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 | stage2 breast cancer | Aches in wrists. Advanced last year to aches in elbows and knees. Can't sleep. I quit taking it last month after 4 1/2 years as se too great. Feeling better | F | 62 | 4 days | 1/12/2007 | 3 | Breast cancer, bilateral mastectomy | I have rated this a three because I have not been on it very long, about three months. At first, I experienced vaginal dryness, mild to moderate headaches in the morning, and some middle of the night hot flashes. In the last three to four weeks, I have developed severe joint and muscle aches. I have been walking about 90 minutes 3 to 4 times a week. At least half of this is seriously uphill so until I read this website was thinking that it was perhaps too much after no exercise during the times of surgery, chemotherapy, and reconstructive surgery. I am stiff after sitting only a few minutes and it is painful to get going. I am now retired and have so many projects I would like to do, but I have some difficulty in getting motivated of late. I do not think I am depressed, but I do cry for no apparent reason although I am not particularly sad under the cirmumstances. I hope my symptoms don't multiply or get worse. I am not used to fighting pain to do minor household chores. I wo | F | 57 | 3 months | 1/12/2007 | 3 | Stage four breast cancer | pains in joints, edginess, stiffness, | I receive packages in the mail that make me angry. With the money spent on the packets they should be testing woman who are living not dying and usiing Armidex. I for one would like to hear from others who are alive with stage four breast cancer and doing well..."well" being a word that only the person living with cancer can define. Studies? Are there any out there after five years? What about woman like me who are alive after 11 years ? Is anyone paying attention???? I am sure I am not alone.......or am I? | F | 48 | 2 years | 1/8/2007 | 5 | Stage 1 DCIS, radiation, no chemo | The drug was aging me prematurely -- vision problems, aching joints and muscles, exhaustion, inablility to fall asleep, could barely get out of a chair with painful hips and lower back. When I developed trigger finger in my thumbs, I went off the drug, but already had severe nerve damage and carpal tunnel by then. I'm trying to buy time to avoid surgery. (See my additional reply at rating 2.) | Stay on this drug if you don't experience accumulating pain and sided effects. Contact me if you developed carpal tunnel or trigger finger. I want to know how long your symptoms remained and how your doctor revised your treatment. | F | 59 | 3 months | 1/7/2007 | 3 | Stage 1 breast cancer | Increasing and significant stiffness in hands, legs and feet. Initially, more hot flashes and strong hip pain at night--hip still vulnerable. Feet achy, soles tender and often painful. If keyboarding a lot, hands become stiff and curl up at night (beginning carpal tunnel). Some weight gain. Maybe 10 facial whiskers. | I've become quite stiff, move like an arthritic old woman when getting up from a spell of sitting. Gets better as movement increases. This and feet problems (often aching, esp. soles) are the worst side effects for me. Word-finding and short-term memory weaker, and some neuropathy in foot, tho all this may be from chemo. Hot flashes seemed to coincide with carb/sugar intake. Ingestion of a lot of acidic foods (coffee, tomatoes, citrus, etc.) seems to worsen joint problems. Carlson cod liver oil (no fish taste!) seems to help some. Perhaps we need a column devoted to "What helps". Diagnosed bone thinning may/may not be related. Something to be aware of, seven studies now have shown electromagnetic fields (EMFs) can render Tamoxifen ineffective (see microwavenews.com). No such studies done on Arimidex, which uses a different mechanism. Exposure to EMF's may be another thing we need to watch. Jury still out on Arimidex's effectiveness for me. | F | 56 | 16 months | 1/7/2007 | 2 | Stage 1 DCIS, radiation, no chemo | Exhaustion, inability to fall asleep because of muscle/joint pain, accumulating lower back and hip pain caused me to rise from a chair like a 95 year old woman, vision problems. When I developed trigger finger in both thumbs I went off the drug. Now I have severe nerve damage and carpal tunnel that I am hoping will get better. After 6 weeks off the drug I am fine except for wrists & thumbs. | Please contact me if you developed carpal tunnel and/or trigger finger while taking arimidex. I want to know how long your symptoms lasted and how your doctor revised your treatment. I am postponing surgery as long as possible. I will not take this drug again. | F | 59 | 3 months | 1/7/2007 | 3 | BC, stage 1, ER positive | Initially, severe hot flashes followed by cold chills, but not as bad now, trouble sleeping, no sex drive, but the bone and joint pain has gradually gotten very bad, with a big spike in discomfort over the last 6 months. Walking is uncomfortable, moreso going upstairs. I still manage to walk a mile or so each day and weight train 3 days a week. I am osteiopenic and taking 1500 m of calcium plus D. Did not attribute arthritic pain to Arimidex until I found this site. | As the pain increased over the years, I kept feeling that I was doing something to poison my body. I have given up regular coffee, then even decaf coffee, switched to tea, then to green tea, I eat anti-nflammatory foods, especially blueberries and strawberries. I started taking a number of vitamins, but don't see any improvement, although my nails are stronger. Recently, I have begun to think about my discomfort every waking moment. I was always a happy