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 Date added. 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 | IBC, Stage 3C,ER+ | In early months, experienced neuropathy in hands, mild joint/muscle pain. Now, neuropathy is gone, but experiencing extreme lower back pain, leg cramps, hip pain, insomnia, slight vaginal dryness. I was 50 going on 30; now feel 50 going on 70! | My Onc is switching med to Aromasin to see if any improvement. We'll see how that goes. I remain healthy by keeping up w/exercising, eating lots of fish&chicken, organics, juicing, etc. Take Vitamin D, Glucosamine/MSM & other antioxidants. Hate this med, but worried about alternative since I had advanced stage; could be at higher risk of recurrence. | F | 51 | 14 months 10 1X day | 10/6/2010 | 2 | Stage 1 breast cancer | Significant numbness, tingling and pain in my hands - worse at night. When I wake up, I cannot make a tight fist, or even pick up a pill. Joint pain in knees, hips, ankles. | I was on Arimedix for 2-1/2 weeks. Side effects were so severe, oncologist took me off it and wanted me off for a while before trying Tamoxifen. I have been off the drug now for 8 weeks, and no significant improvements. The numbness, tingling and pain in my hands is slightly better, but the knee, hip and ankle pain is just as bad. Without a drug, my chances of recurrence are 12%; with Arimidex - 4%. It is not worth it to me. I'd rather get 6 month check ups and deal with the slight risk of cancer than continue the lower quality of life. My question now is - how long do these symptoms last AFTER stopping the med? | M | 55 | 2.5 weeks 1MG 1X day | 10/6/2010 | 2 | Breast Cancer | depression, bone pain, neuropathy, headaches, hair loss, intense hot flashes and insomnia to name a few | I decided to quit after 2 and a half years because the depression was too intense and the bone pain was interfering with my activities of daily life. I quit 3/2010 and my depression is better, headaches are better but bone and nerve pain in my feet continue...does anyone else have annoying long term effects? | F | 63 | 30 months 1 mg 1X day | 10/6/2010 | 2 | BC -stage 1, grade 1, no nodes | after radiation was over I thought I would feel better, but the joint pain, fatigue and generally feeling bad just got worse. I knew I wouldn't complete 5 yrs so I stopped taking it in August. I called my medical oncologist, she has never returned my call. I almost feel "normal" again except I just learned that I have an ovarian cyst - has anyone experienced this? Wonder if there is a connection. Will find out tomorrow what treatment I'll need. | F | 59 | 8 months 1 MG 1X day | 10/5/2010 | 2 | breast cancer | extreme all over joint pain, stiffness in hands and fingers at night with hot flushes.Knee pain has reduced exercise to nil.Feel like a 90 year old.writing this at 3 a.m.with lack of sleep. | I was quite pleased I didnt have to have chemo and thought popping a pill once a day sounded pretty good, little did I know what it was going to do to my body.Can't bear the thought taking it for 4 more years.I'ts comforting I'm not alone | F | 66 | 10 months 1X day | 10/1/2010 | 1 | BC Stage 2 | Severe joint pain,sciatic pain, horrible throbbing in leg, waking me up during the night.Increasing back pain as well. I had to walk up and down stairs one step at a time and the pain was severe behind my knees | I tried my best but the pain in my legs was so severe I could not continue. As soon as I stopped the medication 1 month ago I began to feel better -not fast enough, but every day I feel some improvement. I am still taking advil at night and in the morning but now I can walk up and down stairs without being in extreme pain.My onc wants me to try tamoxifen next, but I have been holding off, trying to be rid of these side effects. This drug adversely affected the quality of my life. | F | 63 | 8 months 1mg 1X day | 9/30/2010 | 3 | Breast Cancer | What side effects haven't I experinced? Constant diarrehea, chills, palpitations, ongoing bronchitis, insomnia, bright yellow vaginal discharge (no infection), short-term memory problems, struggling with day to day activities, anxious, headaches, joint pain all over, no libido and no point trying as I have major bleeding if we try no matter how much lubricant we use. Shingles 5 times so far, B12 deficiency, flemmy cough, croaky voice, mood swings, crying and anger issues, struggling to go to work and have dropped to 3 days. The joint pain and stiffnes used to be the worse but now I no longer know what's worse anymore. To top it off my brain no longer appears to work and I actually used to have a good brain. | I'm really struggling to stay on Arimidex and because of the osteoporisis (which I forgot to mention) I also have to have two bisphosphonate infusions each year. Will hopefully reverse the osteoporosis but has its own set of