Arimidex

Skybuf
Skybuf Member Posts: 143
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am taking Arimidex now for one year, need to take for 5 yrs they said. It's causing lots of problems, bone pain, muscle pain....I feel like a 90 yr old woman that can't climb the stairs or walk right...any suggestions? I will ask my OC if I can switch to Tamoxifen but am post-menoposal...mastectomy, chemo, radiation now this....stage 3...17 malignant lymph nodes...hmmmm

Comments

  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #2
    Sorry to hear you are one of those experiencing adverse affects with Arimidex. I have NOT had any bad effects, and am now starting year 4. My OC has always said that it is not the only drug, of course, as some women cannot tolerate it. There are other aromatase inhibitors, etc, which can be used. By all means, get in touch with your doctor about which alternatives to Arimidex might work better for you.
    Be Strong! Get Healthy!
    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • cabbott
    cabbott Member Posts: 1,039 Member
    #3
    I am on a different aromatase inhibitor: exemestane also called aromasin. I have had some difficulty with walking that was not due to swelling. [If you have leg or feet swelling, please have them check your heart out.] But since there was no apparent swelling, I started at the podiatrist's office (foot doctor). He did an xray to make sure nothing was broken and that I didn't have any other concerns.Pushing around gently,he found that the toe joints were inflamed and gave me $15 budin toe splints. They looked worthless: a stretch band coming out of a slitted oval piece of felt-covered foam. He had me start with just the left foot to see if it would work. I was a total unbeliever, but between the splint and some prescription Naproxin (I think that's an extra strength Aleve), my left foot got better in 2 weeks. Not perfect, but noticably better than the right. Well, now I'm wearing the splints on both feet. I also got some better running shoes that I'm wearing all the time. The others were worn out and causing part of the problem.I think my meds have a lot to do with the toe joint inflammation, but now I'm not yelping when I get out of bed in the morning and I'm off the pain meds after 2 weeks with the splints. I only wear the splints during the day. I have to lay off the yoga until I go 2 weeks without pain and then take it easy on toe stretches. I don't know if that would work with you, but I'm giving it a try before I give up and switch cancer meds.
  • Susan956
    Susan956 Member Posts: 510
    #4
    My Onc is letting me switch to tamoxiphen... but clearly let me know it is not as effective as Arimedex... but my body just doesn't seem to be able to take the drug. Hope you will find a good solution....

    Take Care... God Bless..

    Susan
  • Skybuf
    Skybuf Member Posts: 143
    #5
    cabbott said:

    I am on a different aromatase inhibitor: exemestane also called aromasin. I have had some difficulty with walking that was not due to swelling. [If you have leg or feet swelling, please have them check your heart out.] But since there was no apparent swelling, I started at the podiatrist's office (foot doctor). He did an xray to make sure nothing was broken and that I didn't have any other concerns.Pushing around gently,he found that the toe joints were inflamed and gave me $15 budin toe splints. They looked worthless: a stretch band coming out of a slitted oval piece of felt-covered foam. He had me start with just the left foot to see if it would work. I was a total unbeliever, but between the splint and some prescription Naproxin (I think that's an extra strength Aleve), my left foot got better in 2 weeks. Not perfect, but noticably better than the right. Well, now I'm wearing the splints on both feet. I also got some better running shoes that I'm wearing all the time. The others were worn out and causing part of the problem.I think my meds have a lot to do with the toe joint inflammation, but now I'm not yelping when I get out of bed in the morning and I'm off the pain meds after 2 weeks with the splints. I only wear the splints during the day. I have to lay off the yoga until I go 2 weeks without pain and then take it easy on toe stretches. I don't know if that would work with you, but I'm giving it a try before I give up and switch cancer meds.

