Arimidex and Pain: What Users Say

• Lea...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 26, 2014

For Breast Cancer "I took it for 5 years and 2 months. I cannot say if the changes were from chemo or from Arimidex. Changes in taste and smell persist. Frontal headache, blurred vision, cough, calcium loss - osteopenia. Stiff joints, long bone pain, sciatica pain of right leg, fatigue, wicked insomnia, hot flushes & flashes. Neuropathy in hands and feet, especially balls of feet and very sensitive tips of toes. Very dry skin, aged face, hair is very thin and breaking easily. Never got back full eyebrows, very SAD! I loved my eyebrows."

• Kac...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 21, 2020

For Breast Cancer, Metastatic "I've been taking Arimidex for 4 years for breast cancer mets. I was diagnosed with the mets to the bone in Jan/16. I'm to the point that I feel I just can't take this drug anymore, so I stopped today. I want to stop hurting so bad. I feel terrible in the morning when I try to get up. I can no longer manage steps, standing for any length of time, walking is history. I'm on major amounts of narcotics but don't get nearly as much relief as I'd like. I just can't do it anymore. My life has no quality, this drug is not worth the amount of pain it causes!! So long Arimidex!"

• oma...
• August 10, 2015

For Breast Cancer "Fine initially but within 2 weeks, severe ankle pain, insomnia, hot flashes and severe sweating. Thinning hair just after it all grew back beautifully. Difficult eye prescription, moody, tingling nerve pain in right thigh, tired and now have a hiatal hernia. Lack of interest in sex, which still has not returned. I just wonder what the long-term effects could be. This medication was one I loved to hate. But my cancer is gone and it has been 6 years that I am cancer-free."

• Dan...
• March 31, 2011

For Breast Cancer "Within a month of taking Arimidex, I had so much joint pain. I mentioned it to my oncologist, and he said it was arthritis. I said, 'No way,' arthritis does not show up in one month. I stopped taking it after 1 1/2 years. I could not endure the pain."

• Hob...
• August 10, 2017

For Breast Cancer "The first year of taking anastrozole, I experienced hair loss, weight gain even though I was having difficulty keeping food down. It wasn't really nausea, it was more like a reaction. Itchy skin, foggy head, aches and pains. During the second year, I found one morning that I could barely walk, severe knee pain, sore legs, sore bones...this is still the case, but I started gradually to start a yoga routine, which helps some days. It doesn't erase the pain, but seems to make it more manageable. It's like a different set of side effects every few months. I will stick with it, as much as I don't want to. The surgery and radiation are two things I never want to deal with again. Good luck to all of you, keep strong!"

• sis...
• June 19, 2013

For Breast Cancer "Took tamoxifen for 9 months. Extreme bruising. Switched to Arimidex. After 4 weeks, extreme pain in hand. Next, severe headaches. Each month brought increased pain in thumbs, hand, feet, long leg bones. Joints hurt, wrists weaken every month. After 10 months, I became depressed and had insomnia. Finally, I had enough and stopped. Within 2 weeks, long bone pain went away. I still have some knee pain, trigger finger, and wrist weakness and it's been 3 months. Doctor is switching to Aromasin next month."

• sis...
• June 19, 2013

For Breast Cancer "Took tamoxifen for 9 months. Extreme bruising. Switched to Arimidex. After 4 weeks, extreme pain in hand. Next, severe headaches. Each month brought increased pain in thumbs, hand, feet, long leg bones. Joints hurt, wrists weaken every month. After 10 months, I became depressed and had insomnia. Finally, I had enough and stopped. Within 2 weeks, long bone pain went away. I still have some knee pain, trigger finger, and wrist weakness and it's been 3 months. Doctor is switching to Aromasin next month."

• sis...
• June 19, 2013

For Breast Cancer "Took tamoxifen for 9 months. Extreme bruising. Switched to Arimidex. After 4 weeks, extreme pain in hand. Next, severe headaches. Each month brought increased pain in thumbs, hand, feet, long leg bones. Joints hurt, wrists weaken every month. After 10 months, I became depressed and had insomnia. Finally, I had enough and stopped. Within 2 weeks, long bone pain went away. I still have some knee pain, trigger finger, and wrist weakness and it's been 3 months. Doctor is switching to Aromasin next month."

