User Reviews for anastrozole oral

I was diagnosed with stage 1 and now clear, however, doc has put me on to this drug for the next few years. Initially, i was on Tamoxifen and doc transferred to this drug. I am not sure if I should continue for several years, my doctor seem to think it is ok, however i have concerns continuing for too long.

After taking tamoxifen for 3 years, I developed fibroid tumors in my uterus. After removal, my oncologist put me on anastrozole. I have been taking it for 2 1/2 months and have experienced a severe increase of muscle and joint stiffness and pain over the course of the last month and a half. Some nights I get little sleep because of the pain. I am a fairly active 67 year old who had Hormone positive breast cancer with a single mastectomy with no radiation or chemo. Very fortunate, only tamoxifen initially. But this discomfort is trying. Am talking to my oncologist this week. Read More Read Less

I took it to prevent recurrence of breast cancer. I was warned that it would make my bones more brittle. It also made my blood pressure extremely hard to control, caused DAILY headaches, set off hot flashes, and left me feeling very tired all the time.

Took for 4 days and felt like sh--. Started reading all reviews and quickly came to decision that 5-10 years on this drug was not worth the poor quality of life it causes. Now I am taking natural supplement OncoPLEX. I can't tell you if it works but I have no side effects and will continue to take it. Good luck to all of you that stay on drugs. I will pray they can figure out a new drug that does not cause sever side effects.

Nov. 28,2014 I had a small lump...ductal carcinoma and after the lumpectomy I was placed on anastrozole.....I also had the radiation only in the breast area with the new device that is placed in the breast to radiate that area only (so to speak). that treatment was two times a day for 5 days. They put me on the anastrozole in January 2015. I had so many health problems beginning about 12 months after that......I had loss of hair, nails, crepe-like skin....and much more. Now it has been over 3 years and I have a heel spur, ankle pain, more and more knee pain ..... and about 3 weeks ago I woke up unable to hardly move my legs.....and my piriformis musle was shortened.....and tugging on my sciatica nerve......I an still in tremendous pain....I took myself off of the anastrozole to save my life......I had many more of the symptoms, as in weight gain, blurred vision, confusion, weakness, no flavor in my food......and the list goes on and on.....I wound up in the emergency room with heart pains and now they see a lump on the adrenal gland area....... It seems my immune system has really been compromised.....I wish I had never taken one tablet and had done the natural things......I am heart broken....totally.....the benefit is not worth the destruction of my body........whatsoever.......Read More Read Less

Took 2 months to reach equilibrium of mood swings, night sweats. Now good except for fatigue. Hoping that gets better. Can't walk as far at all and 10lb weight gain but I Wil do what the doc orders, except I feel 70 not 60

Started this in 2015 stage IV the first week on I found the tumor was already shrinking, by the third week shots were added monthly. Side affects come and go but Dr doesn’t think it the meds right. Have had aching in wrist, at thumb joints, tingling in finger tips during day. At night get over warm, have had pain on side of a foot enough to wake me up. I just work though wait for it to slow down or go away for the next bout. Nothing at the same time good thing. The good this is no surgery or radiation and the tumor keeps getting smaller and no new.So far bones are good too. Prayers go out to allRead More Read Less

I have been using for 4-1/2 years after refusing chemotherapy. I have been been experiencing many of the side effects others have mentioned. Anemia, joint pain, weight gain, hard stomach, swelling. My Dr. has said we will evaluate discontinuing at five years soon as there are not many statistics on people my age. 88 years old. I would like to get rid of these side effects.

Diagnosed with Her2 estrogen positive. Had lumpectomy, 6 rounds of chemo, 33 days radiation. Started Anastrozole 1 year ago. Muscle pain and bone pain began. Doctor was of no help. Family member suggested a natural inflammation relief called Zyflamend. After one month, this eased my muscle pain. Months later, still had lower back pain and assorted arthritic pain. Just started adding Turmeric and am noticing relief after one week! This is helping me and I am just putting this out there. Give it a month try to notice a difference. We don't have to "put up" with the side effects! I am a runner and do keep active with daily walks, yoga once a week and exercise class through The Gathering Place. We must be our own advocate! Hope this helps someone out there.Read More Read Less

