Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole

Hi, Elizm ~ I could have been the one to write parts of this letter, with some (minor?) differences! I am 69, diagnosed with 2A BC 12/16, Estrogen progesterin positive, HER negative. One node involved, 16 clear. I had the nodal resection when I decided against chemo! Perhaps if all 16 were positive I would have chosen a different route. My oncologist gave me the statistics and choice about chemo and was OK with my decision. I had radiation and did well with 37 treatments and then began Arimidex on May 20, 2017. There are days when I think I am going to ask for a different drug and then other days I feel fairly good. Depression, arthralgia, joint and bone pain are my biggest problems...Also inability to concentrate. As you pointed out, these symptoms could just have come with our age. I do have pretty constant anxiety over metastisis. When I can get busy doing something I enjoy, I am at my best. I just had my 10 year colonoscopy and the week before, I read many articles about breast cancer and colon cancer connection. All was well, but I think of a wasted week of worry and anxiety. I am working on "mindfulness" but relying on Ativan too. I have come to think that whatever makes my life more pleasant without going overboard is the way I must lead my life. I enjoy eating and the Arimidex has added 10 pounds to my almost "Obese" BMI. Some days I can control my cravings and some days I splurge. SOme days I walk the dog at a brisk pace and some days I don't. At the end of whatever kind of day I have, I look forward to trying harder the next day, but that doesn't always happen! It's beautiful here today (although our area is infested with mosquitoes and if it goes above 80 degrees I sweat exhaustively) ! So ~ You can see it's a challenge to me to rid myself of anxiety. I am thinking of you and our mutual anxiety problem, my friend!

Hi, Tina. I was diagnosed last year with Stage1A, Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, ER+ and HER2+++. Following surgery and three months of Taxol and Herceptin infusions, I was a wreck. Being age 70 probably didn't help. I then chose to discontinue the 9 additional months of Herceptin, and not have radiation. The last recommended treatment was Arimidex (anastrozole). I assessed all the damage from the chemo and targeted immune therapy and decided that i would take half a dose each day and see what the side effects might be. (If, for example, my next bone density test -- in about a year -- shows significant loss, then I will re-evaluate taking Arimidex for an additional five years or so. If I have a recurrence of breast cancer, then I likely will opt for mastectomy and a full dose of Arimidex, etc.) It's been difficult to tell whether it has made my neuropathy and chemo brain worse or whether they would be this way in any event, but I definitely am experiencing increased arthralgia, and bouts of toe cramps and depression (which is unlike me). As my hair still is growing out following the chemo, it's hard to tell if the Arimidex is messing with that or not. I seem to react negatively to even small doses of medications, so each suggested med. can be a problem.

My oncologist indicated that, if I had trouble with Arimidex, there were others which I could try. If you go to breastcancer.org, you'll find a Hormonal Therapy Side Effects Comparison Chart for seven different aromatase inhibitors (displayed side-by-side). As you can see, none are without potential side effects; not all patients experience the noted side effects; and other side effects can't be ruled out. (You'll note that hair-thinning is not specifically associated with Arimidex.) The trade-off for me is whether the side effects from any AI are preferable to the risks of awakening one day with metastatic cancer.

One year for me too. Somedays are better than others but my goal is to fight recurrence, so I'm in for the long run ~ Hang in there! Thumbs up for the OT for osteoporosis prevention!

Just read your post
I am 66 with very thin bones so i will probably do the shots. Did you do this and what ls the cost. Not looking forward to this. I will start on Monday June 4th. Had the surgery and the radiation which I was badly burn and skin breaking down. I know i shd not be concerned with cost but for me i have to be
Thank you

Hi. I just talked today with her. Two more years after the first 5 years of treatment. By July 2019 the treatment will be finished!! I prefer to keep the treatment for this period and try to make more gymnastic 🙂

@elizaj and @silviabeatriz- Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect!

Eliza, how was your bone scan?
Silvia, have you consulted your physician about not taking them?

Hi. My name is Silvia from Uruguay. I have Been taking anastrozole since 2012. I received Also trastazumab. 18shots and also chemo. The problems associated with anastrozole Must be related with aging. But I cant have a negative control. Pain in joints (knees) but It could be relieved with gym. Running in my case. Hot flushes, problems yo fall to sleep and gaining weight. But what could happened without pills? I dont know

I was diagnosed in 2016. I had lumpectomy and radiation. I have taken three different anastrolzole meds. Decided on Letrozole. It had the least side affects for me. Just a sore ankle. Feels like I sprained it. It come off and on. I am due for a bone scan (every 2 years) so I’ll see where I am at. I had a baseline initially after I started drug. Take care ladies. We’ll beat!

Hi, Cindy B~I received your response but it stopped abruptly, in the middle of a sentence, so I am assuming something urgent happened. Or maybe we are getting banned...Or something else not good. While I was sitting here the colonoscopy doctor's office called and left a message for me to call and schedule an appointment. Second call. Still not sure, but I did not know there was a connection between breast and colon cancer. That will hang over me the rest of the day. SO, I await the 2nd part of your post. Molly

OK, so I'm giving you this first round as a win! (ha ha). I have been told many times to get my colonoscopy (I just turned 60) by my oncologist. I've done those stool sample tests each year (until this year, explanation later) and they have come back negative BUT I have a history of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and I sometimes have blood in my stool, especially when I was on Arimidex for the breast cancer. This conversation will come up in my next check up as my oncologist has said to me that there is a connection between breast and colon cancer. Also, have a friend whose husband ignored his colonoscopy a little too long and is now going through treatment for colon cancer. Here's the rub on all of this......It's great to catch these things early and have a reasonable chance of fixing them but also if you look long enough you will find things.....it's inevitable. It's a toss up sometimes. Keep doing tests and getting medical intervention and stressing yourself out or accepting the inevitable, we're all going to get something or a couple somethings. I don't think I've given you any comfort here have I? Sorry about that.

Explanation of lack of colonoscopy above and my new submission is as follows - I was let go from my full time job with benefits back in September 2017 because............my employer said it was too expensive to keep me on benefits. Smaller employer (part of a much larger, well know non profit organization, known for their good works and kindness). They offered me a part time, hourly job, with no benefits. The impetus I believe was that they had just changed insurance plans and companies to reduce their overall cost for all employees. I chose not to stay with a part time, hourly job and no benefits (kind of need those for breast cancer) and one other employee was made the same offer and stayed. The other employee....yup, has just completed breast cancer treatment. We were both 'demoted' to no benefits because we had breast cancer.(Yes, it's illegal). Now I have Cobra and unaffordable benefits, so I simply don't go to the doctor anymore, which I know is scary and which is my new 'anxiety'. A simple check up with my doctor for the breast cancer is around $1,000 (high deductible o $6,000). My doctor is working with me but the prices of any real follow up are out of reach for me. I have been looking for work with benefits and working part time and odd jobs in the meantime but now my husband has gone through 3 months of testing for cancer which might be lung or????? They haven't quite figured it out, thousands of dollars later. I'm hoping that stress isn't what causes cancer because I'm a goner! Your turn and I hope you're having a good day today...anxiety aside.