@smspaz59 I have been taking Anastrozol for 3months now. It makes me a little mad and a little sad at the same time. They also dont discuss the cardiovascular side effects. What are the new treatment options for migraines? Available for Android and iOS devices. Once your treatment team has decided that you can stop taking Arimidex, you can stop it completely; you wont need to taper down the dose gradually. Sorry to not be more definitive, but thats my honest answer to both parts of the question. Read on to learn about other possible mild and serious side effects of the drug. Reasons for consideration include sleep pattern changes, food intake, and decreased muscle mass. I donot like the fact it can cause bone fractures along with blood clots. Specifically, its prescribed in some cases to treat the following: The active ingredient in Arimidex is anastrozole. However, I decided to stop a wee bit early. Exercise that gently stretches your joints or strengthens your muscles to better support your joints, such as yoga or pilates, may help improve your symptoms. For vitamin D, you can increase the amount of oily fish, mushrooms and eggs you eat. Calorie counting. Arimidex may increase your cholesterol. Were any of them prior to/when you were still taking the drug? Learn how CBCs are used in the treatment of breast cancer. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. Ask your doctor what other medications are better options for you. 3. Liver problems. I have been on Arimidex for 2 months. People with breast cancer have a higher risk of blood clots such as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). by Drugs.com. Like any drug,anastrozolecan cause side effects. 41% of respondents noted relief from side effect management strategies that were tried. I also developed osteoporosis. I don't know what changed in my little brain, but something did and I've stuck to it and have lost28 lbs. If you have diarrhoea, its important to drink enough fluids. For many people, side effects improve within the first few months of starting the treatment. This has helped with the pain. Side effects that should resolve quickly include: Chest discomfort Dizziness Dry eyes Headache Heartburn Hot flashes Nausea Pain Sex drive So give it a try. Hugs, Donna, Hi Suzanne~~~~you are an inspriation! A physiotherapist may also be able to suggest exercises to help. I'm getting handfuls of hair every day in the bathtub drain. I have know idea how to work it out just by doing any kind of exercise. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Conditions of Use linked below. Find out more aboutdiet and breast cancer treatment. Others, such as lack of energy, nausea, and vomiting, and a headache go away within a couple of days to a few weeks. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties. Declining an AI does not necessarily mean the ca will come back. But that might be from chemo, as my hair hasnt been the same since then. If your levels become too high, they may recommend that you take another medication to lower your cholesterol. Welcome to Connect, @christinej I do high intensity work outs 4 days a week . Thanks for sharing. When I began the AI and complained about the side effects like joint pain, rage and suicidal ideation, the oncological nurse dismissed me with its not from the drug and youll get used to it over time. If you think you have fatigue, tell your GP or treatment team. Thank you for sharing them. Don't beat yourself up about your weight. I was osteopenic (pre-cursor to osteoporosis) prior to BC, and diagnosed with osteoporosis along with my IDC. And 9% of women who took the cancer drug . And its unclear how often it occurred or whether Arimidex was the cause. Has anyone experienced any of these symptoms after 2 months of taking? What research-backed updates about these drugs did I miss? 13 Tips to Help Manage Side Effects from Aromatase Inhibitors. Support you can use. How soon do the side effects of Arimidex start? Thank You !!!!! Or at least more of them are. I'm not sure if all have finished AI treatment. Talk with your doctor about your health history before you take Arimidex. The intent, of course, is to prevent recurrence. Paleo, keto, low-fat regardless of the diet plan, it won't be effective if you're not eating nutritious food. If you havent gone through menopause, talk with your doctor about the best treatment option for you. Since Nov. 1 I have been to the gym 5 days a week, missing only an occasional day here and there (maybe a total of 5). Amy, Everyone is different in what they are willing/able to tolerate. Some side effects are mild while others are more severe. Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group. 4. The Content on this Site is presented in a summary fashion, and is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. I had two lumpectomies to get clear margin~~I have several multifocal tumors outside of the duct. It is a place to learn, discuss and share experiences and information. Side effects that should resolve quickly include: Chest discomfort Dizziness Dry eyes Headache Heartburn Hot flashes Nausea Pain Sex drive Live your life to the fullest - one day at a time. Giving either 3 years of Arimidex (Anastrozole) or 5 years of Letrozole (Femara) AFTER 5 years of taking Tamoxifen has been proven to have an added benefit in decreasing the risk of cancer recurrence. Prophylactic mastectomy is surgery to remove breast tissue. They may recommend that you try a different medication. Emphasis on might, as we are all very different here too. Okay, mostly off. It is a known side effect of arimidex because of it's hormonal/menopausal actions. Luckily, you should only experience more severe exhaustion for a limited time after stopping your injections. I would like to thank you for them. These symptoms usually improve or become easier to manage over time. Your bone density may be checked after two to five years while youre taking anastrozole, depending on the results from the initial scan or whether your specialist has any concerns. Jul 26, 2013 8:31 AM. Its not known if Arimidex is safe to take while breastfeeding, or if the drug