I’ve been on Arimidex for 10 months and really suffer with stiffness and joint pain. Been self medicating with cod liver oil, ibrufen and glucosimine for most of this time but not sure it makes any difference. Maybe I would be much worse without!
4 weeks ago I developed a sore and swollen knee after kneeling to cut out fabric. After 3 weeks it hadn’t gone so went to docs. Just before this noticed I was getting lots of heartburn. Doc offered me Diclofenic, a high dose anti-inflam but was told to watch stomach while on. The pain was the same, the knee is still swollen and the heartburn was very bad.
Had already come off ibrufen, now taken myself off diclofenic. Heartburn runs in my family, though I mostly only got it when pregnant and on chemo. I have a brother with reflux (a condition that starts with heartburn but can develop into cancer if left). And the diclofenic info said don’t take if having heartburn. So what am I left with? So pissed off, just want to feel 49 again, not 79.
Will ring doc tomorrow and see what/if anything, can be done. Knee still like a balloon, can’t kneel, run, walk fast, cycle, dance. Arrrrggghhh
Hi Irene,
I was diagnosed with hiatus hernia a few years ago - before bc dx. Had terrible heartburn symptoms but seem to get them more with stress and worry than food or drink.
I take lansoprazol and this is ok to take with tamoxifen. I rarely have heartburn symptoms now.
Not sure what you can take for the knee though.
Hope you feel better soon. I feel exactly like you. I am 46 and on Tam (dx 18 months ago. Didn’t need chemo ). I also get bad heartburn or what I call “sore spots” as it feels different to the heartburn I had when pregnant. I am overweight but feel much worse now than before dx. My ankles and feet won’t move on a morning and if I kneel I can’t get up. Got stuck on Sunday morning kneeling at altar for communion…lol. Refused to remain standing like all the older folk but definately felt like one. I had a check up on Friday and mentioned this to Consultant and he just kept saying “see your doctor”. I really don’t know why he asked me how I was as he had no answer or suggestions to any of my problems from aches to flushes. My BCN said, at dx, I had to report anything unusual but didn’t specify what that meant.
No wonder we are all paranoid about secondaries etc. I have to say that I always feel like a nuisance. This time, Consultant didn’t even introduce himself just dived in with the “poke and grope”. He could have been a porter for all I know…
Sorry to hear that you are suffering. I can’t recommend anything for the heartburn as it’s not something I’ve suffered from - other than during pregnancy. For the knee problem I would suggest either Ibuprofen gel or Voltarol Gel - both anti-inflammatory but not pills so won’t irritate the stomach and heartburn.
I 'm 54 and before I was diagnosed this time last year I was able to run a mile swim a mile and was working full time-now after surgery,chemo,rads and arimidex I also have all the joint and stiffness,I stopped the anti inflams because I didn’t like the idea of taking them long term-I also didn’t think they were having a great effect anyway.I started taking devils claw from holland and barrett and have to say they seem to have eased my joints along with some swimming also.Consultant said there was no research that suggested there was any benefit but if I wanted to to try them anyway.I’ve now eased of them a little but what I have found is that the arimidex heightens any pain you have 10 fold-I went over on my ankle a few weeks back but it played me up for several weeks before it got better.
I take Pantoprazole for reflux and it really helps.
I’ve been on Aromasin for 10 months. I haven’t been too bad so far although it takes me ages to get myself going in the morning and it’s quite difficult getting down the stairs first thing. This past month my hands have been getting quite stiff and painful too.
I can’t take Ibuprofen and I’m allergic to Diclofenac so I hope it doesn’t get too bad !
Take care
Anthi x
Hi Debbie (and everyone) You really made me laugh with your poke and grope expression! and I am feeling v. p…d off at the moment!
I developed heartburn about 18 months ago. When i mentioned it at my check up with the non Onc GP specialist i had been seeing (now I know better and have got second opinion at different hosp with amazing help!) she just said, we can’t cross refer now you will have to go back to your GP!!! so much for mentioning anything unusual then Eventually I referred myself to a Gastroenterolgist who organised an ultrasound of abdo, all clear, and wanted me to have a gastroscopy - I couldn;t face having a tube put down my throat, still can’t - GP offered Omeprazole which is still in the fridge! I find when I am busy and non stressed my symptoms seem to disappear - strange. When it gets really bad i take Gaviscon. It seems to be very settled at the moment, it does get worse when I bend over though. I am not on Arimidex but tamoxifen and still feel 95 when i get out of bed. Really stiff in the ankles, feet and fingers. Creak along for a bit until I get warmed up. My bones are shot anyway, all of my spine is osteopenic and osteoporotic so i am trying to do weight bearing exercises, which basically means i walk up and down my stairs 20 times !
