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 |
| 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 | 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 | 5 | Breast cancer | I did experience some side effects of what has been written on this site, but most disappeared after a month or two. | I read with great surprise how many of you have had so varied side effects. Are you sure it's Arimidex? My problems were the result of 'statins' and disappeared as soon as I discontinued them! I'm just writing this to tell you not to give up. I have been taking Arimidex for 4.5 years and other than recent hair loss I've been fine. I'm hoping for new growth when I'm finished with my dosage. I noticed there is only one other person even close to my age, who submitted so I guess I'm a lucky one! | F | 80 | 54 months | 12/28/2007 | 1 | Breast cancer Stage 1 | Debilitating lower back and joint pain, numbness in hands and fingers, soreness in bottom of feet, significant bone loss, swelling, weight gain, elevated cholesterol level, increased blood pressure,loss of sex drive, memory loss and general decline in mental acuity. | This has been some picnic, but the picnic is now over after about 14 months. I took myself off this drug as of yesterday, and hope some of the damage can be undone. I thank all of you for sharing, because it has helped me to know that all of this is the result of taking Arimidex. My doctors don't seem to really care about the side effects and only offer more drugs to mask the side effects of this one. I am 49 and am tired of feeling like 80. I am opting for quality of life over the statistically small improvement in my odds of preventing reoccurrence. | F | 49 | 14 months | 12/26/2007 | 3 | BC duct/lob inv S1 G1 no nod involv | Haven't started yet, but had to give a rating to submit. Pls disregard. | I'm just reading this site as an assist in making a decision about taking an AI, which my oncologist strongly recommends. Tx for all your input. I'm sad for all the suffering, tho wish you all good results! Just finished my radiation. I feel good now, am trying to reduce the stress that I believe contributed to my BC, and am looking at nutrition/supplement support to reduce risk and improve health. Does anyone have an MD who checked their estrogen level before recommending the AI? (Not just to decide betw/ Tomoxifen & Arimidex.) None of the studies I've read on the AI's mention this factor in use or success ratios. If this drug is to block estrogen, it seems they should monitor estrogen levels. Mine are "not detected" so I wonder what the benefit is. I also wonder if anyone has heard of natural alternatives to the AIs. My doc won't talk about this as there are no "clinically based" studies, and of course the studies I've read are all funded by the pharmaceutical | F | 51 | 0 days | 12/25/2007 | 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 | 1 | Invasive, agrresive breast cancer | Severe bone and joint pain, severe fatigue, memory loss, hair thinning, insomnia and crying spells because the joint pains are unbearable. | I have had breast cancer four times in the past 20 years and never during any of these times have I ever wanted to given up. Arimidex has changed my body and how I feel in such a negative way that I feel like it's time for me to leave as this is no way for any human to live. The Oncologists and the manufacturer's of this pill need to do some serious re-thinking as this drug is too tormenting to the body. It is far worse than any chemo or radiation. I stopped taking this horrifying drug yesterday before it kills me. I am young for my age, petite, thin and very active. Now I am an invalid and in a wheelchair because of this drug. God help us women with cancer. They can do better than this drug! | F | 61 | 7 months | 12/22/2007 | 5 | stage II, 6 nodes, mast/chemo/rad | No side affects. Best advice - exercise - just walk, walk, walk; drink at least 8 glasses of water daily, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and yes some of the "bad" stuff, too. Maintain a healthy weight. Doing what we all know to do, but have a hard time doing. The only time I notice a little achiness (rarely) in hands and feet is in the morning. When I drink a couple of glasses of water, this disappears. | After 2 years of Tamoxifen | F | 57 | 1 days | 12/19/2007 | 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 | 1 | stageIII breast CA | severe hot flashes,Night sweats,moodiness,crying fatigue,Bone,muscle,bone and back pain,cognitive and memory impairment, depression,acne | Ibuprofen helps with the pain but I have to take it every 4 hours I think I'm going crazy with all the crying and moodiness. Have an argument with my supervisor at work very unlike me now may loose my job I haven't even been on Arimidex 3 months yet I don't think I can do 5 years of this I am going to stop taking it | M | 53 | 2 months | 12/16/2007 | 4 | BC stage 3, 5cm tumour, 17 nodes | possibly restless sleep, dry vagina, what's sex???!!!! | considering I had multiple tumours between 1-5cm, and 17 out of 20 lymph nodes infected and am still reoccurrence free 4 years later, maybe this drug is helping. I had mastectomy, chemo, radiation and tamoxifen for 2 yrs. | F | 45 | 14 months | 12/14/2007 | 4 | breast cancer | Scary feeling when you are told that you need surgery to remove anything let alone a small tumour in your breast. That all happened in May of this year, then radiation, plus good ole Arimidex. It's very expensive (thank god for private insurance), it's easy to take at night, I'm constantly hungry, sweat at night, my muscles are very achy, bones feel weak, and I'm probably bitchy. Having said that, I'm thankful that there is a treatment so many have received providing good results. Thanks to those before us, we have a chance, unlike women who really had nothing but maming surgery, and toxic chemicals, only, back in the 60's. I should know because I watched my Mom suffer horribly with a complete masectomy & Lymph nodes removed, leaving her with a huge swollen arm, and then it spread to the rest of her tiny body. She always said she felt like a guinea pig, but without her willingness to fight, we would have had one less