may be present in breast milk. When you stop taking your injections, your body will need to recalibrate its levels of testosterone independently. "@sparklegram Have you tried taking vitamin D? When you do stop, it will likely take some time before you notice changes in how you feel. Speaking up is how things change and improve. Its a place where people with certain conditions can find support and connect with others. If you decrease your daily calorie intake as a result, you could potentially lose weight by stopping your antidepressants. So at the end, I wonder net net how much bone do I keep? November 2, 2011. Your doctor will likely monitor your cholesterol levels throughout your treatment with Arimidex. Blood clots can be harmful but are treatable so its important to report symptoms as soon as possible. But the biggest indicator to whether or not someone will maintain their weight loss, Dr. Grunvald said, is if they have a . I should have had at least 10-20 more years without hot flashes, fatigue, and sexual disfunction. How do I take anastrozole on a cycle and how much? I realized I was no longer experiencing quite as much joint pain, which for me, had been one of my worst side effects. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body (secondary breast cancer), this also increases the risk. To calculate your BMI, enter your height and weight . I mean, is that a loaded question or what? I am concerned that the hair loss is irreversible or may not grow back until I am finished with Arimidex. Among the participants, 1,920 were randomly assigned to anastrozole for five years and 1,944 to placebo. I would love to walk but have a bad knee. The worst side effect I had was hot flashes, but I was undergoing radiation and it was a particularly hot summer here. Like Helpful Hug 1 Reaction Interested in more discussions like this? You won't know until you try it how it will affect you! What happens when you stop taking Arimidex? 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Arimidex may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. This medication may be used by males to decrease their estrogen levels if theyre taking other drugs that increase estrogen. It's not worth it. would have been gone in 3 months with little effort! Not to the extent it should be anyway. Nausea. Enjoying what I'mdoing is an added bonus. @Holly, Specifically, it's prescribed in some. Using a wrist splint can help. I hope this is some encouragement. The side effects are very severe in the short and long term, as others have noted. and told myself I would not gain it back. I too worried about Arimidex and I took it for 2 years before switching to Tamoxifen. The last time I took my blood pressure, it was 117/70. Allergic reaction. Since doctors say that Tamoxifen does NOT cause weight gain (in the U.S. they say it can cause you to lose weight!? However, there is no data at this time which suggests that taking aromatase inhibitors like Arimidex for more than 5 years has added benefit. Relaxation exercises can also be helpful. I gained weight on Tamoxifen but did not gain weight on Arimidex. Sometimes it can go away on its own, but it can take months to get better. * Sex and gender exist on spectrums. But some of the side effects caused by Arimidex may also be caused by drinking alcohol. It's possible that you may continue to have side effects from Femara even after you stop taking it. Set realistic weight loss goals, such as a 1 to 2 pound weight loss per week. Examples of the long-term side effects of Arimidex include: Its possible to develop these side effects from taking Arimidex for a long time or at any time during treatment. Sometimes, I dont think this is recognized and treated as such. Nancy, you are so great for starting this blog and helping so many people. Here are some questions you may wish to ask: To learn more about Arimidex, see these articles: To get information on different conditions and tips for improving your health, subscribe to any of Healthlines newsletters. For more information, see Liver problems in the Side effects explained section above. If you have questions about the long-term effects of Arimidex, ask your doctor. Select one or more newsletters to continue. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/arimidex. In addition, Arimidex may affect your liver. But if you have any symptoms that are ongoing or that bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. There are no known interactions between alcohol and Arimidex. By using this Site you agree to the following, By using this Site you agree to the following. The joint pain and hot flashes were much worse as well. Hope everything is going well with you. Arimidex (anastrozole) Drugs.com AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP. Now, lucky me, I am treating a bout of diverticulitisyuck! Does taking Arimidex with other treatments for cancer increase the risk of side effects? I hope that eases as the weather improves and I can get outside more. OR a BMI of 30 to 40 with or without health issues for the gastric balloon procedure. All rights reserved. When exactly I started feeling better is hard to pinpoint. Common side effects of Arimidex that affect more than 5% of women and generally start soon after therapy begins include: Other side effects that generally take weeks or months to develop include: The most common reason for discontinuing Arimidex has been hot flashes, although the incidence of this is less than with tamoxifen. By using this Site you agree to the following, By using this Site you agree to the following. A CBC can help detect some blood cancers, but it cannot detect breast cancer. Available for Android and iOS devices. @sandrajo @whr @sparklegram, you may also be interested in the comments in this related discussion: Thank you and your lovely readers for sharing their experiences. Not for me. Its a good idea to know the side effects that may occur with Arimidex so that you can monitor for them. The nurse from Blue Group sent me an email today saying that there are no withdrawal symptoms after stopping this drug. 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