Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole

I did too, it was good for me to get the facts from different sources.

@gwinter
We all are entitled to multiple second opinions, and oncologists are generally quite accommodating in that regard. I chose to go to three oncologists... each from a different oncology group... and grilled them on the appropriateness of my treatment plan and all my questions. It helped to get a better handle on this wacky journey known as breast cancer.

I have such ridiculously thick hair, my hair dresser said not to take biotin and told me I'm not thinning at all. I went for a second opinion for chances of endometrial cancer and ob/gyn said he did not see anything but sent a bunch of slides to lab. He said many women have hysterectomies but felt I'm doing fine with just having sore knee bones and gaining 10 lbs the last two years. It's been interesting, I had another abnormal mammo, then biopsy and it was benign, so tamoxifin is working!! Just please keep up with vitamin d-3, it's important to stay in the high numbers.

@francine6829 That's great that you interviewed them. I had a very good male doctor assigned to me, but he did not do well in communication. At the medical center I go to, one can switch physicians with no problem or backlash. I looked at all of their CVs on the web site and chose a female doctor and she is quite good at communicating, in fact, about 2 hours after my MRI brain, she notified me via e-mail that it showed no tumors! Also, we had a phone appt and I told her regarding headaches on and aches from anastrozole and she advised she liked to start with this and then we can always make changes. I hope all goes well with your new oncologist - be proactive and you'll do just fine.

@francine6829 wow you got interview! We are given names or just given an oncologist

@francine6829
I interviewed a number of oncologists. One preferred Femara, the other two preferred Arimidex (anastrozole)... all noted that, if there were issues, patients could try an alternative or two.

I am perplexed why my oncologist put me on fermera first - 6 weeks ago, but the majority of the women on this site are on something different

@francine6829 no it was never brought up

Was Femara a choice?

@gwinter
You're so right... we're all doing the best we can (which requires taking in lots of opinions, reading lots of clinical trials and analyses, and, in the end, being our own advocate).