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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I was told to take the anastrozole right away in the morning. I just started it on 10/27/21. I had some side effects in the first few weeks, but most have subsided or, at least, settled down a bit. I have to say the decision to take this medication was more difficult than going through the lumpectomy and the proton beam radiation. It's terrifying. However, the thought of having recurrent breast cancer is more terrifying. I realize this is not a guarantee, but I'm trying to do all I can to do what I can to be my own best advocate.

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What time of day is best to take it?

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@mdr3

How to find this? But I just want to share something else I have discovered with both Tamoxifen and Arimidex of late. Some oncologists don't talk about these two very practical things: sufficient hydration every day (can be up to 64 oz) and time of day the med is taken. I have found these two things to matter

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Can you please share the time of day ? Thank you

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@mdr3

How to find this? But I just want to share something else I have discovered with both Tamoxifen and Arimidex of late. Some oncologists don't talk about these two very practical things: sufficient hydration every day (can be up to 64 oz) and time of day the med is taken. I have found these two things to matter

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I was not told anything about it. Do you know what time of the day it should be taken and why? What is the source -if you remember- where you get this information from?

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@mari

I went off Anestrazole and equivalents - could not stand diarrhea -weakness and for vain me: hair loss. I don't miss it.

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It's not vain... I thought alopecia would not matter to me until I looked like an extra terrestrial entity. That was not me. Hopefully it won't happen to me... I want to keep anastrozole, but I do not know if I will stand to be a horrible, terrifying something, an image that frightens kids. The pain was in my chest, so deep. I do not want even to recall t his.

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I went off Anestrazole and equivalents - could not stand diarrhea -weakness and for vain me: hair loss. I don't miss it.

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@laselidas

The study shared by Windyshores is from 2020. If anybody finds a more updated clinical trial, please share.

Jump to this post

How to find this? But I just want to share something else I have discovered with both Tamoxifen and Arimidex of late. Some oncologists don't talk about these two very practical things: sufficient hydration every day (can be up to 64 oz) and time of day the med is taken. I have found these two things to matter

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The study shared by Windyshores is from 2020. If anybody finds a more updated clinical trial, please share.

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@colleenyoung

There are ongoing studies looking at the promise of Modified Citrus Pectin in reducing metastatic cancer. Most studies are still in the laboratory (in vitro) and animal (in vivo) stages. It is too early to declare MCP as a sure fire method to prevent the spread of cancer cells. But it offers hope and studies continue to pursue this line of important investigation.

The link @windyshores provided above also links to further early studies. Here's some plain language information about MCP with links to the evidence that is available currently.
- 8 Questions About Modified Citrus Pectin https://www.healthline.com/health/8-questions-about-mcp

@cerwin also mentioned Chelation Therapy. Here's some further reading.
- What Does Chelation Therapy Treat? https://www.healthline.com/health/chelation-therapy

Cerwin, I'm happy that you and your doctors have found therapies that help you manage fibromyalgia and enable you to continue with anastrozole with fewer and less severe side effects.

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Thank you for jumping in and giving us those links.

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There are ongoing studies looking at the promise of Modified Citrus Pectin in reducing metastatic cancer. Most studies are still in the laboratory (in vitro) and animal (in vivo) stages. It is too early to declare MCP as a sure fire method to prevent the spread of cancer cells. But it offers hope and studies continue to pursue this line of important investigation.

The link @windyshores provided above also links to further early studies. Here's some plain language information about MCP with links to the evidence that is available currently.
- 8 Questions About Modified Citrus Pectin https://www.healthline.com/health/8-questions-about-mcp

@cerwin also mentioned Chelation Therapy. Here's some further reading.
- What Does Chelation Therapy Treat? https://www.healthline.com/health/chelation-therapy

Cerwin, I'm happy that you and your doctors have found therapies that help you manage fibromyalgia and enable you to continue with anastrozole with fewer and less severe side effects.

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