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 |
| 2 | Breast Cancer | Total hair loss | I have just completed chemotherapy about six weeks ago and my hair was starting to grow back. I have taken arimidex for 14 days now and have NO HAIR not an eyebrow or eyelash and my little stubs on top of my head are gone too. I didn't even loose all this hair when I was on chemo. Has anybody else had this problem and if so did your hair finally grow back? | F | 52 | 14 days | 1/13/2008 | 2 | Breast Cancer | Joint pain, leg pain so bad I could barely walk. I didn't sleep for a year (max 2 hours a night. I went off after 2 years of suffering | F | 60 | 2 years | 12/31/2007 | 2 | BC | Taking arimidex since 9mths idem: hot flashes,joint pain in my knees, and hip, sometimes my hip or knee is blocking(arthrosis)very scary, feeling older than my friend in the 70ties,hot flashes, gain weigth mostly around the waist which is dangerous for hearth stroke,increase of the cholesterol, hair thinning,, feeling a little depressed...who would'nt with this! | I took tamoxifen for 5 yrs didnt have those side Effects, exept mood swings and gain weigth.Last yr, a recurence in the same breast, after mastectomy start arimidex even if I try to be active: nordic walks, and training still adding pounds...thinking to stop for alternative pill(?) 'cause afraid to lose my mobility if I continue for the rest of 5 yrs treatment with those hip and knees pain. A hard decicion. | F | 65 | 9 months | 1/3/2008 | 2 | BC 2nd stage i node HR+ | insomnia, weight gain around middle, mild hot flashes | Was on Femara and had very severe hot flashes and dibilitating joint pain. I went off Femara and waited for 3 months before starting Arimedex as I wanted to be symptom free so I could see if Arimedex brought it back. After being on it for 7 weeks mild symptoms are starting back particularly insomnia and stomach weight gain. I am going to start taking half a dose a day. Has anyone else thought of this? I guess it is better than stopping all together. I just don't want to get to the way I was feeling on Femara. | F | 53 | 7 weeks | 1/19/2008 | 2 | Breast Cancer HR+ | Severe joint pains almost to point of being imobile. Hot flushes and sweats, vaginal dryness, can't have sex. Insomnia during the night due to leg pain and flushes but extremely fatigued during the day...no sign of the feisty, hyped up girl I used to be. Weight gain depresses me | I cannot tolerate Tamoxifen so must take Arimidex. Am on this for 3 more years and then Examestane for another 3. I wonder if I will ever feel like myself again..and not an old woman. I feel as if my life has been stolen from me even though I appreciate that this drug has extended my life..does that make sense? | F | 48 | 2 days | 12/22/2007 | 2 | nauseau, depression mood swings depression joint pain.. | my main problem seems to be digetive problems and nausea and, fatigue. lethargy every morning i wake up nauseas and depressed... does anyone else have this problem??? | F | 63 | 8 days | 12/17/2007 | 2 | Breast cancer, Stage 1b | Gradual increase in joint pain and stiffness especially in feet and hands. Seems I am retaining fluid. Can't wear my rings on fingers, have bursitis in left hip and right shouldar. Difficult to stand for long periods of time due to feeling of fullness in legs and begin to ache; dry everywhere, difficult to sleep but want to dose off easily as sit on couch in evening, less motivation and endurance, easy to loose balance, weight gain, no libido, lost my enthusiasm for life somewhere. | Want to try a fluid pill and see if helps decrease puffy feeling-- stiff and painful joints. Hurts to step on my feet in the mornings and have stiff ankles. Someone said it well, the Frankenstein walk. I rated this 2 because it is too soon to know if has prevented or halted cancer growth. | F | 57 | 6 months | 6/29/2009 | 2 | breast cancer, stage 1, lobular | I've had most every side effect people mention, the most bothersome of which were hot flashes, joint pain, 30 lb. weight gain, general foggy brain and lack of mobility. | Quit arimidex after 4 years as quality of life sucked. Have been off for 12 weeks and I feel 150% better. THERE IS GOOD LIFE AFTER ARIMIDEX! Most symptoms left rather quickly tho I do feel like I'm recovering from a long illness. Continue to have hot flashes and can see that the weight will take time. Started working at the gym about 20 mos. ago - have had my trainer up the intensity/time expended since stopping arimidex as my energy has returned. The gym has/is helping 'rearrange' my body. Took me 3 years of arimidex