1. < Breast Cancer

Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole

Posted by tinalove @tinalove, Jan 31, 2016

I completed all treatments for breast cancer but now I am supposed to take hormone blocker, named anastrozole. im concerned about the side effects. Has anyone here taken it and did anyone have hair loss?

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francine6829 | @francine6829 | May 29, 2019

cindylb - after your LCIS stage 0 cancer was diagnosed, what treatments did you receive?

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gwinter | @gwinter | May 29, 2019
In reply to @cindylb "I couldn't take any of the hormone blockers and I will be 4 years from diagnosis..." + (show)
@cindylb

I couldn't take any of the hormone blockers and I will be 4 years from diagnosis of invasive lobular breast cancer and mastectomy in November of this year. So far, so good but I guess the magic number is five years and then ten years after that. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. If I find out any different at my 6 month checkup in June, I'll let you know (I hope I have no news...that's the good news). Also, I was diagnosed original about 6 years ago with LCIS (Stage 0 cancer) and then I had invasive 2 years later.....I was unable to take Tamoxifen and unfortunately, I got invasive cancer......but, it's been clear sailing since treatment for my Stage 1 cancer. Hopefully that's not too confusing.
I would also love to hear from anyone else who was unable to or chose not to use the AI hormone blockers and how they are doing...either no recurrence or recurrence
Thanks for asking this question.

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@cindylb, I am unable to take the blockers also. I changed oncologist over meds, also. I am one year free so far. I am going to try aromasin in a week just because of the new oncologist suggesting every 3rd day.
I was diagnosed with stage 1A ductal invasive last February 2018 and had a lumpectomy

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1 reply
cindylb | @cindylb | May 29, 2019
In reply to @leannz "Just curious. Are there any women out there who have discontinued Anastrozole (for whatever reason) and..." + (show)
@leannz

Just curious. Are there any women out there who have discontinued Anastrozole (for whatever reason) and experienced a recurrence of their breast cancer?

Jump to this post

I couldn't take any of the hormone blockers and I will be 4 years from diagnosis of invasive lobular breast cancer and mastectomy in November of this year. So far, so good but I guess the magic number is five years and then ten years after that. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. If I find out any different at my 6 month checkup in June, I'll let you know (I hope I have no news...that's the good news). Also, I was diagnosed original about 6 years ago with LCIS (Stage 0 cancer) and then I had invasive 2 years later.....I was unable to take Tamoxifen and unfortunately, I got invasive cancer......but, it's been clear sailing since treatment for my Stage 1 cancer. Hopefully that's not too confusing.
I would also love to hear from anyone else who was unable to or chose not to use the AI hormone blockers and how they are doing...either no recurrence or recurrence
Thanks for asking this question.

REPLY
1 reply
leannz | @leannz | May 29, 2019

Just curious. Are there any women out there who have discontinued Anastrozole (for whatever reason) and experienced a recurrence of their breast cancer?

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1 reply
francine6829 | @francine6829 | May 22, 2019
In reply to @monical "Update: I was originally going to ask the surgeon for the name of someone for a..." + (show)
@monical

Update: I was originally going to ask the surgeon for the name of someone for a 2nd opinion, but held off on it because it didn’t feel like the right person to ask. Yesterday I saw my primary for an upper respiratory thing and stated my concern and he gave me a name of someone totally outside the group. Anyway, I am now in the process of getting all the pathology reports together so that the appointment can be scheduled. I might not get a different answer but I’m really going to ask the doctor to drill down the risk/benefit of taking the AI. I’ll keep you posted.

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Yes, please do - ask him about AIs and also Tomoxifen

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sparklegram | @sparklegram | May 22, 2019
In reply to @monical "Update: I was originally going to ask the surgeon for the name of someone for a..." + (show)
@monical

Update: I was originally going to ask the surgeon for the name of someone for a 2nd opinion, but held off on it because it didn’t feel like the right person to ask. Yesterday I saw my primary for an upper respiratory thing and stated my concern and he gave me a name of someone totally outside the group. Anyway, I am now in the process of getting all the pathology reports together so that the appointment can be scheduled. I might not get a different answer but I’m really going to ask the doctor to drill down the risk/benefit of taking the AI. I’ll keep you posted.

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@monical- I'll be very interested to know what the second opinion doctor has to say. Please do post it.

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monical | @monical | May 22, 2019

Update: I was originally going to ask the surgeon for the name of someone for a 2nd opinion, but held off on it because it didn’t feel like the right person to ask. Yesterday I saw my primary for an upper respiratory thing and stated my concern and he gave me a name of someone totally outside the group. Anyway, I am now in the process of getting all the pathology reports together so that the appointment can be scheduled. I might not get a different answer but I’m really going to ask the doctor to drill down the risk/benefit of taking the AI. I’ll keep you posted.

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2 replies
jeannie53 | @jeannie53 | May 21, 2019
In reply to @francine6829 "jeannie - I've been on it for 2 days - so far so good. If it..." + (show)
@francine6829

jeannie - I've been on it for 2 days - so far so good. If it doesn't work, you can stop anytime. I hated the other drugs too.

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@francine6829 Good luck to you please keep me posted if you don't mind. I think I'll start it in June and see how it goes.

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trixie1313 | @trixie1313 | May 21, 2019
In reply to @sparklegram "Yes, I walk and take 2000 units of vitamin D daily. Hanging in there on Arimidex." + (show)
@sparklegram

Yes, I walk and take 2000 units of vitamin D daily. Hanging in there on Arimidex.

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@sparklegram
That is great..I'm so happy for you...you go girl!

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sparklegram | @sparklegram | May 21, 2019

Yes, I walk and take 2000 units of vitamin D daily. Hanging in there on Arimidex.

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