arimidex and joint pain

chenheart
chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I finished chemo in October and rads in December, am now taking Arimidex--seems my joints in hands and feet are more painful now than when I was on Taxotere! Anyone have any similar experiences with arimidex, or even post-chemo joint pain? Any relief meds available? Preferably natural--glucosamine, perhaps? Help!! thanks!

Comments

  • singer2912
    singer2912 Member Posts: 8
    #2
    Oh my God. I thought I was going crazy or that I had fibromyalgia or something. I'm experiencing severe joint pain in my elbows, hands, knees and hips. I never connected it with arimidex until I came to this site tonight. I'm making an appointment with my oncologist next week to find out if there's anything that can be done. Even if we don't get a response, it's nice to know that this may be fixable. I can barely walk up the stairs. THANK YOU.
  • DeeNY711
    DeeNY711 Member Posts: 476 Member
    #3
    singer2912 said:

    Oh my God. I thought I was going crazy or that I had fibromyalgia or something. I'm experiencing severe joint pain in my elbows, hands, knees and hips. I never connected it with arimidex until I came to this site tonight. I'm making an appointment with my oncologist next week to find out if there's anything that can be done. Even if we don't get a response, it's nice to know that this may be fixable. I can barely walk up the stairs. THANK YOU.

    I'm also on arimidex and also have serious joint pain in knees and hips. Oncologist said arimidex does not cause joint pain. She is incorrect. However, I did notice someone who had received chemotherapy, but not tamoxifen or arimidex, complaining of the very same type of joint pain and had to wonder how much residual pain is being caused by the effects of chemotherapy. I, too, have to crawl up the stairs very frequently, or do one step, right foot then left foot on good days. Even had to switch dentists because the office to which I was going had no elevator access to the second floor. Someone on the message board suggested plain or flavored gelatin every day. I am still trying that, and can honestly say that although the pain in my hips still wakes me up one to two times per hour (when I can sleep) the discomfort is less. I tried VicodinES, Motrin, Aleve and aspirin for pain relief with no success. When it is going to snow, I can barely walk until the joints are cranked up for a few minutes, even though I work out at the gym for an hour six days per week. Anyway, there are worse things.
    Hugs,
    Denise
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #4
    singer2912 said:

    Oh my God. I thought I was going crazy or that I had fibromyalgia or something. I'm experiencing severe joint pain in my elbows, hands, knees and hips. I never connected it with arimidex until I came to this site tonight. I'm making an appointment with my oncologist next week to find out if there's anything that can be done. Even if we don't get a response, it's nice to know that this may be fixable. I can barely walk up the stairs. THANK YOU.

    Thank you for writing back--I hope both of us get relief from this joint pain! Perhaps it is coupled with residual chemo effects...at any rate, let's hope something can be done so that we can get on with the business of living! :-)
  • singer2912
    singer2912 Member Posts: 8
    #5
    chenheart said:

    Thank you for writing back--I hope both of us get relief from this joint pain! Perhaps it is coupled with residual chemo effects...at any rate, let's hope something can be done so that we can get on with the business of living! :-)

    Maybe I'm dreamin' but I hope my doc has some solutions. You know, when he first said "you'll feel like new in 2 years" I thought, TWO YEARS!!, it's not going to take THAT long is it? I guess my body is finally telling me what I refused to believe. Anyway, thanks so much for writing in the first place so I know I'm not alone in this. And, Denise is right, I guess it's better than the alternative!
    Thanks,
    Fran
  • Wendy53
    Wendy53 Member Posts: 1
    #6
    I finished chemo in April 2003 after 4 treatments with Cytoxin and Adryomicin and 4 treatments with Taxotere. The Taxotere was the worst! My hands burned, turned bright red, and my palms and fingers peeled for a month! My oncologist no longer uses Taxotere with her patients. I was in excruiting pain! I was put on Neurontin to help. I continued on Neurontin because of the neuropathy and constant pain in my legs, which the oncologist said could take up to a year to go away. I began using Arimidex in May 2003 and the pain worsened. It is still difficult for me to walk or even stand up, especially after I have been sitting for a while or sleeping. The pain wakes me up at night. I have tried Celebrex and am now on Bextra without much relief. Even pain killers don't work. I discontinued Neurontin. I started taking Glucosemine Chondroitin a month ago and have been told that it can take up to 2 months to begin working. I also began physical therapy 3 times weekly 3 weeks ago. My leg strength is improving and it is finally becoming a little easier for me to walk. I hope this has helped you to know that you are not alone. I hope your pain subsides. Good luck!
  • bpcbrinks
    bpcbrinks Member Posts: 31
    #7
    Last spring I was diagnosed with a bone met in my hip. I had taken numerous anti-inflamatory meds and narcotics -- with no success in relieving the pain. However, my onco suggested taking Vioxx because they prescribed it for patients with bone pain and thought it might help. I said sure because I was tired of being so drugged from the narcotics. At the same time we switched to Arimidex since apparently Tamoxifen didn't work. The vioxx helped tremendously and I have only had to take something stronger for the hip pain only once or twice. I didn't even realize that joint pain was a side effect of the arimidex and that may be because I have been taking Vioxx at the same time. I have heard that Vioxx works for people when others (such as Bextra and Celebrex) didn't. It is worth giving it a try and you will know very shortly after taking it whether it works for you or not.

