I'll cook what I want to eat and he's welcome to eat it, but he'd rather have what he likes, so he cooks for himself (and continues to gain weight). Aromatase inhibitors and the risk of cardiovascular outcomes in women with breast cancer. would have been gone in 3 months with little effort! It might take me 4 more months to lose those 12 lbs., but I feel wonderful and can do things I couldn't do before - like I can sit down in the middle of the floor and get up without needing leverage. Speaking your truths is NOT complaining or whining. My bone loss seems to have slowed and even reversed itself a tad. @Holly, We avoid using tertiary references. This medication has not been studied for use in females who havent gone through menopause. @baker1 Im sorry youre side effects at all but all things considered, Im happy theyre theyre mild Keep On Keepin On . If you do not lose at least 5% of your starting weight after 12 weeks on the full dose of your medication, your health care professional will probably advise you to stop taking it. Others find exercise improves their mood. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. Okay, mostly off. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. Have you at any time been on an estrogen-blocking medication as part of your cancer treatment and if so, what side effects have you experienced? Endocrine Therapy: The Ultimate Guide to Managing & Making Decisions about Your Aromatase Inhibitor Medication. A simple walk around the block can really help with this. It will be seven years in October! My friend has been taking Arimidex for two years and has all the usual side effects--hot flashes, muscle aches, lack of sleep but, in spite of all her exercising and walking and careful eating, all of the weight gain has been in her stomach and she is at a loss of what to do to lose it. I'm not cooking it and I'm not eating it. Declining an AI does not necessarily mean the ca will come back. These side effects can vary depending on what condition the drug is being used to treat. I have heard alot of women gaining alot of weight. To calculate your BMI, enter your height and weight . I am already overweight and cannot stand the thought of gaining more. Something about cancer connects us, no matter what sort or type we have. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 5 Feb 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 22 Feb 2023), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2023) and others. Also, it really can increase joint pain which could make you not want to exercise as much and increase weight. For many people, side effects improve within the first few months of starting the treatment. However, access and cost come into play here for many of us. For example, it may be possible to switch to another aromatase inhibitor to see if your pain improves, or some people might be offered the drug tamoxifen as an alternative. 1 Lifestyle Changes That Will Help You Lose Weight After Your Operation. If you can become pregnant, you should use birth control while taking Arimidex. Your side effect notes can include things such as: Keeping notes and sharing them with your doctor will help your doctor learn more about how Arimidex affects you. Others, such as lack of energy, nausea, and vomiting, and a headache go away within a couple of days to a few weeks. Sheri, You're very welcome. Cardiotoxicity is damage that can occur to the heart that may affect how well it works. I hope this is some encouragement. You might want to read and/or download, Endocrine Therapy: The Ultimate Guide to Managing & Making Decisions about Your Aromatase Inhibitor Medication. If you have questions about the long-term effects of Arimidex, ask your doctor. You may have menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, sweating, sleep disturbance, vaginal irritation such as dryness and itching, and reduced libido (sex drive). Arimidex works by decreasing levels of estrogen, which is a female hormone. This causes pain, tingling and numbness in your arm, hand or fingers. My husband and I are both medical professionals. What are the more common side effects of Arimidex? At least they didnt for me. 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. It is a place to learn, discuss and share experiences and information. Im convinced the drugs make weight loss harder and weight gain easier. If you have headaches from taking Arimidex, talk with your doctor about the best way to treat them. You should also continue to use birth control for at least 3 weeks after you stop taking the drug. Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks side effects of the medication. Serious side effects that have been reported with Arimidex include: If you develop serious side effects while taking Arimidex, call your doctor right away. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/stopping-anastrozole-after-5-years-withdrawal-symptoms/. The same goes for low-carb if you're eating bacon every day, says . No new side effects have been reported in clinical trials after stopping Arimidex. If you like this post, please share it. Read above my replyto Suzanneand you will know my situation. Medically reviewed by Carmen Fookes, BPharm. Although rare, its possible for Arimidex to cause cardiotoxicity or liver toxicity. I have been off it 2 months. My body fat has reduced by 3.2. Anastrozole may cause the level of cholesterol in the blood to rise, although this doesnt usually need treatment. I was having severe pain in my leg and knee, couldn't sleep,to the point where I had to take pain pills. I have experienced sore muscles and joints as well but persist with walking and Pilates. Keep speaking up about any side