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 | Stage 3 BC (21of 30 nodes) | Most of what's been stated: No libido, osteopenia, muscle and joint pain (especially ribs, elbow and foot), accelerated aging, thinning of hair and skin, sore throat, headaches, weight gain, extreme fatigue, anxiety, mood swings, and depression. | Finding this site was a godsend. I thought I was nuts and an ingrate for not being joyous at still being alive. Some days I am in tears and others in a rage. I want to live, so I'll stay on this drug, but it is so hard some days to get up. Now it will be hard to take that little white pill each night knowing that it may be the cause of my misery, but I have to believe it is helping. Someone please tell me that this goes away once you stop taking it, please. Although now there are those trials to about staying on it for more than five years. As long as there is hope it helps, I don't see an alternative. | F | 57 | 2 years | 5/18/2009 | 3 | Breast cancer | Where do I start? weight gain (20 pounds), depression, insomnia, hair thinning (extreme), hot flashes, memory loss, low energy, joint pain, extreme vaginal dryness/tissue thinning, eye dryness, and, my most recent delight, constant bladder infections | If this stuff weren't so good at zapping cancer I wouldn't put up with all this. I'm halfway through the 5 years I'm hoping to make it the rest of the way. Nice to be able to vent to all of you. One hint--acupuncture has been very helpful with some of the symptoms and might just make it so I can get through the next 2 1/2 years. That and a nice glass of wine every night! Good luck, ladies, and let's keep funding research so they can find better drugs that don't mess up our quality of life... | F | 61 | 2.5 years | 5/18/2009 | 3 | Stage III BC and infected nodes | Initially and immediately, horrible joint pain, extreme fatigue, and loss of libido. Now, weight gain, fatigue and no libido. More headaches than ever before. Moodiness comes and goes. | How can we say if this drug works? It's nearly 4 years since diagnosis and I'm sill clear of breast cancer so that's a wonderful thing. Is it Arimidex, Chemo, Radiation, Herceptin or a combination of the above that's worked? How do you rate a drug that may save your life but with side effects that make enjoying the life that's saved sometimes hard to take mentally and physically! And then the feelings of guilt for not being eternally grateful to be alive. Of course I am, we all are, but it's the daily grind of eating right, exercising and watching the weight just go up and up and up. Everyone leads busy lives and to fit double an exercise program into an already over-stretched day seems impossible at times. And the fatigue doesn't help either! I've gone from size 12 to 14-16 gaining 13kg (approx. 29lbs) which sounds about the average weight gain. I want to know if it is easier to lose once we finish taking this drug? I guess people who have finished Arimidex no longer need these website forums so no one is out there that can answer us. I have 18 months of treatment to go and just can't wait. I know it's impossible to have the life back before cancer but "By Crikey" I would love the level of fitness and the body shape I had before cancer. It was by no means perfect but it was nicer than the blob I am now. I really believe that we are using the best possible options at this time to ensure we live to old age but I can't wait for the day when they have a 'cure' for the | F | 44 | 3.5 years | 6/3/2009 | 3 | Stage IIIC lobular BC 21 Nodes | Hot flashes, poor sleep, joint pain. One oncologist suggested that I had a torn rotator cuff but I think it's the drug. | Side effects are tolerable but unpleasant and disrupting. The packaging is awful. What marketing genius thought it was a good idea? I posted a comment on the drug company website. I was told the drug is available in a bottle but you have to request it from your pharmacy. | F | 61 | 1 years | 5/27/2009 | 3 | Stage 2 breast cancer | Weight gain; thining hair; knee pain; numbness, tingling and burning feet; trigger finger; frozen thumb joints; feel bloated all the time; difficulty standing, balancing, and walking after sitting or first thing in the morning. The knee pain is the worst. I've had cortisone shots in both knees and a series of five Suparts injections in each knee. Nothing worked. | I'll continue taking Arimidex as long as I can, but I'm counting the days until my five year sentence is up and hoping that the terrible side effects will go away. My quality of life is definitely compromised. This is no way to live. | F | 62 | 4 years | 5/27/2009 | 3 | stage IIIB breast cancer | Extreme joint pain. Low sex drive. Fuzzy memory and thinking. My hands