• key...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 16, 2016

For Breast Cancer "6 months into taking this drug, I had to stop. Side effects: painful weakness in both hands, hurts to grip, trigger thumbs - bad when waking up in the morning. Took medicine in the morning. Dizzy, nausea, headache, heartburn, discomfort in the center of chest. Exhausted midday, bone pain. Lost sex drive. 62 years old. Since stopping 2 weeks ago - hoping hands and sex drive return, other problems have stopped. Feeling more normal, weakness and pain in hands still bad."

• deb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 7, 2017

For Breast Cancer "I have been on Arimidex since December. I am experiencing locked-up hands in the a.m. with pain; weakened grips and discomfort using the computer for my job. Also, at times low back and sciatica pain. I am considering changing medication."

• deb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 7, 2017

For Breast Cancer "I have been on Arimidex since December. I am experiencing locked-up hands in the a.m. with pain; weakened grips and discomfort using the computer for my job. Also, at times low back and sciatica pain. I am considering changing medication."

• Lab...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 18, 2020

For Breast Cancer "Stage 1 grade 2 invasive ductal carcinoma. Lumpectomy and radiation. The last 6 months of the 5 years on anastrozole, I began to have hip and back pain. I stopped taking it October 1st, and today is November 18th. I want to get back to my daily walk, but have not been able to due to the difficulty walking. I do still walk the dog at night, but it isn't easy. I have tried stretching, and in some cases, I felt it aggravated it. I even limp some days. It is very discouraging. I am taking 1 Aleve morning and night, but don't really like doing that either. I am hoping it gets better enough to walk, which may make me feel better. I am 60 years old."

• Ari...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 8, 2023

For Breast Cancer "Retrospectively, I had little quality of life after taking it for only a few months. My oncologist saw me in a wheelchair because of all my joint/bone problems (I had bilateral knee replacements) and muscle and soft tissue damage. I have had to give up work due to dizziness, spinal problems, pain, and fatigue. The radiation oncologist took me off the medication. I feel like the wider medical community has no empathy for the probability that this drug could very likely impact someone's life badly by taking it."

• Ano...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 7, 2021

For Breast Cancer "First 6 months hand/severe arm and shoulder pain at night that would wake me up and continue for a while and trigger thumb. I’ve been on it for 8 years, and symptoms went away after that initial period. God bless all of you, and try to stick it out, symptoms get better, I think, when your body gets used to it."

• Ano...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 7, 2021

For Breast Cancer "First 6 months hand/severe arm and shoulder pain at night that would wake me up and continue for a while and trigger thumb. I’ve been on it for 8 years, and symptoms went away after that initial period. God bless all of you, and try to stick it out, symptoms get better, I think, when your body gets used to it."

• Ano...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 7, 2021

For Breast Cancer "First 6 months hand/severe arm and shoulder pain at night that would wake me up and continue for a while and trigger thumb. I’ve been on it for 8 years, and symptoms went away after that initial period. God bless all of you, and try to stick it out, symptoms get better, I think, when your body gets used to it."

• Lul...
• September 18, 2022

For Breast Cancer "I have been on it for almost 3 years now. I also need infusions for osteopenia. I'm an avid runner and have continued with my routine. It's more difficult to get out of bed due to poor sleep, fatigue, and knee pain. I force myself to keep up my routine and have managed to still run 50k races on a regular basis. It's worst in the mornings, but you need to get your body moving. I know the low estrogen is causing a lot of side effects also, but at my age (57), that was bound to happen anyway. To me, fatigue and bone pain are minor compared to the cancer returning. I know so many women that stopped taking it or never took it, and their cancer returned around the 10-year mark. What if you stop the meds early and your cancer returns? (granted, it can still return if you take the meds)"

• Pin...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 18, 2016

For Breast Cancer, Metastatic "Sweating, stomach upsets, joint back, hip pain, and leg pain, weight gain, sleeping problems, headache."

• Pin...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 18, 2016

For Breast Cancer, Metastatic "Sweating, stomach upsets, joint back, hip pain, and leg pain, weight gain, sleeping problems, headache."