Arimidex (anastrozole) Side Effects, Uses Dosages
Side Effects for Arimidex (anastrozole)
I'm no longer taking this medication. I never started back up using Arimidex.
I would consult with your doctors and be sure they have background information about any genetics that may occur if you took it.
Neuropathy, hot flashes, nausea, muscle pain, joint pain and general malaise.
One starts to wonder whether quality of life is more important. Need input from Oncologist, but long wait time in BC. First BC, lumpectomy, chemo, radiation and 5yrs on arimidex. Second time 11 yes later BC other breast due to Her positive, stage 3, chemo to shrink and mastectomy followed by radiation. Pathology found small tumor of the same nature as first cancer. Have been on Arimidex 2.5 yrs and quality of life is awful. What to do?? Oncologist please respond. Thanks!!
Horrible joint pain, especially in my shoulder on surgery side. Inability to use my shoulder at times. This pain is far beyond “take a Tylenol†my nurse practitioner recommends. I am unable to drive because I have a stick shift. After speaking with a pharmacist, I was told this is one of the side effects.I'm not taking it for a month and see if the pain lessens.
No benefit from the drug if your life isn't worth living
I finished Arimidex in March 2022. I experienced many, many of the same symptoms detailed by so many woman.My question. Since stopping Arimidex I have been experiencing anxiety. I've been told there are no side affects from discontinuing Arimidex. I am still experiencing some of the old symptoms- even though I have stopped taking Arimidex- and a new symptom- anxiety has appeared. Has anyone experienced this? Doctor's are saying the anxiety is caused by my fear of not feeling protected from cancer reoccurrence anymore. This is actually a strong physical response. I am not not sure what to think anymore. Thanks so much.
Irratible, hot flashes, achey feeling first month on drug progressing to painful knees and shoulders, sharp random stabbing pains in feet and hands, awful heavy feeling like weights on my shoulders and cracking knees on standing and walking. After finding this site and reading others experiences was easy decision for me to stop as do not like the crippling side effects. Haven't told doctor because know he will just wanna put me on something else with same awful side effects.
Joint and muscle pain, hair thinning, dry mouth and eyes, muscle spasms, rib pain and just recently numbness in hands and feet and sometimes tingling over entire body. Also insomnia and worse pain at night.
Positively I have not had any recurrence of cancer. The joint and muscle pain has been helped by daily walking but many days I just feel so miserable and not sure I want to continue to take med. I was switched to Tamoxifen briefly but had such horrible headaches that I would rather the joint pain.
Bad upper pain and nausea also heat and feeling like pins and needles everywhere even in the face, stopped taking this drug about a month ago and have not been the same since, severe gastric pain and lost 13 lbs severe nausea and now tingling everywhere
Also thought I was having a heart attack pain was severe after stopping this nasty drug
It was only hot flashes at first. Not great but tolerable, then the brain fog set in. A few months later I have joint muscle pain that painkillers barely touch. Its a sharp, stabbing pain that leaves you only enough breath to yell God Help Me! I am done with it, my quality of life is much more important than quantity.
Joint and muscle pain, tingling and pain in hands, ,no energy, facial hair.
Obviously this drug`s side effects last longer than 2-3 weeks, as I can see by the above reviews. Why do oncologists and staff not know this? You need to educate them
Extreme hip, spine, knee, leg pain. Caused carpet tunnel symptoms to return
Had to stop Arimidex due to extreme, debilitating pain.
Triple positive breast cancer stage
Increasing neuropathy on daily basis. Extreme nerve pain on back, stomach, fingers, breast. At night the pain became debilitating where you questioned is this how you want to live your life. Effects my daily living, and work. Looking for alternative medicine.
There needs to be more accurate side affects posted with this drug. As one believes they are going crazy at times.
After having 2nd breast cancer
Many severe side effects. Musculoskeletal syndrome, flu-like aches, pain in hips, back and neck from taking the drug less than 1 month in 2004. The pain finally seemed to settle in my hips and neck. Had to be flat on my back to get relief. Still hard to sit at the computer for long to this day. Hard time standing longer than 30 minutes. Also had weakness that felt like I was going to fall down - that lasted for yrs. Developed a limp if I walked too much. Had severe depression and insomnia. During the 29 days I took Arimidex, I had violent mood swings and at one point couldn't eat so badly that I lost 10 pounds in 5 days My doctors clearly did not know what to do to resolve or even minimize the symptoms. I called Astrazenica & spoke with a doctor there. She admitted that they knew the drug was causing severe problems for some women. She also stated that they did not understand what it was in the drug that was causing these problems, nor exactly what the drug was doing to t
Now I try to be as healthy & active as possible. 3 months ago, I ceased all exercise, as I had pain that gradually increased to the point I was hurting a lot of the time. Since I stopped the exercising & walking, the pain has gone away. I can't believe this could still be from the Arimidex, but I can think of no other reason like arthritis or some disease where the pain would go away like it has. I also do feel weakness to where I feel like I am going to fall down, if I do any prolonged strenuous physical work. When that happens, it feels exactly like it did when I still had the severe side effects.I would like to suggest that anyone experiencing severe side effects from this drug, consider the possible consequences of continuing with the drug. Some may find the side effects don't last that long, but I am an example of that not always being the case. This drug took away my quality of life for 10-12 yrs. And now seeing hints here and there of some of the old side effects, I am wondering if there has been some permanent damage. I am very active with yard, garden, home and care-giving work I have a healthy outlook & attitude, but am concerned about problems that surface from time to time that are awfully reminiscent of the Arimidex side effects I had for years.
