Hi all
6 months on Arimidex, which I take 1st thing in the morning. Have no aches or pains, some very minor stiffness when rising if I’ve been sitting for some time e.g at work, no hot flushes at all, not that I really expected any as I was told ‘exagerated manopausal symptoms’ but never had any menopausal symptoms at all, even though I am well past the menopause. No vaginal dryness that I’ve noticed, & no loss of desire.
However, my first bone density scan after 3 months resulted in a diagnosis of osteopenia,& I’m a bit concerned this would happen so quickly. Onc said she hoped diet would help (spinach etc)or I could take a Calcium/Vit D supplement, so I am taking that, as the next scan won’t be for 21 months, a long time to be hoping that diet is working but not know for sure. Lo & behold, I heard a small item on the news last week, that taking this, which it specifically said many women take to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, can lead to an increased risk of heart attack ! Can’t win, can I ?
Just as I was congratulating myself on having none of the possible SE’s though, in the last few weeks, literally about 3 or 4, my tummy & hip area have ‘softened’ is the only way I can describe it. I have gained pads of soft tissue on top of my hips at the back, which is exactly what happened each time I was pregnant, long before I had a visible bump, & more recently sort of soft ‘rolls’ on the front of my tummy, 1 on each side. I don’t think I’ve actually gained weight, but I look as though I have & it’s quite depressing. I realise I’m getting no exercise to speak of, used to walk to work about 4 miles approx each morning pre-BC, but now with being slower & having severe neuropathy in both feet, I am provided with a taxi to take me to & from work each day. I work 40 hours & live alone so what with having to cook & catch up with chores it’s hard to find time in the evening to do much & don’t know what to be doing anyway - all suggestions gratefully received & considered. My diet hasn’t changed, if anything I eat less sweet stuff than previously, & I’m sure it’s the tablets as I don’t believe anyone would get fat so quickly, even on a diet of unrestrained Mars bars.
Hi Jackie, thanks so much for the info, I’m definitely going to change to taking it in the evening. I’m off this morning to the North East as you know, so I’ll check back in on Thursday evening or Friday morning. Take care of yourselves everyone, lots of love, Dianne x x x
Hi all,
Re weight gain - you’ll hate me for saying this by the way! Having put on over a stone whilst on chemo, I took tamoxifen for a short while before being swopped to arimidex and zoladex. In one month, I put on a stone and a half and went from a size 10 to a 14. I was mortified but 2 yrs on I’ve remained stable at the higher weight and I’ve accepted it’s the drugs. Bit of a bummer but the alternative’s worse and I think I notice it because I was just over 8 stone before all this and am now 11. People who have only known me since diagnosis don’t know any different and those who have known me longer say I look better for the extra weight - even my very forthright sister ! I used to have a waist but that disappeared long ago.
The hot sweats are far worse for me to cope with and really get me down loads but…
Liz
I take mine in the evenings by the way
Hi all, been reading all your comments about arimidex, I’ve been on then 12 months now, my se’s started about 6wk after starting them, I take my in the morning.
I get bad hot flushes but only last a couple of mins, but finger joints are the worsed in the morning, carn’t make a fist any more. dr gave me dicloflex which seens to help. but still not got much energy as i’ve put weight on, about 2 stone.
I think I might start trying them at night to see if it makes any difference.
Hi Everyone, Hope you are all well today. Got back from my little break last night and had a great time with my parents and friends.
I’m definitely going to take the Arimidex in the evenings starting tonight. I have to say the stiffeness hasn’t been so bad this week but perhaps that’s just in my mind because I’ve started the Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM. They’re expensive though, I got them from Holland and Barrett and they were nearly £17 for 60 and you have to take 3 a day! Jackie, where do you get yours from?
Beldie, I haven’t got the dry cough, so can’t help with that. Hope you manage to get something to sort it out.
Otherwise, I hope everyone is well today and that you all have a happy and peaceful weekend. Lots of love, Dianne x x x
Hello Diane,
I hope you had a good time in the North East, where abouts? that’s where I come from originally, South Shields.
I have been taking the Arimidex for 28 days now and I take them in the evening. For the last 10 days I’ve also been taking Citalopram anti-depressants and since I started taking them the hot flushes have gone and the sore legs and feet aren’t nearly so bad. I understand that the ad’s can often help with some of the SE’s from the Arimidex. Only thing is I don’t want to have to stay on the ad’s any longer than necessary, so I will just have to put up with SE’s if the get worse later. They did come on pretty quickly once I started to take the Arimidex, but I think it’s just something I’ll have to learn to live with.
I’ve just finished the first week of my rads today, 1 down 2 to go.
Hope you and all the other ladies are feeling well today,
Many thanks for all the helpful comments from everyone.
Best Wishes,
Isabelle.
Hi Isabelle, lovely to hear from you. I know what you mean about just learning to live with the se’s. I’m coping reasonably well with it. If I can just get some relief from the aching bones I’ll be ok.
