Hi I have just started arimadex last night. I have been waiting all day for any side effects I have been reading that some peoples side effects are quite terrible. The reason I am asking is because I have to take these for 5 years and I dont think I could stand it. I finished all my chemo 3 weeks ago and I do feel really well I have quite a bit of energy and I am hopeing to start a new job in 2 weeks time. If I have any of these bad side effects I wont be able to take the job and I am so looking forward to getting back to work as it may make life a bit more normal for me as I have always worked. Can anyone help me out and let me know if they are on them and how they feel any effects or are some people copeing well on them any feed back would be really appreciated Thanks Linda
Hi Linda - I have been on Arimidex for 3 months and the only side effect I am getting is mild hot flushes which vary from 5 - 10 a day. I can honestly say that they do not really interfere with my lifestyle and the busier I am the less I notice them. Good Luck, think positive and enjoy life to the full.
Olivia thanks so much its great to hear of someone who hasent has many side effects I definitely will now get on with my life Thanks so much Linda xx
Hi Linda - after my chemo and whilst on rads my Onc prescribed tamoxifen (I had a hysterectomy some 12 yrs before being dx with bc, due to fibroids in the uterus), only on it 2 months and he changed me to Arimidex - no explanation, but I was so grateful that I was having the best drug available for post-menopausal women to prevent a bc recurrence.
I self inject the chemo drug methotrexate for Crohns each week, but have no siginificant problems with Arimidex other than hot flushes and joint pains - put the latter down to osteo-arthritis, for which I am taking bisphosphonates and CalciumVit.D to protect my bones. And old age!
I don’t know of any better anti-oestrogen drug, other Aromasin, to keep our bc in remission, so my advice would be - take it! I do though think the jury are out on aromatose inhibitors, but I am not willing to take the chance of not taking them.
Two of my close friends have been diagnosed with recurrent bc in the last week, one 12 yrs out, the other 5 yrs - but neither of them would take tamoxifen or Arimidex. I rest my case.
Hope you make the right decision.
Love, Liz.
Hi Liz so glad to hear of another person who has taken Arimadex I was so frightened to take my first one last night I was lying there waiting for something to happen so I have decided not to read up on ant more drugs again. It nearly drove me off my head waiting to start these Arimadex. As I am feeling so well after just 3 weeks after last chemo I didnt want to be ill again with side effects. You have been a great help to me thanks so much Love Linda xx
Hi Linbob, i am hoping to get the ovaries out soon and start on aromataise inhibitors, am on tamoxifen at the moment, and i hate it, would rather go through the menopause proper than carry on with that, so can’t wait to start what your on
lots of love
Alison xxx
Hi Linbob
I was one of those who experienced severe side effects, was due as everyone the full 5 years but had them discontinued after 6 months. My side effects were totally life affecting and I live such a hectic life at home (have kennels & stables to look after on my own) that I could not cope with them. I was getting flushes every 1/4 to 1/2 hour and night sweats 1/2 to hourly, I got to the stage where I could not lift one foot in front of the other, and the aches all over my body were there 24/7. I was also getting mood swings and various other problems. I had similar reactions during chemo, apparently my body finds it hard to cope with most sorts of drugs (lucky me, eh!). I was only very slightly ER+, so my Onc says that it’s not making much difference to my prognosis.
You will find that the side effects will not occur straight away like in chemo, it may take a month or a bit more before the drug builds up in the system and you start to see the problems occurring. I think it’s the flushes that start first - that’s if you are going to have side effects? Not every one does, lets hope you are one of the lucky ones.
Good luck and I hope you getting on OK with the tablets.
Lynn x
Hi Linda
Just to give you some more hope, I started Arimidex around 6 weeks ago, and Zoladex, after much soul searching. I was really ill with my chemo, so couldn’t bear the thought of taking anything else that would make me feel bad.
I also had really bad hot flushes, but just before starting the Arimidex and Zoladex, these calmed right down and I had begun to feel normal again, so I was really unsure as to wether to start or not, but my cancer was very hormone receptive.
Good news is so far, no return of the dreaded flushes, and although I do have joint pain ( I had this anyway since finishing the chemo), it is no worse than before.
I have started to take regular excercise (walking) and this has helped. I was also dreading any weight gain, but since I started excercising and eating healthily again, I am now almost 1/2 stone lighter, which can only help.
So I would give it a good go, and see what happens. I was dreading it, but am sticking with it if I carry on feeling as I do now. Good luck.
Love Deborahxxx
Hi Linda
I have been on Arimidex since Jan 07 and I suffered from painful joints (especially in my hands) and hot flushes. Onc advised me to take cod liver oil capsules and after about 2 months the pain in my joints had eased and now I only get a little stiffness in my fingers especially in the morning. I was prescribed Megestrol Acetate for the hot flushes and since taking these the flushes have gone. No problems with weight gain but I go swimming regularly and do a fair bit of walking.
Margaret
Hi Linbob, I started Arimidex 4 months ago and had joint pain, particularly in my elbows, difficult as my son is wheelchair bound and needs a lot of lifting. I started to take cod liver oil capsules and have a noticed a big improvement. No problems in coping with the hot flushes either. My doctor has said that the joint discomfort does ease after a period of time so stick with it. Rather have these mild side effects that the cancer coming back. Hope you keep well.
Hello Linbob, My sister started Arimidex 10 days ago and touch wood hasn’t noticed any side effects. She was told to
start vitamin C and vit D by her breast cancer nurse to help prevent osteoporosis . all the best
Thanks everyone You have made me feel so much better taking these tablets I am not so scared now I am looking forward to the future now I definitely will get on with my life. I just want to get back to work and start to lead a normal life again (if thats possible) I hope all of you get to where I am now I will be thinking of you. I do believe you turn into a nicer person when you go through what we have been through. Things that would have bothered you before seem a lot much easier to handle now.Take Care Linda xxx
Does anyone else find they cant lose weight on Arimidex ?
i’ve been on it since june last year and side effects arent that bad, i get joint pain and night sweats but thats about it i think,
well apart from i dont seem to be able to lose the weight i put on during chemo.
i eat healthy and i go to the gym 2/3 times a week, but i’m not losing weight.
i’m not gaining either though so its not all bad.
i just wonder if its the Arimidex playing with my metabolism.
Personally I don’t think Arimidex affects my weight. I just think a couple of glasses of wine make me extra hungry!!
Hi Linda & all,
thank you so much for starting this thread, and to all those ladies who have taken the trouble to share their experiences. I have read all these posts with interest, as when I finish my chemo in Oct then start my rads I too will be having Arimidex. As I am only 35 I will be having Zoladex alongside the Arimidex to supress my ovaries.
I also was v.scared about starting the Arimidex as I had heard soooo much about the nasty side-effects. So its very reassuring to see its a bit of a mixed bag really, and not all experiences have been negative ones. Phew!!
Anyway, thanks again,
Take care,
Kelly
-x-