Have been on arimidex now for 4 months. Have stiff sore feet and knees but my elbows feel like they are on fire, really bad burning sensation. Very tired and get so miserable although this could be menopause symptoms too. Then I go for a while feeling quite good. Fed up with this up and down all the time. Haven’t taken my tablet for the last two nights and thought I would have a week free of medication. Anyone else done this, did the symptoms improve or is this asking for further problems.
Hi Jannie - I have been on Arimidex for 4 and a half years and have no problems thankfully. There is another aromatose inhibitor that you could try: Aromasin. This will hopefully give you the same protection to prevent a recurrence as Arimidex does.
I have been on various medications for Crohn’s over the past 37 years, and found I was severely allergic to some drugs, whereas others could take them without any side effects. Guess our bodies are not all the same, and it is trial and error until we find a drug that we can tolerate and does what it is supposed to.
Jannie - my advice is not to stop Arimidex without consulting your oncologist. I have been on it for nearly 4 months and just get hot flushes which I can just about tolerate. The first time I had BC - 17 years ago - I was on Tamoxifen and the hot flushes then were relentless and I stopped after 3.5 years - quality not quantity was what I wanted but if I had stayed the course I might not have had a recurrence. Who knows? We all have to make our own decisions ultimately. It also depends on the strength of your oestrogen receptor. Have you tried exercise - I go to the gym 3 times a week and also to yoga classes and I find I feel so much better after and do not notice the side effects so much. Good Luck and keep in touch.
Have just posted about popping the champagne corks - I have got my 3 yearly all clear so I am now of the opinion that obviously the treatment is working so I will now continue, just will have to try and work out what to do re stifff burning joints and the miseries.
Love to you all and for the support you have given me.
Stick with it Jan, but do ask your onc what you can use to help alleviate the side effects, then let me know what they are please, cos as soon as i get these ovaries out, then i guess i’ll end up on that, so best to be prepared!!!
Forgive me, I do not know much about your situation. When are you having your ovaries removed, are you E+ too, what sort of surgery did you have and how long ago? Sounds like the Spannish inquisition doesn’t it? Just out of interest, do you know what blood group you are?
Yes, I was perfectly aware of the side effects of Arimidex, most days are OK but on the odd days that are bad everything seems to be wrong, stiff feet, sore knees but my elbows are the worst, probably made even more so as I have to lift my 20 year old disabled son constantly through the day!! Don’t say much about that on the side effects page either!!!
Anyway, one thing I have learnt is that on removal of the ovaries INSTANT menopause so the side effects of the Arimidex could also be a little of menopause symptoms too. Can’t win either way can we lol
Hi Jan, i had lymphs removed on the 15th of june, mastectomy and immediate back flap recon on the 29th of june, then another little op on the 10th july to remove some skin, was diagnosed on the 6th of june, due to my mother and grandmother being so late finishing their periods i voiced my concerns about going through a pretend then a real menopause, and my onc has referred me to a gyni (still waiting to hear from the gyni) i am hormone positive, and i am blood group Rhs AB negative, am hoping that after i get rid of the ovaries that i will go onto aromasin, have to wait and see.
My mum didn’t start her menopause until she was 57 so like you was advised to have ovaries removed, I am 50 by the way but still feel like a 20 year old inside, really silly and like doing outrageous things, hubby often tells me to act my age not my shoe size!!! Anyway, getting off the subject here, a month after the op I was put on Arimidex, yes I do suffer with joint pains, tempted to go off for a week to see what happens but after my good results and message from Olivia thought hey, this treatment is working, so went back on the pills last night. Have made an appt with GP for advice on how to combat the joint pains, see him next Monday, so will let you know so you can get prepared. Having said all that, having my ovaries removed was the best thing I ever did, get it all over and done with sooner rather than later.
When do you think you will be seeing the gynae? Do let me know.
Hi Jan, got to see the onc on the 6th of september, so am going to ask him to remind the gyni that i exist!!! so glad you’ve gone back on your pills, its not worth risking it
Hi Jan I have been on Arimadex for 1 month and like you to I have the burning elbows and also my knees are terrible and ankles some mornings I do struggle to get out of bed. I had to go to my GP last week as it was so bad.He gave some tablets called Diclofenac 25 ml they are antiflammetary I do notice a little bit of differance but not a lot. He also did tell me that these Arimadex are the best tablets on the market. I had a masectomy and also 8 sessions of chemo Ididnt have to have any radiation as my oncologist said I was border line what ever that means. I was hopeing to go back to work in a couple of weeks but I wouldnt be able to with the amount of pain in my joints. I am trying to think positive about these tablets as ONLY been taking them for such a short time. I do see my oncologist again at the end of October so if I do still feel the same then I will definitely ask her to change these as I have to take these for 5 years and I couldnt put up with this for such a long time I hope I have been some asistance to you. Let me know how you get on. You Take Care Love Linda xxxx
Thanks for your message. I too see my Onc end of October but thought that I would first see my GP. Have been told Exemastane (I think that’s right) is a good substitute but Arimidex is really the best one. Apparently the side effects do lessen in time but that’s no help at the moment. Spent 10 minutes last night before going to bed doing some stretching, turning and up/down movements with feet, ankles, wrists and elbows. Did feel a bit better this morning but then I have been a bit of a whirlwind, changing 3 beds, 2 lots of washing, completed all the ironing, put the shopping away - Tesco’s delivered my weekly shop this morning and generally tidying up. Having done all that feeling pretty exhausted now.
