Crippled hands and fatigue

[Marge]

I have been on Arimidex for 1 year. At first, I felt great (probably caused by being done with radiation therapy) but now I can hardly bend my hands, especially in the morning, and have no energy. Question that I have, if Arimidex is doing this to my hands, what joints will be next? Is it safe to be taking ibuprofen two or three times a day for comfort? I'm a golfer and this is really interfering with my game as I can't hold on to the club.

[melena]

if only i had seen this post on april 24th- i too have been taking arimidex for almost one year and suffer now with joint pain in hands- my knuckles are swollen and stiff and feel like they are on fire- as you said the mornings are particularly difficult- i too take ibuprofen 2 - 3 times a day and worry about the side effects- i am a nurse and almost every thing i do involves small movements of the hands and i get so frustrated when i have to ask for help- i am ready to quit taking the medication but know that is not a good idea- any suggestions?

[Carol Lane]

I moved the Femara and have similar side effects but not nearly as severe as what I experiences with Arimidex. Yoga is helping.

[Barbara]

melena wrote:

if only i had seen this post on april 24th- i too have been taking arimidex for almost one year and suffer now with joint pain in hands- my knuckles are swollen and stiff and feel like they are on fire- as you said the mornings are particularly difficult- i too take ibuprofen 2 - 3 times a day and worry about the side effects- i am a nurse and almost every thing i do involves small movements of the hands and i get so frustrated when i have to ask for help- i am ready to quit taking the medication but know that is not a good idea- any suggestions?

]

Melena, I have also been taking Arimidex for a little over a year and am experiencing joint pain mostly in my hands. I can no longer wear my wedding ring. My finger joints are deformed looking and were not before taking Arimidex. The really bad thing is that in the palm of one hand, the tendons are swollen with a knot or nodule in the middle of my left hand. It is very painful at times and seems like my hand is trying to curl. I am experiencing great fatigue and can only work at some task half the time I did before Arimidex. I have gained about 13 pounds and can't seem to take off the weight with dieting and exercise. I have edema in my legs and especially my ankles and feet. I ask myself if it is worth taking the drug but then, I am fearful of discontinuing it. I took Tamoxifen for two years prior to switching to Arimidex. My oncologist has said that I need to take the Arimidex for five years. I thought two years of Tamoxifen counted for something and would only need Arimidex for three additional years. Well, I met a lady last week who is still on Arimidex after six years. Do you know of anyone who was on Tamoxin prior to going on Arimidex? I would love someone to contact me if they did take Tamoxifen prior to taking Arimidex and tell me what their oncologist is telling them. I have a feeling that the doctors really don't know as the drug is still new.

Barbara in Shalimar, FL

[Barbara]

Marge wrote:

I have been on Arimidex for 1 year. At first, I felt great (probably caused by being done with radiation therapy) but now I can hardly bend my hands, especially in the morning, and have no energy. Question that I have, if Arimidex is doing this to my hands, what joints will be next? Is it safe to be taking ibuprofen two or three times a day for comfort? I'm a golfer and this is really interfering with my game as I can't hold on to the club.

Marge, I take Extra Strength Arthritic Thylenol about every six-eight hours. I had taken tamoxifen for two years and switched to Arimidex. I have taken Arimidex for one year and have begun to experience a lot of joint pain, especially in my hands. My fingers have nodules on them now and tendons are swollen and painful in the center of one hand. I learned recently that there is a prescription Extra Strength Tylenol that is much stronger and can be taken every six hours. I am going to ask my doctor about this prescription when I seen him this week. I sometimes am hurting so badly that I resort to taking Vicodin and Flexeril. I know Vicodin should be taken with caution and only take it when absolutely needing pain relief. I am experiencing extreme fatigue. I go grocery shopping for a few items and am exhausted when I get home. This is from a person who has taught school, raised two children, and been very active in my church, etc. I just thought you might like to know about the prescription strength Tylenol

Barbara

[Liz]

Barbara
I have been on Tamoxifen for two years and am now on Arimidex. I had to persuade my oncologist to put me on arimidex,he said that Tamoxifen was tried and tested, and I wonder if he wasn't right.I have arthritis in my hand and lower back as a result of this drug.I assumed that I would come off this drug after a combined total of five years (tamoxifen and arimidex).I shall ask at my next appointment in September.
Has anybody tried acupuncture for the pain?