    Thanks for your advise. My foot problem is different than yours, Taxol the chemo drug did it. It's caused the nerve ends to 'scream' I was told I needed it to go after the "hidden cells" and it DID. It went into my feet and every nerve end in them....yikes. I haven't walked right since. it's like walking on broken glass, the bottoms of your feet don't really touch the floor fully, they are like walking on pads...weird to say the least. But I had to have it and the damage is done, I pray daily God will heal my feet and believe some day He will....
    Watch taking Naproxen, Naprasin whatever it's called, I took it for a back problem years ago, it can do a number on your stomach. It's an NSAID, non steroid anti= inflamitory drug and they work well but come with their own problems.
    Well God bless you as you heal too.
  • roxanne53
    roxanne53 Member Posts: 154
    #6
    Hello
    I am taking Arimidex and have for several years now. I had lots of troubles with the medications.
    Lots of the side effects were very troublesome.
    I also had been taking fosomax for the osteopenia for bone density. I am stage 3a
    after close to a year of both these meds I stopped the fosomax because of its side effects and some are similar to arimidex that seem to make matters worse. Since stopping fosomax and taking caltrate plus D, I am better for it.

    So check all your medications before you drop the arimidex. This may be of help to you. Some others may be more of the cuprit than this life saving one.
    take care
    roxanne53
  • toninasky
    toninasky Member Posts: 102
    #7
    I am on Femara, and having problems too. Walking is difficult with cramping in calves, but I also have PAD. Muscles all over hurt and I feel a bit weaker. The thing is we don't have much choice if we want to increase our chances of survival. I also want to note, please be careful of Naproxyn, I took it 10 years ago for what they thought was Osteo Arthritis, and it cause ringing in my ears that has never gone away, even after stopping the drug. I still have the ringing. My oncologist took me off the Femara for 3 weeks, and the cramping got a little less. I am back on and I feel like I have 2 choices, as all of us do. Take the drug, or don't take it. I think I will take it for as long as I can withstand it, and hope that perhaps they will come up with something that won't be so hard on all of us. What other choice do we have? Good luck to you.
    One more thing that the oncologist did say is that if one drug affects us, so will the others.
    I hope that you can hang in there.
    I have been on Femara for 6 months. I was stage 2 with 1 lymph node out of 15.
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #8
    Skybuf said:

    Thanks for your advise. My foot problem is different than yours, Taxol the chemo drug did it. It's caused the nerve ends to 'scream' I was told I needed it to go after the "hidden cells" and it DID. It went into my feet and every nerve end in them....yikes. I haven't walked right since. it's like walking on broken glass, the bottoms of your feet don't really touch the floor fully, they are like walking on pads...weird to say the least. But I had to have it and the damage is done, I pray daily God will heal my feet and believe some day He will....
    Watch taking Naproxen, Naprasin whatever it's called, I took it for a back problem years ago, it can do a number on your stomach. It's an NSAID, non steroid anti= inflamitory drug and they work well but come with their own problems.
    Well God bless you as you heal too.

    Try Vitamin B6, if you haven't yet....my rad onc's nurse told me it works WONDERS for neuropathy...

    Hugs, Kathi
  • bev49
    bev49 Member Posts: 42
    #9
    toninasky said:

    I am on Femara, and having problems too. Walking is difficult with cramping in calves, but I also have PAD. Muscles all over hurt and I feel a bit weaker. The thing is we don't have much choice if we want to increase our chances of survival. I also want to note, please be careful of Naproxyn, I took it 10 years ago for what they thought was Osteo Arthritis, and it cause ringing in my ears that has never gone away, even after stopping the drug. I still have the ringing. My oncologist took me off the Femara for 3 weeks, and the cramping got a little less. I am back on and I feel like I have 2 choices, as all of us do. Take the drug, or don't take it. I think I will take it for as long as I can withstand it, and hope that perhaps they will come up with something that won't be so hard on all of us. What other choice do we have? Good luck to you.
    One more thing that the oncologist did say is that if one drug affects us, so will the others.
    I hope that you can hang in there.
    I have been on Femara for 6 months. I was stage 2 with 1 lymph node out of 15.

    I am new to this site, and am so glad I found it to get some answeres to some questions that I have had recently. I too starting experiencing cramping in my calves, muscle pain, joint pain, even rib cage pain so bad that the surgeron did a bone scan in March, and said it was from the 33 radiation treatments. I too hurt all over, and like you walking has become a big problem. Now at least, I have a better understanding of what is going on after taking Arimidex for 2 years. I see my ONC in October, so maybe he can give me some insight as to what to do. I agree however, we don't have much choice. Thanks for sharing your message, and I have also learned not to take Naproxyn, it only added to the side affects. Guess we just have to learn to live with it, but the important thing is...we LIVE with it, right? Take care, and again, I am so relieved to read your message, it has been very helpful.
    bev49

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