ARIMIDEX Reviews (ANASTROZOLE)

Average Rating: 2.5 (1431 Ratings)

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 ANTINEOPLASTICS AROMATASE INHIBITORS

 Type: Rx Drug

  

ARIMIDEX  (ANASTROZOLE):  Anastrozole is used to treat breast cancer in women after menopause. Some breast cancers are made to grow faster by a natural hormone called estrogen. Anastrozole decreases the amount of estrogen the body makes and helps to slow or reverse the growth of these breast cancers.   FDA Approval Date: 1995-12-27 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)

  

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5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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More on ARIMIDEX: Reviews Summary  |  Drug Safety Information

RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR ARIMIDEXCOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 2  breast cancer severe stiff neck, affecting sleep and mobility. Having regular physio but keeps reoccuring. No other symptoms except lots of hot flushes which were helped by accupunture. Not sure if these were due to drug or ovary removal. Anyone else had severe neck pain? F 50 6 months
1mg 1X day
1/18/2011
 1  Post mastectomy treatment Horrible joint pain (feet, knees, hips, hands), significant weight gain, and depression (never been depressed a day in my life before this). This stuff is poison--chemo in a bottle. I quit taking it as my quality of life means way more to me, but I wish I had never taken it in the first place. I have been off of this for two months and while getting a little better, the pain in my hands and feet is still significant. Feeling like a 90 year-old woman in a 55 year-old body. This drug treatment was a horrific experience compared to the mastectomy surgery itself. F 55 5 months
1 mg 1X day
1/17/2011
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 2  breast cancer I've had them all! Last summer I was switched to the generic by my insurance and I think that has been the cause of my latest problems. At the end of October I had a severe allergic reaction and ended up in the ER and in ICU for a day and a night. It was blamed on my ace inhibitor but I really think the arimidex(generic) is the root cause. And since late summer I have had very dry itching skin and rash/hives. I am only 30 days away from finishing the drug but I am seriously considering stopping now. I can't control the rash and it's getting worse. Every medication I take has been changed except for this one. I'm just not sure I can make it through the next 30 days. I have trouble controlling blood pressure; my cholesterol and triglicerides are high; joint and muscle pain is almost unbearable. If I sit too long, I can hardly get up on my own. I'm ready for all of this to stop. F 63 5 years
1 mg 1X day
1/13/2011
 2  breast cancer exacerbation of bipolar disorder, inability to sleep, severe dermatology problems (skin, hair and nails), fatigue, loss of bone mass, constipation, arthritic hands, memory loss I went off the medication after 18 months because i had become a severe suicide risk. My sleep cycle was disrupted. i couldn't get myself to go to bed till the middle of the night, then never slept for more than an hour or two. I was unable to work or maintain social activities. Mood swings abated and sleep patterns adjusted within three days of stopping the medication. If you experienced depression or mood swings (irritability, anger, elevated mood of any kind) after you started taking Arimidex, or if you were being treated for depression or bipolar disorder prior to taking Arimidex, please post here. Any information would be helpful: severity, duration, changes that occurred simultaneously with Arimidex. Also indicate fatigue or sleeplessness, and any new medications your doctor may have put you on, along with the effects of the new medication. Information about mood side effects is limited. Please help! F 56 18 months
1X day
1/10/2011
 2   Apart form aches and pains I experienced a very disconcerting memory block on several occasions during conversations. After 8 months of taking it, I have stopped since i don't want any neurological damage. if the cancer reoccurs I will deal with it, in the meantime I don't want to knock out enzymes which we might need after all. or take something which may be toxic in other ways than described F 68 8 months
2X day
1/9/2011
 4  stage 2 breast cancer Took arimidex for 6 years with head aches, memory fuzziness and unbelievable weight gain. now taking anastrozole and having joint pain in lower back, constant acid reflux, and tiredness. It has kept me alive to see and enjoy grandchildren but feel that sideeffects need to be studied. Found that eating an apple a day has helped the reflux. Going to try the Schiff/Move Free Advanced plus MSM as soon as I can get to a store. God Bless everyone. F 57 6.5 years
1 tablet 1X day
1/5/2011
