Hello there
i feel a bit feeble coming on with my little request… There are so many fabulous women out there going through far worse treatment than me. I had a WLE in March and have had problems with a haematoma ever since which has delayed Rads. I have just started Anastrazole as confirmed post menopausal and ER. One week in and I feel like I have been hit by a train! I feel wiped out exhausted and weary. Is this a common se? It doesn’t seem to get much of a mention in anything I have read. I also have the joint pain but was expecting that to a degree Is anyone else experiencing the sAme? I am due to start Rads next week and feel exhausted at the prospect…
Bumping this up for southcoastbeachgirl
Jo, Facilitator
Hi
I can’t help yet but will tell you in 3 weeks! I started my 15 days of Radiotherapy today and will start Anastrazole immediately after the Rads end. The Radiotherapy session was fine, by the way. Feeling a bit tired tonight but I suspect that is too much wine!
Thanks Rachel. It will be interesting to compare notes as I start my first session of rads on may 2nd. Continue to feel very achy and tired with low level headache most of the time. Guess its just my body adjusting to the hormone treatment. Good lucsession e t session. Hope all continues to go well for you x
Hi South Coast Beach Girl
Have just posted to you on the Radiotherapy thread!
Have been on Anastrozole for nearly 5 weeks now and felt like you for the first two or three weeks but joint pain isn’t as bad now. I also feel tired sometimes, can hit me like a brick wall but a quick 40 winks does help. I am wondering if the tiredness is a combination of the treatments and perhaps more significantly the emotional rollercoaster of the last few months. My brain feels in permanant overdrive, I find it hard to relax to be honest.
Think we need to give the drug time to settle and for our bodies to get used to it and that can take a bit of time I suspect but if not can always discuss with oncologist at first follow up appointment.
Rachel
Just noticed your comment, I think we exchanged posts some weeks ago when we were both borderline for chemo? I assume that your oncologist had the same view as mine re treatment plan. Wonder why I started the Anastrazole immediately and you are starting after radiotherapy? Perhaps each hospital has it’s own procedure.
Good luck with session 2 tomorrow.
Val
Hi Southbeachcoast girl, glad you started this about Anastrole as I have been on it for ten weeks now and have the low level,headaches you mentioned. Really bad hot flushes are my problem as I feel very uncomfortable at times. I have arthritis and had both my knees replaced in the last two years and have joint pain anyway . It has got worse but manageable as I am on a small amount of anti inflammatory drug anyway for my arthritis.
My Oncologist started me on it when I first saw her after my second lot of breast surgery. The Consultant who did my op with the BC nurse told me that unfortunately the drug I would have to take ( the Anastrozole) would make my arthritis worse. I am Ok and coping at the moment as got pretty used to having chronic pain anyway, but have a feeling of intrepidation wondering how bad it will get in the five years I have to take it.
I completed my rad treatment last week and I think that is affecting me anyway and I am making an effort to do some walking everyday to get my legs stronger and lose the weight I have put on over the last three years. It is finding the balance I suppose and taking a rest as well which I am trying to get right at the moment. I have a number of fans about the house to cool me down as well , but the flushes make me feel panicky which is a new thing for me so hopefully I will be able to control them.
i have asked on another thread about radiotherapy has anyone got tips about being on Anastrozole so hopefully some will come in from other ladies who are on it. Take care, Katy.
Hi Val
Yes, I think we were in touch earlier - was it about being borderline for Chemo? It is strange that my Oncologist wants me to wait for the end of Radiotherpy before I take Anastrozole and yours doesn’t. I assumed she does them consequetively (sure that is not correct spelling!) rather than concurrently so that she knows what treatment causes which side effects. However, one of the things that has surprised me from following posts on this site is how differently patients with the same or very similar diagnoses are handled, both with regard to treatment and waiting times and so on. The postcode lottery does not seem right to me. Are you still having Rads? I have my third this afternoon. Hope my poor old boob does not end up looking too shrivelled, but how lucky I am to still have it and not need Chemo. BFN. Rachel
Hi Rachel
Yes we did message earlier about borderline chemo. Glad to hear your oncologist didn’t think you required it.
You are one day ahead of me on the rads, I had number 2 this afternoon. Fortunately the hospital where I have my radiotherapy is only a 15 minute car journey each way. The staff are lovely although it is an exceptionally busy unit they explain everything very carefully and answer any questions put to them.
Have you had any side effects yet? I have been very thirsty and am drinking pints of water and this evening the treated area feels a little warm so extra cream going to be liberally applied!
No idea why the tablets have been started at different times, will ask the BC nurse when I next speak to her, probably just down to the consultant but am curious to know!
Enjoy your weekend and do let me know how you get on.