to go from a sz. 12 to sz. 18. Am working my butt off to get that reversed. It's disgusting that a drug which is to prolong your life can screw your body/mind up so much. Hope this helps. | F | 66 | 4 years | 6/19/2009 | 2 | stage 3 breast cancer | hot flushes, loss of labido, lack of sensation during sex, sore throat, depression, mood swings, afternoon fatigue, just dont feel the same as i did without this drug i am not me. | i would like some honest answers from my oncologist as to the benefits of taking this drug as opposed to not taking it. i would prefer quality of life, i have a 2yr old to look afer and it makes it very hard when you feel fatigued all the time. When i stop taking the drug for 4days i feel better, recommence the drug for 7days and start to go down hill again, anyone else have similar problem, any answers welcome | F | 35 | 1 months | 6/20/2009 | 2 | breast cancer invasive stage 1 | knee pain, hip pain, severe fatigue,weight gain, knee pain is so bad I can barely get up from a chair at times. Hot flashes to the point of misery because I can't hardly stand to wear clothes. I am just miserable | I have been taking this for over a year and I just don't think I can continue. I have a Dr appt the 31st. I will post again after that | F | 54 | 16 months | 7/16/2009 | 2 | Stage I Breast Cancer | Joint pain, loss of muscle strength, hot flashes, arthritis-type pain in knees, fingers, hips and shoulders to name just a few! | I quit taking Arimidex as of July 17th. My doctor suggested that I take a "drug holiday" for two weeks in June. I felt so much better during my "holiday". When I went back on the Armidex a month ago all my symptoms came back right away. I discussed all this with my doctor and she agreed that my quality of life was affected by the drug and that I would feel better without it. So I'm done with that "nasty white pill"! | F | 73 | 15 months | 7/18/2009 | 2 | BC lumpectomey no lymphs | Foggy memory, hot flashes, itchy skin rash, dry eyes, sensitive swelling in ankles and now hip joint pain | I have been on this drug for 1 year. Will see my surgeon on Wed. Am going to tell her that I am going to discontinue using Arimidex. Don't want any other drug prescribed. It's not worth the side effects. I had an MRI and mammogram this week. All is clear. Thank you God. | F | 67 | 1 days | 7/11/2009 | 2 | Breast Cancer | Severe joint pain; hot flashes | I've been on this drug for 7 months and feel horrible. My hip joints, in particular, ache all the time and can barely walk when I get out of a car or after sitting for long periods of time. On occasion, it becomes more of a "pain" than an ache. I take Alleve or Tylenol all the time and sleep on a heating pad at night trying to get some relief. I too have gain about 10-12 lbs and not happy about that. I had no idea that taking this pill would be so debilitating. I'm to the point of want to get off completely. See my oncologist in 2 weeks and will seriously discuss my discontent with him. | F | 62 | 7 months | 7/13/2009 | 2 | stage 2 breast cancer | Took it for 9 months. Joint and bone pain--trigger finger--very painful hips and feet--can barely walk in the morning--painful hot flashes with any exertion--memory issues--feel like I'm 90--sex is impossible because of hip pain and atrophied vagina | I've been off 4 months and I still have the symptoms--can't do anything I used to w/out pain. No walking, hiking, writing, handiworks, gardening,bicycling, trying on clothing is a joke, can't prepare meals. Have had PT twice and even that became impossible! Will this go away--no one said that it could be this bad. I should have quit sooner but everyone said that the effects would go away. I have a horrible fear they won't. | F | 57 | | 7/28/2009 | 2 | BC - lumpectomy and clear nodes | General aches and pains in beginning, and itching hands and feet for 6 weeks. My oncologist said that too much sun can cause the itching. So I wear big hats and long sleeves if I know I'll be in the sun. I supplement with extra Vit. D. My hands and knees give me the most trouble. My fingers hurt and I cannot close my hands completely against my palms. I've gone to an orthopedic doctor for my knees. He took x-rays and says it's the beginning of arthritis. My knees ache/hurt the worst while I'm trying to sleep. A bone density test (before I started taking Arimidex) showed I have beginning osteopenia. In the morning I am stiff all over. The more I move, the easier it is. I go to our City rec center every other day and exercise on the recumbent bike for 20-30 minutes and two other machines that exercise