Arimidex and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 21, 2019

For Breast Cancer "I took Arimidex for 6 months. I have been off it for almost a month. My hands ache, and I have trigger finger in both hands. I have joint pain in both my upper and lower extremities. I have had weight gain, and my blood pressure stays high. My doctor changed my prescription to tamoxifen. My side effects from the Arimidex are not going away. I can barely use my hands. My job is very physical and hands-on. I am 57. Too young to retire, and all my backup skills require my hands. This medication is what will kill me, not the cancer."

• Gra...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 14, 2019

For Breast Cancer "I am 60 and have been on Arimidex going on 4 years now for stage 2 invasive lobular breast cancer. Initially, I experienced trigger finger, but that went away after a few months. I have also experienced slight weight gain (5 lbs), insomnia, and hot flashes regularly. I exercise every day to keep my bones strong, and luckily I have no joint or bone pain. I just noticed recently thinning hair after 4 years on this. My doctor says they recommend another 5 years after next year, so it will be 10 years total. I think for me the worst side effect is the hot flashes, but it’s okay! I’m still here! :)"

• Ore...
• March 20, 2013

For Breast Cancer "I have had the hot flashes and the weight gain. Not much of the other side effects so far. Not willing to keep gaining the weight, talked to my oncologist but he says the weight gain is not from the Arimidex. I know better, I have always been very careful with my weight and going on this medication is the only time I have had the weight gain. I stopped it for 5 weeks and lost, went back on the Arimidex and the weight came back. I work out 5 to 7 days a week so I am very active."

• Ind...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 21, 2019

For Breast Cancer "I have been taking Arimidex for six months. Insomnia is the worst part for me. Some hot flashes and moodiness. Weight gain of ten pounds due to fatigue and pauses in working out. Just recently I upped my walking to 80 minutes a day and cut out all sugar. This has helped me with the insomnia. Some joint discomfort, but not bad. Just trying to figure out what is the best way to help with side effects."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 24, 2016

For Breast Cancer "I'm on year 12! Large weight gain. Horrid bone pain...especially bottom long bones in legs and right arm. Neuropathy. Weak hands as far as gripping. Getting up and moving after sitting awhile is not fun. Headaches. Walk the floors at night, because being up on my legs makes the pain a little better. I was stage 3c, ER+, scared to death to come off it. I'm 45 and want to stick around, but wish I didn't feel so crappy."

• Anonymous
• January 31, 2012

For Breast Cancer "I started taking Arimidex about 4-5 months ago as a breast cancer patient. I'm supposed to take it for 5 years. The side effects I've experienced are insomnia, hot flashes, headaches, weight gain, joint pain, and severe loss of grip in both hands. My hands are stiff in the morning and evening, it's just crazy. Well, even throughout the day. I asked my oncologist about this, and he said it was arthritis, which I do not believe. The onset was too quick. It was about 6 weeks after I started taking the Arimidex then the hand stiffness showed up."

• 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!"

• ann...
• May 30, 2013

For Breast Cancer "Been taking Arimidex for nearly 6 years now. Side effects for me are joint & bone pain, weird feeling in my chest that wakes me up. Weight gain, hair thinning & occasional hot flushes. I take calcium tabs and alendronic acid for my bones. Apart from that I'm grateful to be alive."

• Bet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 28, 2012

For Endometrial Cancer "Endometrial stromal sarcoma: I've been on this medicine since the hysterectomy/pathology report in March, about five months. Too soon to tell if it is working, but so far, so good. The side effects are as stated by many already: increased joint pain and stiffness everywhere, especially in the hands and feet, increased weight, minor and occasional dizziness, increased feeling of tiredness. I'm going to request a bone density scan to monitor the risk of osteoporosis. It is all tolerable so far, but I hope it doesn't get worse, and I hope none of it is permanent."

• Bjs...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 11, 2023

For Breast Cancer "I had a stage 1c tumor and had a bilateral mastectomy with skin and nipple-sparing surgery with immediate reconstruction. Was on tamoxifen, but I’m 60 years old, and my cancer was strongly hormone positive. I had the worst reaction with letrozole - painful blisters and rash like chickenpox. I take Arimidex now but am worried about osteoporosis, I already have osteopenia and take calcium with vitamin D daily. The worst side effects so far are weight gain and hair thinning."

• Mst...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 9, 2023

For Breast Cancer "I was diagnosed with stage 1, grade 2 triple-negative breast cancer in October of 2018. I had a partial mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation. I started Arimidex in October 2019. The side effects have been many. I have had severe joint pain, insomnia, severe hot flashes, weight gain, memory loss, dry skin, some dizziness, dry eyes, and I’m sure many more I’ve gotten used to. In October, I will have taken it for 4 years. Though I have suffered through this, I feel that I can handle one more year (I hope). I was put on gabapentin for joint pain and hot flashes, but I feel it is no longer working and have slowly gone off this medication. My recurrence rate, I’m told, is 2%. I am going to revisit my symptoms again at my next oncology appointment. I am forever grateful to still be alive, and though the side effects are, some days, unbearable, I will remain on anastrozole as long as my physician recommends."

• SKI...
• March 24, 2016

For Breast Cancer "Minimal problems. Been on for 1 year now. Joint stiffness in legs and weight gain. Had some trouble early in treatment with trouble sleeping. Gone now."

• Pam...
• October 25, 2016

For Breast Cancer "Lots of hot flashes, fatigue, and weight gain, but the benefit outweighs the negatives of this drug."

• 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."