Hi have now been on anastrozole 5 months and joint pain has definitely increased. Struggling to go at the same pace as I used to but definitely better to keep moving. Now getting pain at night as well. Who would thing turning off the oestrogen would have such an effect! Does the joint pain worsen the amount of time you’re on Anastrozole, as still a long way to go?
This drug is absolute poison and should be banned. I had unbearable joint pains and felt 20 yrs older. My onc changed me to tamoxifen after 3 months. Hands still hurt but not as bad. I only hope I don’t have permanent joint pain in thumbs from Arimidex.
I’ve not visited this site for some time and have just found this thread. I have been on anastrazole since January and smuggly thought I was doing quite well until last week when the painful joints kicked in. GP has already put be naproxen + omeprazole as we assumed increased knee pain was wear and tear but now have random joint pains and a trigger finger.Trying paracetemol before going back to GP. Wine and gin work wonders but the liver might object to that longterm lol.
Joyce
Just about to start on anastrozole, after surgery and TC + Herceptin. I already take pain meds for existing long standing problems. For nerve damage, I have 10/20mg of amitriptyline at night, and for bone pains, I have 60mg of nefapam 3 xday. I hope this does the trick for any extra joint pains as I can’t have any anti inflammatory drugs due to previous existing renal issues.
Hi, I have been taking anastozole for 5 weeks and just this week I have started to feel shooting pains in the inside hinge of my elbow. there doesn’t seem to be a weight trigger just randomly, when I lif my fore arm, eg to put in an earring, the shooting pain makes me gast. What is the general consensus? could this be from the anastozloe? has anyone had the same thing? Does itget worse? I would so much appreciate any feedback I can get, Thanks, Rachel
I’m so pleased to have found this site as I am 11 months into my Anastrozole experience and feel as though the aches are getting worse. Definitely worse at night and first thing in the morning. Keeping active helps but it just takes more willpower to get started! I’m 68 and still go to gym twice a week and do lots of gardening, but it is definitely harder to feel motivated when aching so much. I find it’s mainly hips and hands that are affected, and I have now got trigger finger too. I feel that all this is a small price to pay to remain cancer free, but I can understand why so many people decide to come off the Anastrozole as I feel so different from my pre-A days, and I too am putting on weight, which is really annoying! Very reassuring to know I am not alone in all this though! Thanks to all who have shared their experiences.
Brenda S
In the hopes of helping several women please post and share my experience:
Try TEVA brand NO side effects!!!
My pharmacist switched brand to Accord and I had horrible joint pain and spotting blood after 2 years no cycle.
Accord is dangerous if it can stimulate ovaries after 2 years. ?
Ask your pharmacy to order TEVA and if you have a bottle of another generic brand they should replace it.
Hi I just wanted to let you know my experience of taking Anastrzole. I only took the drug for 3 months then I had to come off it. I was in so much pain, all my joints ached and was unbareable. I have been off the drug for 6 months now and I still have the problem if not worse. I cannot walk up the stairs properly, my knees creek and I have to walk upstairs sideways. I am on tramodol and that’s not working. I am totally fed up so I arranged to see consultant, who has done lots of blood tests and I hope to get the results in 2 weeks and maybe will get some answers and something to ease the pain in all my joints.x
An interesting thread. I’ve been on the Accord brand since September 2015 with no obvious side effects. I ache a little, feel tired sometimes in the afternoons sometimes…but I’m 55 and would imagine I’d feel like this without the drug anyway. I was ER/PR 8/8 so will take it for 5-10 years if I’m allowed to.
I’ve been on Anastrozole for about 10 weeks now, started with the Accord manufacturer for the first 4 weeks (no side effects) then once I got my prescription from the GP the local chemist stocks the TEVA manufacturer which I’ve now been taking for 6 weeks. Side effects I’m getting now are stiffness of my joints especially when I’ve been sat or lying down for any length of time and aches and pains in my feet and hands usually at night only. I can’t really say which manufacturers version is better though because it could be the build up of my body being starved of oestrogen which is causing me aches and pains so I do agree with Magical Moon, you can’t condemn one manufacturers product because their side effects seem to be different for different people. Our tolerances are different to each other. As much as I don’t like staggering around like a 90 year old first thing in the morning when I get up, it does ease and I think I’m quite lucky with my side effects so far. Just pleased that the oncologist was able to prescribe something to help stop the cancer returning!
Sending you all my very best - hope those of you suffering are able to find a solution soon ? Xxx
I’ve been Anastrzole for a month and am starting to get the joint pains and stiffness everyone is mentioning.
Just curious if anyone has tried bioflex or other over the counter joint painmeds that has glycousamine and gotten any relief.