person (or stat) to learn from. God bless those before us. | F | 57 | 4 days | 12/11/2007 | 3 | Stage II Breast Cancer | For 4 mos. I was fine, then I started with a vaginal discharge, lost 23 lbs., then the shoulders and arms started to severely ache especially at night which prevented me from a having a good sleep. Just recently began to feel a bit depressed, with sudden crying. | I know I need to take Arimidex for another 4 years, but I'm hoping that I don't have any further side effects. | 62 | 1 years | 12/11/2007 | 2 | Breast CA | I have suffered from nerve injury when my mastectomy was done and I am on a lot of medications for this. These I can handle, but the arimedex has made my joint pain is so severe that I find walking difficult, getting up almost impossible; and in bed, I wake up and cannot move my legs without severe pain. | I don't know whether it is worth it or not. I'm 51 but feel more like 71. My oncologist just shrugs when I bring it up and acts like I'm just looking for something to complain about. Well, he would too if his joints ached like mine do. For such a small pill, it has BIG power. I'm going to stop taking it for a while to see if I notice any improvement. After reading a lot of these reviews, I may even have to blame this medication for my frequent bouts of flu-like illnesses. Some days, I find it extremely difficult even going to work. | F | 51 | 3 years | 12/10/2007 | 5 | Stage 1 Breast Cancer | I've been on Arimidex since August 07. Some very mild hot flashes the first month but they are gone now. I have lost 9 lbs in the last 2 months (following Weight Watchers) I have always had some achiness due to some arthritis and it does not seem any worse. | I am very satisfied with this drug. Hope it keeps BC away for good! | F | 60 | 4 months | 12/8/2007 | 3 | Stage 2A Invasive lobular carcinoma | Joint/bone pain, insomnia, weight gain, fatigue, short term memory problems, vaginal atrophy, loss of libido | I balance the weight of the side effects against the reassurance that Arimidex will help prevent a breast cancer recurrence. Some days that is easier to do than others. Tired of waking up in pain every day. 1 1/2 years down, 3 1/2 to go. | F | 46 | 1.5 years | 12/8/2007 | 1 | Breast Cancer | EXCRUCIATING right leg pain (bones burning sensation), hip pain, back pain, severe pain in both hands, numbness and tingling in right leg and up right side to lower back, loss of strength in right leg causing frequent falls, using cane, some hair loss, some bruising. | Previously very active. Took Arimidex for 6 months, stopped taking the Arimidex and the excruciating pain let up within a day or two. It is about two weeks later and right leg still weak but beginning to feel a little stronger, still need the cane and still have numbness and tingling on right side. | F | 70 | 6 months | 12/6/2007 | 1 | Colloid Carcinoma Right Breast | At first I had minor joint pain. What might be considered normal stiff joints on a 49 year old woman. As the months have progressed I have deteriorated to carpal tunnel, excruciating pain in my right thumb, as well as in other joints in my right hand and in my left ankle. My knees and hips are very stiff and I have a constant pinched nerve pain in my left hip. I cannot sleep thru the night without wrist braces because the numbness and tingling wake me. Also the joints on my right thumb and middle right finger began popping out of joint when moved. | I would rather die than continue taking this drug! My tumor has not shurnk and cm since taking this drug. It shunk a cm in length and one is width the month after my hysterectomy but before the drug. My tumor is the second least agressive type of cancer there is so I quit last week because the pain is so severe. To give you a hint of my tolerance for pain... I took no narcotics in the hospital after a complete hysterectomy in May. I was sent home with 30 Darvocet and flushed 29. Besides the 1 Darvocet, all I took at home post-op, were two Ibuprophen and one Tylenol as needed. Last Wednesday the pain in my hands had rendered me to tears. After a long conversation with my husband who was concererned that this drug was crippling me I decided to try an an alternative therapy. I can't wait for my oncologist to drop me like a rock becasue I refuse to take this drug for one more day. As a matter of fact... his office has not returned my call (yesterday) about the pain. I told them I had quit | F | 49 | 6 months | 12/6/2007 | 1 | Stage 3 BC | Severe pain, insomnia, pain, depression, pain, inability to think clearly. | Some folks will try to scare you or demean you by saying that they are "so tough" that they would crawl if necessary to avoid getting cancer again. They probably don't have small kids or a full time job. They probably have someone to care for them. Obviously the pain is not as bad for them. It's different for every one of us. I couldn't do it. I couldn't crawl out of bed, get my children ready, shower, go to work, do the shopping, cook the dinner and clean my house while taking Arimidex. People can call me a "wuss" or "weak" if they want to, but I disagree. I made a difficult choice. I chose to live now and enjoy my children. I was suicidal while taking Arimidex. Can you imagine being a child with a suicidal mommy? If I get cancer again, at least my kids will have happy memories of me and a good childhood. IF you are being prescribed this medicine, don't be afraid to TRY IT. What happened to me may not happen to you. You may not have any side e | F | 38 | 4 months | 12/4/2007 | 2 | breast cancer mastectomy grade 2 | hot flushes, cold shivers, fuzzy head and head aches, dry eyes, stiff hip and knee joints,depression, nausea, diarrhoea, unable to think clearly or function normally, noticeably lethargic and pale, teeth turning porous despite supplements, hair loss, disinterest in life and unable to make decisions, pains in stomach. feeling continually horrible all day. | I took it for 3 months and got progressively worse. I think quality of life is more important than the slight chance that this drug will extend my life. I would rather have 10 years feeling myself, than 20 years feeling like I did before. | F | 59 | 3 months | 11/30/2007 |