I’ve been up to Hartlepool. That’s where I’m from originally and my mum and dad still live in Greatham which is just outside the town. I really enjoyed it as the town was building up to hosting the Tall Ships this weekend so the atmosphere was lovely. I had a great time with my friends and also a super lunch with the girls from East Durham College in Peterlee where I worked until I came down to live in Lincolnshire.
Anyway, hope you’ve had a great weekend and that you and everyone else are feeling well today. Take care, lots of love, Dianne x x x
Dianne I get my Glucosamine from Tesco about £6 for 1,000mgs tabs 120.No chondritin in it though. Just about to need another bottle so will be looking aroung (Boots have a 3 for 1 at present) so will check that out. No aching so far. I am a dispensing patient at my GP practice and I overheard the dispenser on the phone to Astra Zeneca last week trying to get hold of some Arimidex (They do not keep it on the shelf)like a pharmacy might. Hope you are all doing as well as poss.Isabelle do you think your s/e s are accentuated by the travelling and the rads? Love and hugs to all. Jackie
Hi Jackie,
The SE’s from the Arimidex started after the first week of taking them, spoke to my doctor about them and she also said they were SE’s off the tablets.
Yesterday afternoon I got bad pains in my back behind my right shoulder and it was painful as I was breathing. Put a hot water bottle on it but it didn’t help much. Lasted quite a while, took my codene tabs before bed and again about 5 am. This is the side I’m having the rads on, my right arm was also very painful, I will mention it to the radiologist tommorrow when I go back for my rads. Just feeling a bit better tonight but have been very tired all day.
Could sleep on a log! I feel like all I do is moan these days, but I’m sure everything will be ok again soon, I hope!
I hope that things get a bit easier for you with the abcess, must be very painful. I hope you are feeling better soon. Take care.
I hope everyone has had a good weekend,
Hugs and best Wishes,
Isabelle xxx
Hi Everyone, Thanks for the info Jackie, the ones I’m taking have the chondroitin and the MSM in them. They’re supposed to be better, but who knows? Probably just a ruse to get more money out of us…
Isabelle, the pain I get is also exactly the same as yours. It’s my neck, shoulder blade and back all on the right side which is where I had the chemo. I’ve had it really bad over the last few days since I came back from Hartlepool, but I’ve taken some Ibuprofen this morning and it’s eased off a bit. It comes and goes I’m afraid, I guess we’ll have to learn to live with it. (Better than the alternative…)
Hope everyone is feeling well today, take care of yourselves and you can moan as much as you like Isabelle, this horror that we are going through is enough to make a saint moan.
Lots of love, Dianne x x x
Hi Dianne,
If you look on the net there are loads of places you can buy Glucosamine, I give them to my dog, and they have worked wonders, she couldn’t get up without help, now no problem!! I get them from ‘Healthy Direct’ they are no frills packaging,and they are a lot cheaper!!` check it out, or google in Glucosamine,and you’ll have lots of choice!!! Why I am not taking them!!! I am going to start!!!
Take care Maryxx
Hello Diane,
I hope you’ve had a good weekend. I’m feeling much better today, mentioned how I was feeling to the radiologist today. They said that it would’nt have anything to do with the rads and had I trapped a nerve or turned funny in bed! They will not commit themselves to anything will they? Anyway that’s another day over for the rads, not too bad really.
I see from another thread that you’ve got a cruise comming up in September, me too! It will be loverly to have something to look foreward to, mine is at the end of Sept I think we all need something other than bc! I’m determined to get on mine as well.
I usually get my vitamins ect from Healthy Direct the same as Mary, they are very reasonably priced and send you a booklet every month with all their special offers in it. Their web address is healthydirect.com.
Best wishes,
Isabelle xxx
Divvy1 - Were you given a bone density scan before you started the tablets? I know you had one later but do you know what your bones were like beforehand?
Ann x
Thanks Isabelle and Mary, Will check that website out when I’ve finished on here.
You’re right Isabelle, they never commit to anything, it’s all humming and aahing and maybe’s. Never mind, just have to put up with it. It’s great having the cruise to look forward too, I know how you feel. Don’t know what I’m going to be like when I come back though, just have to book something else to look forward to. I’m thinking of going to Dubai in January to visit my friends so that will be great as I love Dubai.
Hope you and everyone else is well today. Lotsa love, Dianne x x x
Hi all,
I’ve just come back from our caravan in somerset been away for a wk,
so I started taking my arimidex in evening for a wk now, and I must say I havent had so many Hot Flushes which I am thankful.
I also started taking the Glucosamine & Chondroitin last wk, and stopped taking any other pain relieve the dr precribed. just to see if it helps with joint pains, but the shop asst said it will take a month before you feel the benifits, so fingers crossed. but at the moment I take just paracetamol sometimes when it get too bad.
I got my G/C from holland and barrett £7 for 60 tabs, they were half price but will go on the web and see where else I can get them from.
