conditions of the hand such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and trigger finger (TF)."

I hope that exemestane continues to result in these side effects descreasing.

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simba2022 | @simba2022 | Apr 30, 2023

Trigger finger and carpal tunnel? Dizziness?
Hi,I'm curious how many have experienced them with an AI. I had dcis about a yr ago. Lumpectomy, radiation and started anastrozole. Lots of side-effects. Fatigue,joint and bone pain etc. Starting Oct I had the start of carpal tunnel in right hand and trigger thumb in left. I had cortisone in thumb around late Dec and it wore off after 2 months.
I also have a history of vertigo in the past and had some vertigo like dizziness late Feb which lingers at times.
I switched to exemestane( aromasin) early April. Strangely enough my thumb seems to ve a bit better.
I saw my surgeon for final 1yr follow up Friday. He didn't think the thumb/ hand were tied to meds but ortho dr said possibly.
Anyone else have similar issues? What about dizziness? Its not the room spinning type. More like I'm wobbly. BP is fine. Dr's think it's my vertigo but I'm wondering if it's another thing triggered by lack of estrogen.

REPLY
5 replies
debbie2721 | @debbie2721 | Apr 25, 2023
In reply to @tasha35 "Yes mine has too! It's horrible!" + (show)
@tasha35

Yes mine has too! It's horrible!

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Let's hope it is temporary.

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debbie2721 | @debbie2721 | Apr 25, 2023
In reply to @jaynep "I have noticed that occasionally one of my fingers will sort of lock-up and I have..." + (show)
@jaynep

I have noticed that occasionally one of my fingers will sort of lock-up and I have to (for lack of a better term)wiggle it a bit to get it moving again. It happened more in the beginning. I’ve been taking anastrozole for almost a year now. I still have joint pain in my hips but that’s not as bad, but I am now taking celebrex couple of times a week. I didn’t want to take it but the pain got too bad especially at night. I hope it gets better for you🙏Let’s hang in there!

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Thank you Jaynep
for your reply. I wish doctors would explain why anastrozole causes bone pain and the locking up of fingers. I would rather deal with these issues rather then dealing with cancer. I wish you the best. Let's keep pushing on.

REPLY
tasha35 | @tasha35 | Apr 25, 2023
In reply to @debbie2721 "I have had trouble with my finger locking up off and on for a couple of..." + (show)
@debbie2721

I have had trouble with my finger locking up off and on for a couple of years, but since I started taking anastrozole more of my fingers are locking up. Is this happening to anyone?

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Yes mine has too! It's horrible!

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1 reply
jaynep | @jaynep | Apr 25, 2023
In reply to @debbie2721 "I have had trouble with my finger locking up off and on for a couple of..." + (show)
@debbie2721

I have had trouble with my finger locking up off and on for a couple of years, but since I started taking anastrozole more of my fingers are locking up. Is this happening to anyone?

Jump to this post

I have noticed that occasionally one of my fingers will sort of lock-up and I have to (for lack of a better term)wiggle it a bit to get it moving again. It happened more in the beginning. I’ve been taking anastrozole for almost a year now. I still have joint pain in my hips but that’s not as bad, but I am now taking celebrex couple of times a week. I didn’t want to take it but the pain got too bad especially at night. I hope it gets better for you🙏Let’s hang in there!

REPLY
1 reply
debbie2721 | @debbie2721 | Apr 24, 2023

I have had trouble with my finger locking up off and on for a couple of years, but since I started taking anastrozole more of my fingers are locking up. Is this happening to anyone?

REPLY
2 replies
eku | @eku | Apr 21, 2023
In reply to @mrsmary "Hello! I developed two trigger fingers and De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis (severe pain in my wrist tendon)...." + (show)
@mrsmary

Hello! I developed two trigger fingers and De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis (severe pain in my wrist tendon). I saw an orthopedic doctor who diagnosed my wrist condition, which my former oncologist poo pooed the idea and said it was not from Anastrozole — for that and other reasons I have found a new oncologist.

The orthopedic doctor suggested I have surgery, but instead I asked about PT in his office. After 8 PT visits I had some relief, but I went off Anastrozole for a month and started on Letrozole. I continued OT for 5-6 weeks, learned exercises to do daily, and my De Quervain’s and trigger finger were 95% better. It’s bern 14 months since I left PT, and I now have occasional slight pain in my wrist, and one finger if I over use it — then I do exercises a few times and I’m good as new. I have never had to wear my brace again!

Wishing you the very best, Pink Sister!

Mary

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@mrsmary Could you tell what kind of exercises you do for your finger?

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