Donna, Cynthia, I replied to your response but not knowing exactly what to do I did it wrong so you can go back and read it. When exactly I started feeling better is hard to pinpoint. I don't know what changed in my little brain, but something did and I've stuck to it and have lost28 lbs. However, for some people they may cause distress and disrupt everyday life. You may develop a skin rash while taking anastrozole. I also am doing my part by eating very healthy/high plant-based diet. Connect with thousands of patients and caregivers for support, practical information, and answers. I mean, is that a loaded question or what? Source for above: Takeaways from American Society of Clinical Oncology 2021 (ASCO) via Dr. Susan Love Foundation. Anyone lose weight after stopping lexapro. How do I take Arimidex on a cycle and how much? If you have this condition, taking Arimidex can increase your risk of a heart or blood vessel problem, such as a heart attack. This is when part of the blood clot breaks away and travels to the lung. I'm sorry you're dealing with so much and don't have the option of stopping your AI med unless, of course, you have to switch treatment regimens entirely. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and Conditions of Use linked below. Endocrine Therapy: The Ultimate Guide to Managing & Making Decisions about Your Aromatase Inhibitor Medication. Updated 5 May 2020 1 answer FAQ by Drugs.com. Significant baseline predictors for gaining more than 5 kg of weight after 12 months of follow-up were: being younger than 60 years old, smoking and mastectomy. Receiving a new breast cancer diagnosis can feel scary, but you are not alone. In fact, I have been convinced on several occasions that there must be something wrong with me because I used to be able to lose weight at the drop of a hat andthis has been soooo slow given the amount of exercise and food I'm consuming. So drinking alcohol while taking Arimidex may increase your risk of these side effects. Source: Tweet (below) from recent #ASCO21 Conference. No lymph node, involvement. It makes me a little mad and a little sad at the same time. For example, both can cause headaches, nausea, and vomiting. 41% reporting some relief isnt all that great. I also had managed to lose a few pounds. You may also experience side effects caused by other treatments or individual circumstance, such as the menopause. Your specialist will sometimes check the strength and thickness (density) of your bone with a scan before or shortly after you start taking anastrozole. Thank you! The names in parentheses are brand names. I am just now experiencing some dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite. The IBIS-II Prevention trial enrolled 3,864 postmenopausal women at increased risk for developing breast cancer from 2003 to 2012. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is pressure on a nerve in your wrist. I'm almost at the end of a trial period of going off Arimidex for two weeks. I never got to fully live out my pre-menopausal days because of cancer. I also developed osteoporosis. I really think that the weight gain has more to do with being pushed straight into menopause and I hope that it will settle in time. Also, have your primary check your vitamin d level as low levels may make the pain worse. Musculoskeletal and physical changes such as weight gain and body image dissatisfaction were the most commonly reported side effects (from women). Please remember this blog is never a place to get medical advice. I wish everyone health and happiness going forward and to seek more than one opinion if necessary. Not to the extent it should be anyway. The last time I took my blood pressure, it was 117/70. MedHelp is not a medical or healthcare provider and your use of this Site does not create a doctor / patient relationship. Any Suggestions? Interested in more discussions like this? He said you lose bone when stopping the Prolia. Breast lumps and visual changes to the breasts or nipples are more frequent signs of breast, Aggressive, hard-to-treat breast cancer types such as inflammatory breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer are the most likely to recur. 3. Yes, Arimidex may cause some long-term side effects. Lymphedema Risk: Are Hot Tubs & Saunas Bad Ideas? To manage your symptoms, they may suggest an over-the-counter antihistamine you take by mouth, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl). Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group. Then, you can share this information with your doctor. Im convinced the drugs make weight loss harder and weight gain easier. Good luck with year six on Aromasin. I hope that your cancer is being kicked in the butt and that we can become friends together doing so. I have researched on how important estrogen is for our brains also. If youre taking Arimidex, talk with your doctor about how much alcohol, if any, is safe for you to drink. Source: Tweet below from recent #ASCO21 Conference. It took a year of asking my oncologist, and for me to focus enough to realize it wasnt being addressed, before he referred me to a specialist for osteoporosis. We offer this Site AS IS and without any warranties. Never disregard the medical advice of your physician or health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of something you read on this Site. So, keep on doing that. Its a place where people with certain conditions can find support and connect with others. Side effects that should resolve quickly include: Chest discomfort Dizziness Dry eyes Headache Heartburn Hot flashes Nausea Pain Sex drive When I finished chemo, I had lost weight (about 25 lbs.) If Im surmising correctly, who benefits from these assays might be more nuanced. I'm getting handfuls of hair every day in the bathtub drain. Any of the mild or serious side effects listed in the sections above may occur after 5 years of treatment with Arimidex. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This will usually be from a group of drugs called bisphosphonates. (2018). https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/stopping-anastrozole-after-5-years-withdrawal-symptoms/. Carpal tunnel syndrome and other nerve-related conditions, Sleeplessness (it can take months to resolve bad sleep habits). Examples of mild side effects that have been reported with Arimidex for early breast cancer treatment include: Examples of mild side effects that have been reported with Arimidex for advanced or metastatic breast cancer treatment include: In most cases, these side effects should be temporary. My Dr took me off it for two weeks and I restarted it in September. Withdrawal symptoms? Hope everything is going well with you. (Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver.) You're eating the wrong foods. Specifically, its prescribed in some cases to treat the following: The active ingredient in Arimidex is anastrozole. We definitely need better side effect management strategies. I also now have osteoporosis, so I take calcium, vitamin D, and Boniva. Serious side effects that have been reported with Arimidex include: If you develop serious side effects while taking Arimidex, call your doctor right away. The same goes for low-carb if you're eating bacon every day, says . Connect with thousands of patients and caregivers for support and answers. On the other hand, if you experience loss of appetite with depression . If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body (secondary breast cancer), this also increases the risk. A body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more. Thank you for sharing them. We need less harsh drugs that cause fewer side effects to begin with! How soon do the side effects of Arimidex start? At all. Emphasis on might, as we are all very different here too. They may be able to recommend an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), to help ease your headache. I would just to love to walk but my knee bothers be just walking. The Content on this Site is presented in a summary fashion, and is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. I am going to write this down now what you are taking to help your bones and show it to my ONC, because he has not mentioned anything to me about this and I have arthritis anyway. It is important to me to be able to exercise every day and feel well. (An example is anabolic steroids.) I have been on Arimidex for 2 months. Wrapping Up 2022 Looking Back, Looking Forward. I had fatigue but that seems to have faded away too. This is especially helpful to do when you first start taking new drugs or using a combination of treatments. High cholesterol. If you continue to have difficulty sleeping your GP may prescribe something to help you sleep. It can usually be relieved with mild pain relief like paracetamol or an anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen. Wait. You're so right though, too often these discussions aren't held with our oncologists. Some of those unpleasant side effects include: joint pain, muscle aches, bone loss (osteopenia and osteoporosis), bone fractures, lowered libido, hair loss/thinning, weight gain, hot flashes, mental fogginess and sleep issues, to name a few. Coronary artery disease. What happens when you stop taking Arimidex? Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. While on exemestane, I struggled to lose any weight. Vaginal dryness (tends to be the result of vaginal atrophy). I love to eat! Anecdotally, my experience has been positive. Enjoying what I'mdoing is an added bonus. Now I walk 30 minutes a day to YouTube walking videos. If you have any worries or questions about taking or stopping anastrozole, you can call us free on 0808 800 6000 to talk through your concerns. You should not try to lose more than one or two pounds per week because this . A physiotherapist may also be able to suggest exercises to help. If you're worried about any long term side effects after stopping anastrozole, speak to your treatment team or GP. Definitely having some type of withdrawal. Common side effects include: hot flashes, fatigue, changes in mood, depression and night sweats. (& other questions you might be wondering about). We're warned about sore and aching bones and joints, the danger of osteoporosis . Learn more about some of the side effects Arimidex may cause. The average woman who undergoes a "normal" menopause (not due to cancer treatment) will gain 5-10 pounds in the years after her menstrual cycles stop. At all. I am concerned that the hair loss is irreversible or may not grow back until I am finished with Arimidex. No new side effects have been reported in clinical trials after stopping Arimidex. I do high intensity work outs 4 days a week . The half life of Arimidex is 30 to 60 hours. Yes, it was approved by my doc. In the IBIS-II trial, too few deaths were reported in the Arimidex Vs Placebo . I donot like the fact it can cause bone fractures along with blood clots. What are the new treatment options for migraines? How long do side effects last after stopping Arimidex? Some of the more serious side effects of Tamoxifen include blood clots, stroke, endometrial cancer and memory loss. Medically reviewed by Carmen Fookes, BPharm. Some people benefit from switching to a different hormone therapy. Available for Android and iOS devices. Aromasin is a kind of endocrine therapy . I hope this is some encouragement. If you can become pregnant, you should use birth control while taking Arimidex. The only bad thing withme is I have had 2 rotatorcuff surgeries on my right shoulder, 1 on my left shoulder,1 knee surgery, and a small surgery on my right angle. So, it appears our speaking up about these side effects is starting to pay off. Have you at any time been on an estrogen-blocking medication as part of your cancer treatment and if so, what side effects have you experienced? If dizziness persists see your GP. Let yourself recover from your treatments. We discuss these 'drugs we love to hate' here on the blog. If you have any liver or heart conditions, tell your doctor before starting Arimidex. During your Arimidex treatment, consider keeping notes on any side effects youre having. How long do side effects last after stopping Arimidex? Generally it takes four to five half-lives for a drug to be eliminated from the body, so in the case of Arimidex this would be 150 to 300 hours, or six to 12 days. I made it to a little over nine years. I have spinal stenosis, but I wanted to see if Arimidax was causing this excruciating flair-up. At that point, my oncologist and I decided it was okay for me to be done. (2020). Headache. There are CDs, podcasts and phone apps that can guide you through these techniques. Thank you and may you beat this cancer in the butt like we all want to do. Its related to the drug and it may take time to get energy back but it will come back . Hot Flashes. And yes, I still have a fair number of pounds to lose, but I have made progress. The names in parentheses are brand names. To learn more about the survery results, visit Dr. Deanna Attais blog and read, Endocrine Therapy Survey Results. Coping with the side effects of anastrozole, 4. Its not known if Arimidex is safe to take while breastfeeding, or if the drug may be present in breast milk. Thank you for sharing what you decided to do. Sometimes, I dont think this is recognized and treated as such. It is not intended to be and should not be interpreted as medical advice or a diagnosis of any health or fitness problem, condition or disease; or a recommendation for a specific test, doctor, care provider, procedure, treatment plan, product, or course of action. I have been taking it since October of 2019 and it has gotten progressively worse, and my blood pressure is up and have never had that problem before. Subsequently, they took the drug tamoxifen. Five-year adherence was 74.6 percent for Arimidex and 77.0 percent for placebo, which is not significantly different. React. Since treatment I did exercise, just inconsistently - maybe 3 days a week one week, skip a week, 2 days a week,an occasional 4-day week, 30 minutes here and there, etc. Many side effects of Arimidex will improve within a couple of weeks of stopping Arimidex; however, some may persist long term. Use of this online service is subject to the disclaimer and the terms and conditions. I regestered for this website in February and just gotback on here last night and tried to figure what to do. Im starting year 6 on Aromasin-I tried every AI, this is my best tolerated-after results from Index test stated Only 5 more years girlfriend! Ouch, that hurt! If youre pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant or breastfeed, talk with your doctor before starting Arimidex. If youve had an allergic reaction to Arimidex or any of its ingredients, you shouldnt take Arimidex. Sheri, You're very