Anyone on or tried ARIMIDEX ???

[kat in the delta]

Let me know how you feel and if you have tried Femara ?? I will start on one in a couple of weeks....kat

[CLTann]

I have been on Arimidex for about 9 months. No side effects.


Ann

[Becky]

I have been on Arimidex about 10 months (about 3 weeks after an oophorectomy). Since I had abrupt menopause and then Arimidex taking my estrogen level even further, I have had some vaginal dryness issues and bladder issues (UTIs). Not much else but nothing intolerable either.


Becky

[Cathya]

I am on Arimidex.....about for the last year. I am not having any problems with it. I understood that it raised cholesterol but my onc told me that it was a very insignificant amount.

Cathy

[panicked911]

unfortunately guess I am in the minority - lucky for you all - terrible bone and joint aches- stiff muscles- especially in the a.m. - getting out of bed in the a.m. or in the middle of the night - harrowing experince at best -
started glucosimine/ condrotin this week along with PT - keeping fingers crossed that some thing works. Like this i am a 44 year old trapped in a 75 year old body.
Lao on lupron and hercpetain - onc thinks itis the arimidex however...
Could be worse however..........

[Barbara2]

I have been on Arimidex since April of 03, so a little over 3 years now. I had odds and ends of side effects after chemo treatment, so it was hard to sort out what caused what for about a year or so after treatment.

But I felt the Arimidex did cause some bone aches. Most of my aches were in the ribs. I worried for quite some time that those aches were mets, but bones scans etc. were OK. I still have rib aches from time to time, but it isn't quite as noticeable anymore or maybe I have adjusted to those feelings.

I am quite stiff , especially when starting to walk after having been off my feet. It takes about 15 seconds or so, before I have a normal gait. Some of that stiffness could be from the CEF chemo, who knows.

The Arimidex did cause some bone loss and I am now taking Actonel for osteopenia.

Barbara

[kat in the delta]

My sister told her Onc that He was going to have to give her pain pills with Femara or switch to another--so she is on aromosin(sp?) Does Arimidex cause weight gain or loss ??

[Jean]

I was on Arimidex for 10 months I did start to have neck pain and joint aches. Exercise is important esp. while on the Arimidex - since you can get
stiff. The exercise helped greatly. Had to stop the Arimidex and within 3 weeks
the joint ache stopped. So I do know it was from the Arimidex - will more than likely go back on in the fall. Have not discussed with dr. if it will be Arimidex again or another inhibitor.

Good Luck,
Jean

[MJo]

I have been on it about six weeks. In the morning my ankles are stiff, but when I start walking I'm fine. I also get occasional cramps in my ribs. Otherwise it's very bearable so far, thank goodnes.

[Montana]

I've been on Arimidex for about 13 months now. I have "trigger" fingers especially in the a.m., weakened hands (can't make a good fist), sharp, aching pain in leg bones that sometimes last for days, weight gain around the middle, and swollen ankles. I tried Femara last fall for about 1 month and didn't notice any changes, so I went back on Arimidex. Cholesterol up about 20 pts.

[Petesmom]

I have been on Arimidex for about 10 months now. I had an ooph so that I could take it. Unfortunately, the joint pain I experienced was pretty awful especially upon waking and I had so much trouble standing upright that my husband was always telling me to stop slouching. It got to the point where I considered stopping the drug. I did some research and decided to try a low dose of Cymbalta which is a new anti-depressant and is also prescribed for diabetic neuropathy pain and fibromyalgia. Three days after being on 30 mg of the drug I started to feel better. One month of being on 30 mg a day, I feel great. I have full range of motion back, am standing up straight and have very little joint pain even upon waking. I highly recommend it for those of you who are taking Arimidex and struggling with the side effects.

