Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole

@dmgweiss- Yes, I've been taking Anastrozole for a year and a half. I'm 74 and had wrinkles before, but this drug has fast forwarded everything!

Thanks! So far so good. It has only been since November of 2018 so I have a long way to go with the Anastrozol.

What happened to your skin? From March till the end of May this year, my lips were so painfully dry and at times swollen. Nothing seemed to help. The doctor said it wasn't an effect of the Anastrozol. He suggested I try Burt's Bees lip balm. It mostly cleared up the next day. I still get dry but it's very mild.

I am 3 years into this and I was wondering if anyone had any ankle/foot pain in the morning. When I get out of bed I have to stand there for at least 2 minutes to get circulation moving (I think). All I know is I keep saying if there is a fire I am screwed because I cannot hop out of bed and walk. I am 55 years old and my body feels 80 😔 Does anyone have this problem and is there any relief of this. It also happens if I am watching tv for a while or sitting at my desk at work. It takes me a while to get moving.

Oh my gosh, this just adds insult to injury! I am sorry to hear about this additional challenge. Thank you for sharing the hard stuff. I wish you the very best. We are not alone on this challenging journey. That sure helps me when I get down. Thank you.

@dmgweiss
I can only reflect on my experience. I was 70 when I started anastrozole. I was proud of my skin and my complexion. About 3 months in, my oncologist's NP notted that anastrozole did terrible things to skin and I assumed that genes were protecting mine. Around month 9, I began to wrinkle (face, hands, arms, legs). It's been about a year-and-a-half now, and my skin has aged 20 years in my view. It's been a shock to what's left of my vanity.

Hi- I am three months in using Anastrozole with hot flashes and muscle/joint pain. I have heard others talk about having it effect their skin, but it isn't clear what this side effect is- is it dryness? I was just reassured by my oncologist that after three months I probably won't get additional side effects- is this what people have seen? Thanks for your help. Denise

@baker1
Since starting anastrozole in January 2018, I've had a number of side effects, but the one which I didn't expect was losing a bit over a pound each month. (I have a friend who reacted similarly, so I don't think it's too unusual.) The joint and bone pains have stopped now, or at least for the time being. I do a 20-minute mile each afternoon to overcome the insomnia. The one side effect which I truly hate is what it has done to my skin... and apparently it's just something I must learn to live with....

@azlane So grateful you're doing well.

@baker1 That's great - keep up the good work!