welcome. Higher levels of liver enzymes may indicate liver damage. "Welcome to Connect, @christinej I'm tagging a few other members who have mentioned taking anastrozole for", "I too just finished taking Anastrazole after years and having incredible fatigue. I have experienced sore muscles and joints as well but persist with walking and Pilates. If your doctor confirms you had a serious allergic reaction to Arimidex, they may have you switch to a different treatment. Mild pain relief such as paracetamol may help with headaches. I know that doesn't work for everyone (the husband thing), but it does here. Stephanie L. Graff, MD, FACP summed up those results succinctly: Researchers presented results from several studies looking at genomic assays, tests that look at the genes of the tumor itself. Like the others, I experience some joint pain, but as long as I keep moving, it doesn't stop me from doing what I want. If you have been given bisphosphonates (see below) as part of your treatment you will not need a scan. @Holly, It is very validating. People with a DVT are at risk of developing a pulmonary embolism (PE). Amy, Everyone is different in what they are willing/able to tolerate. When I finally got on here I did a lot of reading different post and learned alot about different people and the inspirition I got from everyone is unbelieveable. In fact, although I know any med can make some gain weight, I have not heard many complain about that. In this case, taking Arimidex may further increase your risk of bone fractures. I'll cook what I want to eat and he's welcome to eat it, but he'd rather have what he likes, so he cooks for himself (and continues to gain weight). When you do stop, it will likely take some time before you notice changes in how you feel. And some may be easily managed, too. There are three aromatase inhibitors (referred to as AIsfrom here on out) that have been FDA approved: anastrozole(Arimidex),letrozole(Femara) andexemestane(Aromasin). Its noteworthy, too, that AIs are used to treat some types of metastatic breast cancer, usually, in combination with another drug. And I have not changed my diet and exercise habits. Live your life to the fullest - one day at a time. I don'tfeel like an old woman any more. I will say that the med can make you tired so I switched from taking it in the morning to taking it at bedtime and that really helped me. Allergic reaction. I was on Arimidex for 5 years gain a few pounds but I really had a hard time losing weight I worked with a trainer at a gym and followed weigh watchers diet I tried so hard but would lose and gain the same 10 pounds no matter what I did. I also walked 2 miles daily at that time. Many people find that symptoms improve over time. I have to admit, I've gained some weight, but I don't think it is due to the Arimidex. 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. I too stopped taking Arimidex after five years now have enlarged fatty liver, osteopenia, debilitating fatigue, progressing weakness muscle weakness weight loss poor appetite hearing loss neck and back arthalgias, abnormal high white blood count high monocytes high MCHC and high hgb, UTI's, bladder incontinence, bone spurs, herniations etc. A small number of women notice an increase in downy facial hair. What are the mild side effects of Arimidex? However I'm am on Afinitor now and I have lost weight and now . Arimidex can safely be used with other treatments for your breast cancer. Keep eating in a calorie deficit and the weight will come off in due time. although we have different cancers, I identify a lot with some of your texts. Like Helpful Hug 1 Reaction Interested in more discussions like this? Your GP or specialist can refer you for counselling or may suggest you take an antidepressant drug. ), it's unlikely you will lose any weight because you stop taking your meds. bone pain, risk of fracture; swelling in your arms, legs, or feet; sore throat, cough, shortness of breath; headache, back pain; depression, sleep problems (insomnia); high blood pressure; nausea . It's not worth it. Similarly, seek medical attention right away if you develop symptoms of a liver condition, such as yellowing of the eyes or skin. Although no clear answers emerged, it was a ray of hope of moving toward less is more and more personalized treatment for hormonal therapy. Dry Eyes. Talk to your GP or treatment team about how to manage a change in mood. If that's a donut, go for it. advanced breast cancer that has worsened after taking, swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet, swelling of your mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe, what dose of drug you were taking when you had the side effect, how soon after starting that dose you had the side effect, what your symptoms were from the side effect, what other medications you were also taking, any other information you feel is important.

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