Breast Cancer

Hi Stava, I’m sorry you find yourself here and hope we can help support you. I can’t answer your question but I’m bumping you back up by responding so hopefully someone else can, all the best x

Hi Stava

I am 8 months into taking Anastrozole and had a lot of concerns about impact as you do. I already had osteoporosis in my spine so was really fed up about this worsening due to taking meds.  However for me I want to feel like I did everything to reduce my recurrence risk.

I will say that the impact has been on my joints predominantly and its hard to know how much of that is natural aging which being on HRT for 4 years before my diagnosis had masked. I had to stop HRT and then went on Anastrozole 4 weeks later so my body has had an abrupt estrogen reduction! I do have less energy than before but again that may be aging and still working full time ( I'm 57)

However, although I am stiff ( mornings and after sitting)  it has lessened over time and once moving its OK. I find accupuncture helps me and have clocked up 20k steps per day on recent holidays plus continue to do pilates and my dance class. I take glucosamine and omega4/ cod liver oil plus I'm prescribed VitD and calcium. I will be starting bisphonates for the osteoporosis in the next month or so but want to talk through monitoring with my GP first. 

Ultimately it has to be your decision but for me it's liveable with and doesn't stop me doing everything I want to do at the moment.

Best wishes xx

Thankyou. I will do more research 

Hi Stava and another warm welcome to the forum. Sorry you find yourself here but it’s a great place for support and shared experiences. I’ve been on Anastrozole for 3 and a half years now, I don’t love it but I’ll keep popping the pills to hopefully help prevent recurrence. You can click on people’s usernames to see their profiles if you want details of their particular cancer and experiences. I do have side effects but I’m still doing the things I want to. Mainly walking! In fact exercise helps ease some of the side effects, and I always feel better for having been out, whatever the weather. 

My other point is that those of us who post here about struggling with side effects are probably the minority. Most folk on the various oestrogen zappers are very likely not getting any appreciable side effects at all. So I’d always suggest to ‘suck it and see’, as you may breeze through them. And you can also try different ones if you really don’t like whichever one you’re given - there are several options. 
Best wishes for the 19th, keep posting and let us know how you are getting on. 
Love and hugs, HFxx 

Thankyou so much .I will give it a try , I will post after surgery ♀️

Thankyou 

Hi Stava

sorry that you have found yourself here, and best wishes for your mastectomy.  I found mine was remarkably  quick and painless.

I‘ve been on anastrozole for about 8 months and despite the occasional mild stiffness in my joints (which goes away when I exercise or move about) I’ve had no noticeable side effects.  Bear in mind that in the UK alone there will be tens of thousands of women each year who are prescribed some kind of oestrogen inhibitor after their breast cancer diagnosis.  As HappyFeet1 says, all those women who don’t have notable side effects won’t usually be on the forums posting about it!  

Of course it’s your decision, in discussion with your medical team. But if the meds will reduce the risk of recurrence I’d suggest giving them a try and seeing how you get on with them.  Best of luck x

Thankyou Jomor I will do that . ♀️