Hi
I’m looking for anyone who has developed carpal tunnel whilst taking Anastrozole ( I’ve been on it 20 months so far)
My hands are crippled by almost constant pins and needles and sharp pain when gripping too much in this cold weather and one foot ( arch of foot) is now causing me discomfort but i adapt and wear heated gloves, use a rubber gripper to open jars
do hand exercises etc
I had nerve conduction tests last summer which showed 5/6 in right hand and 4/6 in left hand for carpal tunnel and my GP tried to inject steroids in my worst hand at the wrist joint last autumn but failed ( it was too painful) so I’m now on a very long waiting list to see the orthopaedic team at our local hospital
My issue is that if its the Anastrozole then will this discomfort stop when i stop taking it in 3 years time or do i have surgery when i finally get to see the orthopaedic team?
I did start originally on letrozole but found that horrible so oncologist switched me to Anastrozole and apart from some leg and backache which i cope with im relatively ok
Thoughts?
Thank you
I’m sorry you’re going through so much discomfort with carpal tunnel syndrome, @Curlywurly1.
Although it’s not specific to anastrozole, you may find this previous thread on the forum about dealing with carpal tunnel syndrome useful: Pain in hands - Going through breast cancer treatment / Hormone therapy - Breast Cancer Now forum.
Have you spoken to one of our nurses before? They’re here to chat this through with you if you’d like. You can get in touch with them here on the forum on the Ask our Nurses your questions board or on our helpline 0808 800 6000 which is open Monday to Friday 9am-4pm and 9am-1pm Saturday.
In the meantime, I hope someone on the forum will have an experience they can share with you.
Sending our warmest
Hi @LucyJ_BCN
Thank you for your response
I haven’t spoken to your nurses on this specific issue but have for lots of my time during treatment so i may call again as they have always been extremely helpful
Ive tried hand splints at night but they make me itch and didn’t really help much
My main concern/ issue is if carpal surgery is the outcome then i need to understand if coming off the hormone inhibitor would stop the problem … not something i want to do as i want to try and ensure no reoccurrence/ give me best chance of living as normal
I’d like to know if anyone else has had a similar experience and their options and considerations
Cheers
Hi @Curlywurly1
Are you able to share more of what your symptoms are and how you know it is carpel tunnel. Did you have a scan?
I am also on Anastrozole for about 8 months now and about six weeks ago I developed some left forearm pain in my non-operated side. My lumpectomy and ALND was on my right side.
It does not hurt when resting or not moving, but as soon as I lift my arm over my head, lift or grip something, doing basic household chores, (open jars, unloading dishwasher etc) it hurts like crazy. Basically whenever I use it or move that arm it hurts. It does not feel like pins and needles for me, just a heavy painful aching feeling. Hard to explain really.
It used to be just the top of my forearm, just below my elbow, but I swear I can feel it creeping down towards my wrist some days.
I am scaring myself silly thinking it is bone metastsis. I did bring it up to my cancer nurse 3 weeks ago and she said it would be rare to be bone metastisis and this point, (not sure how she knows that) and to keep an eye on it and if doesn’t resolve in a few weeks or if it gets worse they will investigate.
I guess it could be just Anastrozole pain, but I never thought of carpel tunnel.
take care
Hi @browneyes
Yes at first the team at the hospital thought it was peripheral neuropathy ( 18 months ago) but as my fingers got more painful and doing stuff like typing, gripping , holding a pen, driving etc hurt more ( think really bad constant pins and needles) i was given nerve conduction tests ( think masochist sending electric pulses through your hands, fingers and toes) this gave me really painful shooting pains) and they told my GP its carpal tunnel. He then tried to inject my worst hand with steroids but couldn’t as it hurt way too much and the gap was too small for him to inject ( I nearly hit him)
Im now waiting ( have been for months) to see orthopaedic team to be assessed again but surgery is likely to be the outcome as hand splints, physiotherapy and exercises have done zero to alleviate daily, almost hourly on cold days pain
It has limited my ability to do much with my hands and i have to be careful walking our dog as some days even with heated gloves i can’t feel my fingers some days
Never had any hint of these symptoms before starting Anastrozole and theyve got progressively worst this winter
Hope you get a diagnosis soon