Hope everybody getting some joint relief !!!
sunset x
Hi posted on another thread my confusion about supplementary Calcium v. dietary. Last week got a letter from my Onc with DEXA scan results - Femoral neck good density but lumbar spine osteopenic. He recommended Alendronic acid (Fosamax) and Calcichew D. Saw my GP and got the first with strict instructions to read leaflet v.v. carefully. As I was to have dental work yesterday delayed taking. Now will wait for the week-end to take first one. Re Calcium tried to d/w GP but he just typed in ’ would rather use dietary means for Calcium@ which was not what I said. Rang help line here and was referred tp National Osteoporosis Sociey (NOS)V.helpful guy there recommended 1,000 mgs dietary Calcium daily and had a helpful conversation, except he thought my spine was so v. mildly osteopenic thjat he was amzed I had been put on Fosamax. But knowing my Onc he is a belt and braces man so I think that has a bearing on it. ( radiographer who did DEXA gave a sheet with 700mgs and practice nurse gave sheet with 1,400mgs daily Phew. Further complicated as I have a strong family history of high cholestrol and Arimidex can also cause this and mine is teetering on lower edge of high.Mentioned to Onc and he just said keep an eye on it (Made me feel like he wants me to survive BC but feel that I might get carried off by a coronary at this rate.)And so many high Calcium foods are high in fat ef. cheese, thank goodness for low fat yoghurts.lol.Now after a lot of thought feel I should go down the route of supplementary calcium.My next DEXA is 1-2 yrs and GP says I will have to pay for it ??? Sorry about ramble but making any decisions is a task for me these days.
Got some more glucosamine and chondritin today qt Tesco 3 for 2. But lower strength so need to take 2 daily.Start Rads tomorrow.Hope you are all as well as poss Love to all Jackie
Hello Jackie,
How did the rads go today? You will very soon get into the swing of going each day. This was day 8 for me so I’m half way through now. I feel a bit more tired now. Today the radiologist said I would probably get more tired by the end of this week.
I have now got just a slight outline of darker skin around where the tattos have been done, sometimes it gets a little bit stingy but nothing too bad, so far so good, touch wood. Still not very happy with the Adcal tabs, am taking them but sometimes forget, I have my Dexa scan next Wed and once I’ve had that and find out what my bones are like, I will have to get stuck into taking the Adcal properly!
I hope you have had a good day for the start of your rads, they will go by very quickly once you get into the swing of them. Thinking of you.
I hope everyone else is doing ok today,
Best Wishes to all,
Isabelle xxx
Hi. I’m now on week three of arimidex and day 1 of rads. Haven’t had any side effects from the arimidex yet but still early days. Rads today went fine. Long journey but I’m having help with driving so that is a real bonus.
Hope everyone else is doing ok.
Isabelle thanks so much for the info and esp for your good .wishes. Had a really busy morning before I set off but all went well.So will try to get as little as poss prior to appt not going to be easy. Had to sign another consent form to say I had not changed my mind since last week. So yes why am I here with my kit off once again???Have to say the radiographer was really hot tottie (oh stop it I’m nearly 60) but on the other thread I can think of someone who I would have in mind for him lol.Seriously though need to go and slather on the aqueous cream soon. Do you have that or something else?Told to use Simple bar soap to wash with- what a palaver went to 3 chemists and Tescos. Finally found a 2 pack.Enjoy your aromatherapy wish I ahd saved one for the Rads. But got home from appt to find LGFB date had come through and I will be at hosp for Rads am then that appt pm 2 wks today.
Petal I am at the same stage as you 1st rads today long journey but OK so far. 5th wk of Arimidex though and again no s/e so far long may it last.Hope you are all doing OK. Hugs Jackie
Hello Jackie,
Love the picture. I’m glad your first day of rads went well. I will have done 2 weeks tommorrow. It’s amazing how quickly it goes once you get started. The radiologist said my skin is holding up very well, better than she expected, don’t know how bad she had expected it to be by now. Getting a bit tired now. After I come home each day I try to have a lie down for a while, felt I was being lazy but nurse said it’s a good idea to rest as much as possible during rads, gets you better quicker at the end of treatment she reckons, good excuse for a quick snooze!
I use the aqueous cream the radiologist gave me at the beginning. I don’t put it on until after I’ve been for my rads because I think it might make your skin burn more if it’s covered in cream. I put loads on when I come home and again before bed. I also use Simple soap and Simple Body Wash for the shower. Seems that it’s working up to now, touch wood!
I do get some SE’s from the Arimidex, also 5th week, mainly pain in the legs and feet plus hot flushes, although they have not been so bad since I started on Citalopram tabs (anti-depressents) they seem to mask the SE’s of the Arimidex. I am hoping to be able to come off the ad’s soon though so I’ll just have to put up with SE’s.
Hope everyone has had a good day,
Best Wishes and Hugs to all,
Isabelle xxx