person with a very positive attitude. I stopped taking the drug 3 days ago and hope my quality of life improves. | F | 65 | 4 years | 1/5/2007 | 1 | Breast cancer, stage IIb, grade 3 | Post menopausal at age 50 - BC diagnosis with immunohistory showing estrogen positive at 98%. Following partial chemo (3x dose-dense infusions of just AC of ACT rx due to pneumonia complication)then radiation trmnt, began Arimidex concurrently w/radiation (concern re: current lack of systemic trtmnt). Within 1st week, felt tired/lethargic, increased to "jet-lag" chronic feeling - like weighed down. Noticed SEVERE hip/joint pain to right leg (woke up and walking with limp one day) before I realized I needed to get serious about daily intake of 1000mg of calcium and 800 units of vitamin C. Pain relieved within a day or 2 and gone since. Whole body tiredness still occurring and FREQUENT urination of 3-5 x night. Before Arimidex 1-2 x night. Am not diabetic, recently tested, although 30-40 lbs overweight at age 50. Dry mouth and weight gain (slow, steady) increased appetite started immediately after taking in early Nov, 2006. On Arimidex 2 months now. | I have encouraged all my "gal pals" I met during radiation trtmnt to post their experiences; we met for lunch today and those taking it have same side-effects, to one degree or another. They're also disatisfied with side-effects and we unanimously agree that there needs to be MUCH MORE information on short and LONG TERM affects with respect to arthritis, osteoarthritis, bone, bone marrow - adverse affects from this drug communicated to the public. We all feel like guinea pigs and we are in a catch 22/fear vs. comfort in knowning we're preventing estrogen fueling cancer cells. | M | 50 | 2 months | 1/5/2007 | 4 | Inductal situ breast cancer | I think I have every sympton and more. I really miss my memory it was something that always put me very far ahead in anything I did or do. But I have reverted to wearing a hair piece and dealing with the joint trouble(just had a knee operation). I am not sure really what to do about any all of the symptons, but I am glad to be able to complain about them. And when I say THEM I mean it.....I have everything mentioned, plus no sex drive. I am 58 yrs. old and have been treating it with Arimidex for 4 years. I did have a total mastectomy by my own choice. I did not want to go back again if possible. I also picked the Arimidex over the Tamoxifin as I come from a family that develops blood clots easily. I was stage 1 class 2 with my cancer in one of the worst posseble places--behind the areola at about 10:00. If any of you have great solutions for all our problems please e-mail me @ [email protected] - it takes a couple of tries to get me Thanks!!! God Bless You All | I have all the symptons plus. | F | 58 | 4 days | 1/2/2007 | 4 | Breast Cancer Stg II B | Fatigue, swelling of hands and feet, hot flashes, weight gain (5 lbs), foggy thinking and memory lapses, dry vagina, painful intercourse. Low-grade depression. | To be fair: Not sure these side effects are for chemo, menopause, or really just Arimidex. Joint problems seemed to reduce sharply after weight training and exercise. Getting adequate sleep helps with the cognitive function and sense of well-being. Having sex regularly helps with dryness. | F | 47 | 26 months | 1/1/2007 | 1 | Breast Cancer, Stg 2, Estrogen Pos. | The side effects were slow. It was almost at 18 months when I decided to take back my life. I liken the symptoms in a laboratory experiement to the frog, in contrast to the one who jumps quickly out when placed in boiling water, the other (me) stays in water that is slowley turned up to the boiling point! I was nearing a boiling point. On the day when I had 14 hot flashes during a yoga class, I cam across this site. I immediately identified with almost every symptom - vaginal dryness and low libido, joint aches, dry throat, concentration and memory problems, low motivation, hot flashes upon hot flashes. I'm self-employed and could not muster the energy I once had. I lost a fair amount of income during the year I was on this drug. Since quitting, my life has returned to normal. | For a while there, I thought the #1 comments were the worst category! | F | 58 | 18 months | 12/24/2006 | 3 | Stage III Breast Cancer | I have been taking Arimidex since November 2005. For the first year I experianced really bad leg muscle pain. It was difficult to go up and down steps or get up out of bed or a chair. Now I have joint pain, stiffness and pain in my shoulders. The stiffness in my legs gets better if I can walk for awhile. This is not always possible. I live in a very rough and rocky area that is steep. I also sweat very badly and get very hot when walking. I also have hot flashes that have gotten fewer and milder.I don't realy know if the Arimidex is helping and probably won't for about 4 more years. I am just trusting my doctors to know what is best. They did tell me that if I have inherited the gene that it really doesn't matter about the medications. The cancer could come back at any time even if you take the meds, where if you don't have the gene, the odds are very good to be cancer free at least while on the Arimidex. | F | 52 | 1 years | 12/22/2006 | 2 | Breast Cancer reoccurence | Severe joint pain, feel like I have the flu all the time. No concentration, memory loss, eye pain, sex drive GONE, moodiness, depressed, anxious, sleeping problems, weight gain, | I've been on arimidex for 6 months and I went from feeling like a 48 yr old to feeling like I'm 98. I felt better after chemo. I know taking drugs comes with side effects, but this one is ridiculous. Why