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 3  breast cancer stage I, lumpectomy I quit taking Arimidex 3 mos short of the 3 yrs prescribed. The last yr of it caused my feet to become more and more numb. 6 yrs out, still numb/painful. Tamoxifen X 2 yrs=uterine CA. I do walk at least over a mile most days, feet are very picky about the shoes they wear, nothing touching toes, sandals or preformed toe type shoes only. Sometimes can't sleep, the feet like an even pressure not 'free floating' in bed. A lot of time I wrap my right leg at night to keep it warm, it cramps up the shin bone and top of foot if it gets cooled to much. Do take daily vitamins, extra D, eat well, take care of general health/immune system as best I can. Fresh air, good attitude/friends/yard work, painting/reading staying busy is a must. Take care of greatgrandson fun/exhausting/rewarding.:)I am 8 yrs out of the breast surgery and 6 yrs out of the uterine cancer surgery caused by Tamoxifen. I'm assuming all is well and the Arimidex was the end med, will know in 25 yrs or so hopefully. F 67 3 years
1 mg 1X day
1/4/2011
 3  DCIS + Inv;3/14;Stage 2;Mast+chemo Aches and pains especially in wrists and fingers. Often very stiff in the morning. Fuzzy thoughts and find it hard to organise a task; used to be so efficient! Pains seem worse in damp weather, strangely. Don't know if Arimidex is cause of these. Offered Exemestane but stuck with Arimidex- a case of "the devil you know..." God bless you all. F 58 16 months
1mg 1X day
12/31/2010
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Patient History
 2  Stage 2 BC 2/13 Vasclar Invasion Severe Aches and pains in all joints.Feet hurt.Everything hurts.Can hardly get out of a chair or go up and down stairs.I am 46 before all of this felt young now i feel old.Also have put on alot of weight. F 46 65 days
1X day
12/26/2010
 4  Breast Cancer I have started to feel some side effects similar to what others are complaining of. By not dwelling on these I seem to stay more up beat. I'm taking this 5 year treatment plan for a better life in the long run. I have to keep myself positive. Hope others can also... It is the long run we are working for. F 66 60 days
1 1X day
12/23/2010
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 1  Post mastectomy w/ chemo Knee pain & other shifting pains, arthritic movement-feel 80, ankle & foot swelling, sleeplessness until exhausted then 10-12 hours sleep, seborrhea worsened, hypertension, sudden weight gain, fatigue & lethargy, mild but constant depression, crying easily, flat emotions, frustration with disruption of life. A hemotologist once told me to remember that all meds are poisons. Chemo has to be, but Arimidex is more chemo in a pill. I had a 1.5cm lump near left nipple, refused lumpectomy, got mastectomy since I'd already had one 8 years earlier. Was told I'd get chemo this time due to progress in research, i.e., cells can get loose in blood during surgery, family history of breast cancer, tested HER2 positive. But Arimidex is indicated in more advanced cancers or metastasized cancers. My surgeon had told me chemo would clean out any errant cancer cells and I'd be "sterile." But then my oncologist put me on Arimidex for 5 years. At 68 I'd be done at 73! Productive years. We just retired, moving, I want to be a portrait artist, lifelong dream, have the gift. Can't work with pain & exhaustion. Feel prescribing Arimidex in my case is unnecessary overkill done to everyone. Stopped taking it 3 days ago regardless of consequences I don't expect. Protocol seems same for everone, dose same, symptoms same. Unacceptable considering my tiny lump and having full-dose chemo to assure cleansing my system. I'm done! Will monitor, however. Can't wait to be me again, experiencing chemo symptoms in withdrawal. F 68 3 months
1 mg 1X day
12/23/2010
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 2  To prevent breast cancer recurrence Headache, stiff neck, lower back pain, constipation every morning followed by diarrhea in the afternoon, trigger finger, minor hot flashes, itchy eyes, now the straw that broke the camels back. Today I went to my office as usual and was so short of breath I felt as if I was going to keel over. I stopped and was unable to catch my breath or speak, as I stood in the hall, all of a sudden, I suffered urinary incontinence for the FIRST TIME in my life. It was humiliating to say the least. The other odd sideeffect I had was a vibrating/buzzing feeling in my left breast. I spoke to my oncologist who told me to stop the medication, keep a diary, and call her in 2 weeks. The shortness of breath and incontinence is my biggest concern.Has anyone had a side effect like this from this drug? I had DCIS 13 years ago and had a mastectomy. This time it was a 6 mm invasive cancer that required a lumpectomy and radiation. I elected to have the 5 day (twice a day) accelerated treatment. F 62 3 weeks
1 mg 1X day
12/20/2010
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 5  BC stage 3, double mastectomy First couple of years, felt like hit by truck... but for last several months that seems to have stopped. No other side-effects that I can pinpoint caused by Arimidex. I've been on generic for last six months... hmmmm... maybe that accounts for less aches and pains? I wanted to add to this website because I was so worried to start taking this drug after reading so much bad stuff. Everyone is different, but my experience is pretty good. I am a long term (25 years)cancer survivor from Hodgkin's Disease, so when I was diagnosed with the b.c. I opted for double mastectomy... but I was 60 at the time and cosmetically it wasn't as big an issue as it would have been in my younger years. At the same time as the b.c. diagnosis, I was told I had a bad form of thyroid cancer - so had a thyroidectomy at the same time as mastectomies. My philosophy has become that if it can be removed totally - get the sucker outta there. I've had so much radiation and chemo at this point that I take a very aggressive surgical approach. F 64 3 years
