Sadness: Due to Anastrozole or Just Dealing With Breast Cancer?

I’m going through breast cancer. I got diagnosed 2025 this year. After my second surgery I was referred to radiation and chemotherapy. However I never made it to radiation or chemotherapy. I’m working on my third surgery next month October 2025. This time both breast will be removed. I am not quite sure how my emotions run. I said to myself it’s just one surgery; no tears. I’m not sure if tears was bottle up and not wanted to come out. So I get a call from doctor said sorry we have to go back to surgery, I see more cancer developed. I didn’t cry but you could hear the fear in my voice. I believe in prayer and I knew that will get me through all the nonsense. But after I receive the third call and removal of both breast, I screamed with tears rolling down my face. I have come to term with it now. I know Jesus not going to bring me this far to leave me. However Jesus put people in our corner for support. Thanks to the Mayo Clinic who support us and provide support groups.

I am a nurse diagnosed with breast ca in 2019. I had a total mastectomy with no chemo or radiation because of a low recurrence score. All your symptoms ARE medication related. If you read the package insert all of those symptoms occur often. I was on Letrozole and now Anastrozole. Letrozole was killing me with anxiety and depression, leg and muscle cramps , you name it. Anastrozole is slightly better but, still have anxiety and depression. Your doctor should know that and if he/she doesn’t then you need a new doctor. A third of patients stop it because they can’t deal with these side effects.
I have a year and a half left. It has been difficult holding on to taking this medication. But knowing after 5 years I can stop it is sort of getting me through. In addition to the above, I’ve developed high blood pressure and high cholesterol both of which are also side effects. It is a miserable drug to take. My family has also had a hard time with me being this way. The fatigue gets really bad and sleep issues also. You are not crazy. IT IS THE MEDICATION!

I’m very sorry you had to experience being treated so poorly by a doctor. Thank God there are some compassionate doctors out there to outweigh the insensitive ones. We need all the empathy and understanding we can get with what we are going through with having cancer.

I tried all 3 inhibitors and had bad side effects on all of them. Sadness and crying easily was one of them, along with bone pain and feeling overall terrible. I started Temoxifan 2 months age and the main side affect was terrible hot flashes so my encologist put me on a low dose of Effexor to help with hot flashes. . I have never took antidepressants and didn't want to but I did and it has helped me very much. No sadness and the hot flashes are basically gone. This has worked best for me but everyone reacts differently so it takes some experimenting for sure. Good luck to all of you!!

I know exactly what you mean. I had an oncologist throw my file at me because I was allergic to Adriamycin and he had to alter HIS protocol for my treatment. Basically told me I would probably die! He was a peach. They have no idea the damage that they do.

Maria, thank you for your kind response. I’m so grateful for your support. This forum has helped me tremendously. Some doctors can be cruel. My cousin, who is a breast cancer survivor, was so happy, as her recent mammo was benign. She thanked her doctor for curing her and he said he did not cure her and that there was no cure for cancer. Her happiness quickly turned to depression. And she withdrew. While, it’s true there is no cure for cancer, that doctor should have never said this. Some doctors don’t realize the impact their words have on us.

Years ago when my Oncologist wanted to put me on anAI I asked him what the side effects were. He went nuts and got very angry and said to me, I can’t believe after doing 8 rounds of chemo you would even care what the side effects are, just take the damn pills!!! I asked him if he had ever taken them, of course he said no, and I told him I care about what they are because I have cancer. He was a complete jerk. With my current diagnosis of MBC my oncologist is on board with any questions and will do what ever I need to get to live as long as I can. She is honest with me because I told her that is my expectation of her. I take the same drug as you and my sadness is profound. Not just every now and then but every day sometimes all day. Side effects are real and they are different for all of us going through this. These forums are the only way to find out the truth and share with those of us who actually take these drugs. Unfortunately it is what we need to survive. I’m sorry that any of us have to go through any of this but it’s a fact, we do. So sharing our thoughts and praying for each other is a great gift we can give one another. Maria

Thank you so much for your support and understanding. That is exactly what I am considering…finding a new oncologist.

I cannot believe your oncologist that. I would probably consider changing to another oncologist. I too take anastrozole, and yes depression and anxiety are some of the side effects. Hang in there.

That is absolutely true, which is why I am continuing with this medicine.