Anyone else doing well on Arimidex?

roseann4
roseann4 Member Posts: 992 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Luckily, I am taking Arimidex without obvious side effects. I can see that many of you have severe side effects and some have no choice but to go off of them. I think it is important to tell the whole story, so I am hoping to hear from others who like me are doing fine on this drug so far.

I hope it will help newbies who have not yet started Arimidex to feel a little better about it. Their reaction will show up soon enough one way or the other.

I am so sorry for those of you who have suffered from terrible side effects from Arimidex. You have suffered through diagnosis, surgery, possibly chemo and rads and then have to put up with SEs for 5 years! Don't know what I would do in your situation. Perhaps I will suffer SEs from this drug down the road but so far so good.

Roseann

Comments

  • Suekirk
    Suekirk Member Posts: 3
    #2
    Arimidex
    I have been taking Arimidex for almost two years. I am doing well with the drug. Some minor side effects, but that's all.
  • Reikigemgirl
    Reikigemgirl Member Posts: 278
    #3
    I hve only been taking it for a month.....
    but I haven't experienced any side effects yet. I am so thankful for this because of the other posts I have read.

    Love and Light,
    Vicki
  • mgm42
    mgm42 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #4
    I'm so glad for you....
    I'm so glad that you, as well as many others I'm sure, have no bad side effects from Arimidex. My oncologist likes Arimidex very much because, according to AstraZenica's research, it is tolerated quite well by most women. I only wish I were one of the many lucky ones. I start Femara in three more weeks. We'll see how I do on that one. Best of luck to you. Hugs, Marilynn
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159 Member
    #5
    I was able to take Arimidex
    I was able to take Arimidex for the entire 5 years it was prescribed for me; I finished the regimin in March of 2009. I also had NO adverse side-effects, and as my sisters here know, I was able to participate in all I ever wanted to do, and more! 5 and 10Ks, half -marathons, dancing, zip-lining, swimming with dolphins in Mexico,keeping my house clean,cooking, helping the stop kids with homework...you name it, I think I did it! And then some!

    So, whereas I also know that some of us have not such a good time on Arimidex, there are also those like us who do just fine! Take Heart, everyone!!!!!!!!

    Hugs,
    Chen♥
  • mmontero38
    mmontero38 Member Posts: 1,510
    #6
    Well, I guess I'm one of the
    Well, I guess I'm one of the unchosen few who have side effects. It started while I was on the Tamoxifen and after 15 months of that I was switched to Arimidex. Of course, like I stated, I seem to be one of the lucky 5% that gets all the side effects, but...... I'm, still perservering and hoping that by going to physical therapy and massages I will be able to stay on it for 3 more years. Not everyone gets side effects so everything is always worth a try as long as it prevents recurrence. So, put your best foot forward and continue the march to beating the beast. Love and hugs, Lili
  • Derbygirl
    Derbygirl Member Posts: 198
    #7
    I've been taking Arimidex
    I've been taking Arimidex for 6 months and Femara for 3 months prior to that. My Oncologist made a switch due to the number of side effects. I still have those side effects, but none is so bad that I will stop taking the meds. My Onc. feels that some problems may be a result of healing from last year's treatment rather than from Arimidex. Only time will tell, but for now I can rest assured that I'm doing whatever I can to prevent recurrence.
  • rainbow4
    rainbow4 Member Posts: 137
    #8
    getting better
    I was one who replied to the other string about how tough it was for me on Arimidex. But as time goes on, I do have to say that either I'm getting used to the SEs or learning to handle them. I've been really pushing myself to walk at least 5 days a week. Granted, it started out with just a couple of times outside around the house, but I'm now up to 45 minutes on a nice winding, up-and-down paved path through a park. I've found some exercises to do for my hands, so I go through a few reps as I walk. Hot flashes haven't lessened, unfortunately, my appetite is a constant battle (want to eat much more than I should), and insomnia & mood swings still aren't pleasant. But overall, as several have said, if this is the "new normal", I'm going to do my best to adjust to it as long as it appears to be conquering the beast.
  • fauxma
    fauxma Member Posts: 3,577 Member
    #9
    chenheart said:

    I was able to take Arimidex
    I was able to take Arimidex for the entire 5 years it was prescribed for me; I finished the regimin in March of 2009. I also had NO adverse side-effects, and as my sisters here know, I was able to participate in all I ever wanted to do, and more! 5 and 10Ks, half -marathons, dancing, zip-lining, swimming with dolphins in Mexico,keeping my house clean,cooking, helping the stop kids with homework...you name it, I think I did it! And then some!

