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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nanna1948 | @nanna1948 | Dec 10, 2023
In reply to @nanna1948 "I was also only on accord. I was very lucky on it. Never changed for five..." + (show)
@nanna1948

I was also only on accord. I was very lucky on it. Never changed for five years.

Jump to this post

Keep the faith you will get through this one. Easy peasy on anastrazole. My only issues was diahrea. I was on Metamucil fiber bar which helped. Always had a bad stomache anyway. Off it for six months back to myself. Stick with it. Blue skies ahead

REPLY
anjalima | @anjalima | Dec 9, 2023
In reply to @windyshores "@anjalima I make a distinction between "side effects" and "reactions." Aromatase inhibitors will, I would imagine,..." + (show)
@windyshores

@anjalima I make a distinction between "side effects" and "reactions." Aromatase inhibitors will, I would imagine, have some level of longer term side effects due to estrogen deprivation. My "reactions" (neurological) to fillers are immediate and short term. I had no reactions to brand name and at the end of my treatment I found a generic that also did not cause reactions. Too bad after I spent all that money on brand name Femara!

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Thank you. I totally get what you mean regarding deprivation consequences . Going to try brand Anastrozole, Arimidex
, found at a decent price. Hoping this helps with some sleep issues.

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whr | @whr | Dec 9, 2023
In reply to @windyshores "@whr of course any decision anyone makes needs to be respected. But what we post in..." + (show)
@windyshores

@whr of course any decision anyone makes needs to be respected. But what we post in forums is read by many. I am very sensitive to meds and tried to get on osteoporosis meds for years, without success. The consequence of that is 7 spinal fractures which, believe me, affect my quality of life. Forteo and Tymlos do not affect dental health. Many dentists seem not to know that. Reclast, Fozamax, Prolia and to some extent Evenity do have the potential to cause jaw necrosis and other dental issues.

I customized Tymlos with its adjustable pen and my doc will do a 20% dose of Reclast, at least as a test dose, due to my sensitivities and health conditions.

Again, I respect everyone's choices but also encourage folks at risk of fracture to consider individualizing treatment to make it at least tolerable. My hips are still low density so I am going to buy hip pads- another way to go!

Getting back to aromatase inhibitors: I did letrozole (brand name Femara actually) for 5 years. Docs recommended 7-10 years but I did the Breast Cancer Index test that told me there was no further benefit. I got the paperwork myself off the Internet and gave to doc to sign. Now it is part of the NCCN guidelines. Again, individualize treatment if possible!

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I took Anastrozole for 18 months until the side effects were so incapacitating I quit. The only alternative that was offered was Tamoxifen, which I felt had more side effects. I don't metabolize meds very quickly so they build up and cause problems. Today is my four year anniversary since surgery. So far, so good but still have issues remaining from the medication. I didn't feel like the oncologist treated me like an individual but followed "protocols". I would never tell others what to do with their treatment, just what I had to do for me.

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windyshores | @windyshores | Dec 9, 2023
In reply to @anjalima "Did brand eliminate side effects?" + (show)
@anjalima

Did brand eliminate side effects?

Jump to this post

@anjalima I make a distinction between "side effects" and "reactions." Aromatase inhibitors will, I would imagine, have some level of longer term side effects due to estrogen deprivation. My "reactions" (neurological) to fillers are immediate and short term. I had no reactions to brand name and at the end of my treatment I found a generic that also did not cause reactions. Too bad after I spent all that money on brand name Femara!

REPLY
1 reply
windyshores | @windyshores | Dec 9, 2023
In reply to @whr "My dentist is the one who brought it to my attention. I am merely stating my..." + (show)
@whr

My dentist is the one who brought it to my attention. I am merely stating
my opinion based on my research. I am in a different place than a lot of
people as I don't tolerate medications of any kind very well. Quality of
life is more important to me than length of life. We are all different and
need to respect that.

Jump to this post

@whr of course any decision anyone makes needs to be respected. But what we post in forums is read by many. I am very sensitive to meds and tried to get on osteoporosis meds for years, without success. The consequence of that is 7 spinal fractures which, believe me, affect my quality of life. Forteo and Tymlos do not affect dental health. Many dentists seem not to know that. Reclast, Fozamax, Prolia and to some extent Evenity do have the potential to cause jaw necrosis and other dental issues.

