The aromatase inhibitor anastrozole was compared with tamoxifen for 5 years in 9366 postmenopausal women with localised breast cancer. Side effects of Arimidex. Looking for others who might have gone off this med after 5 years. ARIMIDEX should not be taken if you are pregnant … They don't cause uterine cancers and very rarely cause blood clots. 47 4 years: 1 mg 7/5… Anastrozole is usually given after surgery to reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back or spreading. Arimidex after tamoxifen - An striking choice of the remedies, competitive prices, quality policies and other advantages are waiting for you here High confidentiality level and privacy policy will make your online shopping for any remedies into a beneficial experience high-quality brand medications, food supplements, vitamins and other preparations are offered to wise customers purchasing online Hot flashes are another side effect. I had concerns about the hot flashes and joint pain and was told about an antidepressant that they prescribe to conteract but I don’t like antidepressant. After a median follow-up of 10.9 years, women assigned to Arimidex were 50% less likely to have developed breast cancer compared with women assigned to placebo, the researchers reported. Prescription ARIMIDEX is only for postmenopausal women. The women who took the drug for 5 years had a higher incidence of death from cancer during this time. The standard adjuvant endocrine treatment for postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive localised breast cancer is 5 years of tamoxifen, but recurrences and side-effects restrict its usefulness. As mentioned, testosterone replacement therapy dosages that do not raise testosterone above normal generally do not lead to high estradiol levels. I didn’t know how important an Aromatase Inhibitor was for me. Reply 4. Talk to your doctor about any side effects you’ve been having and whether the benefits of another 5 years of Femara outweigh the risks of side effects. At that time, I was 56 years old, but felt more like I was in my mid 80s. No hair loss, but extreme joint pain. Side Effects. Women who took ARIMIDEX experienced an improvement in disease-free survival compared with those who took only tamoxifen. Side Effects of High Estradiol Levels in Men. Theresa Lockhart. Common side effects of Arimidex include: bone and joint pain nausea vomiting hot flashes weakness fatigue I have not taken it for the past 6 weeks. Hi, I first started taking Arimidex for 3 years,then changed to Femara due to pain and aches in my bones and muscles.The side effects were much less aggravating with Femara,but it still caused fatigue,indigestion,muscle pain and weight gain. The Results. After Tamoxifen I started getting really bad hot flushes and was put in Arimadex for 5 years not just for flushes but to ward off returning cancer because my breast cancer was oestrogen based (forgive spelling). One of his nurses had hit the 5 year mark and says she will continue. Two studies looked at the effectiveness and side effects of Arimidex and tamoxifen to reduce recurrence risk after DCIS surgery and radiation in postmenopausal women. Side effects of anastrozole (Arimidex) Coping with side effects of anastrozole. I started at 37.5 mg and worked up to 75mg which I took for 5 years. It is of course her decision re whether lowering the risk in her case is worth enduring the side effects. I would like to learn more about natural ways to fight cancer reoccuring. Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. I took my last pill 3 days ago. I'm starting to believe that it's side effects of Arimidex, although the doctors don't want to think so! Asked 13 May 2013 by wag1952 Updated 7 January 2015 Topics arimidex, effexor, breast cancer, cancer, side effect… But she wanted me off b/c of the risk of osteoporosis. Find out more about the side effects of anastrozole. When anastrozole is given. newly diagnosed premenopausal and perimenopausal women take 5 years of tamoxifen as their first hormonal therapy; after this first 5 years is done, the hormonal therapy taken for the second 5 years (for a total of 10 years of hormonal therapy) would be determined by the woman’s menopausal status: A month ago he changed my prescription to 37.5 mg and said to stop once the medicine ran out. Two years later, mets … let’s just say I’m VERY compliant! After several weeks, I began noticing some unwanted side effects. All of them cause joint pain, but no hair loss after 2.5 years. I wasn’t given any advice from my oncologist about coming off it slowly so just stopped taking it. I just stopped taking tamoxifine yesterday after 5 years, the side effects from taking it are worse than the benefits. How is everybody coping with this side effects of anastrozole. I can't say like everyone here .I'm on arimidex for 2 years now and have 3 more years to go.Miserable daily is the word for me.I don't know if it's my age and everything else I've been through and have that give me side effects galore.But everybody is different from what I've been reading here for a couple of years. Side effects on Anastrozole (Arimidex) Hello friends, I need help. Please send me your suggestions to Tina as well. Consequently, the feminizing effects associated with high levels are generally not seen with TRT dosages. Hi there, When I hit the five-year mark, I thought my oncologist would tell me to continue another five years on Arimidex. Find everything you need to know about Arimidex (Anastrozole), including what it is used for, warnings, reviews, side effects, and interactions. Like