ARIMIDEX Reviews (ANASTROZOLE)Average Rating: 2.5 (1431 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ARIMIDEX with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Gender males first. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 |
More on ARIMIDEX: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ARIMIDEX | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 3 | BC,Tumors - 5cm,Type IIA,No nodes | Sweats, Bone pain in legs and back, poor balance, insominia, poor comprehension. | I had a lupectomy that led to a full mastectomy and reconstruction surgery. That was the easy part. Then I had 4 months of dose dense Chemo that took me down to what I called the look of a refugee with rickets. I lost my memory and could not concentrate. My eyes had a black veil over them so I could not read. I had my reconstruction done at the same time.I got through that and thought I was on my way to being me again. Then I started Arimidex. I wore my self out asking the doctors why I was not getting stronger, I hurt so bad in my legs, knees, and back I can hardly sit. I can not stand for long. I can not go up or down steps. I have such poor balance I'm, afraid I will fall. I have so many nights of not being able to sleep. I get a nod from the doctors and that is all they say. I use a diaper ointment so I don't have burning after I urinate. I do Tai Chi. This has greatly helped my balance and tight muscles. It is also stress relief. I do meditation to take my mind to another place. I | F | 62 | 3 years | 7/1/2008 | 3 | Invasive Ductal Carcinoma | Stiffness especially in fingers,thumb is locking, joint pain,muscle soreness,very emotional cry easily | I will keep taking Arimidex unless the locking of fingers gets worse, I appreciate the fact that my oncologist says it's the best adjuvent treatment for me. I certainly don't want to have to face a recurrence. I just hope it doesn't cause problems in the future, as those listed by others on this site. | F | 59 | 20 months | 6/16/2008 | 3 | BC - infiltraing ductal carcinoma- | The worse for me is the hot flashes, depression, and weight gain. I have only been taking it for 4 months as I was diagnosed and underwent bilateral mastectomy in May 2008. My joints ache if I get up after sitting and sometimes I feel 100 - but I have an appt today wmy onco and am going to ask some more educated questions after reading the comments on this site. | F | 57 | 4 months | 10/1/2008 | 3 | Stage 1 Breast Cancer-Lumpectomy | Joint pain in fingers, fatigue, hot flashes | Hard to say what is caused by Arimidex and what is caused by old age (I'm 50). Prior to the breast cancer I was diagnosed with diabetes. The med I take for that induces diarrhea. I have arthritis in my feet as well as bone spurs. so it could have moved to my hands. Hot flashes in the summer are a pain. Hope to save on heating costs in the winter.(Where's a hot flash when ya really need one?) If this keeps the cancer at bay and it does not return it will have been worth it. | F | 50 | 8 months | 9/20/2008 | 3 | stage 3 BC | hip pain, knee pain, headaches, vaginal dryness, pain on intercourse, stubborn weight, poor sleep, depression | This site made me feel I wasn't crazy -- I feared the hip pain was bone cancer and now I know it's a side effect. Just went on a low dose of antidepressant and am following up with a psychopharmacologist who specializes in post chemo patients. New OBGYN (also cancer specialist)gave me an estrogen ring and topical cream for thinning vagina walls which has helped but not cured. Going to limp thru 4 more years if it means I have a decent shot at dying of something else. | F | 52 | 11 months | 9/25/2008 | 3 | breast cancer | joint and bone pain hot flashes unable to sleep more than 4 hours at a time | F | 67 | 4 months | 9/22/2008 | 3 | invasive b/c bil mastectomy | memory poor lack of concentration joint pains hip worse. | i hope to be able to take it for the four years left if it keeps us cancer free.been taking the drug for 10months 19days | F | 64 | | 9/1/2008 | 3 | Stage II Breast Cancer | Joint pain like crazy. My hips hurt even when I'm in bed. | What's with the new packaging? This drug has caused me so much joint pain I feel like I'm 90 years old. Then they overpackage the product so you can't even get to the tablets without using a pair of scissors and a steak knife. | F | 53 | 8 months | 9/2/2008 | 3 | bilateral breast cancer - + nodes | I am experiencing weight pain, joint pain - like others described. In addition I keep breaking out in a rash in one area AND have profuse