dont the doctors tell patients what they will experience. All I was told is I may have some joint pain. They didnt tell me I would feel like I need a can of oil to lube my joints!!!!!!!! | F | 48 | 6 months | 12/11/2006 | 5 | breast cancer | All of the side effects that are talked about here. Fatigue, depression, joint pain and hot flashes. See my comment under the ratings of "3". I've found an answer for myself. Anti-inflammatory diet has helped in a HUGE way. Scroll down for my entry "estrogen pos. node pos. stage 3" (it's down at the 3's) | Read all you can about the loss of estrogen on the female body. The high levels of homocysteines can cause all of these symptoms. I've done away with wheat, sugar, caffiene and commercially made foods, for the most part. I feel like NORMAL again. God Bless. | F | 52 | 18 months | 12/3/2006 | 3 | estrogen pos. 3 nodes pos. stage 3 | I have had the same symptoms that others are describing, the hot flashes, joint pain, depression and anxiety and FATIGUE!!! I think that I have a solution for all of this, at least it is a consideration. We will all have to take this drug for several more years, and we need to work around what it does to our bodies. | Learn what you can about the lack of estrogen on the body, particularly the rise in homocysteine levels. I have stopped eating wheat, sugar and caffiene. HUGE difference. I feel more like myself than I have since the cancer. Look into the anti-inflammatory diets and feel better in days. God bless us all. | F | 52 | 18 months | 12/3/2006 | 4 | earlystage small inv. tub.carcinoma | first 2 months - pain in ankles, vaginal dryness, massive,intensely hot/burning flushes - profuse sweating - sweat running down head and body. Still get the hot flushes but less intense and less tiring. At one stage it was really difficult to do things like the ironing because of the intense internal heat and pouring sweating! | Started May 2006. Now December 2006. Don't know if Arimidex or some kind of delayed reaction to radiation therapy (5 weeks over June and July) but really quite fatigued - not normal for me - eyes very tired and want to sleep much more than usual. Used to be fine with 7 hours sleep a night or even 6 1/2 - but now want at least 8 and often happier with a bit more. I think the side effecs are not that bad, and it is worthing taking a drug that will help to stop reoccurence of breast cancer in the same site, or the emergence of a new breast cancer. | F | 55 | 7 months | 12/2/2006 | 3 | DCIS - lumpectomy - radiation | Hot Flashes, chills, mild depression, cataract, loss of libido, truncal lymphadema ( which may be result of delayed healing from radiation), increase in blood pressure and cholesterol, multiple areas of dryness, some tingling in extremities (and tongue of all places). | I am in a 5-year clinical study testing the efficacy of Tamoxifen vs Arimidex. I will not know which of the drugs I am on for 5 years, nor will my oncologist. So far I have made much progress in resolving the joint pain, hair loss, most of the dryness issues and lack of energy with diet, supplements and exercise. Will be glad to share my personal findings with anyone who thinks it might help. I did manage to lose 14 lbs in the past 6 months just eating "sensibly" - no dieting, just some nutritional guidance. | F | 66 | 6 months | 12/2/2006 | 3 | Breast Cancer; mastectomy, no nodes | Aching joints especially in my knees which is making working out difficult, hence weight gain; insomnia; less interest in sex | I read other people's comments before adding my own. I'm not aware of any short term memory difficulties or at least I can't remember any. I didn't know about this side effect, or the thinning hair (can't tell as it's just growing back from chemo); insomnia (again chemo causes this as well) or the sex drive (chemo again). I rated this a 3 as I have no idea if it's working. The clinical studies tell me it's going to keep the cancer from coming back but I've only been on it for 2 months. I'd like to stay on it but also don't want to live on pain killers for the next five years. | F | 53 | 2 months | 11/29/2006 | 3 | Stage II Breast Cancer, Her 2 pos | Pain and stiffness of joints, especially my mid back, shoulders, knees, hands, & feet A pressure feeling - like I used to have before my period. Frequent UTI's and getting up 6 times a night to go to the bathroom. Not sleeping well, trouble getting to sleep due to anxiety - and even after every trip to the bathroom! Very "foggy" thinking at times - forgetting information for the first time in my life! Getting all mixed up with things I normally do! Feeling (and walking) like I'm 90 years old. | My husband found this site - in the middle of the night one night, as I lay in bed "reading" and trying to relax enough to get back to sleep. He told me I wouldn't believe it - that other women sounded just like me! That all the symptoms I was having were mentioned by others too! It made me feel better to know it was the medicine causing my issues - rather than possibly another medical condition, as I was beginning to fear. So, thanks to all who wrote! I am planning on staying on arimidex and just trying to hang in there with all these issues . . . hoping it will help prevent an occurrance, especially since my doctor says I have a very agressive form of breast cancer. | F | 54 | 6 months | 11/29/2006 | 4 | Tubular Breast cancer, stage 1, | Some weight gain when not careful about diet. Mild "blues," some bone loss. | No real side effects. If the drug will stave off a recurrence, I feel lucky, but I'd like to discontinue it as soon as possible. | F | 60 | 3 days | 11/25/2006 |