have actually gone up 2-3 ring sizes in a year. Unable to open and close hands if they are idle for even a few minutes. Have trouble walking upon rising in the morning and getting out of a chair. I was an extremely active person, now I hobble around a lot. | I'm sure the drug works or it would not continue to be on the market, but surely there is something that can be done about the side effects. Most doctor's think you are a nut when you tell them how bad you feel. | F | 51 | 2 years | 5/28/2009 | 3 | Breast Cancer | I gave a 3 rating because there is no way to know after 1 month if Arimidex is effective. I started experiencing adverse side effects after the second week: Joint pain, trigger finger, no libido, severe hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, moodiness, and general fogginess when playing Bridge. | F | 66 | 4 weeks | 5/29/2009 | 3 | Breast CA II-III 4 lymph nodes | painful bones especially hands and feet, thinning hair, battling weight gain, insomnia, depression, dry skin, headaches, sore muscles and very cranky | I still go to the gym 3 times a week and work hard to build up my stamina and strength, take Vit D and Calcium Daily and MSM for the pain. I have so many mixed feelings about taking Arimidex. I don't like that I think I'm taking it out of fear rather than conviction. I'm not working (hard to find a job I want to do) and I'm craving soy (which I don't eat). I know having all the estrogen sucked out of my body has been very very hard for all of me. I question the need for it each day. Am I satisfied with it? I don't know because my fingers really hurt as I type this. | F | 61 | 21 months | 7/30/2009 | 3 | Breast cancer ,stage 2 with 2 nodes | Extreme hot flashes,stiff,swollen, and painful hands,stiff and achy in the morning, weight gain(probably of my own making),short-term memory problems,elevated cholesterol,numbness and tingling of arms while asleep,some fatigue although I work as a nurse in a busy pediatric clinic 2-3 days a week. I gave up yard work for the most part. | I also have lower back pain from 2 degenerative discs, and now have developed plantar fasciitis of one foot. I take Effexor ER for the hot flashes, Zocor for cholesterol, and have been doing an exercise for the fasciitis which seems to help. | F | 66 | 18 months | 8/12/2009 | 3 | Stage 1 BC Positive nodes | I have been taking Arimides for about 16 months now. I have had minor side effects, such as achy joints until the past week. I began having numbness and tingling in my hands and feet. I certainly do not want to experience the neuropathy that I experienced with taking Taxol. I've also began having some serious dental problems. I brush 2-3 times a day, and floss daily. I have never had dental problems before. Therefore I am seriously thinking about stopping the medication. | I have remained cancer free, but I can't say that it is because of the Arimidex because honestly, I forget to take it sometimes. I really do not take it everyday. I believe that God is the one who heals us of Cancer. I really do appreciate having the Arimidex as source of comfort, believing that it helps, seems to work. | F | 54 | 1.5 years | 7/19/2009 | 3 | breast cancer 2B IDC, mastectomy | Feet stiff and sore in the morning, initially hard to walk. During the day, must walk often to not feel the same in my feet. Minor memory issues, just not as "sharp" as I am used to. Occasional nausea. My hair returned after chemo, but its much thinner than my original. | Last check up good, maybe its helping? | F | 55 | 14 months | 7/26/2009 | 3 | Breast Cancer | Loss of sexual drive completely, severe ringing in the ears, aches and pains in joints, mood swings, hot flashes | I am stopping the Arimidex for one week to see if the ringing stops. I have been on it for about 6 months and the symptoms have gradually gotten worse. I don't think I can stay on it for 5 years. I feel like I am 90 years old most of the time. | F | 53 | 6 months | 7/14/2009 | 3 | breast cancer | hot flashes, fatigue, fuzzy thinking, tremors, feeling of sickness if my stomach, inability to lose weight, waking up a lot at night, pain in right hip and arm, and the latest, dizziness | I would like to know if anyone is experiencing dizziness while taking this drug. This is something new to me; I have been on the drug for more than 6 years. It comes and goes and lasts only a few seconds. | F | 55 | 6 years | 6/29/2009 | 3 | Breast Cancer survivor | I posted on 4/19/09 with the thinning hair (Curly to flat), joint pain, slow to get up in the morning (stiff body/hands), etc...I've been off Arimidex for 72 days. I don't have as much joint pain; I think I need to let my hair re-grow before I can tell if it will come back as it was before. I