1 mg 1X day
12/12/2010
 2  Breast Cancer Severe hip and joint pain. Then trigger thumbs, Hair began falling out, splitting nails and general feeling of lethargy and zero energy in spite of trying to walk 1-2 miles a day. Weight gain,feezy thinking, cholestrol started going up and then chest pain, with high blood pressure and then pain in the area of the liver with a sick, nausea feeling. It has been three months since I stopped taking Arimidex and I no longer have the hip pain/joint, more energy, my hair has stopped falling, lost the nausea feeling,and my mind is clear ...how GREAT to be free of all these side effects....Hopefully, the lumpectomy, radiation, and 19 months of this drug along with prayer has cured me for life. My quality of life is now back to normal. F 73 19 months
1mg. 1X day
12/12/2010
 3  bc-stage 1 no nodes bone pain, hands tingling with numbness at nite. Swelling of lower shins and ankle area. Difficulty sleeping at nite, vaginal odor, no infection, no discharge.weight gain.overall achiness.loss of libido. my onco says the swelling and tingling/numbness not the drug. I don't believe him. My symptoms got worse when I took the generic, especially the hand numbness and leg swelling.I have switched back to brand name 5 days ago and the numbness and leg swelling has lessened a bit.I am willing to continue for a few more months. F 63 9 months
1mg 1X day
12/8/2010
 3  invasive lobular breast ca- insitu I started with tamoxifen didn't like it. Tried femera but had joint pain and fatigue. I was unable to walk up/down home staircase.I was switched to arimidex and the pain was relieved. I do have osteopenia with increased bone loss this past year. I have begun to sleep on a heating pad for back pain. I am stiff. I look like I am pregnant when I used to look anorexic. After reading this site I have decided to stop 6 months early. I previously had a total hysterectomy(complication of infertitily treatments)and took hormone replacement therapy for 10 years=postive BC. I stopped HRT at diagnosis 6 months before starting the hormone suppressants so in total 5 years without female hormones. I believe I have tolerated it reasonably well as I take very highly rated nutritional products. F 53 2.5 years
1X day
12/7/2010
Email
 5  Breast Cancer Hot flashes, bone loss, bone and muscle ache/pain. Decreased joint mobility, breast tenderness. Hmmmm hair loss, hair growth Not sure what is due to Arimdex. Diagnosed with Parathyroid tumor and had surgery to remove that adenoma.Some symptoms just result of decreased estrogen? Memory and Fatigue better after surgery and addition of synthyroid. Stiffness seems worse after generic but bilirubin levels are down. Plan is to continue Arimdex beyond the five year mark. Will wait for newest study to be completed before stopping. F 54 4.5 months
1 1X day
12/6/2010
 4  stage 1 lobular breast cancer Because I am very sensitive to medications since I take so few of them, I was very concerned about possible side effects with this drug. I was relieved when I did not experience anything but some aches and pains during the first week of taking the generic form of Arimidex.I have to switch to the brand in January, as my Part D insurance no longer covers the generic (it only costs $3.00 for a 30 day supply!). My life is very active, with at least three hours every day of heavy lifting of water and feed for my livestock as well as tending a large garden. The lumpectomy and radiation went very well and I had very little down time, side effects or lack of energy for either one. Important: I insisted on being referred by my family physician to an endocrinologist to have my thyroid medication adjusted, as I was feeling very tired -- this was before any surgery or radiation. (I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's in 1968.) The results of the new medication adjustment have been amazing. Not everyone has thyroid issues, but if fatigue is one of your side effects, it might be worth asking to be checked for a full thyroid panel. Staying positive, being physically active every day (including 30 minutes of easy exercises to help get the kinks out) and focusing on things that I enjoy helped me through an experience that I certainly had not planned on. My thoughts are with all of you for a good outcome. I will post any changes in side effects, since I note that many postings list problems after long-term use. F 65 2 months
1 mg 1X day
12/5/2010
Email
 3  Stage 2 BC F 66 4 years
1 mg 1X day
12/2/2010
Patient History
 5  bilateral breast cancer post chemo General body pain and extreme pain on my feet. none F 54 123 months
1mg 1X day
12/1/2010

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