Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole

@islandelder
One more tip re acid reflux which didn't occur to me the other day (because I've been doing it for so long, I guess)... sleep on your left side. Stomach acid will empty and not flow back into your esophagus (which can happen when you sleep on your right side).

My hair is growing on the sides and in the back not real fast on the top thin hair no bald spots no hot flashes worse arthritis in my fingers losing weight on anastrozol i eat once a day. I don’t think i can take this for five more years

@islandelder
I, too, have had a flare-up of acid reflex, but I have been attributing it to a supplement I've been taking for my neuropathy and I take a Beano with it which seems to help. Have you started anything new since the initiation of Anastrozole? (Nothing surprises me, however, as Mayo lists something like 80 possible side effects of Anastrozole....) Just don't be tempted to take one of those OTC acid reflux pills long-term as they are anticholinergic.

@oleander
My heart aches for all that you have been through. I'm surprised that you oncologist did not recommend chemo at some point as the chemo supposedly kills off the circulating cancer micro cells which might have helped.

With respect to the Anastrozole: Are you wearing support hose to help with the leg swelling? Have you asked your oncologist to switch your AI to see if an alternative might help? The arthralgia (bone and joint aches) comes from the Anastrozole, and there likely is nothing you can do about it except to exercise daily which seems to help some of us.

As to a preventive-mastectomy, and if your oncologist agrees, just make sure (via your surgeon's office) that your health insurance will agree to it. Best of luck in future (and luck always has something to do with it, I fear).

I had some symptoms when I first started taking Anastrazole but after three months they've calmed down. Bone pain and depression is almost gone but I'm wondering if my acid reflux flare-up is caused by this new med? Anyone else?

I was mistake know'st back in January of 2017. Needless to say one lumpectomy later and lymphnode removal stage 2b right breast. At 32 left breast lumpectomy adenosis. 48 years old history widow maker survivalist with a cabg LAD at 44. Cervical Ca at 44 with hysterectomy and one ovary removed. Worked as a nurse every weekend 36 hours a week during radiation. Tamoxifen wasn't working and I guess that's why I had no side effects. Took this during radiation. Oophorectomy 2 months ago back to work two weeks later on Anastrozole. I am so fatigued, aches and pains, leg swelling, nausea and palpitations. Just so exhausted. Does anyone have any suggestions to help with this? It gets worse when I get home from work. I am waiting for my follow up next month with oncologist to see how the medicine is working. I also have another question. Can you get a mastectomy after lumpectomy and lymph node removal? Because I was misdiagnosed with stage 1 no lymph node involvement I choose that option. If I had known stage 2b lymph node involvement I would have a mastectomy.

I couldn't tolerate the AI type drugs (but then I can't take most drugs...too many allergies and negative reactions). At my last oncology follow up my new doctor said I should just move on because some people are so sensitive to chemicals and I am one of those people. If there is a side effect, I'll get it. That can be very frustrating because I can't use most antibiotics, pain meds, etc. That said, most women experience side effects of some type with the AI's because they remove the hormones from your body and those same hormones which feed the cancer have protections for your joints, heart, etc. It's a classic double edged sword for sure. Before you stop taking the AI's discuss with your doctor and see if another drug might be easier for your body to tolerate AND ask that they test your hormone levels (not once but initially and about 6 months down the line) to see how high your Estrogen and Progesterone and Testosterone levels are. The AI's prevent the hormones in your body but your body may be ramping way down anyway (mine certainly have). The AI's can eliminate hormones and therefore the fuel for the cancer. Even if you hormone levels are extremely low, they are still there.....so there is risk the hormones will start the cancer back up and building. It's nice to know where your hormones are sitting however. I'm grateful I had an oncologist who suggested that when I was unable to tolerate the AI drugs.
Another consideration - If the AI's make you feel awful all the time you can choose not to choose them. There is a 'quality of life' consideration with all treatment. You have to weigh the current and on going issues the drugs cause with the longer term hope the drugs will stop the cancer from recurring. I chose not to take the drugs..........only time will tell what that means. It's a worry for me but other than the cancer worry, I feel generally pretty good every day.. I may be trading today for tomorrow, don't know yet but that was my decision.

My hair is hardly growing in on the top of my head i think i might stop taking it ,it’s been 5 months it has made my arthritis worse i have a bone heal injury that’s having problems healing

I wanted to add something to you about the hair thinning/loss. I was fortunate (no chemo, radiation) so I was surprised when I started losing so much hair. I thought maybe it was stress (and perhaps that made all of this happen much quicker) but......I really mourned the loss of my hair for about a year. It's hard to have changes like this to your appearance when you've already fought the cancer battle or are continuing to do so. I actually mourned the loss of my hair more than the loss of my breasts (had a bilateral mastectomy). I just wanted to say.....it's no small thing to have these changes on top of the stress of cancer, the treatments, the unknowns. Seems pretty unfair and frustrating. I was already in menopause for a few years when I was diagnosed but the real changes and aging started just after the cancer diagnosis.....hair thinning, wrinkles, the loss of my waistline. I do my best with what I have left (ha ha) but I'm pretty much relying on my winning personality now.......Hugs to you.

Oh shucks..........the hair 'thing'. I had SO MUCH HAIR, that was my main complaint my whole life.....then menopause hit and cancer and now I have thin, dull, so nothing hair. It's tough to lose a nice asset like that. I am not using the AI drugs (can't) and my hair decided to take a nose dive anyway. I'm not sure if holding off on the drugs would be a good idea for your overall health (your doctor can tell you more) but the lack of hormones causes the hair loss and changes no matter what. You can use the over the counter hair products that 're grow' hair. My doctors said they were safe if well tolerated and they do make a bit of a difference, but you have to keep using them. I wish I had happier news on the hair front. I continue to try new things to get more luxurious hair myself. I have seen some improvement with body building type shampoos and conditioners.