[Lynda]

I took Tamoxifen for the full five years and started Arimidex after a two week break. I have been taking it for about four months now and have been having joint pain in my hands and knees for the last month. The pain is very bothersome as everyday activities are becoming more difficult. I am considering asking my oncologist to stop taking this pill when I go for my appointment in July.

[Kathleen]

I began taking Arimidex on my oncologist's orders after radiation, 18 months now. I was extremely concerned about the crippling joint pain (unable to remove the cap from a water bottle in the mornings, for example....). I contacted the company who produces the drug about what their website calls "arthritis-like side effects" (affecting 30% of women who take it). I demanded to know if this was indeed arthritis, or simply felt like it. The drug company would not speak to me as the consumer of the medication - the call for information had to come from a health professional!

I asked to have my wrists, the most painful joints, examined by a rheumotologist. Testing showed no arthritis appearing in the joints. It was indeed only "arthritis-like " symptoms.

I didn't want to have to take Alleve indefinitely, so I began a regime of Glucosamine and increased my yoga practice to promote strength and flexibility. After 6 months, I found I could stop the Alleve, and haven't had a reoccurence of the crippling joint pain.

I hope this helps.

[stephanie]

Marge wrote:

I have been on Arimidex for 1 year. At first, I felt great (probably caused by being done with radiation therapy) but now I can hardly bend my hands, especially in the morning, and have no energy. Question that I have, if Arimidex is doing this to my hands, what joints will be next? Is it safe to be taking ibuprofen two or three times a day for comfort? I'm a golfer and this is really interfering with my game as I can't hold on to the club.

I take a cap full of apple cider vinegar with a teaspoon of honey in a small amount of hot water each morning. I think it works because I accicentally used wine vinegar for a while and got a really intense pain in my thumb joint. Takes a while to work, maybe months but cetainly weeks

[maryann]

I am experiencing significant pain in my hands and numbness in the fingers after 3 1/2 months of being on arimidex. I have been inhaling advil, which I do not like doing. Afternoon fatigue is also present. I wake at night with pain in my hip joints and hands. I hope this is not a permanent side effect!

[Sheila]

I have completed Mamo-Site (internal) radiation for early stage breast cancer. I have been high risk for decades (both mother and sister had breast cancer in their 40s). After reviewing a lot of information, I simply turned down the offer of Arimidex. I have lived with this risk for so long that it is just part of the landscape for me. The side affects would dramatically decrease the quality of my life.
It would give me approx 4% increase in my survival rate form this round and would take my 20-30 year survival rate down by 12-20%. No thanks! I will continue to be vigilant, but intend to enjoy the best health I can--without the drug.

[Carol]

I agree that yoga and exercise help, but so does taking a daily dose of Glucosamine Chondroitin, so if you haven' tried it, give it a go. Carol

[Sharon]

Sheila wrote:

I have completed Mamo-Site (internal) radiation for early stage breast cancer. I have been high risk for decades (both mother and sister had breast cancer in their 40s). After reviewing a lot of information, I simply turned down the offer of Arimidex. I have lived with this risk for so long that it is just part of the landscape for me. The side affects would dramatically decrease the quality of my life.
It would give me approx 4% increase in my survival rate form this round and would take my 20-30 year survival rate down by 12-20%. No thanks! I will continue to be vigilant, but intend to enjoy the best health I can--without the drug.

Yeah Sheila!! I am calling my doctor today, hearing what she has to say but I am 99% sure I am going to go off of Arimidex. I have most of all of these painful side effects both times I have tried Arimdex. I feel for the quality of life, visualizing good health and being cancer free is the best answer for me.