all medications, ARIMIDEX has potential side effects. The aromatase inhibitor anastrozole was compared with tamoxifen for 5 years in 9366 postmenopausal women with localised breast cancer. Other side-effect reductions were noted for the two-year group, including a lower incidence of arthralgia. Investigators concluded that longer treatment with Arimidex may be a risk factor for fractures. I stopped as the side effects were horrible. I've only got 6 more months to take it, and I'm so tired of being fatigued all the time and all of this joint pain, I think I'm going to throw the rest of it in the trash! Women who discontinue initial AI therapy before 5 years should consider using tamoxifen to bring the total duration of adjuvant therapy to 5 years." I found myself crying all the time, which was very abnormal for me. The hot flushes returned, but not as bad, and I was told that if I have not had a hysterectomy my periods may have resumed. Listed below are some of the most common side effects in the clinical trial you should be familiar with when taking or considering taking ARIMIDEX. Shortly after I started the drug, I started having hot flashes and bad leg cramps. I've been on Arimidex for 4 years and it's been a nightmare. ARIMIDEX Side Effects. Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur: More common. It studied both groups for 10 years. Next: ARIMIDEX Side Effects. Comment 1 She took me off it for a two week trial and I felt better in two days. Giving either 3 years of Arimidex (Anastrozole) or 5 years of Letrozole (Femara) AFTER 5 years of taking Tamoxifen has been proven to have an added benefit in decreasing the risk of cancer recurrence.However, there is no data at this time which suggests that taking aromatase inhibitors like Arimidex for more than 5 years has added benefit. These are not all possible side effects. I’d like to make it 5 years for sure. The studies found that Arimidex and tamoxifen both reduced the risk of recurrence (the cancer coming back) about the same amount, but there were differences in side effects between the two medicines. Went to my PCP and she looked up the side effects of Arimidex and told me that 40% or women taking this drug have artery problems and gastro problems. My two cents. I am also looking for some advice, I stopped taking my tamoxifen- a week ago after being on it for 5 years. The joint pain may be similar to a feeling of having arthritis in many different joints at one time. If you’re having chemotherapy or radiotherapy, your specialist will tell you when it’s best to start anastrozole. I was on Arimidex initially in 2006, but as one MedOnc said, I was non-compliant. If you’ve been diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer and are finishing up 5 years of an aromatase inhibitor, you may want to ask your doctor about this study and whether taking Femara for another 5 years (for a total of 10 years of an aromatase inhibitor) makes sense for you. I have been taking 75mg Effexor to counteract the side effects of Arimidex for last 5 years. I’ve been taking it for two months in .lately I have been feeling anxiety my heart it’s racing I have lost my appetite and I have occasional headaches which is not that bad and also back pain which I can put up with. The most prevalent side effect was severe bone and join pain. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. They can, however, cause muscle pain and joint stiffness and/or pain. With the bone pain came horrific mood swings and depression. Now? Anastrozole (Arimidex) Exemestane (Aromasin) ... Possible side effects of AIs: AIs tend to have fewer serious side effects than tamoxifen. My doctor then prescribed Effexor for those side effects. Side effects of discontinuing Arimidex I have been taking Arimidex for over 1 year and because of the severe side effects which are affecting my quality of life, I have decided to discontinue for at least 6 months- are there any side effects to stopping cold turkey? Drug information provided by: IBM Micromedex. Had to switch to Femara, and then Aromasin. For many people, side effects improve within the first few months of starting... Common side effects. However, the women taking the drug for 10 years had a similar rate of death due to osteoporosis and cholesterol related diseases - side effects of the anastrazole - rather than cancer. The standard adjuvant endocrine treatment for postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive localised breast cancer is 5 years of tamoxifen, but recurrences and side-effects restrict its usefulness. Finally my Surgeon told me to discontinue the drug and I did. I took Arimidex. This side effect can be very troubling for some women. Posts: 1628 Joined: Feb 2010: May 02, 2018 - 8:00 am. Together, you can decide on a treatment plan that’s best for YOU. Thank you for your time and God Bless you for your help to all these people. Not a common occurrence apparently but not unheard … Thanks Log in or register to post comments; aisling8. Because Arimidex lowers the amount of estrogen in the body, less estrogen reaches bone cells, which can lead to bone thinning and weakening and a higher-than-average risk of broken bones. If you can tolerate it then maybe it would not hurt to continue. Important Safety Information About ARIMIDEX. Listen to a Breastcancer.org podcast with Dr. Terry Mamounas about his research on extending Femara therapy for 5 more years. 5. The study period included 5 years of treatment, and 5 years post-treatment. Side effects of anastrozole. 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