Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole

@kandisn I’m interested by your comment ‘my hands fall asleep at night’. I have had this problem for roughly eighteen months, which corresponds to the length of time I’ve been on Anastrazole. It affects both hands but not necessarily at the same time and happens some nights more than others ,but is overall fairly frequent.
Initially I thought it was a worsening of some erosion I have in my cervical vertebrae but over time I’ve begun to wonder if the drug is causing it or worsening it. I will raise this at my oncology appointment. Some mornings ( or on waking at night) it can take several minutes before I can get correct movement back in my hands. It would be interesting to know if others have noticed this effect.

@briarrose Yes!!!!! Blessings for all of you. I'm so sad to hear your horrible stories about effects of Anastrozole. I have been on it for 11 months with practically zero side effects. I take it with cancer med, Verzenio. On occasion I have a slight nauseated feeling and that is ONLY if I take it on an empty stomach. I am 83 years old and full of energy. Again, so sorry about yall's issues. Hugs and love.

I have been taking anastrazole for over five years. I have had no negative side effects from this medication. It does make it harder to lose weight so there is that, but in the bigger picture, it provides me with some protection over a recurrence of my breast cancer. You read a lot of posts from people who have problems. That is legitimate. But you have to remember is that there are a lot even more people on medication‘s like anastrozole who do not have problems and they tend to not post as often in my opinion. I keep up on reading about medications. I am on. One thing I have learned about anastrozole over the past few years is that in addition to providing protection against a recurrence of breast cancer it also seems to be providing protection against development of dementia, which runs in my family. I trust my oncologist and when I met with him a couple of years back, he specifically asked if I was having problems with the anastrozole.I told him that I was not, the major challenge I was facing was an inability to lose weight. He told me that one of the side effects of Anastrazole is that losing weight is more difficult. I was working with my primary care doctor and taking medication which did allow me to lose some weight. My oncologist said to keep on doing that and asked if I was willing to continue to take the medication. I told him I would continue to take this medication for as long as he would continue to prescribe it because I firmly believed it was an active step in keeping me cancer, free and alive. He smiled and said he absolutely agreed with that. He was glad that I was not having some of the horrific side effects that some people do, so there is that. But you have to realize that there are probably more people out there taking AI meds and NOT having problems than those who are having legit problems. It is truly an individual, case by case decision.

@jardinera25: Well, welcome to my world, unfortunately.
On Anastrozole for 4 months, severe back pain, joint pain, inside of mouth (lower gums) sloughing off, daily headache beyond annoying, blood pressure range up to 150-155, just like you, my B/P medication doses increased x3 and still not going below 140, usual 120-130something and the start of osteopenia.
Changed breast oncologist...now my new doctor stopped the Anastrozole x3 weeks and going on Letrozole. I am beyond frightened to read your story about Letrozole!!
O! Plus I have ischemic heart disease and you are right...AIs are NOT GOOD for my heart!!
It's noted right in all the literature. My cardiologist grudgingly gave his OK for the AIs.
BM - oncotype score 14 - chemo not indicated - out of 12 lymph nodes, 1+ - no radiation indicated.
Invasive cancer in both breasts plus in-situ plus atypical hyperplasia - both breasts.
Stage IIa. Is there anything else women like us can do?? Must we take these AIs to survive??
I am 70. Yes, with some serious health issues but I don't feel 70!
There is lots of life worth living in me yet! Blessings for us all!

I have been on Anastrozole for 9 months, and I have noticed my hair thinning. I also have some joint pain, my hands fall asleep at night. I go to see my oncologist this month. I don’t really know what they can do, I believe all the meds have some side effects.

Oh yes.....before starting treatment on an AI I had moderately high blood pressure, say around 140-150's, handled by drugs. The first AI I tried to reduce my chest wall tumor, Anastrozole, make it go up into the 160's & I had to add another BP drug. Doc switched me to Letrozole, which didn't seem to be raising it so fast. But 4 months in I started getting occasional "spikes" in BP at night up to 170. By the next month it was becoming spikes up to 190 even 200 nearly every night! I was visiting the ER. I told the Doc I was off all AI's & stopped. They threw me into "labile hypertension" which I still have & even with new drug Fulvestrant, I have to monitor my BP 8 times a day, and take a quick acting drug if it goes over 170. I am not a good candidate for hormone blockers; but the Fulvestrant is working well to shrink my tumor.
I've read that those with CVDisease should not be on AI's .
Patty

Hi Flowergal, My breast cancer was in 1 breast, Ductal Carcinoma 1.5 Cent. small mass. I have been taking anastrozole for 2 years now and the last 6 months have been having some very uncomfortable symptoms. Bone and joints very achy most of the time, nights are worse. Very tired (I teach elementary), hot flashes occasionally. I had 20 days consecutive radiation post surgery. Then this hormone therapy to decrease estrogen in blood stream. I am spending the weekend researching info to help me make a decision to continue, take a break, or stop. The other meds, seem to have greater risks. Oh, I have osteoporosis. Dr. wants me to take the reclast infusion once per year, I've had one does, then a tooth split in 1/2, had to put off any more reclast tx. Yes, this is complicated. I see oncologist Mon. Not sure how it will go.