    So, whereas I also know that some of us have not such a good time on Arimidex, there are also those like us who do just fine! Take Heart, everyone!!!!!!!!

    Hugs,
    Chen♥

    I've been on Arimidex for 6
    I've been on Arimidex for 6 months and have had no side effects. Hopefully that will continue and 4 1/2 years from now I will be reporting the same as Claudia. And she is right, some do well, some not so good, and some in between.
    Stef
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #10
    At first I hesitated to
    At first I hesitated to respond to this. I DO have side effects...It's almost one year since I began taking Arimidex and I have joint pain in my shoulders and tailbone and very stiff fingers. I also have night sweats, depression, osteopenia, and insomnia. But, if this new "normal" with Arimidex means that my 5 year survival goes from the 50 something percent to the 80 something per cent, then for now, the SEs don't seem so bad! Despite the SEs, life is good. xoxoxoxo Lynn
  • roseann4
    roseann4 Member Posts: 992 Member
    #11
    mmontero38 said:

    Well, I guess I'm one of the
    Well, I guess I'm one of the unchosen few who have side effects. It started while I was on the Tamoxifen and after 15 months of that I was switched to Arimidex. Of course, like I stated, I seem to be one of the lucky 5% that gets all the side effects, but...... I'm, still perservering and hoping that by going to physical therapy and massages I will be able to stay on it for 3 more years. Not everyone gets side effects so everything is always worth a try as long as it prevents recurrence. So, put your best foot forward and continue the march to beating the beast. Love and hugs, Lili

    You are not unusual!
    Unfortunately, you are not unusual. Even my oncologist said that I was likely to have the side effects you mentioned. I think I am unusual. I just wanted to let women know that not everyone has those side effects. I can only imagine how frustrating it is to be taking something that we believe is protective for a reoccurrance of breast cancer but makes life so difficult. I hope you can stay with it. My mother-in-law took herself off Arimidex becaused she said she was in so much pain that she couldn't enjoy life. Hugs.

    Roseann
  • HillBillyNana
    HillBillyNana Member Posts: 107
    #12
    mgm42 said:

    I'm so glad for you....
    I'm so glad that you, as well as many others I'm sure, have no bad side effects from Arimidex. My oncologist likes Arimidex very much because, according to AstraZenica's research, it is tolerated quite well by most women. I only wish I were one of the many lucky ones. I start Femara in three more weeks. We'll see how I do on that one. Best of luck to you. Hugs, Marilynn

    Arimidex/Femara
    I am a 5 year survivor!!!! I had surgery, chemo, and radiation in 2003 and 2004. I am going back to my oncologist in November. She wants to start me on Femara. Is that the same as Arimidex? You say you will start Femara in 3 weeks. I will watch to see your comments. I am currently taking no medication. I stopped Tamoxifen in April. I took it for 5 years. The doctor thinks it is worthwhile for me to take the Femara for 5 years. I understand it keeps the body from producing estrogen. I am 64 and have hot flashes now. I wonder if the Femara will cause more intense hotflashes. I have been having hot flashes ever since I was diagnosed with ER breast cancer in 2003. Before that I had been taking Premarin for several years to keep from having hot flashes. I was working at the time and I had to have sleep and the hot flashes disturbed my sleep greatly. This discussion board is part of my research of Femara. I think the best advice comes from the users of a drug. And if anyone has any reliable websites that explain the pros and cons and side effects of this drug I would love to have them.
  • vikinyc
    vikinyc Member Posts: 2
    #13
    I've been taking Arimdex for
    I've been taking Arimdex for 2 months - no problems.
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    #14
    Arimidex
    I started on Arimidex January 2008 and stayed on it until my reconstruction surgery August 13, 2009. Never had any issues, just slight bone pain and hot flashes. I was taken off the Arimidex for two weeks, and when I started back up again, the bone pain, joint pain and fatigue hit me harder than even the Taxol did.
    But as others have stated here, this is a small glitch in our recovery and anything that decreases our percentages of recurrence are worth the inconvenience.
    Hope everyone who goes on this drug have an easy time of it.
    Cat
  • Fran1947
    Fran1947 Member Posts: 72
    #15
    No side effects
    Hi Roseanne,

    I am happy to say that I took Arimidex for 5 years with absolutely no side effects at all. Here's hoping you'll be the same.

    Hugs,

    Fran

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