Where in the country are you being treated? Are you pleased with the service you have received? I had Grade1 Stage2 E+ BC. WLE followed by radiotherapy, then put on zoladex/tamoxifen for two years. Sorry if you have read this before, not sure if you know. Anyway, 3 months after stopping the zoladex injections my ovaries started to work again, I have NEVER felt so ill in all my life. One minute I decided to stop the tamoxifen, then started again, then stopped etc etc. Onc said he could find nothing wrong with me and referred me to the gynae. Straightaway she said it was my ovaries fighting against the tamoxifen, rare but does happen, especially as my Mum was 57 before her meno. Gynae said that it would be taking a big chance with all that estrogen travelling around my body so recommended taking them out.
No hesitation on my part. I suppose having side effects from the Arimidex should be expected, hopefully they will diminish in time. Do you also get little niggly aches and pains, that apparently is quite common too.
Hi Jannie I am so sorry about all the probs you have had I do know how you feel as I finished all my treatment 6 weeks ago. I just started to get back to some sort of normal living when I had to start these Arimadex then all the pains started. I do have days that are worse than others. I did forget to tell you in my last post that a lady recomended me to take cod liver oil capsules 1 per day with the Arimadex but she did say they take about 8 weeks for me to feel the benefit. I went to the health shop and got a big bottle they are very cheap so I take them as well. So maybe you could give them a go they wont do you any harm anyway. I now live back in Scotland we were only here a week before I found the lump. We lived in Birmingham for 28 years before. I had to find a new doctor straight away and I was diagnosed and had my masectomy all done in 5 weeks the treatment here has been fantastic I cant fault it. We have a new BC unit here at our local hospital its very private you are not just a number Our coffee is waiting for us when we arrive for our chemo we also get cream cakes and big tins of quality street and Roses. They even booked my wig appointment and I went into Edinburgh to a beautiful shop and picked my £175 wig and I didnt pay a penny for it. I also got my digital temperature guage for nothing so I can say I definitely had great treatment. I do miss my home back in Birmingham but now I am starting to feel better I am sure I will enjoy my new home here. Its just a little village with the sheep at the end of our garden.My friend and her husband has just gone back to Birmingham yesterday as they flew down for 4 days they couldnt believe how well I looked I do have my hair back now its still quite short and blonde I think that makes a big difference as it does make you feel better with your hair I am 48 I am not having reconstuction as I feel a nine hour operation is just a bit to long Its the recuparation again I dont want to go back to feeling not well again What about you are you having it Anyway Ive gone on a bit hope I havent bored you. I will speak soon Let me know where your from Love Lindaxxx
Just got back from a celebratory chinese meal with friends, got the all clear for my 3rd annual mammogram yesterday. As its late I will talk to you in the morning about the arimidex - seems we are not the only ones having problems. Hope you have a good night. I live 10 miles outside London by the way, in Essex.
Seems a lot of ladies are having problems with the arimidex - I was told it was only 10% that have side effects with these tablets - I think they should have said it is only 10% that don’t. Anyway, did try the olive oil capsules but no improvement after a couple of weeks, obviously didn’t take them for long enough so will now go back on them. Seeing the doctor Monday morning to ask for advice, my GP is excellent so will let you know what he says.
On talking to him just before my ovary removal in March he did warn me that it would be instant menopause and any menopause symptoms would be made worse by the Arimidex, joint aches and pains are common in menopause so perhaps this could be why they are worse with the medication.
Goodness what a lot of hassle and worry that must have been, moving and finding a lump etc. I have heard many times that if you are to get BC Scotland is the place to get it. My BC was relatively small and in its early stages, from my first appt at the GP’s, through the tests then the biopsies to my surgery it took 8 weeks. When I saw the surgeon he said it would be operated on within 4 weeks as it was not as urgent as some but his policy was to operate on all BC’s within a 4 week period. I had good treatment and can’t complain.
Anyway, there is another lady having problems with the Arimidex here so will probably meet up with you there too. I do think its nice that we can take help and advice from others and also to give it back.
