Anastrozole Experiences Please

Hi Carina

I've been taking Anastrozole for about 5 months and I'm not having any problems with apart from getting hot flushes.

Wishing you the best of luck with the rest of your treatment.

Best wishes

Daisy53

HI Carina 

I took Anastrozole for 5 years and I was really worried, like you, to take them. However, I didn't suffer with them apart from minor menopausal symptoms which were neglible.

I was on Accord and Teva brand and one time when neither of these were available, I was given Consilient.  Boy! the difference - within days every bone in my body ached.  I had some Accord left, so switched back and shortly these aches stopped.  I tested them again the next month (when I had Accord given to me) and the same thing happened.  When I researched, I saw that the tablets had different coatings and this is obviously what made the difference, so after this, my GP put "Accord/Teva brand only" on my prescription slip.  

So, IF you get any side efffects, it's worth testing different brands to see if that makes a difference for you.

With regards to radiotherapy, they will tell you to drink lots. I absolutely believe this makes a HUGE difference to getting fatigue.  I drank a lot more than normal and I went at the same time for 15 sessions as 3 other ladies.  2 of us drank more than normal and I would say, more than you would ever think you'd drink!! Lots of water and normal coffees and teas etc. The other 2 didn't drink very much - I went at 4pm and one of the ladies had only had one cup of tea all day - she ended up falling asleep at her desk at work.  I found my energy wasn't impaired at all.  I also drove myself to and from radiotherapy for the 3 weeks (about 60 miles) after work and again, I was fine.  Hopefully this will help by preventing your fatigue being worse than it normally is.

You can get creams to reduce the radiotherapy burns - as you have issues with your skin, I would suggest you speak to your doctor and see if they suggest anything particularly for you.    I got one radiotherapy burn under my breast and I think in hindsight, I would have stopped putting cream under there after week 2.  (I know now they often do shortened, higher dose radiotherapy than the 15 sessions that I had, so you might be on the shortened version).  I think my bra strapped rubbed against the cream after being weakened from 2 weeks of radiotherapy.

I hope this helps.

Kindest wishes, Lesley

That is so good to hear, fingers crossed  Thank you

Thank you so much Lesley, that's really helpful to know. I had been told about drinking lots, so you just reinforced how important that is. I've started practicing already! I will speak to the  consultant about creams as well. The more prepared I am the better I will feel. Did you ever have bone density scans? Im pre menopausal & that's a question mark for me too. 

All the people on here are so inspiring, I'm not a cancer warrior at all! Off to drink more water now!

Hi,

I have been on Anastrole since diagnosis last February and have had no side effects. I am in the middle of 15days radiotherapy after a left side mastectomy  and lymph nodes removal. It is going OK, holding arms above head is a bit painful because of stiffness from operation and have to hold breath for up to 30 secs. However have managed it all despite my quite advanced age. Have lifts arranged but think I could drive myself. Everyone has been so supportive and the staff very kind. Good wishes to you there is light at the end of the tunnel.xx

Thank you, that's good to hear. Wishing you all the very best  & hope the rest of your radiotherapy goes well.

I am following this as was about to ask the same question. I will ne starting anastrozole in a few months and have seen very mixed messages. Hope it all goes OK for you

Hi Carina 

Yes, I had a DEXA scan and was prescribed ADCal /D3 tablets. I had osteopenia (not osteoperosis, but early stages).  I still take the tablets - they taste just like a sweet each morning .  I was diagnosed at aged 51 and my Mum had osteoperosis at 50, so being early stages was good news for me and it's nice to know taking this tablet protects me for the future.

If you haven't been offered a DEXA scan, then ask for it.  I had to ask my oncologist for one as I'd read on here about it and I now have one every 3 years.

Kindest Wishes, Lesley

• Brilliant, thank you. I will certainly raise this with them. Thank you for all your advice. Still drinking water like there's no tomorrow! Also ordered some moo goo oncology products. Start my tablets tomorrow....eek! Take care Leslie 

Hi Janszhan, I start my tablets tomorrow & I will let you know how I get on. Hope the hospital doesn't throw any curve balls in this afternoon, the whole way through they have changed the goal posts & not shared all information with me. Quite dismissive of concerns too. Take Care