    Hope this helps a little.
  • sandytrif525
    sandytrif525 Member Posts: 106
    #8
    Chen I thought it was me too. My oncologist asked me at my last visit if I was having any joint pain. I was not at the time. A few days later, I felt like an old woman. Now in the morning my fingers are stiff. I go to see my oncologist in a few weeks. I am wondering what she will say. See you. Sandy
  • pegsue6167
    pegsue6167 Member Posts: 1
    #9
    i'm having the same problem. i feel as if i'm 100 years old. my hands hurt the most .i get hot flashes too and can't sleep at nights. i didn't feel this way until i started the arimidex.i need to talk to someone who knows what i'm going thru because everyone i tell thinks i'm nuts.
  • Rissa
    Rissa Member Posts: 2
    #10
    pegsue6167 said:

    i'm having the same problem. i feel as if i'm 100 years old. my hands hurt the most .i get hot flashes too and can't sleep at nights. i didn't feel this way until i started the arimidex.i need to talk to someone who knows what i'm going thru because everyone i tell thinks i'm nuts.

    Hi I am looking for relief from my hot flashes and body pain, especially at night. I am on Arimidex and Zoloft. I am not getting any relief from the hot flashes and they seem to be getting worse. I also wake up in the middle of the night in pain, go to bed in pain, and wake up with pain. Does anyone know if any herbal supplement would help? I am hormone receptor positive.
  • KAJ
    KAJ Member Posts: 1
    #11
    Rissa said:

    Hi I am looking for relief from my hot flashes and body pain, especially at night. I am on Arimidex and Zoloft. I am not getting any relief from the hot flashes and they seem to be getting worse. I also wake up in the middle of the night in pain, go to bed in pain, and wake up with pain. Does anyone know if any herbal supplement would help? I am hormone receptor positive.

    I too am suffering primarily from elbow joint pain and severe sudden hot flashes. I first thought it was just hormonal, but now associate it with Arimidex. Has anyone gotten any feed back for a remedy. I take a multivitamin, my arimidex, a calcium, and a condroiton & glucosomene tablet daily. What is anyone's suggestion
  • lmperry
    lmperry Member Posts: 1
    #12
    Rissa said:

    Hi I am looking for relief from my hot flashes and body pain, especially at night. I am on Arimidex and Zoloft. I am not getting any relief from the hot flashes and they seem to be getting worse. I also wake up in the middle of the night in pain, go to bed in pain, and wake up with pain. Does anyone know if any herbal supplement would help? I am hormone receptor positive.

    I was diagnosed with hormone recepter positive breast cancer last August and have been on Arimidex. I too had problems with hot flashes and was told by a doctor of holistic medicine that 2000mg daily of Evening Primrose Oil might help. I started taking two 500mg capsules in the a.m. & p.m. and got great results. I still have mild flashes now and then but no where near as intense as before. I also have been having body pain and will be seeing a rheumatologist tomorrow. My oncologist had me stop the Arimidex three weeks ago but no improvement as yet. I read in the Komen Foundation chat that 500mg of ester-c helped some women. They suggested taking 500mg in the a.m.& p.m. for the first week or so and then lowering to once a day. It did mention that it took a couple of weeks to kick in but then the results were excellent. Worth a try!

Discussion Boards