Arimidex and weight gain

[Linda]

I am 55 and I have been on Arimidex for 21/2 years. I have gained over twenty lbs. Still eat, drink and exercise the same. Has anyone experienced this while taking Arimidex?

[Diane]

I am 51 years old and have been on Arimidex for one year and have gained about 5 lbs. I keep trying to diet and keep exercising, but don't seem to get anywhere. I wish their was something that could be done.

[Carol]

Hi Linda and Diane, I am 58 and have been taking Arimidex for almost a year. I find I have to work much harder to keep the weight off, but it can be done. I find that what works best is really strenuous exercise combined with substituting vegetables, fruits, and whole grains for more fattening foods. I was in good condition when I started with the Arimidex, so I only gained about 5 or 6 pounds, but those pounds are really really hard to ditch, and it is only increased amounts of serious exercise and these dietary changes that seem to do the trick. I run and cross country ski, but I also lift weights to Cathy Friedrich on FIT TV, and I find that building muscle mass, while harder than it used to be, does result in burning more calories and thus keeping the weight down. If I take a day or two or three off, it seems that the benefits disappear rapidly.

I'd say that even with the extra weight, keeping cancer at bay makes taking the medicine worth it. I feel like, well, I have four years to go on this medicine, and if I can stay more or less in my weight range with the extra work, it's all worth it. But clearly you can't just sit back or do what you have been doing, with this medicine. You have to up the exercise and decrease the fattening foot. It's the only way. Best of luck to both of you, and we'll get through this. Carol

[Kathleen Fairfield Ohio]

Linda wrote:

I am 55 and I have been on Arimidex for 21/2 years. I have gained over twenty lbs. Still eat, drink and exercise the same. Has anyone experienced this while taking Arimidex?

Hi Linda

I have not had a weight gain. I am 5"51/2 and weigh 145 #s. I lost 10 since being on Arimidex ,but i think that was from stress and depression as my fiance called off our wedding 6 days before Dec 3 and told me that he was doing it becaue I had had breast cancer and it could leave him "damn poor". I discovered the cancer while we were engaged and he never said a word except you will beat this until it was time to get married. This left me without a job as I had quit mine to marry him because he wanted to travel and paying $ 450./month for COBRA insurance which runs out in October. So bottom line I guess is, if you are stressed enough or depressed enough you can loose weight on arimidex. I wouldn't recommend doing it that way though LOL!!!

[Tim]

Linda wrote:

I am 55 and I have been on Arimidex for 21/2 years. I have gained over twenty lbs. Still eat, drink and exercise the same. Has anyone experienced this while taking Arimidex?

Yes! although I am taking it for fertility. It reduces the amount of estrogen in my system and as a result i was able to produce sperm that i could not otherwise. I have been on it for about 3 yrs and gained 30lbs. I am a male age 47. Other side affects for me...evidence of heart disease in early stages, high cholesterol and joint pain....lots of it.

[Kathleen Fairfield Ohio]

Tim wrote:

<quoted text>Yes! although I am taking it for fertility. It reduces the amount of estrogen in my system and as a result i was able to produce sperm that i could not otherwise. I have been on it for about 3 yrs and gained 30lbs. I am a male age 47. Other side affects for me...evidence of heart disease in early stages, high cholesterol and joint pain....lots of it.

I recently read that more women on Arimidex are having heart attacks, and problems with cholesterol, but fewer strokes. I don't think I would put up with all of this for ferility reasons

[j olson]

Linda wrote:

I am 55 and I have been on Arimidex for 21/2 years. I have gained over twenty lbs. Still eat, drink and exercise the same. Has anyone experienced this while taking Arimidex?

I am also 55 and have been on Arimidex for only 1 yr and 3 months and I have gained almost 30 lbs. I still ear drink and exercise the same too, I am not sure what it means to have some effected in this way and others not. It is a battle to deal with and I say to myself the alternative is tougher. I joined a health club that has a cancer wellness program, if you are interested I will be happy to keep you posted on any news I should find out about ways to help this side effect. take good care....J

[Mary]

I have taken arimidex for almost two years now. I am 86 years old. I have serious edima in my legs, worse in the left than the right. I also have been having a discoloration in my skin pigment on my face. Has anyone experienced that? My oncologist appt is on Aug. 15th, any suggestions on what to say to my doctor? Desparate.