[rebecca]

Lynda wrote:

I took Tamoxifen for the full five years and started Arimidex after a two week break. I have been taking it for about four months now and have been having joint pain in my hands and knees for the last month. The pain is very bothersome as everyday activities are becoming more difficult. I am considering asking my oncologist to stop taking this pill when I go for my appointment in July.

Have been on Tamoxifen for 3 years and just switched to Arimidex and was very good for a few weeks and then last week everything went from bad to worse . Absolute fatigue , marked hearing loss, acute short term memory loss. Quality of life zilch. Only dexamethazone is keeping me sane

[liz - Long Island NY]

i have been taking arimidex for four months. no joint pain yet but black and blue marks that seem to appear out of no where and do not heal within the usual time frame. is anyone else experiencing this?

[Kathleen Fairfield Ohio]

Kathleen wrote:

I began taking Arimidex on my oncologist's orders after radiation, 18 months now. I was extremely concerned about the crippling joint pain (unable to remove the cap from a water bottle in the mornings, for example....). I contacted the company who produces the drug about what their website calls "arthritis-like side effects" (affecting 30% of women who take it). I demanded to know if this was indeed arthritis, or simply felt like it. The drug company would not speak to me as the consumer of the medication - the call for information had to come from a health professional!

I asked to have my wrists, the most painful joints, examined by a rheumotologist. Testing showed no arthritis appearing in the joints. It was indeed only "arthritis-like " symptoms.
I didn't want to have to take Alleve indefinitely, so I began a regime of Glucosamine and increased my yoga practice to promote strength and flexibility. After 6 months, I found I could stop the Alleve, and haven't had a reoccurence of the crippling joint pain.
I hope this helps.

I am having the same symptoms in wrists as you. I have little sttength left. I am try high dose prescription Vit D to see if that will help. I am also having numbness and tingling.

Maybe I will call the AZ drug company. Besides being a breast cancer survivior IAM a health care professional!! LOL!!

[Alyce]

I have been on Arimidex for 4 1/2 yrs and can tell you that the joint pain in the hands does eventually lessen. I get it every once in a awhile but nothing like the first year or two. It does take a while to go away. I never experienced the extreme fatigue that some have talked about. I do tire more easily since my mastectomy in 6/01 but attribute that my getting older.

[Carol French Johnson]

Alyce wrote:

I have been on Arimidex for 4 1/2 yrs and can tell you that the joint pain in the hands does eventually lessen. I get it every once in a awhile but nothing like the first year or two. It does take a while to go away. I never experienced the extreme fatigue that some have talked about. I do tire more easily since my mastectomy in 6/01 but attribute that my getting older.

Thank you, Alyce, for your comment. Perhaps many of us who are currently relatively new Arimidex users compared to your 4 1/2 years will also notice a lessening of joint and other pains over time. I am hoping that is the case. While I haven't had the extreme fatigue problem others mention either, at almost 60 I am not the energetic person I was at even 50. In fact, for a number of months after beginning Arimidex and noticing increases in joint pains I just assumed the additional pain I was experiencing was a result of aging.

[Jackie]

I have been on Arimidex since January. Like others at first it was fine, however, over the past 2 months the joint pain quickly built up. I can barely walk when I first get up in the morning and my hands have trouble holding a glass of water. My doctor switched me to Femara and following the first night I took it I had the worst day imaginable - totally crippled. I felt 94 instead of 54. Enough!!! I have stopped the medication. Quality of life is more important to me than a long life filled with pain. My family agrees with me. The pain in the joints is still there but it is no longer getting worse. Has anyone else stopped the drug? If so how long before the side effects went away?

[marilyntabor]

I'm sorry to hear of other women experiencing the same symptoms that I have. I'm going to talk to my oncologist when I have my next appointment this month about the long term side effects of arimidex. I would like to stop taking it.