Good morning everyone. Am wondering if anyone could advise / share their experience of this? Ive been on Zoladex monthly injections and daily Exemestane tablets for just over a year, following breast cancer. I'm also on weekly Adendronic Acid for bone density strengthening. I haven't had many aches and pains thankfully for the last year, but just recently, I've been getting discomfort in my shoulder (non mastectomy side) and a little ache in the neck that side as well. I did have a follow-up phone call from the Consultant a couple of weeks ago and she's ringing back in a couple of weeks to see how I'm doing. I know you can get aching joints/muscles from taking hormone treatment. Was I just lucky not to get them for the first year? Am wondering if it could be arthritus or it could just be that I pulled a muscle. I have been doing probably too much digging and carrying heavy watering cans!
I would be grateful if anyone has any advice or has had similar experiences - do the pains come and go. Is it something just to get used to whilst on the hormonal treatment or is there anything that can help reduce the aches, diet? Swimming (I don't think pools are open at the moment)?
Thanks very much and warm wishes to all x
I'm sorry your post hasn't been answered as yet. I haven't had Zoladex and I take Anastrozole, so there may be better input from ladies who are on Zoladex as well. However, I've read a lot of posts from women on here about the ER+ reducing tablets.
I very nearly didn't take my tablets because I'd read about the side effects being so bad for some women, that I thought it was everyone who'd react that badly but figured at last minute I would try them. As it is, for me every now and again I get a pain in my knee and one or two of my fingers - maybe once a month. Right from the start my thumb hurt on the joint and it looks as if it has a lump, so I actually suspect I was starting to have arthritis in my thumb, but who knows! Some ladies have the side effects all the time, some in bouts and some like me - barely any.
I think the longer we take them, the more oestrogen is stripped from our bodies - but I've been on my Anastrozole for very nearly 3 years and not a lot has changed with regards to side effects over the years. I have found that doing more cycling eases my knee (since lock down - hasn't hurt once as I've been out all the time on my bike due to the gorgeous weather), but it could be that winter, cold weather effects joints more! (My Mum had her first hip replaced at the age of 50, I'm now 54 and nowhere near as bad as she was, although my older brother is crippled with his hips and is putting off a hip replacement for as long as possible).
I have a rowing machine for the winter, but I have found that my hip starts clicking when I use it when I go up and downstairs and hurts a fair bit, so I suspect that this is also the start of arthritis. Cycling however seems to only do me good! I could be tempted to get rid of my rowing machine and swap it for a static bike.
It could be like you say, just the effects of you doing more manual work or it could be the tablets who knows! But, I guess you could test it by not doing any more digging for a while/lifting heavy items and introduce different exercise into your routine.
Naturally mention it to your consultant and see if she has any advice.
Best wishes,
