User Reviews for Arimidex oral

BC when I was 40 in '08. Left mastectomy followed by chemo and 5 yrs of Tamoxifen. Almost 5 yrs later in 2013 a 2nd tumor on right breast. 2nd mastectomy followed by same chemo treatment. Started Arimidex in Jan 2014. Within a matter of a few weeks the hands & fingers began numbness, sensitivity, joint pain in fingers and elbows. Progressively gotten worse. Now my feet are experiencing what my hands are. I experience terrible hot flashes and do have trouble staying asleep. IDK what a 'trigger' finger is but my thumb flicks at the 1st joint and is extremely painful and recently gone into my wrist. I work with my hands as a nail tech and have to stop to stimulate my fingers b/c they have gone numb...THERE HAS GOT to be a better way!!!! God Bless each of you that have to go thru this!!!Read More Read Less

I have been on Arimidex for one month and have had less hot flushes than before I went on it. I am almost 60 and had surgery for early stage breast cancer and am starting radiotherapy. The Arimidex has been just fine. I thought I would add my voice as so far it has been a very positive experience for me.

Stage 1 Cancer. Lumpectomy Feb 2012 and 7 weeks of radiation. Started Arimidex 2 weeks after surgery. Exhaustion was blamed on the radiation. After 18 months, I have stopped the Arimidex. Oncologist put me on Femera, but the aches and pain were worse. Now I have 6 trigger fingers, constant shoulder and elbow pain. The swelling in my hands and knees have been unbearable. My blood work indicates that my cholesterol is increasing. Now I am watching my blood pressure increase. So, no more pills. No more Effexor of hot flashes either. I do take a Biotin supplement for hair thinning - hair has thickened. I have chosen quality over quantity for my life. I have always been extremely active, but this past 1 1/2 yrs has been miserable. I hope other folks have better luck, but after reading reviews, I am so very grateful to know I am not crazy. My primary doctor even said my side effects were in my head - which I pointed out the side effects had not affected my head yet! Good luck folks. Read More Read Less

Many "side effects" can be easily related to other healthcare issues. Hard to pinpoint directly to drug.

I got dizzy, dr said to take med at night. Helps, but wake up dizzy. Mussel pains. Nothing I can't stand if its helping me.

Started generic Anastrozole May 2013; achy joints, weakness in hips; general itchiness; depression. Willing to live with those issues. Developed itchy watery eyes in April of 2013 which has gotten worse. Started loosing hair in May of 2014. Have lost approximately a third of my hair in just a few months.

I have been on anastrazole for about a month an a half. The side effects have been night sweats, dry skin, and inability to sleep. Over all it has been worth it.

major hair thinning-muscular aches in the evening-

After 13 months on Arimidex I have taken a "drug holiday" to see if the joint pain, aches, stiffness, fatigue, sleeeplessness, depression and general poor quality of life will improve. The plan is to be off for 4 weeks then try a different aromatoase inhibitor. I had a partial mastectomy and weeks of radiation for stage I node negative ER positive HER2 negative breast cancer. I would like to see more accurate reporting/rates of s/e from this med in medical journals so doctors have a better understanding of how this drug affects our quality of life.Read More Read Less

numbness in my hands and feet sleepless nights joint and mussel pain and overall aweful feeling. They don't tell you all this when you finish treatment. They make it seem like the chemos over and in a coup weeks your life will be back to normal.

5 weeks of taking this drug resulted in extreme worsening of bone and muscle pain. Had been taking tamoxifen,however switched to Arimidex as i had worsening asthma symptoms and needed stronger meds not compatible with Tamoxifen. Wish i had not! This medicine is horrid Will return to Tamoxifen after body pain lessens

5 years ago I had breast cancer that was estrogen positive. After mastectomy, genome testing, and 5 years of Arimidex, I am approved to stop taking it. While taking Arimidex, I did have hot flashes, thining of bone, higher cholesterol, but all controlled. Now that I am off Arimidex, I wonder what to expect in terms of effects.

Cancer of left breast, my choice double mastectomy .Chemo, radiation treatments for 6 weeks. Arimidex then prescribed. Have been taking it for 3 and a half yrs. Constipation and issue for me and minor bone and joint pain in the beginning not so much now. Changing to the brand name to see if it will help with the constipation issues.

My doctor suggested taking this drug one year after I had finished taking tamoxifen for five years. I take one pill every day and have been cancer free now for six years. I experienced depression almost immediately after starting this medication. I began taking a second medication that eliminates that side effect. I also experienced similar problems with depression while taking tamoxifen. After taking Arimidex for about one year, I began experiencing joint pain which has escalated to the point that I have pain in the joints of my thumbs which is very painful and affects my ability to write. I also experience an overall achiness in my arms and legs. I take Advil and Tylenol to relieve the discomfort, however, I am concerned about my bone health and mobility.Read More Read Less

I'm so relieved after reading all the reviews. They helped confirm that I'm not going crazy and this drug is not a good match for me and other similar drugs wouldn't be a good match either. The acute anxiety, insomnia, feeling a lack of self, brain fog and memory loss, lack of energy, feeling unhappy without reason....the psychological effects have been worse than physical discomfort except for the occasional headache that is only relieved when I resort to a 1/2 hydrocodone left over from the surgery. I'm not the happy me and it's not because I got breast cancer. I've been on this drug since March 2013 and hate it. Warning says not to stop taking without talking to my doctor. I've mentioned these issues and get a sideways look. Going to stop taking this med as soon as this prescription bottle is empty and don't want to even see the oncologist any longer. I have faith I'm cancer free and will remain that way. Quality of life is better than what I'm living now. Read More Read Less

I am 78 years old. Four years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer stage 1. I had a lumpectomy and 35 radiation treatments. I was put on Anastrozole after the radiation. It has been 3 1/2 years and I can say truthfully the only side effects for me are a thinning of the hair and a few hot flashes. I can live with that. I get a mammogram and Dexascan regularly and all is well. I am happy. I helped my husband go through a year of lymphoma B cancer stage 4. He had chemo and passed away 10 months after being diagnosed. Maybe it took my mind off myself and did not dwell on side effects. I felt lucky I was well enough to care fore him.Read More Read Less

arimidex causes me to feel fatigue and joints are very acky and at times hurts to walk. Expecially my fingers, they get stiff when I awake in the mornings.

This was prescribed for me for daily dose for years,after a modified radical mastectomy in 2008, and I have stopped taking it since June 2013. I feel fine now, without signs of recurrence of breast cancer. I just observed that during the treatment, my fingernails developed a wavy surface for a time.

I had my third round of breast cancer starting January, 2013. This time it was in my lungs and a lesion on my spine. I took chemo pills for a few months with no change in my cancer. I was switched to Arimidex (generic)and within a couple months my lung cancer was gone and my lesion was stable (dormant). I have side effects I don't like; weight gain, tiredness, stiffness in joints and general aches. I feel much older than I am. If this keeps my cancer dormant then it is worth it.

I have only been taking a couple of weeks. I was diagnosed with hormone receptor positive DCIS in December 2013. I had a lumpectomy and partial breast radiation for a week. Hot flashes don't seem to be any worse. It seems that I am not sleeping as well. I have no idea on effectiveness. My oncologist told me that my recurrence rate would go from 2% to around 8% if I opt not to take this medication. He said that the results are better than Tamoxifen. He wants me to have a Prolia injection after taking this medication for a month. I have osteopenia. I most likely will not take the injection due to all of the horrible side effects and reviews. I will continue with the pills for now and see how it goes. I really appreciate everyone's reviews!Read More Read Less