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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meme5 | @meme5 | Jan 16, 2023

This info is from Mayoclinic.org

All three aromatase inhibitors work the same and reduce the production of estrogen in your body.
...
Medications that stop the body from making estrogen after menopause
Anastrozole (Arimidex). ...
Exemestane (Aromasin). ...
Letrozole (Femara).

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amajok | @amajok | Jan 17, 2023
In reply to @gldilli "I have been taking Anastrozole for 10 months. My biggest concern is progression of my osteopenia..." + (show)
@gldilli

I have been taking Anastrozole for 10 months. My biggest concern is progression of my osteopenia to osteoporosis and elevation of my cholesterol levels. Like others have mentioned my aches have been kept in check by lots of walking and strength training. I even took off the extra 20 lbs that I was carrying when diagnosed. If the cholesterol keeps creeping up despite diet and exercise then I need to consider if a risk for cardiac event or stroke outweighs the risk for BC recurrence.

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I am in the same situation with rising LDL and I am thinking of switching to Exemestane. it should not affect blood lipids at all. Do any of you ladies have experience with AI change in order to get blod lipids lowered?

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eku | @eku | Jan 17, 2023
In reply to @amajok "I am in the same situation with rising LDL and I am thinking of switching to..." + (show)
@amajok

I am in the same situation with rising LDL and I am thinking of switching to Exemestane. it should not affect blood lipids at all. Do any of you ladies have experience with AI change in order to get blod lipids lowered?

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I, too, have noticed a rising cholesterol. I'm on anastrozole for a year now and since I have MBC stopping it is not an option. By the way, it was during my annuals that the cholesterol was checked. My oncologist neither checks it nor is aware of its current level. Do fellow friends here on anastrozole for a while have any tips on how to keep cholesterol levels down?

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gldilli | @gldilli | Jan 17, 2023

It’s discouraging to hear that a drug to help your bones (Fosamax) causes joint pain. I recently started adding vitamin K2 to my daily calcium and D3 to see if that helps keep the osteopenia from progressing. I am 18 months away from my next DEXA scan.

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laurapix | @laurapix | Jan 17, 2023

I tried all of Dr's estrogen blockers. asked Dr. to please check estrogen levels, I am 77. Dr. said no. I asked primary care Dr. to check estrogen levels, she did. My estrogen is below the charts I have no estrogen. side affects are not tolerable so I stopped anestrazole. Did have radiation.

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Mentor
Chris, Volunteer Mentor | @auntieoakley | Jan 17, 2023
In reply to @eku "I, too, have noticed a rising cholesterol. I'm on anastrozole for a year now and since..." + (show)
@eku

I, too, have noticed a rising cholesterol. I'm on anastrozole for a year now and since I have MBC stopping it is not an option. By the way, it was during my annuals that the cholesterol was checked. My oncologist neither checks it nor is aware of its current level. Do fellow friends here on anastrozole for a while have any tips on how to keep cholesterol levels down?

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I ended up finally going on a low dose statin, mine started rising within a year of endocrine therapy. When I tried to go off statin for 6 months my cholesterol started climbing. So I am resigned to a low dose statin. Life is full of cost vs benefit decisions. I will accept it because I can feel like I am doing my best for myself.

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windyshores | @windyshores | Jan 17, 2023
In reply to @meme5 "I did have the BCI test done and it showed that I had a higher than..." + (show)
@meme5

I did have the BCI test done and it showed that I had a higher than average chance of reoccurrence. Because I took the letrozole for five years I was so tired of taking it I decided not to continue.
Please explain the difference between letrozole and anastrozole for me as I thought they were both estrogen blockers. I did not mean they were both the same drug but they are both estrogen blockers
P.S. During my five years I tried all three estrogen blockers.. letrozole, anastrozole and exemestane. I took letrozole the longest but all three drugs gave me the same side effects.

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@meme5 the BCI test should have given you a yes or no answer as to the benefit of extended hormonal therapy past 5 years, not just risk of recurrence.

Yes they are all aromatase inhibitors. You initially said they were all the same drug with different manufacturers and I was just clarifying that they are different drugs, but yes they all suppress estrogen produced by the adrenals.

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windyshores | @windyshores | Jan 17, 2023
In reply to @laurapix "I tried all of Dr's estrogen blockers. asked Dr. to please check estrogen levels, I am..." + (show)
@laurapix

I tried all of Dr's estrogen blockers. asked Dr. to please check estrogen levels, I am 77. Dr. said no. I asked primary care Dr. to check estrogen levels, she did. My estrogen is below the charts I have no estrogen. side affects are not tolerable so I stopped anestrazole. Did have radiation.

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@laurapix ask your oncologist but I believe that lab tests on estrogen don't show levels below a certain number, and the estrogen produced by adrenals is below that number (and presumably it is that low level that fed our cancers). Just because you get "undetectable" on your estrogen test does not mean your body is not producing estrogen. They just don't have a test that is sensitive enough. That is what I have been told but check with your docs.

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gldilli | @gldilli | Jan 17, 2023

I have not tried any other AI. Will ask Oncologist at next appt about other options that don’t raise lipids.

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cathyn | @cathyn | Jan 18, 2023
In reply to @windyshores "@marcia115 many of the women I know, myself included, did not have significant side effects with..." + (show)
@windyshores

@marcia115 many of the women I know, myself included, did not have significant side effects with these meds. I found that walking more than 20 minutes helped. I did 5 years and wanted to do 7 but a test then showed no further benefit. I actually miss it!

I personally think it makes sense to try it since the experience seems to vary so much from person to person.

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You don’t “have” to take a hormone blocker. I had surgery for DCIS, and after going over everything (the biomarkers especially)and asking a lot of questions, I decided (and my doctor agreed) that it’s a very low risk of coming back invasive, we are just going to monitor more frequently. I have osteoporosis and depression, and it’s just not right for me at this time. Good luck and ask lots of questions!

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