I was treated for Stage I Ductal Carcinoma at age 65 with lumpectomy and 6 weeks of radiation. Then began Anastrozole just over 3 years go. At first I had hot flashes but they have mostly subsided. My biggest problems are extreme pain in my feet and one hip. I was totally pain free before starting this drug. I walked fast (uphill) 2 miles every day. Now I can't walk far and have to walk slowly. I have right hip pain that makes it hard to sleep sometimes. I take an over the counter sleeping pill every night which helps. After about 2 years I started to feel anxiety and depression and have resorted to occasionally taking a low dose Xanax. Weight gain is another problem. I had maintained a nice weight for over 10 years prior to taking this drug. Now I've gained almost 10 pounds. I don't know if my problems are all from this drug, but the doctor tells me I should continue taking it 2 more years. Read More Read Less

63 yrs. Old female,was on HRT for 7 yrs. Sm. Estrogen driven cancer removed ( DCIS) w/radiation treatment only. 2 months on RX. After 1.5 months the swelling

Stage 1 aggressive cancer. I've been on this med for 9 months following lumpectomy, 7 weeks of radiation and 2-1/2 months of chemo. Side effects from this med are joint/muscle pains, insomnia and fatigue. As long as there's no cancer, I'm going to manage these side effects.

I was diagnosed in December 2013 with stage zero DCIS. Had a lumpectomy followed by one week of partial breast radiation. Started anastrozole a month later. I took it for a full year, UT could no longer deal with the side effects. The main problem was that I had joint pain and there were many days that my body felt like it was made out of lead. There would be days that it felt like my body was so heavy that I could hardly get out of bed. I had some loss of bone density as well. Oncologist wanted me to take a shot for my bones which I declined due to the side effects. My side effects were: hot flashes, extremely decreased libido, night sweats, joint pain, no energy. It was terrible being on this drug. Switched to Tamoxifen and I seem to tolerate it better. It has side effects as well, especially horrible hot flashes, but I have done much better on it. Read More Read Less

AfterDCIS with lumpectomy,radiation,I started on this med.;noticed fatigue, hair thinning, decreased appetite, hot flashes. The only one that was of great concern for me was the hair thinning.The hot flashes and fatigue were tolerable.

I am now 63 and have been on this med for 18 months. At first no unmanageable side effects--had hot flashes, thinning hair, hand pain,fatigue, loss of appetite. Now I have severe lower

I have taken this medication for 5 years after Stage 2 breast cancer and mastectomy. The side effects of extreme hot flashes and dizziness were enough to justify an earlier retirement at 63 from being a preschool teacher. I chose this treatment as well as surgery and radiation but refused chemotherapy due to it made me extremely ill. I think the effectiveness and relative lesser degree of side effects makes it a very good choice.

I have been taking this medication for 2 years and 4 months and have been experiencing an increase in joint, muscle and bone pain, especially over the last 12 months. 9 months ago I was taken by ambulance to the hospital for severe back pain (I have spondylolesthesis). I couldnâ??t stand, walk or support myself. I went back to my Pain Management Doctor who gave me another shot in my back. Iâ??ve been going to physical therapy to strengthen my back and core muscles. Then my knees started to bother me. PT helped with that. Two nights ago I woke up with severe neck pain, throbbing and spasming pain. Not a day goes by when I do not experience pain. I used to have a high pain threshold, but since chemo, it is nil. I was originally told that I needed to be on this medication for 5 years. Now my oncologist is telling me 10. I donâ??t think I can do it. Iâ??ve read many comments posted on this board all saying the same things I am saying about the pain. I am asking any medical person reading these comments to seriously look into this. Debilitating pain every day in not the best quality of life but the thought of reoccurring cancer is not the best prospect either. There must be some way to remedy this.Read More Read Less

Hair loss & loss of appetite

I have been taking this medicine for 3 1/2 yrs now. I was dx with stage 1 , 1.5cm. I had a lumpectomy and then radiation 2x a day for 5 days through the mammosite. When I first started taking this medicine I cried all the time for no reason, I knew this wasn't me so back I went to oncologist, he took me off of it for 2 weeks. I resumes about 10 days later. I have been using it ever since with some small side effects , such as hair thinning and some joint pain! Tolerable trade off for a easy treatment.. I was asked if I would remain on med after my 5 yr plan for another 5 yr study, I said yes! I also have been receiving Prolia shots every 6 months for Calcium.. I just had a bone density test done, my bones have thicken and I am no longer receiving the shots. Just oral Calcium and Vit D. Read More Read Less

I had been taking this med for 2 years and having checks up for breast cancer with cancer free results, however since I started taking this med I noticed a decreased on my libido effects.