the front and back of my legs. It helps my knees. What I HATE the most is the fatigue and no energy. Some days I have to take a nap and other days I muddle my way through. I hav | I have had chemo, 33 radiation treatments and now the Arimidex. I complained to my oncologist after two months about my side effects. He was sympatheic, but reiterated that this is the price to pay. From reading other comments, it seems that my side effects are not as severe as others, but severe enough that it effects my daily life. I will continue with it and pray that my body does not have to endure another side effect. I am going to persevere. I am lucky to have my husband, sons, d-in-law and grandchildren, mother and sisters to keep me from dwelling on this. I know there are people having worse experiences. I won't know if this medicine helped until I have been given a clean bill of health......in 5 years. | F | 68 | 6 months | 7/22/2009 | 2 | Breast Cancer Stage II/No Nodes | Tailbone pain. Muscle Sorness and some joint pain. Weight gain, hot flashes, night sweats. | I'm not sure if the weight gain is due to the Arimidex or the removal of my ovaries. I was on Effexor for hot flashes etc, but had a loss of sex drive, fuzzy brain and still had the hot flashes. So went off the Effexor and have much more energy etc. I see an accupunturist once a week which has helped much more than the Effexor. But my tailbone hurts like heck. Both onocologists don't seem to think it's caused by arimidex. However I stopped taking it 4 days ago and already feel better. So I'm scheduling an appointment with a pain doctor to discuss managment of it and hope to be able to go back on it. I also plan on having my accupunturist work on it as well. I am really not interested in having the cancer return. | F | 45 | 8 months | 8/17/2009 | 2 | breast cancer | Weight gain, severe hand pain, fatigue, not sleeping good, swelling of legs, hot flashes | After reading all the comments, I may stop the Arimidex for a while to see if the side effects go away, especially the horrible hand pain. Can't live with the pain. | F | 60 | 1 years | 7/14/2009 | 2 | Breast Cancer | WEIGHT GAIN from size 8 heading to size 12, joint pain, joints locking up,HOT FLASHES, and decreased brain power and libido. | I wonder what the long term effects of this drug are. I only take half a tablet because the side effects were so severe--I figure half is better than none | F | 48 | 5 months | 5/30/2009 | 2 | Stage 1 BC clear margins neg.nodes | Joint pain, sadness, thinning hair, tiredness and no energy. I miss my estrogen..... | I started Arimidex six months ago and haven't felt good about myself ever since. I stopped taking them for 1 week during the first month and again for 2 weeks during a trip overseas. My doctor persuaded me to persevere but it is difficult. My only solution has been to take one every second day although I haven't told my family or doctor as I know they would not agree but I am prepared to take the risk since it has been much easier for me to tolerate Arimidex since my decision to do so approx. 3 weeks ago. I don't understand why the drug is prescribed to everyone in the exact same dosage, no matter what your age, type of cancer, body type etc. This drug is to deplete the estrogen you naturally produce and it seems like a huge sacrifice to me. | F | 65 | 6 months | 5/19/2009 | 2 | Stage 1 BC - ER+, Nodes neg. Lumpec | 1st 2+ years all ok - lately, finger & toe & lip neuropathy ( all feel numb) - transient bone and joint pain (sometimes my hips hurt so much it is hard to walk, and sometimes my thumbs are totally disabled...but it comes and goes.) Also, I have been having nausea in the a.m., and extremely low glucose readings (like 55) in the morning, resulting in sweats, heart palpitations, and a "swooning" feeling.I am NOT diabetic. I have an appointment with my oncologist in 2 weeks. We'll see about continuing. I have also discontinued Fosamax - it tore up my stomach.I do have a hiatal hernia which may have made the Fosamax difficult.I also had bone loss in my jaw. OK - I trashed the Fosamax in spite of the MD's recommendation. I have increased my Calcium +vitamin D intake. That'll have to do. | I thought I was tolerating it very well. The first few months I had night sweats, but that went away. Then I started having the "numb" feeling in my fingertips and toes about 6 months ago. Now it is in my hands and around my mouth.I have 2 years to go on this med, and I am not sure I want to do it. These symptoms do not appear in the Rx insert. Anyone else having them? | F | 63 | 3 years | 4/16/2009 |