Muscle and bone pain, fatigue,loss of hand strength and trigger fingers, felt feeble weak and 20 years older
Legs cramping, legs and feet swelling, numb, bulging veins, pain and chest pain.
Took myself off for 3 weeks and the side effects lessened still getting some chest pain, foot pain and tingling but not as bad, proving the problems were caused by the Arimidex.
BC stg 1, lumpectomy, radiation
After taking Tamoxifen for 2.5 years and experiencing horrible hot flashes, brain fog, plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis, I was glad when my oncologist switched me to Arimidex after verifying I was now menopausal. WRONG!! This drug is destroying my quality of life- I feel like I am 90 years old. I have horrible neuropathathic pain in both arms and hands, terrible bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome,intense joint pain in shoulders, hips and knees. Trying to walk after being seated for 15 minutes or more is crazy- I limp as though recovering from a major injury. The pain is so bad at night I have trouble sleeping. My hands and arms are so weak I have trouble lifting heavy items. I am seriously thinking about stopping this drug because I am afraid the side effects will be permanent. I do not think I can handle two more years of this.
Weight management also difficult.
The first 3 months it affected my legs; felt like someone was squeezing myBone marrow. I felt pain inside myBones in my legs. I was very energetic, now I feel fatigue but push myself. I have osteopenia. Joints hurt, if I sit down too long, it hurts to get up. Lately, it hurts to walk. I do not have any leg vascular ailments. One year later, 2015, I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia and I'm on Sprycel 100mg.
I have been on it 6 1/2 yrs with no other breast cancer. But I found women who stopped and 5-10 yrs later the breast cancer went to the bones. Due to estrogen once arimidex is stopped. No way out once you have Cancer. These meds do their job but ruin other things in your body.
Very Severe, multiple, debilitating and long term ill effects not recognised by my medical team and still repeating after 9yrsAccumulating almost every side effect on the Patient Unformation LeafletI was a person with no underlying health issues. Stopped Anastrozole after 2 yrs 2 months due to extra sensitivity to interchanges of generic brands of Anastrozle. Told by my Breast Care Nurse that I may never be the same again. Thought to be psychological. I addressed that much to the astonishment of my Consultant. It was not psychological.
The interchange of generic brands of Anastrozole caused overdosing several days after new brand. Each change upped the intensity of ill effects and added further Ill effects due to the differences of the half life of the Active Ingredient. After stopping problems withdrew for the same period of time that I was on Anastrozole and some were worse creating more difficulties.To cut a long story short - the mix of Anaesthetic, Radiotherapy, Omeprazole for Hiatus Hernia together with Anastrozole at the start of my treatment has caused havoc to my nervous system, my muscles, connective tissue, skin rash, blisters and sores, bladder and bowel incontinence, falls, fractures, difficulty walking, unable to do my household duties, mouth peripheral neuropathy, tooth problems and now a suspicion of Glaucoma. I have also had surgery for a hip replacement and endometrial cancer. More Anaesthetic, more Radiation, more Morphine reviving the ill effects established by Anastrozole. Plus for several months - Ranitadine.No one tells us that Anastrozole is a cancer chemotherapy agent derived like all other cancer treatments from nerve gas, mustard gas produced for warfare during WW1.
Joint pain.insomnia depression.swolen fingers. Tiredness
Joint pain fingers.thumb locking.bloating.osteoporosis right femur neck.
Alot of s/e but will cont to take it for time required
To prevent recurrence for breast cancer
Constipation insomnia aches in joints and muscles numb cold toes tingling in legs shooting pains all over body blurred vision dry month dry sore vagina
Willing to put up with it to try to stop recurrence some days are worse than others
ARIMIDEX (ANASTROZOLE): Anastrozole is used to treat breast cancer in women after menopause. Some breast cancers are made to grow faster by a natural hormone called estrogen. Anastrozole decreases the amount of estrogen the body makes and helps to slow or reverse the growth of these breast cancers. (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)
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