I customized Tymlos with its adjustable pen and my doc will do a 20% dose of Reclast, at least as a test dose, due to my sensitivities and health conditions.

Again, I respect everyone's choices but also encourage folks at risk of fracture to consider individualizing treatment to make it at least tolerable. My hips are still low density so I am going to buy hip pads- another way to go!

Getting back to aromatase inhibitors: I did letrozole (brand name Femara actually) for 5 years. Docs recommended 7-10 years but I did the Breast Cancer Index test that told me there was no further benefit. I got the paperwork myself off the Internet and gave to doc to sign. Now it is part of the NCCN guidelines. Again, individualize treatment if possible!

REPLY
1 reply
nanna1948 | @nanna1948 | Dec 9, 2023
In reply to @nanna1948 "I had some hair loss no change in bone density after five years on anastrazole accord..." + (show)
@nanna1948

I had some hair loss no change in bone density after five years on anastrazole accord manufacturer. Very low in side effects worth the results.

Jump to this post

I had very little side effects while on anastrazole for five years. Thrilled I completed treatment. Some hair loss my biggest complaint stomache issues. Had warm issues. Otherwise worth the treatment

good luck. Walked every morning half hour to help any muscle ache that some complained about I had none I too was in tge Accord brand

REPLY
anjalima | @anjalima | Dec 9, 2023
In reply to @windyshores "@whr I would not say bone loss medications are necessarily dangerous. I just took Tymlos for..." + (show)
@windyshores

@whr I would not say bone loss medications are necessarily dangerous. I just took Tymlos for two years. The dose is adjustable so I could start low and ramp up. I worry that generalizations like "bone loss meds are dangerous" might worry people unnecessarily. I agree that side effects are a concern for some but the meds that are available are effective and for many, tolerable. I would say, on the other hand, that cancer recurrence is dangerous!

To others: I also reacted to fillers in generics. I took brand name letrozole as a result and at the end of treatment found a generic I could tolerate. Too bad, the brand name cost a lot! But so helpful that people are posting on this issue so many can maybe avoid quitting by switching manufacturers.

Jump to this post

Did brand eliminate side effects?

REPLY
1 reply
katrina123 | @katrina123 | Dec 8, 2023
In reply to @whr "My dentist is the one who brought it to my attention. I am merely stating my..." + (show)
@whr

My dentist is the one who brought it to my attention. I am merely stating
my opinion based on my research. I am in a different place than a lot of
people as I don't tolerate medications of any kind very well. Quality of
life is more important to me than length of life. We are all different and
need to respect that.

Jump to this post

This is such a difficult decision to make. I opted not to take Anastrozole due to side effects and due to the fact that I have had a spinal compression fracture and many dental issues. Now 4 years later I have a 100% positive estrogen and 100 % positive progesterone new tumor in my other breast.
So, did I make the right decision to not take the Anastrozole? All we can do is to try to make the best decision that we can based on our own individual circumstances.

REPLY
ebtexas55 | @ebtexas55 | Dec 8, 2023
In reply to @whr "My dentist is the one who brought it to my attention. I am merely stating my..." + (show)
@whr

My dentist is the one who brought it to my attention. I am merely stating
my opinion based on my research. I am in a different place than a lot of
people as I don't tolerate medications of any kind very well. Quality of
life is more important to me than length of life. We are all different and
need to respect that.

Jump to this post

Amen!

REPLY
whr | @whr | Nov 14, 2023
In reply to @windyshores "@whr I would not say bone loss medications are necessarily dangerous. I just took Tymlos for..." + (show)
@windyshores

@whr I would not say bone loss medications are necessarily dangerous. I just took Tymlos for two years. The dose is adjustable so I could start low and ramp up. I worry that generalizations like "bone loss meds are dangerous" might worry people unnecessarily. I agree that side effects are a concern for some but the meds that are available are effective and for many, tolerable. I would say, on the other hand, that cancer recurrence is dangerous!

To others: I also reacted to fillers in generics. I took brand name letrozole as a result and at the end of treatment found a generic I could tolerate. Too bad, the brand name cost a lot! But so helpful that people are posting on this issue so many can maybe avoid quitting by switching manufacturers.

Jump to this post

My dentist is the one who brought it to my attention. I am merely stating
my opinion based on my research. I am in a different place than a lot of
people as I don't tolerate medications of any kind very well. Quality of
life is more important to me than length of life. We are all different and
need to respect that.

REPLY
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