arimedex
arimedex I have started a new topic for gillya so that it can be seen by more users.
Kind Regards
Forum Host
Breast Cancer Care
I have spoken to my dear friend this morning and she
is going through a fairly rough time, she has just finished
her radiotherapy and has been on arimedex for 3 months, she sounded so low and explained that she
feels sick, aches and pains, lethargic and is having the
most horrendous hot flushes, i tried to hepl her as
much as possible but have no knowledge of the side
effects of arimedex.advice from anyone please that
i can pass on.
thank you
gillya
Hello Gillya I was started on Arimidex once surgery, chemo and radiotherapy had all finished. I’ve been taking it for 3 years now. Initally I did have a lot of joint and bone pain, but this did improve after a few weeks , I took anti-inflammotories (eg Ibuprofen) when I was uncomfortable, which helped me.The hot flushes and night sweats were murderous to begin with -the night sweats have stopped and the hot flushes have reduced. The bone/joint pain is considerably better now , though I do have a painful arthritic thumb -not sure whether that is due to the enforced menopause or the arimidex. I’m sure there will be other people on this site who have had similar experiences and I would encourage your friend to speak to her onc (My evil onc. is always delighted when I tell him the hot flushes are continuing as he sees it as a positive sign that my periods are not intending to return!!)
Hopefully as your friends body ajusts to the Arimidex, things will improve for her-but your’re doing a sterling job listening to her and acting as her advocate -which I’m sure she will appreciate enormously. Best wishes, Cherry
Thumbs up ?! Dear Cherry
How strange! and reassuring! Have had lumpectomy April 2006 , 6 chemos, 20 rads and then went on tamoxifen for 12 days but was paralysed by it! Came off it straight way and once found out that at 40 was now post menopausal (chemopause!?) started on Arimidex.
So far so good (two weeks) apart from ARTHRITRIC THUMB! which keeps popping out of joint (horrible when I have to click it back in again) Weird what these drugs do?
As you have been on Arimidex for 3 years can you tell me your thoughts on my worries - if you don’t mind?
Worried about the menopause reversing itself and want ovaries removed but onc. wants me to wait for 7 months - is this for my sake or finances I ask myself. Did you have blood tests to check you were still postmenopausal?
Also did you get any swellings or pains in other breast as a result of Arimidex? I’m awaiting my first check up with the surgeon after my op (only 4 months late) and hope to have my yearly mammogram brought forward to check if all is ok. I am desparately hoping the seering pains in my other breast are due to all these hormone changes and not a dreaded recurrence.
Would really appreciate any feedback on side effects of Arimidex.
Many thanks.
Love Sylvie
Other breast… Hi Sylivie
Sorry to but into your posting, but I too have had pains in the other breast and at one time I was convinced that it had gone into there. I have been on Arimadex since about May of this year and Im was so relieved to see your posting about pain …(sorry)
I havent had a period since I found my lump April 05 I think that the chemo finally finished them off, I had a blood test early on before being given Arimadex and it showed that I was going into the change but my oncologist didnt think that the signs were strong enough (although I had my readings and checked them of the internet and it said that I was def in it)
So I had Zoladex for 3 months then made the decision to have my ovaries out (a doddle compared to what weve been through!)
Anyway I do get pain at certain times, it does come and go, I too think that it could be linked to the Arimadex.
dEBBIE X
Hi Gillya Hi, first of all i dont mean to depress you or your friend anymore but my mum has been on Arimedex for nearly a year now and its just awfull (she is off to see onc later this month about it AGAIN) she is just SO depressed and its not just the ‘oh im fed up today’ sort of depressed its the ‘whats the point of going on’ sort. The aches and pains are not that bad at all she has the ‘feeling sick’ thing almost constantly and has recently been having problems with soreness ‘downstairs’(!) which she has been told is probably this wonerful drug too AND she is dizzy aswell but they are not sure yet if it is Arimedex causing that or an inner ear problem, she practically lives up the DRs, she even said the other day for quality of life she was considering coming off of it but we have persuaded her to speak to some one again about it.
I do know people who are fine on this drug but as with all medication it doesnt suit every one, i hope your friend is just having a bad patch and that she will soon start to feel better.
Take care Mel x
Or thumbs down??.. Hi Sylvie
Yes my thumb clicks in and out too -and “locks” during the night which can cause me to yelp !
I’ve had discomfort in my “lumpectomied” breast -is there such a word?and aches and pains in my ribs and breast bone (courtsey of the radiotherapy I think).A friend who was treated at the same time still has a lot of pain and twinging in her “good” breast, and she is being treated with Arimidex too.Being the Queen of needless worry I’m always convinced my unwanted, uninvited house guest has returned!
Onc didnt check my hormones post chemo and at the time I didnt have the wit to suggest it - just assumed he knew what he was doing (royal marsden) -though I think he can be a bit forgetful from time to time and may have thought I was already menopausal-I’m a bit older than you-48.I’ve seen gynaecologist who has agreed to remove my ovaries but now seems to be dragging his feet (as you say-finances I think).
One small problem is my annual bone density scan(do you get these?-think you should on arimidex)-shows “marginally below normal levels” -Onc has started me on biphosphonates recently, rather than waiting for it to deteriorate further.
Hope the first mammo goes well -just to reassure you -they were careful with my tender boob, but I did have an almighty scare when I was called at 8:30pm on a Friday night,asking me to come in and see the breast radiologist on monday morning–without being able to tell me why! To cut a long and traumatic story short-3 days and a general anaesthetic later, the calcium deposists they had seen were due to radiographic changes–another mountain climbed.
I’ve rattled on -if I’ve missed anything --please feel free to post again.
love cherryx