still have to lose the weight (I think I'm overeating out of anxiety because I'm not under any treatment anymore-just routine check-ups now). | Although I'm happy to be off Arimidex, I did my 5 years, I am a little insecure about being "on my own" and forever to wonder if the cancer will return. My doctor did not suggest any other drug or prolonged treatment (I would have said NO). I'll post again in about 5 more months. | F | 47 | 5 years | 7/2/2009 | 3 | ductal carcinoma | Increase cholesterol levels, weight gain, insomnia, hot flashes, osteoperosis. | When I first started taking this medication my doctors said I would be on it for five years. It has now been 7 years and they want to keep me on this indefinitely. I have some serious question about whether or not the benefit is out weighting the risk. It seems the longer I take this medidcaation the more side effects I experience and their intensity increases. | F | 55 | 7 years | 7/2/2009 | 3 | To prevent recurrence of breast can | Bone/muscle/joint pain, hair thinning, headaches, foggy brain, hot flashes, never wanting to get up in the morning--never feeling like I've had enough sleep. | Since I have only been on Arimidex for a short time, I don't know if these symptoms will lessen or worsen. It is so good to have a place where we can share and compare. I did 2 years of Tamoxifen before starting the Arimidex. Will do 3 years on it. During Tamoxifen days, I had some of the same symptoms, but they did not seem as pronounced. During that time, when discussing with my oncologist, I mentioned that there is such a fine line betweeen aging and the drug side effects...he said, "Blame everything on the Tamoxifen!" He has quite a good sense of humor--love him! So, I am now blaming everything on the Arimidex, and somehow, that does make it easier to accept. I will force my self to get through this, no matter how bad it may get, but I pray the side effects will either level off, or stay about as they are now. | F | 60 | 2 months | 7/3/2009 | 3 | breast cancer, stage 1 lobular | nausea, lack of appetite, | I deal with nausea much of the day, though it changes day to day. I have no desire to eat and never am hungry. I force myself to eat something and make sure it is very healthy. I am losing weight because of it, 6 lbs in one week. I have some numbness in one foot, but exercising seem to help this. | F | 59 | 3 weeks | 6/24/2009 | 3 | Breast cancer-stage 2 | HOT flashes, joint and muscle pain, hands are swollen and "lock up" at night, depression, elevated liver enzymes. | In the 9 months I have taken this drug, some side effects have lessened and some have gotten worse. I will suggest to those experiencing side effects to consider natural supplements: Glucosamine & Chondroiton (sp?!) & MSM have helped my joints, Sam-e has helped my mood, as well as being a good liver support for those of you with elevated enzymes like I have. I have also stopped drinking any alcohol as it intensifies any side effects. I know, when are we to have fun again?! I changed my rating from 2 to 3, because I am trying very hard to make this drug an ally, not an enemy. But yes, it is a challenge. And, it is a personal choice - right now I choose to take the drug. | F | 57 | 9 months | 7/1/2009 | 3 | Breast Cancer Stg 2 HR+/Mastectomy | After 9 months of chemo, began Arimidex. Very soon after, I developed unusual fatigue, hot flashes, wrist pain, unable to find right words, thyroid TSH had increased 3 points-possible cause of extreme fatigue, severe arthritis in wrist x-ray,blood test shows rheumatoid arthritis, fine hair, flabby, but thankful that I have had this many years before being diagnosed with cancer. | Will not know if Arimidex helped until 5 years are up. So far, things are o.k. I too wonder if the side effects are worth it but because I trust my doctor, will continue with the medication. Pretty evident from all the comments that Arimidex does cause these many side effects that we all are experiencing. | F | 70 | 15 months | 12/29/2007 | 3 | Breast cancer - stage 2 | I've had nausea, hot flashes, severe joint pain, and for the last 6 months increased anxiety and depression. Recently, the anxiety and depression are giving me the most problems. | I'm so happy to have found this web site to learn others are experiencing some of the same side effects. My oncologist doesn't believe the Arimidex is causing the anxiety and depression, however. I feel the effects of this drug are cumulative, and didn't feel this miserable emotionally a year ago. I'm now wondering if taking this drug is worth all these side effects. I did feel the Arimidex was effective, as my test results have all been good as far as any cancer returning. | F | 72 | 2.5 years | 1/19/2008 |