miserable side effects inluding hypo-calcemia!!! This is my second time with breast cancer (2 primaries) Arimidex makes Tamoxifen seem like a holiday. | F | 48 | 15 months 20mg 1X day | 9/24/2010 | 1 | prevent re-occurrence | I have joint pain both day and night (even while in bed). I cannot get a night of uninterrupted sleep - either because of sleeplessness or joint pain. I keep overheating throughout the day from morning to night-constantly trying to adjust. | This has been torturous to say the least. I hate going to bed at night knowing that it's a battle to get sleep. I have joint pain that limits my walking endurance. I've lost my joie de vivre. I was healthy and lots of energy before. Now, it's a question of getting through the day. Do I want breast cancer - NO. Can I put up with this for 5 years - what a struggle. And at the end is the question not if I want to get breast cancer - but do I take my chances. Not everyone has a recurrence and much can happen to anyone in 5 years time. I can't go back and relive those 5 years. Help us, Medical Community. | F | 62 | 2 months 1 MG 1X day | 9/22/2010 | 1 | Breast cancer | Permanent and complete hair loss. Crippling back pain. Finished 5 years 7/31/09, but never got hair back and back feels like it was run over by a truck and then set on fire, still. Today is 9/20/10, | If I had it to do over again, I would not take even 1 dose of it. | F | 60 | 5 years 1 MG 1X day | 9/21/2010 | 3 | estrogen+ BC, lumpectomy, radiation | extreme joint pain, trigger finger(s), headaches, vaginal dryness/burning, fatigue, memory loss (maybe?) | I definitely need more sleep than before the BC diagnosis; my joints (EVERY ONE OF THEM!) is in pain; when I wake up in the morning, my hands hurt and I cannot bend my fingers all the way, my feet/toes/ankles hurt to walk (which gets better after a few minutes). It's hard to imagine feeling like this for 4.5 more years. I've been taking Ultimate Omegas for several years, started Glucosamine a month ago, and have just recently started taking Hyaluronic Acid (2/day). I'm interested to hear that some women have found the generic to have worse side effects, so will try the brand name this month. Oh, and I also take Vitamin D (D-Mulsion, 5 drops/day), Vitamin K-2 (MK-7), Calcium (Bone-Up, 6 capsules/day. Whew! | F | 56 | 5 months 1X day | 9/20/2010 | 2 | Invasive Breast Cancer | Joint pain, fatigue, lack of secretions, short term memory loss. It is difficult to rate this medication. I will take it for five years but the side effects are overwhelming. | I appreciate how rare it is to stop a study and the Arimidex studies were stopped before being completed to let breast cancer survivors have acess to this medication. With that said, I think that the company marketing this was not forth coming to the medical community particularly Oncologists regarding side effects. I have made some adjustments that have helped me. I switched taking my daily dose of Arimidex from morning to evening. I went on a supplement called Instaflex that is available at GMC.(it also contains the daily dose of Glucosamine Sulfate I was taking before starting this)and Fish Oil that I purchase at Whole Foods. For dry mouth my dentist gave me a precription for Colgate Prevident 5000 as his concern was cavities over time. I also use with Biotene and this helps with night coughing. I feel great when I have my wine. They can take my hair and take both of my breast but I love my wine. I guess that we all have to make our own choices about so many things... | F | 59 | 19 months 30mg 1X day | 9/19/2010 | 3 | Breast Cancer | No side effects the first 2 months on Arimidex but went on the generic and within 2 weeks I had developed joint pain, muscle ache, swollen and numb fingers, especially when I wake up in the morning and have also developed 2 trigger fingers. After 1 1/2 months on generic, I switched back to Arimidex. My bone and muscle aches have diminished quite a bit since back on the brand but I still have the numbness, swelling and trigger fingers. I keep active with yoga and hiking to avoid fatigue and weight gain, which seems to help tremendously. Next week I see an orthopedic hand doctor to address my numbness and trigger fingers. | I have to be on Arimidex for 5 years to prevent cancer recurrence but I can't have the hand problems for the entire time!! After my appointment with the orthopedic doctor, I will post his recommendations. | F | 59 | 5 months 1 mg 1X day | 9/17/2010 | 3 | stage II, triple positive bc | Nausea, irritable, increased hot flashes, hip pain, weight gain | The first couple of months were an adjustment. I am feeling slightly better but work hard to have a positive attitude. Wondering if anyone has switched to the generic and if there were any issues with this. Afraid to switch when just feeling a little better. | F | 43 | 90 days 1X day | 9/15/2010 | 2 | breast cancer | Here's the update: Due to extreme bone/muscle/joint pain, fatigue, and assorted other symptoms, I contacted my oncologist and another alternative med. doctor, informed them of details and told them I was not taking Arimidex anymore, and put myself back on Tamoxifen (no side effects so far for me in 2 years). The common literature says half-life of Arimidex is 40-50 hours BUT when I called AstraZenica and talked to a nurse there, she said the ACTUAL half-life is between 10-11 DAYS and even though I only took two Arimidex doses, I could possibly be experiencing these side effects for at least a month as the drugs work out of my system. So far it has been 19 days and I am still having major joint pain in my hips, some in my back, pain releivers don't really do much for this. I am HOPING the side effects will really eventually go away. The extreme pain has diminished, kindof like I used to have a "migraine" feeling in my hip/bones/muscles and now it's down to just a "bad headache" constant feeling. Jeez. This is a rough drug when you really react to it. | F | 59 | 1X day | 9/15/2010 Patient History | 4 | BC | extreme joint pain throughout body, fatigue, memory, sore throat, cough | Ladies I have read your comments on the joint pain. This is a new pain for me so after reading all your comments I sought out a solution for the pain and want to share it with you all. Schiff/Move Free Advanced plus MSM. After one week of 6 tablets a day what an improvement! I missed three tablets one day and went back to pain. So I know I must take 6 tablets (3 am and 3 pm) for the pain. I have not needed any OTC pain meds. Plus I will need this due to my age any how, so now I have this to add to the rest of my meds and vitamins. It wasn't until the last month that I have had the bone pain. But hopefully I have found a solution to be more comfortable. So everyone knows I am not a doctor but proactive for quality of life. | F | 58 | 2 years 1 mg 1X day | 9/14/2010 | 2 | incapacitating pain. Exhaustion. Depression. Memory loss and cognitive decline. Broken femur after 3.3 years. Took it according to directions for 3 + years. | Due to many distractions I forgot to take Arimidex for 3 of the last 4 days. Yesterday I realized that I was not in pain, felt reasonably good, some energy, cheerful. An hour after I realized I felt good I checked and realized I had missed 3 doses. Drat. | F | 59 | 3.8 years 1 mg 1X day | 9/11/2010 | 3 | Breast Cancer | Numb hands especially while sleeping; wake up with hands tight feeling and numb. Trigger finger recently developed. When I had my recent oncology appointment, the doctor never mentioned this could be a result of arimidex. My appetite has increased dramatically; weight gain; fatigue--I take at least one nap almost every day and require 7-8 hours of sleep. Prior to BC I only needed about 4 hours sleep. | I'm certainly concerned about what the future holds for me regarding side effects and am praying there are no more. After only 3 months I do not think I can say the medicine "helped" me. I am taking it to prevent any reoccurrences of BC. It seems like a poll after 5 years would make more sense. | F | 66 | 3 months 1 mg 1X day | 9/8/2010 | 3 | stage 1 breast cancer | Knee pain, hip pain, loss of libido, vaginal dryness. | Every few weeks I get on this site to read and remind myself that I am not alone. The knee pain has been horrible; I did get a 5 week vacation from the drug and felt fine. Once I started up again within 10 days, my right knee was again causing fits. My orthopedic dr. says we have to manage the pain, so I can avoid a recurrence of the cancer. I hate to wish my life away, but I want the next 46 months to be over with, so I can throw these pills away. I just hope by then the damage to my knees and hips can be repaired. | F | 51 | 14 months 1X day | 9/8/2010 | 3 | breast cancer | My knees are killing me And I have only taken this drug for 9 months wondering if at the end of the 5 years I will have my knees back? I do take 2000 units of vitamin d-3 plus about 8 others | But i would rather deal with JOINT pain than cancer | F | 53 | 9 months 1X day | 9/7/2010 | 4 | breast cancer | Extreme joint pain especially in the hands and wrist after 26 months of usage. Fatigue has been since the begginning. | Arimidex should add physical therapy when the prescription is prescribed for 3 months to teach the patient about strength and endurance exercises. If I had this in the beginning, it would not be so painful for me to proceed with the necessary exerceises now. Then patients that end up with (or may not after the physical therapy) won't stop taking the drug to enhance the chance of cancer recurring in the future. The company did the tests and knew the consequences. They let us down with their lack of responsibility. | F | 58 | 2.5 years 1 mg 1X day | 9/2/2010 |