Thanks
I’m replying especially to Kim555pink… I think your reply has been the most balanced and helpful I have seen. Yes, I too hate staggering about like a 90 year old first thing in the morning and my quality of life has changed. I also have trigger fingers on both hands…but am not going to give in…the aches do improve the more active I am. I do lots of gardening and go to gym a couple of times a week. It just takes a bit more willpower to get started! I too am thankful that there is a pill that will hopefully prevent the cancer from returning…something that wasn’t available, or as successful, years ago when members of my family were not so fortunate. Good luck, and keep as positive as you are now, I’m sure your post will have encouraged others like me. Brenda.
Interesting discussion ladies! I was saying the other day to my HB that I wished I wasn’t ER+, so didn’t have to take the tamoxifen, but then I caught myself & said, but then I would have had a poorer survival number, which I don’t want either! It’s a bit like brexit really, a rubbish choice between two unattractive alternatives?. Only each individual can decide what is right for her or him. My oncologist said people are playing with fire if they don’t take them & you might get lucky & you might not! We’ll never know what would have happened. You have to decide if your quality of life is so poor on them, that you are prepared to take the chance. None of us wanted to be here, but it’s happened to us all, more’s the pity. Good luck everyone xx
Hello to everyone! Finally a forum that is relative to my pain issues! BC history: Diagnosed at 49, Nov. 2012, lumpectomy 2013, Lobular, ER+, 2/16 pos. in lymphnodes, Onco score 11/100 chemo, radiation all completed Oct. 2013. Tamoxifen to Exemestane and now Anastrozole since Sept. 2015.
I’m experiencing ALL the pains described in this forum. Lately my hands are experiencing tremendous pain, especially from forearm to thumbs. Sometimes driving a car with arms upward on steering wheel makes hands go numb and thumbs have locked up and twitch. Massaging such a lot and squeezing a hard spongy object. Going to pursue physical therapy, yet feel it will provide only temporary relief; will see. Is there any over the counter pain relief outside of ibuprofen? Oh yeah, I’m a pianist; figures I’d get this pain.
Lastly, I’ve experienced anxiety, as well. Usually know how to get through with breathing or knowing triggers like extreme heat. Anyone else with this symptom? Positive thoughts to all…Kristind
Reading all your posts and sorry to hear you are having such problems. I have been taking Arimidex (anastrazole) for nearly 4 years and gradually over the last year the pain has become really awful. I am so grateful that there is something to take that does its job that I have tried to perservere but now it is becoming so life limiting. So back to the consultant and wonder whether amitryptylene might help as paracetamol and codeine do not seem to help much. Just need some sleep too!!! Good luck to all and thanks for letting me realise that I am not the only one!!! Niffa
I have been off Anastrozole for a month now on instructions from BCN because of painful wrists thumb joints and weakness in my hands. I took it for 4 months and the pain got gradually worse. I saw her on Wednesday and was advised to keep off it for another 4 weeks as she is trying to establish if the weakness pins needles and pain in my hands is from the pill or the chemo. I have another appt. 24 September she has suggested that
I go back on the pill and take in ever other day or half a tablet each day. This alarmed me I did have to finish chemo early due to neuropathy and was told it could leave to permanent damage but halving the dose halved I have not heard of before although I have read some ladies wonder why we are all on the same dosage. Anyone got any comments to make on this. Thanks Val
Hi Val 235 and others. It is such a help to have everyone’s comments and suggestions. I’m a year into my Anastrozole experience and my pains are getting worse. I’ve been up since 4am with pain mainly in hips, knees but worst of all in my hands. I have trigger finger (one on each hand) and having to wear splint cos of pain in wrist. Can’t take anti-inflamms so rely on paracetamol which, to be honest, don’t seem to help much…but thanks to all the helpful posts on this forum I think I’m going to ask GP if I can try Amitriptyline. Will put an updste on here in due course. Thanks again to all who take the time to give their advice and support…it helps to know we are all in it together!! Good luck to all Brenda S.
Hello ladies,
First of all, thank you for all your kindness; I have given myself permission to rest up and sew hundreds of sequins on my granddaughter’s ballet dress - it keeps my hands moving, without too much of a strain! Also, thanks to M for the informative article, which I read last night and has also helped me to put things in perspective. I will tell people when things are too much for me to do, and hopefully I will be able to deal with this horrible pain a little better. It’s good to know I am not alone xx
Sorry if this has already been asked but how long do the oncologists like you to keep on the anastrozle before they will change it? The chemo left me with terrible muscle pain especially upper body which they say is due to the taxotere/taxol and 5 weeks of anastrozole hasn’t improved it! Have tried naproxen with cocodamol but the naproxen upset my stomach now on tramadol/paracetamol. 49 feeling 99 
.
Hi everyone. I have been off anastrozole for around 7 months. After having extreme joint pains along with two arthroscopic surgeries (each knee). I am happy to say I am pain free. I’m in stage 1 breast cancer with 2 very small invasive spots. My last mammogram went well and I am now on the one year plan with my mammogram visits!! This hormone therapy was killing me!! I’m back to running 3 to 4 miles 4 times a week, teaching spin, strength training, etc. I was on anastrozole for 1.5 years!!