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ellen's avatar
ellen
Member
14 years ago

Arimidex

I have been reading through the blogs about Arimidex and found them very interesting. I have been on Arimidex for 6 months and up until 4 weeks ago, "side affects free" - until now that is.

I now have what appears to be the usual aches and pains in the legs and numbness in the hands, tiredness and headaches, so I guess I didn't escape at all I am just like all my other Arimidex sisters.

I will have to mention this to my oc next visit, but as so many others have said before at least I am here reading the experiences of others. It does help.

 

pain

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  • shortlionruth's avatar
    shortlionruth
    Member
    14 years ago

    My Oncologist told me that they were the best for the braca 2 gene that I carry.  It is 12 years since my Cancer diagnosis.  I like to think that they are helping.  Most of my Relations developed Cancer in the other breast in 5 years and lost their lives.  I try to walk every day and try to eat healthily.  I like to put my trust in this medication beause I want to do all I can to manage this insidious disease.  I have too much living to do.

  • Linda_7's avatar
    Linda_7
    Member
    14 years ago

    thanks Ruth. So good to hear from you. Yes after 6yrs  am way tired of being overweight and moody.... etc.

    Have had enough of the hot flushes and disturbed sleep... gues I am one of the guinea pigs.. I certainly wonder how much benefit is there really???

  • shortlionruth's avatar
    shortlionruth
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi Linda,  I have been on Arimidex for 7 years now.  I find it a struggle to lose weight as I also have taken high doses of prednizone  for asthma and chronic urticuria.  I take fish oil for my joints and still have occasional hot flushes.  I do not to stop taking arimidex as I feel I have a better chance of the cance not returning.

     

  • Chris's avatar
    Chris
    Member
    14 years ago
    Hi Maria, I just blogged on another site about the benefits of fish oil when taking femara or arimidex. I had no side effects for the first few months, and then like everyone else copped them. I then started the fish oil, and did get some relief, but didn't realise how good the fish oil was, till I needed to go off it for a month due to more surgery. Then my joints,especially knees and ankles and hips were so bad that every movement created a groan from me. I have just added Lyprinol from Blackmore's as well, and feel this is also lessening my side effects, though it is still early days with this new drug. It is from the NZ green lipped mussel. I am still getting the trigger fingers, and it is much worse on my right hand. In the mornings I can't close my fingers due to tightness and pain, but this improves once I'm up and about. Opening the bathroom door is hard as it is a knob and my finger don't want to bend very early. My oncologist assures me that this is only joint pain, and that my joints are not being damaged, like what would happen with arthritis. I hope he is right, as it feels like the joints are being damaged. He says that 99.9% of us will lose all this pain once we go off these drugs. I will look forward to that time, some 5 to 9 years away. Love Chris xx
  • Linda_7's avatar
    Linda_7
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi girls, I too, want to discuss the arimidex issue. I have now been on it for 5 yrs, after diagnosis of invasive lobular carcinoma in 2005.  The concensus out there is to keep you on it for 5 yrs.

    Ok , side effects not too bad... but am tired of being overweight and moody at times.  Joints stiff at times. Had hot flashes and at times  fine trembling in my fingers.

    True, there are certainly loads of side effects... is it worth staying on??

     

  • Linda_7's avatar
    Linda_7
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi girls, I too, want to discuss the arimidex issue. I have now been on it for 5 yrs, after diagnosis of invasive lobular carcinoma in 2005.  The concensus out there is to keep you on it for 5 yrs.

    Ok , side effects not too bad... but am tired of being overweight and moody at times.  Joints stiff at times. Had hot flashes and at times  fine trembling in my fingers.

    True, there are certainly loads of side effects... is it worth staying on??

     

  • Linda_7's avatar
    Linda_7
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi girls, I too, want to discuss the arimidex issue. I have now been on it for 5 yrs, after diagnosis of invasive lobular carcinoma in 2005.  The concensus out there is to keep you on it for 5 yrs.

    Ok , side effects not too bad... but am tired of being overweight and moody at times.  Joints stiff at times. Had hot flashes and at times  fine trembling in my fingers.

    True, there are certainly loads of side effects... is it worth staying on??

     

  • shortlionruth's avatar
    shortlionruth
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi!  I have been on Arimidex for 7 years.  The Oncologist said that as long as the side effects were not bothering me that I could continue taking it.  I have braca2 mutation and I feel safer to take this tablet.  I was on Tamoxifin for 3 years when the Oncologist suggested that I take Arimidex because it was found to be better for Families carrying the gene mutation.  I had stage 2 Breast Cancer 12 years ago.  I had a lumpectomy and a wide excision and lymph gland removal.  Three tumuors were found,  2 were ductual carcinoma in sutu while the other one was an invasive ductal carcinoma.  I also had 6 Months of Chemo and 6 weeks of radium.  I do get side effects from the Arimidex however I would rather take it and have a better chance of survival.

  • ellen's avatar
    ellen
    Member
    14 years ago

    Thanks for your reply Moira, (cute baby) I read through your previous blogs. As I am new to this blog business.  Did you have more side effects when you first started taking Arimidex? I am not looking forward to the first mamogram (squashing fresh scar tissue),  but I should just be happy to be having them. I will mention to doc about side effects and as you say they may reduce with time.  Its funny they come and go, one day I'm fine then the next not so fine. Guess that's part and parcel of it, one thing I realise, everyone is different and we all have different experiences with the side effects.