Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole

I am glad for that- maybe it is just me. It is a marked change.

@dmgweiss That is actually one side effect I have not enjoyed.

@dmgweiss- Good morning! No, so far, that is ONE side effect I haven't had with Anastrozole.

Hi All- I am taking anastrozole and doing ok. I have a question that I haven’t seen here- does this drug affect your type of sleep? I don’t mean insomnia. When I sleep or nap since taking this drug it is much harder to wake up. It is more like a very slow rising back to consciousness, like floating back. Even after I get up it takes a while for the fog to go away. It is weird and I am thankful to be able to ask you about this. Is it just me?

Thanks for sharing about your next steps. I am interested to hear more about your experience. Denise

Hi all,
As the discussion has turned to cannabidiol (CBD), a naturally occurring cannabinoid constituent of cannabis and medical marijuana, I thought you'd appreciate the following information that I have posted elsewhere on Connect. Below I've gathered articles and information to help give some guidance about the evidence, regulation (or lack thereof), and legalities of CBD use in the US. It's not an exhaustive list, but a starting point to help you with your own research and decision-making.

1. Evidence vs usage
To date CBD to treat epilepsy (in children) is the only condition that has some scientific evidence supporting its use in some cases. CBD for pain, anxiety, inflammation and sleep remains as yet scientifically unproven and requires more validated research.

According to this article by NPR (https://n.pr/2HnI1SM), “By one estimate, the CBD industry has doubled in size over the last two years, and is now worth $200 million. But with this popularity the hype may have gotten ahead of the science.”

While there is promise and ongoing research into CBD effectiveness in managing pain, anxiety, inflammation and sleep, the jury is still out. Here are recent articles that help clarify.

– CBD Oil: All the Rage, But Is It Safe & Effective? (WebMD) https://wb.md/2K11QfD
– Does CBD Really Work For Anxiety? (HuffPost) https://bit.ly/2wF1VUs
– Anxiety Relief Without The High? New Studies On CBD, A Cannabis Extract (NPR) https://n.pr/2HnI1SM

2. Industry is unregulated
As others have already mentioned, CBD is not regulated. “Because of the legally murky nature of marijuana, the FDA has not stepped in to regulate products like CBD oil.” States are struggling to put regulations in place. … Meanwhile, a 2017 study led by Bonn-Miller found that nearly 7 of 10 CBD products didn’t contain the amount of marijuana extract promised on the label.” Read more about regulation in this WebMD article (https://wb.md/2KCS4UW).

There are risks associated with medical marijuana CBD. See this post from a Mayo Clinic pharmacist (https://mayocl.in/2KDyip2). People should also consider interactions with other drugs and always discuss the use of CBD with their medical provider and consult with a pharmacist. This is especially true with cancer immunotherapies.

3. Concerns about attracting sellers and fraudsters
With the increasing activity related to CBD on Connect comes the unwanted attention of commercial sellers of product and fraudsters. Mayo Clinic Connect’s Terms of Use (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/terms-of-use/) prohibit “any material which … (viii) contains any information, software, or other material of a commercial nature; (ix) contains solicitations or advertisements of any kind; (x) constitutes or contains false or misleading indication of origin or statement of fact…”

Our Moderating team keeps a watchful eye for people with commercial interests posing as members on Connect. If you see posts that contravene the Terms of Use, please report them. Here's how: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/about-connect/tab/moderators/

4. Is it legal?
It has often been stated or asked about the legality of CBD in all 50 states. According to this article in Forbes “CBD is not legal in all 50 states (https://bit.ly/2KFY2nV) — even though it is widely available. At best, the law is murky and open to differing interpretations.” It's important to know the law in your jurisdiction.

– Is CBD Legal? The Legal Status of CBD in 2018 (Medium) https://bit.ly/2EEuwYB
– The legal status of cannabis (marijuana) and cannabidiol (CBD) under U.S. law (Elsevier 2017) https://bit.ly/2tk68Zu
– State Medical Marijuana Laws (2018) https://bit.ly/1udxSs4

5. Information from Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic provides the following information on medical marijuana https://mayocl.in/2KyrGvp

6. Get informed
Information about the use, efficacy and legality of CBD and medical marijuana is constantly being updated. Do your research. It is advisable to talk with a health care professional if you have questions.

@buckimom- Hello!!! Thank you, and I will definitely let you know how it goes.

@sparklegram - Good Morning and Goody, Goody. You've been waiting for this answer for too long. I hope you feel fabulous! Keep us posted for sure. ❤️❤️

Good morning everyone. I have been on anastrozole for a year and a half. I've had all the symptoms mentioned by everyone in this group, including me. I finally emailed my Oncologist this week to ask if going off the drug for 6 weeks just as a test would put me at risk for a recurrence of cancer. I want to see if my pain is entirely caused by the Anastrozole, or if some of the pain is caused bu age! She said it would not put me at risk, so starting Monday July 15th, off I go! If I feel remarkably better, then I'll consider changing drugs. I'm a little nervous about that because of what I've read here. Most of the other drug choices seem to have considerable side effects, too. I'll keep you posted about the results of my 6 week hiatus. I love this site. It is truly a comfort zone!

Thanks, @elizm -- I'm going to try it for low back pain I have also from degenerative spine. Hmmmm...too bad it wouldn't make me taller (4' 11" at this point)!!!