Thanks for the advice girlies! I phoned GP. We have a system where you phone at 8am to make app for that day but you never get through till 9am and all apps have gone! Occasionally there is a spare one usually with the locum or student. So had to make a long term app with a doc of my choice (2 wks wait), crazy. In the mean time I am fully off anti inflams and heartburn is virtually nil so think I have found the link.
The conseqence now is I am stiffer than ever, particularly hands, spine and knees. Bad knee still like balloon, using an elastic bandage which helps with aches but not mobility.
Kattona mentioned swimming and it reminded me of our trip to centre parks in Jan. The pool water was very warm, and hot in places. I was pain free and not stiff for a couple of hours after a swim. But there is nowhere near me that has a pool, let alone a warm one! I think I will have to start doing the lottery again!
Irene, I think you should go for swimming no matter if the water isn’t warm brrrrr just jump in-no I do think if you can swim well enough to keep your self warm it does help to ease the joints and keep them moving-I’m trying to swim at least 3 times a week and also starting to use gym to do some tredmill walking to strengthen bones…Have put my name down for the race for life in june so got to try and get moving a bit faster or esle I might be joining in the race the next day !!!
I just can’t bear the thought of getting in a cold pool with all the pain and stiffness I suffer from. Hoping doc can help, will be see her this coming fri.
Just got my camera back, left it at a relatives 3 wks ago after attending a wedding. Lots of photos of me. I am SO FAT, I hate how I look. I am so sore all of the time I am walking with a limp and almost need help to get out of my seat. This is very worrying. Feeling really down just now. OH useless, typical man, won’t / can’t understand why I am so touchy, it’s the pain, plus he’s a g*t too mind you!
I think a month in the Bahamas would do me the world of good.
Is there possibly a hydro-therapy pool near you - there was one where I used to live and it was used by ppl with various joint and muscle ailments and the water was very warm. If the GP referred you it was free of charge or you could just book a session yourself and pay a charge that was just slightly higher than the price of using a regular pool.
Thanks Lilac, it’s worth pursuing. I think I’ll make a list, I have so much to speak to her about. I considered trying to phone docs and get a double app but then thought I would maybe have to wait another 2 wks so am hoping we don’t overun too much. If we do, well then it’s my turn, I’ve been kept waiting an hour or more on several occsions in the past!
Been looking into gym membership but the nearest one is 20 miles away and expensive so am looking into a poss private pool I’ve heard about. Prob with that one is I have to have a partner (safety reasons). OH said he’d try it once and see. Thats him saying I don’t really want to do it but if it shuts you up!
Maybe I should back off him a bit. He can’t be as bad I as keep saying here.
Oh your poor OH - I’m sure he has his good points. Do you not have a friend who might like to come swimming with you?
I had a bad time a few years back with a condition called fibromyalgia which meant that at any given time any part of my body could ache - and it frequently did. I was advised to do gentle exercise but told in no uncertain terms to keep away from anything with impact - so aerobics and step classes were out. I found aqua-aerobics was good - gave a good all round work out without the ouch factor… again it’s a matter of getting into a swimming pool tho.
Eventually I referred myself to a Gastroenterolgist who organised an ultrasound of abdo, all clear, and wanted me to have a gastroscopy - I couldn;t face having a tube put down my throat, still can’t - GP offered Omeprazole which is still in the fridge! I find when I am busy and non stressed my symptoms seem to disappear - strange. When it gets really bad i take Gaviscon. It seems to be very settled at the moment, it does get worse when I bend over though. I am not on Arimidex but tamoxifen and still feel 95 when i get out of bed. Really stiff in the ankles, feet and fingers. Creak along for a bit until I get warmed up. My bones are shot anyway, all of my spine is osteopenic and osteoporotic so i am trying to do weight bearing exercises, which basically means i walk up and down my stairs 20 times !