Accidentally pressed send too soon - not for the first time . Unfortunately when I was on Anastrozole I was having to take Ibuprofen before all my Yoga classes and pretty much every day actually - not that it was really working that well . Without Yoga and Magnesium which I had been taking for migraine prevention things would have been worse I’m sure . I was also doing a lot of wild swimming as this helped both my joints and hot flushes . I’m still swimming and I’m going to try Tai Chi as well .
While I was still on Anastrozole I was introduced to Somatic Yoga which was probably the most helpful thing I tried - the pain and stiffness was improved for 3 or 4 days afterwards sometimes . I have recommended it for people who are struggling.
I was worried about the amount of Ibuprofen I was having to take especially as it can interact with Ramipril which I was/ am on for high blood pressure . In order to function at work I needed about 800mg a day and still felt like a 90 year old at the end of a shift and in fact I felt much older in general . I had retinal vein occlusion in 2019 and I was also worried about the potential effects of AI on my eyesight which is permanently damaged already - unlike with Tamoxifen there’s no proven link between AI and eye damage but I’ve read a bit of research and it was a worry for for me.
Four years later now age 61 and not on any hormone therapy working the same shift pattern in the same job I often get through a shift without taking any Ibuprofen or Paracetamol .
Turmeric and Ibuprofen both have a slight anticoagulant effect so I didn’t want to mix them and unfortunately Turmeric isn’t a substitute for Ibuprofen at least not in my case. These days I do take Turmeric - it’s helpful though I still use Ibuprofen / Paracetamol occasionally . I’ve been told that if you’re on Tamoxifen you can’t take Turmeric as a supplement.
For some people it’s a very clear uncomplicated choice to try everything you can to stay on the therapy and there are things you can try . For others like me who have a very low predicted benefit from AI ( I’m lucky to be in this position and believe me I do appreciate it now ) and underlying health conditions it’s much more complicated .
I thoroughly respect your position to stay on the medication and I’m wishing you many happy years ahead . I’m glad you have Yoga in your life xx