sweating. Anyone else experiencing rash or pouring down your face/chest perspiration or is this because chemo pushed me into menopause???? | I HATE the new packaging. I emailed the company and told them I have to work hard to afford the medication - I don't want to work hard to OPEN the medication!!! No reply from them. Please put it back in a bottle (I can keep track of the days myself) - I have difficulty with this push/tear package!!! | F | 50 | 8 months | 9/3/2008 | 3 | joint pain, stiffness, inability to walk in the morning due to foot pain, finger locking, TMJ, insomnia, increased appetite related to low energy, weight gain, depression, uncomfortable hot flashes that drench me, cannot tolerate warm temperatures, numbness and tingling of hands, vaginal dryness, no libido. | not sure entirely due to arimidex. also on prozac for depression and hot flashes. had lumpectomy, chemo and radiation. on tamoxifen originally (about 2.5 yrs), now arimidex (2.5 yrs) and oncologist is not planning to stop arimidex at the 5 yr mark, but planning on keeping me on it indefinitely. have started walking to get exercise to improve mood and energy, and decrease weight. | F | 53 | 2.5 years | 7/20/2008 | 3 | HR positive breast CA stage 2 | Hard to say which side effects are from Arimidex and which from chemotherapy. The only ones I think are due to Arimidex are carpal tunnel, some increase in joint pain, fatigue, 10-15 lb weight gain, and depression. | I've been taking Arimidex for 7 months. I'm ambivalent about it. I will stay on it a year and see if symptoms abate. One of my nodes was "questionable" -- two cells "lost" in process of analysis -- so I agreed to take Arimidex to decrease odds of recurrence. I feel old and tired like many of you...but I'm told residual effects of chemotherapy (Adriamycin and Cytoxan) can last a year after stopping chemo, and I want to sort out which treatment is responsible for which side effects. I am the type of person who would kick myself all the way to my grave if my cancer recurs and I haven't done everything possible to prevent it; that's why I'm hanging in there with Arimidex, at least for now. I eat a healthy natural diet. I eat very little meat or poultry, only free range animals that are fed no growth hormones or antibiotics. I take calcium/magnesium/vitamin D, glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM, a European herbal-based anti-inflammatory called Zyflamend and an immune bo | F | 57 | | 6/3/2008 | 3 | breast cancer | some aching joints, a little swelling ,all in all, very few | The new blister packaging is CRAP! It is impossible to fight your way into and it does not allow me to keep all my meds in the day by day container I prefer. AND the company does not give pharmacies any choice. | F | 59 | 8 months | 9/2/2008 | 3 | Cancer of breast | Hot flushes, aching joints, thin hair, sleep disturbance, weight gain | I persevere with Arimidex and its side effects in the hope that it will allow me to continue on my life's journey. My breast cancer had spread to my liver and while I had radio frequency ablation to remove the lesion from my liver there is always thought in the back of my mind that it could come back. I found that going to the gym and getting fit has helped me more than I ever thought possible | F | 51 | 4 years | 8/20/2008 | 3 | Breast Cancer - Stage 3 | Tiredness, some minimal joint pain when exercising | I'm a new ARIMIDEX user, after just having a hysterectomy and switching over from Tamoxifen mid summer. I feel like going to bed every night at 8:00 which suits me just fine, but doesn't make my husband too excited. I push myself during the day and I do exercise vigorously most days, which has normally benefited my overall energy level. So hitting the wall before my kids are ready for bed is fairly concerning. I really want to try and stay on it as long as possible since my mother passed away from BC and my sister was diagnosed last year. Is anyone taking a calcium supplement and noticed any benefit? | F | 44 | 1 months | 8/22/2008 | 3 | BC + 4 lymph nodes in 2006 | Did the mastectomy, chemo and radiation as there is a strong history of breast cancer in my family. I experience bone pain, muscle aches, hot flashes usually preceded by an sudden moment of anxiety, depression (related to not having any estrogen>, thinning hair and lots of headaches. Cranky off and on. | If one looks at the literature about Arimidex, the incidences of most of the side effects are supposed to be "rare". If one reads this website, they might not be so rare and