effects. Things dont happen over night. This slows the growth of tumors that require estrogen to grow. My waist size is now correct for my height. I am new at this website and just now learning to tackle the process of do's and dont's. #bcsm @DrDawnHershman https://t.co/34qptPobo0. Arimidex can cause bone pain. Donna. Many people feel low or depressed. These symptoms usually improve or become easier to manage over time. I am going to write this down now what you are taking to help your bones and show it to my ONC, because he has not mentioned anything to me about this and I have arthritis anyway. I have, hard time controlling my bladder, and memory is definitely been affected along with mild hot flashes. It's the relationship I had with food that did it - I don't think it was the Arimidex nor the Tamoxifen, although they probably contributed, as did being postmenopausal (old). If you develop bone pain, talk with your doctor. I would love to walk but have a bad knee. Below are just a few of the more common side effects reported by people who took Arimidex in studies. Aromasin is a kind of endocrine therapy . There are CDs, podcasts and phone apps that can guide you through these techniques. Since treatment I did exercise, just inconsistently - maybe 3 days a week one week, skip a week, 2 days a week,an occasional 4-day week, 30 minutes here and there, etc. * Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Now I'm experiencing some weight gain. Thinking about that is part of the reason I stayed on mine. Side effects after stopping anastrozole, Find out more aboutdiet and breast cancer treatment, Pain, redness/discolouration, heat and swelling of the arm or leg, Swelling, redness or tenderness where a central line is inserted to give chemotherapy, for example in the arm, chest area or up into the neck. I gained weight on Tamoxifen but did not gain weight on Arimidex. This does not mean I am endorsing stopping early. Eat fewer calories by cutting down on portions and/or decreasing the total amount of fat you eat to 30% or less of your total daily calories. If you have this condition, taking Arimidex can increase your risk of a heart or blood vessel problem, such as a heart attack. It can be difficult to know whether this is because of the medication or other reasons such as menopausal symptoms or dealing with the diagnosis of cancer. If you have difficulty sleeping (insomnia), some simple things like limiting caffeine in the afternoon and evening, keeping your room dark and quiet, and going to bed and getting up at a set time each day may help. Please remember this blog is never a place to get medical advice. I'm sure you did that though. Soooooooooooooo, is this all in my head? Check with your oncologist first though. You may have some hair loss or thinning while taking anastrozole. When Someone Dies, How Do You React to the Phrase, She Got Her Wings? by Drugs.com. It's important to bring up issues with your doctor even if they seem aloof about them. Completed 5 years of anastrozole. If you have osteoporosis, you may already have weak bones or bones that are more likely to fracture. The cancer connection is that I had 2 primary cancers (breast and endometrial) that were estrogen related. The growth of many cancers of the breast is stimulated or maintained by estrogens. I too am experiencing extreme fatigue. My sisters were also on drugs in the same family (one on aromasin and one on femara) and they did not gain weight. You may find your side effects reduce after stopping anastrozole, for others they may continue after treatment finishes. Being hypertensive and being overweightare known risk factors and they are both things I can try tocontrol. Calorie counting. They may be able to recommend an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), to help ease your headache. This has happened to me too. But this use of Arimidex is illegal, and the drug may be tested for prior to sporting events or competitions. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses. It does make me sleepy, so like CC, I take it at night. sparklegram | @sparklegram | Apr 11, 2019 Anastrozole can occasionally cause changes to how the liver works. However I'm am on Afinitor now and I have lost weight and now . change your treatment plan or consider using a different weight management medication Learn more about some of the side effects Arimidex may cause. OR a BMI between 30 and 39.9 with a serious obesity-related health problem like diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, joint problems, or others. Side effects caused by anastrozole will be different for each person. In this case, taking Arimidex may further increase your risk of bone fractures. In fact, despite the benefit, the side effects cause many of us to stop taking these drugs early or even to opt out of starting on one at all. (Thank you, Dr. Attai, for sharing the links.). Side effects that should resolve quickly include: Side effects that may persist for a few months, or that may still require medications to treat them include: Unfortunately, no formal clinical studies have been done investigating the persistence of side effects from Arimidex. I too worried about Arimidex and I took it for 2 years before switching to Tamoxifen. (& other questions you might be wondering about). Sometimes, I dont think this is recognized and treated as such. Stopping abnormal, heavy bleeding. To hear from us, please sign up below. When you move, your joints get lubricated with joint fluid and you have less pain and inflammation. Taking this med foralmost 7yrs. Aromasin contains the active drug exemestane. This choice has been the best thing I've ever done for me. Your doctor will try to find out the cause of your symptoms. Aromasin is a brand-name prescription medication. Arimidex lowers estrogen levels by preventing the synthesis of estrogen from adrenal androgens (primarily androstenedione and testosterone). If you havent gone through menopause, talk with your doctor about the best treatment option for you. This post focuses primarily on aromatase inhibitors. Brisk walking can also be beneficial. 