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Completed 5 years of anastrozole. Withdrawal symptoms? Side effects?
Monday, July 23rd, after consulting with Dr. Loprinzi, we decided to have me stop taking anastrozole. (Arimidex). It has been 5 years since I started the drug after breast cancer surgery and radiation. Has anyone stopped this drug and had any withdrawal symptoms? The nurse from Blue Group sent me an email today saying that there are no withdrawal symptoms after stopping this drug. Soooooooooooooo, is this all in my head? Definitely having some type of withdrawal.
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I have gone back and forth debating this post, reading it, deleting it because there could be so much more suffering. But I really do get it. I had to bail on the meds at 4.8 years instead of 5, so I have been off them for 8 weeks. I thought it was mostly because of the increase in pain and inability to get anything done. I didn’t realize the cognitive function until this week since I had been barely moving anyway. One of my hobbies is quilting, so when I found some energy to start working on a block that I wanted to enlarge, (It already took me 3 days just to get out the fabric and make sense of the palette), I knew something was waaaay off. I stared at those numbers…I would normally do the calculations for the ratios and proportions with my eyes closed. I messaged my son that LOL I needed math help! This has all hit me hard in the last 8 months which is so confusing and harder to deal with than the pain from the meds. Maybe I was able to compensate better prior to now. But I’m 5 years older too. And in those 5 years, we have had 2 weddings, a grandchild and another on the way. I got my life wish and more, which was always to live long enough to raise my boys. Here’s to having more next steps and living each part of each day that I am being gifted.
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7 ReactionsI am SO glad you have a new oncologist. I cannot believe how lucky I am that mine insisted that I see him through Covid. No letting up there. FYI—I was recently at the hand doctor for tendinitis and asked him if he was familiar with the bone loss medications since in my head I was thinking it might be related. He said no, he’s just a mechanic! That the best doctor for my bones is my endocrinologist which they also assigned me at the beginning of this journey. She is my rock at this point besides my onc.
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5 ReactionsI have completed anastrosole in 21. I took one dose of Zometa and had the reaction of upper extremities being painful to move and pain when walking. This occurred 2 days after the infusion- I was given steroids and Benadryl, and it cleared in reverse order that the pain occurred- it was bizarre. I don’t plan to take another dose. What other bone meds have been used?
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2 ReactionsCongratulations on finishing Anastrozole! If you did have side effects from Anastrozole- how long did it take after finishing med for them to go away?
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2 ReactionsIt took a year before I felt myself again. I had atrial tachycardia and had to have an echo which showed thickened septum, multiple bladder infections, and weight gain. All side effects were corrected with meds. The side effects are manageable.
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5 ReactionsSounds like you are still having SEs?? Is that right. I’ll have to look up arterial tachycardia. Are you still taking meds for the issues. I’ve been 2 1/2 years on Anastrazole. I have terrible hip pain to the point of ‘almost’ not being able to walk without pain. I quit the Anastrazole for 3 months to see if that made a difference. It didn’t make a difference. The pain is worse now than before and in my mind a wonder if 3 months wasn’t enough time ti correct things. It is affecting my knee now. I bought orthotics from a podiatrist thinking that would make a different. I am just in the beginning of this 8 days of wearing but I’m not seeing any change. Probably too early to tell. Appt on 4 May with podiatrist.
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2 ReactionsThere are several threads in the osteoporosis section of Mayo Connect that might be of help. There are a lot of options depending upon stage of osteoporosis and drugs already taken for it. Since there are so many choices, I'd try to find a specialist treating osteoporosis since it may be that a long-term plan makes sense and some drugs preclude or limit later choices. Hope that helps and others with more knowledge will have specific ideas based on their experience.
I am sorry you are having joint issues, I am hopeful that your team is able to moderate this and keep you on track. Hips and knees always seem to be the first to hurt with people, but when you are dealing with treatments it is an added insult. Have they looked at these joints for arthritis changes?
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2 ReactionsI’m moving in that direction. Finding an orthopedic dr. Thank you.
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3 ReactionsI have been taking Anastrozole for 10 months now and the side effects started 3 months into taking the pill. I am totally worn out, my body gets hot and it feels like ants biting me all over, acid reflux, can't sleep, muscle pain. I started the Zoledronic acid infusion twice a year. It causes your bones to hurt like the Neulasta patch did. And it has made or caused arthritis worse.
What happens if you take yourself off of the Anastrozole for a week or so?
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