Has anyone else been diagnosed with arthritis after their chemotherapy? I am in agony in my knees but also pain slightly in shoulders and fingers. It is stopping me from sleeping. I can hardly get oht of my car, get out of bed in the morning. I was ok vefire chemotherapy. My doctor just said take paracetamol which does nothing. I am taking Anastrozole which i know can cause pain so i don’t know if it is that (been on it 6 months but gave just stopped taking it now). I found many places on Google stating chemo can cause arthritis but nobody in my care team has ever said that. My life is miserable.
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Hallo @kandy1
I get extreme joint pain from taking Anastrozole, and find it very difficult to move, so I wonder whether it may be that rather than anything to do with chemo? I guess it will be helpful to see whether the pain stops or reduces now that you have stopped Anastrozole.
It sounds miserable and I’m sending you lots of love xx
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Thankyou Fram xx
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I agree. I’ve been taking letrozole for almost 5 years and it does cause joint and muscle pain. 
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I haven’t been diagnosed with arthritis but I do get pain in my knees and legs when it’s cold must be to do with all the treatment we have had.
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Sorry you are suffering so much. It probably is the anastrazole. I’ve mentioned on here before that different brands can have worse side effects, and my consultant agrees, so have a word with your pharmacist and see if they can get a different brand for you. Best wishes x
Hi @soos . which brand of Anastrozole have you found to have the most manageable side effects?
I have tried Crescent, Amarox and Accord so far.
Hi Fran. Accord is definitely the worst for me. I think the best one has been Teva. Ive also been ok on Sun and Key, but mild bone pain with Key. I’ve had some bone pain on Crescent, but generally manageable in those 3. Had amarox for one month and was ok. My knees aren’t the best anyway (age I suppose) but some brands make it worse, plus the pain all through my legs. Crescent snd Sun make me very tired. Im coming up to the end of 5 years on Anastrazole and will be going on to Tamoxifen, so let’s see what that brings!!!
All the best in your search.
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Hi kandy1
Thanks for posting about the severe pain you are experiencing in your knees and also in your shoulders and fingers.
You ask about chemotherapy causing the symptoms you describe. A side effect of chemotherapy is menopausal symptoms which includes joint aches and pain.
However as @fran, @Darla49 and @soos say it could be due to the anastrozole you have been taking. Joint aches and pains are a very common side effect of aromatase inhibitor (AI) drugs such as anastrozole.
The cause of AI-related joint symptoms is not known for certain, but it is thought that they are linked to a fall in oestrogen levels.
We hear from many women who experience joint symptoms such as pain and stiffness, and have questions about this. Symptoms can affect the hands and fingers, arms, knees, feet, pelvic and hip bones, or back. They often affect daily life and as you have done, some people consider stopping their treatment early. It’s important to talk to your treatment team again about the impact your symptoms are having on your daily life and that they are making you feel miserable.
You say that your doctor has told you to take paracetamol. Regular pain relief and regular exercise such as walking or swimming may help to relieve pain and joint stiffness for some people. You may need to speak to your doctor about a different form of pain relief if the paracetamol isn’t helping. Others find that complementary therapies such as acupuncture can help.
You say that you have stopped taking your anastrozole, but it’s not clear if you have spoken to your treatment team about this. When people struggle with severe pain, treatment teams may suggest stopping taking anastrozole for a short period of time to see if your symptoms improve.
As others have suggested already, sometimes trying a different brand can help improve symptoms.
Your treatment team may also suggest changing to a different aromatase inhibitor drug to see if that suits you better. If there is no improvement you may be recommended another hormone therapy, tamoxifen which has fewer joint-related side effects. Your treatment team will be able to talk to you about the benefits of doing this.
We also offer a range of free supportive services which you may be interested in.
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