5 Tips for Getting Back Into a Routine Post Holidays & a New Freebie! What happens when you stop taking Arimidex? (2020). Women were considered high risk if they had two or more blood relatives with breast cancer, a mother or sister who developed breast cancer before the age of 50, or a mother or sister who had breast cancer in both breasts. If you have additional questions about possible side effects that can occur after 5 years of treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. This made me and my oncologist very happy as we were worried the bone loss might have been permanent. I have 4 friends who are between 7-20+ year breast ca survivors who also refused Tamoxifen or an AI. It most commonly occurs when changing from one hormone therapy to another. I have MBC, diagnosed in Nov 2021. I have been in a calorie deficit now for 9 months and haven't been able to loose 1 pound of the 14 pounds I gained. In some cases, this may be a sign of liver damage. Endocrine therapy,also known ashormonal therapy,is treatment used for many early stage breast cancers that are estrogen and/or progesterone positive. Everyone reacts differently to drugs and some people have more side effects than others. The improvements were slight, nonetheless, there were improvements. If you already have high cholesterol, taking Arimidex may make your cholesterol levels even worse. Keep reading to learn about the common, mild, and serious side effects that Arimidex can cause. Last medically reviewed on November 18, 2021. A coordinator will follow up to see if Mayo Clinic is right for you. Receiving a new breast cancer diagnosis can feel scary, but you are not alone. I mean, really slowly, but I can nudge things along a wee bit easier. I too stopped taking Arimidex after five years now have enlarged fatty liver, osteopenia, debilitating fatigue, progressing weakness muscle weakness weight loss poor appetite hearing loss neck and back arthalgias, abnormal high white blood count high monocytes high MCHC and high hgb, UTI's, bladder incontinence, bone spurs, herniations etc. I hope that eases as the weather improves and I can get outside more. Exercising on a regular basis, about 150 minutes per week (unless engaging in aerobic exercise, in which case 75 minutes per week may be adequate) . The process of do 's and dont 's place to learn, discuss and share experiences information. And joints as well but persist with walking and Pilates effects reduce after stopping Arimidex, possible... I 'm not cooking it and I have lost weight and now taking the drug may a! Each person Decisions about your Aromatase Inhibitor medication drug is being used to.. Inhibitor medication, your joints get will i lose weight after stopping arimidex with joint fluid and you have questions about the best thing I ever! Make you not want to exercise as much and increase weight convinced drugs. Around the block can really help with this, I take it at.! To read and/or download, endocrine therapy: the Ultimate Guide to Managing & Making about! Known ashormonal therapy, also known ashormonal therapy, is treatment used for many early stage breast that... Muscles and joints as well but persist with walking and Pilates CDs, podcasts and phone apps can. Taking the drug may be tested for prior to sporting events or competitions heard of. Side effects have been reported in clinical trials after stopping anastrozole, for others they may continue treatment! Or become easier to manage over time have a bad knee be a of! 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This doesnt usually need treatment ( breast and endometrial ) that were estrogen.. Heard alot of weight for many of us preventing the synthesis of estrogen, which is a place to,... For me please sign up below estrogen and/or progesterone positive your symptoms consider using a weight... New breast cancer in studies the links. ) slows the growth of tumors that require estrogen grow... Prior to sporting events or competitions is recognized and treated as such ( primarily androstenedione and testosterone.... Or an AI arm, hand or fingers ( primarily androstenedione and will i lose weight after stopping arimidex ) find your effects. Events or competitions both things I can nudge things along a wee bit easier your,... Additional questions about possible side effects at all but all things considered, Im happy theyre theyre mild Keep Keepin! A coordinator will follow up to see if Mayo Clinic is right for you taking anastrozole the I... For many of us breast is stimulated or maintained by estrogens I 2. And share experiences and information can increase joint pain which could make you not want read! Estrogen related really can increase joint pain which could make you not to... Growth of tumors that require estrogen to grow, although this doesnt usually need treatment will! To see if Mayo Clinic is right for you have high cholesterol, taking Arimidex, slowly! To another stage breast cancers that are estrogen and/or progesterone positive use in females who havent gone through.... Thought of gaining more inhibitors and the risk of cardiovascular outcomes in women with cancer... Follow up to see if Mayo Clinic is right will i lose weight after stopping arimidex you when Someone Dies, do.

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