Petesmom

[chrislmelb]

aches etc. i take glucosamine and fish oil and it has helped a bit. Now i am going to the gym and i think that helps too. I was starting to feel as though my knees weren't working properly to top it all off. Like Panicked911, i felt like a 80yo trapped in 43yo body (my dad is 77 and i think he has less aches). Vaginal dryness big time. sore feet when i get up in morning.
I like what Petesmum had to say so i am going to investigate that drug further. I am already on Cipramil(different names in Oz) but it hasn't stopped it.
Christine

[chrislmelb]

i just looked up the web and the above drug is a SNRI which means it is very similar to Effexor, so supposedly good for hot flushes too. Could be the answer to all my problems!!
Christine

[Kimberly Lewis]

I am supposed to start Lupron shots in a week or 2 then the AI. I have already experienced the EXACT symptoms of bone aches, difficulty walking when first arising. Since I have NOT started yet - I would have to attribute these symptoms to the Herceptin, which I am doing with Tamoxifen. Hmmmmm
ps thanks for the question - I needed to hear these things!

[Jean]

Just had a another chemo trt and my onc. informed me that after chemo is complete I will go back on hormonal treatment along with one yr herceptin.
He gave me a 2 month sample of Femara - since the Arimidex gave me much
joint and bone pain esp. angles, foot and neck & hip. Exercise is a must with whatever we take - I do take the supplements - etc.

He advised that Arimidex and Femara do the same job - but hopefully I may not have the joint pain with the Femara - so I will give it a try for the 2 months.
Also after the first 3 weeks of Arimidex I did have severe headaches. So I came off the Arimidex for 2 weeks then went back on and took the Arimidex at night prior to bedtime and the headaches stopped totaly.

Good Luck with your decision.
Let us know what you decide.

Regards,
Jean

[newgg]

since Jan. 05. Do have the muscle and joint stiffness and soreness but managable with Aleve and glucosamine supplements. Very stiff when first get up or after sitting for a long time....but after the first 15 - 20 old lady steps....I roll along at great rate. Also have the "trigger" finger but again.....managable. Take the med at night so never noticed any headache. No elevation in cholesterol but since I also take Zocor for cholesterol ........did have blood work....Serum Creatine Kinase total.... for that muscle soreness.....wanted to be sure there was no muscle break down. Do a lot of walking.....new puppy helps with that !!
Hugs, Bonnie

[Rendi69CA]

I was on femara for a year and a half. It cause stiffness to all joints, numbeness to both hand, the bottom of my feet hurt after sitting or sleeping. I was better keeping myself busy. Arimidex did not work for me.

[Jean]

Onc. says they both do the job - yea, they both will cause joint aches,
I will give Femara a try for a month or two and see what happens but I am not expecting a free "LUNCH" maybe for me the Femara will cause less ache or joint stiffness - I kept up with my exercises which helped the most. I have my doubts re: Femara, but since I did try the Arimidex and had a full round with that I will then choose after the trial period which "DEVIL" to go with!

Will let you know how it goes!

Good Luck to all!
Regards,
Jean

[kat in the delta]

My sister was not Her2 + ,but was Er+ and Pr+, she took tamoxifen for 5 yrs. Then, her onc gave her Femara 1st, but she told him that she was going to Have to be on PAin Meds,too. He switched her to the newest aromotose inhibitor--aromasin--and she hasn't complained. kat
Has anyone tried AROMASIN, YET???? Latest of 3 --kat

[kat in the delta]

My surgeon gave me some premarin cream for vaginal dryness which she thinks is okay even for ER +.--kat

[Patricia]

I have been on the Aromasin for 4-5 months. I am having all the same joint pain and stiffness symptoms that everyone is describing. I am switching as of tonight to Femara to give it a try to see if it is any better. My onc told me that for these symptoms Aromasin is supposed to be the best, then Femara, then Armidex being the worst, but he did say it can vary from person to person depending on your body's chemistry. I am hopeful, because the pain has been terrible. I was just asking him today if everyone else felt this way and was I supposed to just get used to it? It has been going on so long (I also had it terrible with the Taxol last winter) that it feels like when you are sick for so long that you want to cry - i just need to get some relief. I have not been able to exercise because we have been working terrible hours on a project at work, but I just accepted a new job at a new company so I am hopeful that once I start I can get some exercise.


Patricia