Val
I will tell you what I did withot talking to my Dr. I started with only 1/2 a pill for 10 days,until I felt that my system would be more accepting, since I always have such adverse reactions. I Adam now 3 weeks into the whole pill. I have difficultyfalling asleep and I am up at 3 AM. My bones feel like a burning pain! But lucky not all of my bones at the same timebe I have chunks of time where I cannot recall what just happened, I am very tired, I assume because of my lack of good sleep quality. BUT I do not feel like a train hit me. you might want to ask your doctor about such agreesive side effects. Today is my first day of 3 where I am NOT taking the pill, since I am having the expanders exchanged for the final implants. But when I start again on Tuesday after my surgery, I will start again with half a pill.
I hope you feel much better soon.
Hello Katykookaburra
Just getting back to you after two weeks on Anastrazole… still incredibly achy and very tired. Am on high strength glucosamine and chondroitin three times a day but feel uncomfortable in bed and especially first thing in the morning - also find it hard to hold newspapers and read books without discomfort as it is my shoulders, elbows and wrists whcih are the worst affected. Legs and below waist all fine but top half, including back and neck, very sore. Also get some hot flashes but not to bad - they tend to come and go quite quickly, just like being plugged into a socket and the current surges through the body in a wave!
First day of Rads tomorrow so waiting to see how I feel with that. Have seen some very positive comments from other ladies about s/e not being too bad so hoping that the general tiredness doesn’t get worse.
Glad you are through your rads and hope symptoms start to ease for you soon.
x
Thanks Symcha x
Hey Rachel How is it going with your rads? Hope you are coping ok and any se manageable. x
oooh er, don’t like the sound of this Anastrazole, I’m supposed to be going on it after chemo!! I’m 62, have RA and usually have a low dose methotrexate injection once a week for it. I’ve had to stop it while on chemo, but will probably be put back on again after. Joint pain and tiredness are not a good mix - as I know only too well. Might try your trick of only using half a pill at first symcha.
PG xx
I have been on Anastrozole for 7 weeks. Initially I had very dry mouth, a few aches and pains, hot flushes and for several days a few weeks ago terrible itching which BC nurse said was a S/E. However I am pleased to report that things have settled down for me recently.
Some mornings ankles and legs are a tad stiff but soon wears off, itching is solved by taking an anti histimine tablet, I actually haven’t taken one for quite a few days now and the itching is nowhere near as bad…except when I have to lie perfectly still for the rads and then I develop an itch somewhere or other!!! Hot flushes remain but can live with those and hopefully they will settle.
I was also tired and now, on day 12 of radiotherapy, am more tired but hopefully that is the rads and not the Anastrazole. I also think my tiredness was a delayed reaction to the diagnosis and treatment.
I have found some complementary treatments helpful, reflexology is a particular favourite and also an aromatherapy facial helps me to really relax. One of my hospitals (radiotherapy) offers some free treatments today I had reflexology, hand massage and Reiki (not all at same time I hasten to add) and they have told me about some special sessions, one morning a week, for BC patients offered by therapists, hairdresser, manicurist etc that are completely free. All the volunteers are qualified ladies who have had BC and now want to give something back. I think that is just wonderful.
Hopefully things will settle for anyone else suffering with S/E from the Anastrozole.
Good luck!!
When I went through the menopause, I didn’t have any of the usual hot flushes, sweating etc., so I don’t relish the idea of having to put up with them now, because of drugs.
pg
Hi all,
I have been on anastrozole since the start of my rads which was 25th Feb 2013. My legs ache every morning can hardly get down the stairs but luckily it wears off once I have been up a while. I had dry mouth too to start but got a spray from the doctor which helped. I get hot flushes but not too many. I am waiting to go for bone scan soon. It has now been 9weeks since my 15days of radiotheraphy my skin is back to normal 
Take care
Hi South Coast Beach Girl et al, Had my penultimate rad today and feeling fine. No skin reactions at all yet, so fingers crossed. Going to Devon in the rain after my final session tomorrow to celebrate the end of treatment save for the Anastrozole - due to start that on Thursday. Diet starts on Monday - must stop all this comfort eating! I do hope you are all doing well and the Radiotherapy is not proving too onerous.
Take care everyone.
Rachel x
Hi ladies, I saw this post about Anastrozole and was interested. My oncologist wants to put me on it but waiting for the results of a dexa scan for bone denisty as I am having medication for osteoporisis. I really do not like the idea of hot flushes, I hated them when I went throught the menopause.
I was wondering if anyone knows how much this drug prevents the cancer from returning?
susan x
Hi Susan…have you ever looked at nhs predict tool? You can enter your data and it will give you an indication of the % increase in survival rates with hormone and chemo therapy…hope that helps? Your Onc will be able to share that data with you too…