Anastrozole-first month, pros/cons
Well into this whole thing now. Was on Tamoxifen 18mths. Had perioheral neuropathy since chemotherapy, 1st dose of tamox triggered it, unusually so. This has not gone over 2yrs later 
. Had very sore bones, joints with aches, stiffness & pain. Had hot flushes & other menopausal symptoms though these were just symptoms as my bloods shied I was still ovulating & I had irregular periods. (Accupuncture literally does away with all my hot flushes, I know because when I took a break they came back fast & furious-stopping again immediately on starting accupuncture again)
My consultant suggested I switch to Anastrozole as sometimes one drug can react in a totally different way to another. Tamoxifen was very hard for me but I was prepared to try to stick with it. However, as my oncologist rightly said, it can be triail and error to find the right balance between life quality and the drug doing it's job of preventing a reoccurrence.
I've also had to start zoladex to suppress my ovaries working, before I started new treatment drug.
My bone pain, aches, stiffness is gone down to a 7/10 if it was 10/10 on Tamoxifen. I was more tired to start with but this is getting bit better. My foggy brain seems to have lifted too in a very noticeable way. However, noticing my peripheral neuropathy playing up more with 'flashes of Fire' feeling over my feet and stabbing pains in my hands/fingers. On highest dose of lyrica for this already along with morphine based pain relief. Reluctant to increase pain relief, idea was to hopefully decrease.
How is anyone else finding this drug? We're you on tamoxifen prior to it? Had you any other complications/symptoms.
Just curious,
Thank you.
Comments
Hi Sunshine,
I have just started on Anastrozole (about a month now). I was not on any other drug before that. I also have peripheral neuropathy which just now seems to be improving slightly. I have no ill effects from the Anastrozole so hopefully things will correct themselves for you in time. Hope this helped just a little bit.
Hi sunshine,
We were diagnosed around the same time. And we are still standing
Re the anti hormone drugs, I was on tamoxifen for a year. I was still suffering the effects of the taxol when I started tamoxifen so it had to know what was causing what. I did have aches, pains, joint stiffness. After a year, I had ovaries removed and therefore became post menopausal so the consultant changed to Letrozole. It's not exactly the same as anastrozole but they aim to do they same thing. I got on really badly with the Letrozole, the joint pain and stiffness def went up to a 10/10. I stuck it out for 6 months and couldn't bear it any longer. So I'm back on tamoxifen. The aches and pains have lessen but are still there. The stiffness in the morning is the worst. The consultant advised plenty of walking and just last week he told me that the more you walk, the less pain and stiffness you get. However, the exact opposite is true for me. If I do nothing, I have less pain. But then I'm getting fat thighs and jelly belly, no winning! Actually, I've found swimming much better and no after effects but I just don't do it often enough.
I hope this info is of some use to you. I know it's not the same drug but they all seem to cause the same effects to some degree. Think it is trial and error and just the same with the pain killers. I try a mixture of paracetamol and ibuprofen.
Good luck,
Jo x
Dear Sunshine,
Thank you for your post I’m sorry that you have not heard from any other ladies regarding switching from Tamoxifen to Anastrazole, I hope that you will soon. If you have any concerns that we can help you with or discuss with you please call us on the National Cancer Helpline freefone 1800 200 700 and a cancer nurse can take your call.
Kind regards,