when more than one is present, they pile up. I take extra calcium and Vit. D, MSM for pain, Zoloft for the blues, exercise 3 times a week at the gym and living in a rural area, there's always something to be done on the property. I'm feeling a little frustrated because 5+ side effects at a time, are very energy consuming. I'm grateful for the progress in the treatment of BC however, this stuff is rough | F | 62 | 23 months | 9/20/2009 | 3 | Breast Cancer | Hot flashes, numbness in right arm and hand, especially at night, weight gain, sleepless nights, had severe arthiritis is left hand, could not use it, severe knee pain. | I took my last pill of arimidex in July 2009, the pain in my knee is gone, severe, arthiritis in left hand is gone, no longer take medication for arthiritis. Sleep through the entire night now, numbness in right hand and arm are gone, I feel like a new person. I cannot believe how badly that little pill made me feel. I read the arimidex takes about 4 months to get out of your system, I can't believe how much better I already feel. Now if I can continue to have good mamos, and test results I believe it was worth the pain. I am working on losing the weight. So hang in there if you can bear the side effects arimidex might be worth taking. | F | 57 | 5 years | 8/29/2009 | 3 | Third BC diagnosis. | Foot, leg, shoulder and hand pain. Balance and Fuzzy Brain. Sore throat,ear and headache.Fatigue, I can fall asleep anywhere but can't stay asleep for more than an hour or two hours at a time. Depressed - Have taken anti-depressants since last BC treatment. Also take thyroid medication since last radiation treatment in 2001. Some hot flashes, not like tamoxifin. | I gave it a three because I don't know if it works. Took Tamoxifin for five years and have had two recurrances. Since this is my third go around with BC, 1st time '93 Stage II with nodes, Lumpectomey, chemo and radiation. Second time in 2001 -no nodes, Lumpectomy and radiation. So - this times I had a bilateral mastectomy. They found cancer in my left breast too, that was not found in Mammogram. Right breast discovered in mammography. I could not afford to order the refill after having my insurance changed so until I found the $$ I was off the drug for seven days. The quality of my life improved and I didn't connect it to the drug until today. I did let my Dr. know at the first follow up visit that I wanted to stop the drug. He persuaded me to give it another chance. Now - I do not know. I know I get too tired to go back to work right now.I make myself do water aerobics 5 days a week and walk every day. | F | 69 | 3 months | 8/30/2009 | 3 | BC Invasive Stage 1 no nodes | Trigger thumb, arthritic thumb joints, disk problems in back may be related. I wonder if the side effects of this drug are really worth it for early stage cancer? I am gong to ask my oncologist for percentages on risk of recurrance for low grade, early stage BC. | They give to to everyone, but is it really always necessary? | F | 52 | 10 months | 10/23/2009 | 3 | BC stage 3 - not in lymph nodes | Mood swings from happy and positive to bleakness and occasionally 'flat'; fatigue; aches in joints and breasts; tinnitus; no libido; vaginal dryness | Osteopenia was discovered after taking Arimidex for only 4 months. However I consider this a positive as it is unlikely that Arimidex caused the problem that quickly and had I not started taking it I would not have been given the DEXA scan and so would not now be taking medication to stop this getting worse - so great for that! Taking your oestrogen levels to nothing though is a different matter. That's been the most difficult thing because of the impact in the emotional department! It's so hard to deal with sometimes. I can cry at the drop of a hat. Better than the alternative though - which is the return of BC. Now THAT would give me something to cry over.... | F | 51 | 14 months | 10/28/2009 | 3 | BC 2 cancers grd 1 & 2 - small | Aches everywhere, mostly feet and shoulders. Libido disappeared,hot flushes (UK say flush not flash!) Felt sooo tired and old. Bone scans showed very significant bone loss. Had been on HRT so double whammy. In the early months I didn't know any real temperatures in any environment. Felt awful. Over the years I learned to live with it I suppose. | Decided after 4.4 yrs to come off as felt it couldn't make that much difference in the scheme of things. Pain in joints and feet gone. I suppose it makes you feel vunerable without it but life is full of risks anyway. | F | 64 | 4.4 days | 11/6/2009 |