Pain at night while taking Anastrazole

I’be been taking anastrozole for 6 months. After 4 months I started having joint and muscle pain in shoulders and fingers. My pain is worse in the morning and it nearly disappears as I continue to move and stretch. Maybe an OTC pain reliever would help you at night. Do you think anastrozole has affected your mood or caused anxiety? I felt like a different person and was prescribed Buspirone which has relieved anxiousness. I’m sorry you are having this side effect and hope you can find relief. I wish you the very best. 🤟🙏🤟

I have been taking Anastrozole only 5 weeks. I developed an awful pain in my right elbow joint to the point I have to hold my coffee cup with 2 hands...& that's just 5 weeks!
And, yes, I believe my occasional intense feelings of anxiety are drug related, this is something new also.
I am already on a SNRI for panic disorder for years. My struggles with anxiety is only increasing more taking this drug. I am in a crummy loop...all the possible side effects does not help.
Since it seems movement helps with joint pains, I would suggest starting a daily or every other day walking program. Good luck to all who are taking this drug...hoping it will work and a re-occurrence will not develop.
My question: How does one know a re-occurrence has occurred? I had a bilateral mastectomy and I was informed b/c it was "early stage" (but in both breast, 1 positive lymph node) the medical facility guidelines do not call for tumor markers blood work.

After four months I had severe back pain both day and night . Took nine week break , now have less back pain but bad muscle pain and at times walk like a really old person. This drug has aged me ten years in 14 months.

I'm 77 and have been taking it for a year. I had joint and bone aches and pains for about 6 months but they have subsided.

I am 65 and have been taking Anastrozole for 3 1/2 years. I developed pain in my right elbow early on but it doesn’t bother me much now. Recently I’ve been experiencing pelvic pain and my GYN thinks that it could be AI related. I’m currently awaiting results from recent D&C. If all is negative then I will talk to my Oncologist about taking a 4-6 week vacation from it to see if my symptoms improve.

Hi! @briarrose:
I am so sorry for what you have been through:(
I, too, need to take anastrozole to prevent any recurrence of BC ; however, it is my understanding that all the "side effects" of this medicine really are our bodies' reactions to the insufficient production of hormones. Due to the fact that my BC tumor was more than 95% ER+, I feel it is my duty to my loved ones to take the AI drug and mitigate any side effects that come along with it.
Thanks for posting the great question:"How does one know a re-occurrence has occurred?" I am sorry that your medical facility guidelines do not call for tumor markers blood work; frankly, these are simple blood tests and not expensive at all. But have your care team established regular follow-up visits with you to make sure that recurrence should not happen after your surgery or to catch it as soon as possible? Perhaps I've been lucky, for my oncological surgeon still sees me every 6 months to do a physical exam on me and order imaging tests (alternatively with mammogram + ultrasound, and bilateral breast MRI) after my initial surgery back in 2023. My PCP also does a physical check on me at my annual physical exam, and they (both are kind hearted ladies) stress the importance of a regular self exam. So I am dutifully taking my medicine, doing my exercises and chugging along on this journey with faith, hope, gratitude, peace and love.
Wishing you all a better journey ahead, my comrade!

I have been on Anastrozole for 1.5 years. I have increasing stiffness and pain. Walking 30 minutes a day helps a lot. Heat therapy is also helpful. 20 minutes in the jacuzzi or sauna loosens up the joints and reduces the pain and I can go to an exercise class. I try not to take pain medication because they cause my liver enzymes to shoot up. A heating pad is also helpful. I used it when I had a sciatica attack.

I am starting my second month taking Anastrozole and at night I feel like I have shin splints. My legs ache during the night but it is gone once I get up in the morning.

I was put on Anastrazole first. It took about 3-4 mo this to develop the aches and pains. Getting up in the morning or after sitting a while was the worst and as many have said, exercise helps. Once I was up and moving, I was ok. Then at about 6 months, started to develop acute pain in various areas - today the left ankle and I could barely walk, tomorrow maybe the right hip and would require pain meds and warm packs, then I might be fine for a couple days before it would start again. After 10 months, he commented that I “shouldn’t have to live in pain” and switched me to exemestane. Now, lower back aches and occasional twinges but overall better in this aspect. However many other side effects on this one - mild but multiple. Still feel it’s a little better. I was 100% ER positive, oncotype positive and my tumor markers have never gone to normal so I feel this is a necessary evil.

I am on round 2 of cancer. Both stage 1. The first round I took letrozole and had no side effects. Round 2 (12 yrs later) I started with anastrazole and had muscle pain, restless legs and insomnia. After 6 months I switched back to letrozole and those symptoms have faded. These 2 drugs should be interchangeable but everyone’s side effects differ. Ask doctor about a switch!