[Lynn Campbell]

j olson wrote:

<quoted text>
I am also 55 and have been on Arimidex for only 1 yr and 3 months and I have gained almost 30 lbs. I still ear drink and exercise the same too, I am not sure what it means to have some effected in this way and others not. It is a battle to deal with and I say to myself the alternative is tougher. I joined a health club that has a cancer wellness program, if you are interested I will be happy to keep you posted on any news I should find out about ways to help this side effect. take good care....J

I am 57 years old and have gained 30lbs since I started taking the Arimidex 7 months ago. I have lots of knee and joint pain and fatigue. I am experiencing hot flashes - again. My oncologist keeps telling me that this medicine has great results but does not know what to do about the side effects. After reading everyone's comments, it looks like we are all in the same boat. But hey, we are still here living and fighting. So much progress has been made in fighting cancer, hopefully, they can help us deal with the cure. Best of luck to everyone.

[Florence]

I have been taking Arimidex for a little over three years after having a mastectomy in May, 2003, followed by radiation. My breast cancer is estrogen receptor positive. I, too, have gained weight--30 pounds. I don't know if anyone else on this board has another problem that I have. My medical doctor had my estrogen level checked in November of 2005, and it was 10 times what it should be for a woman my age (65 and post-menopausal) and on Arimidex. I was referred to an endocrinologist who ran further tests and then called the manufacturer of the drug. The drug company said it couldn't explain my situation and the doctor couldn't come up with any answers either--he has never seen a case like mine. My doctor even called my pharmacist to see if the medication they were dispensing was counterfeit. I am thankful to be living and for the advances toward fighting cancer, but now wonder why the drug isn't lowering my estrogen level. I am considering further surgery to remove my other breast.

[Sharon R]

I have been on Arimidex for 4 months - Ache all over and feel old. Tired, tired, tired. I am 55 and feel 75. I have also gained 10 pounds. I do not eat a lot, but must now really crack down and eat less, and more healthy. I have also started water aerobics 4 nights weekly. I feel great afterward. My next goal is an exercise program at the local hospital. It is discouraging, but beats having a return of cancer.

[Lynne]

I'm 62. I've been taking Arimidex for over 4 years and gained 25 to 30 pounds. I had been on Tamoxifen for about 4 months and could not take it. I've tried dieting and exercise but it hardly makes a dent in the weight loss. My knees have become more painful and it is becoming more difficult going up stairs. I have to say that my knees were giving a little problems before due to a sport that I had been in for some time. However, the added weight certainly has aggravated things. I'm going to begin some exercises to strenthen the upper legs to help the knees. I have bouts of hot flashes that can be quite intense. I soon will be up to year 5 in Arimidex and I need to find out if it is better to continue on it or whether at that point its effects become neglible. Haven't heard what my doctor will say about that. I, too, feel like I have aged 30 years. Maybe it is a combo of actual age, the radiation and the total lack of hormones.
If anyone knows what others have to say about staying on Arimidex, please let me know. Thanks.

[Mary]

I am 61 years old and have been taking Arimidex for almost 2 years. My most annoying side effects have included joint pain, and weight gain. I work out at Curves 6 days a week, walk about 45 minutes a couple days a week and attend a yoga class. I have always eaten healthy but am even more careful now and have cut portion sizes...and have still gained about 25 pounds. Every once in a while I have been able to lose a couple of pounds but it always comes back . All side effects seem to have lessoned in this last year except the weight problem, however I wouldn't stop taking the Arimedix since the results from the clinical trials are so promising. Let me know if anyone has found something that has worked for them.

[alison]

I have been taking Arimidex for a short period after changing over from tomoxifen. I was hoping to lose some of the stone i have put on since taking tomoxifen. It does not sound hopeful, although i wonder if water retension tablets would help?

[Liz]

I have been following Professor Plant's Cancer Diet - which is dairy free and I find that that helps to keep the weight down.
I also gave up drinking alcohol because of all the publicity about the relationship between cancer and alcohol.

[p fisher]

I am also 55 and have been on Arimidex for only 1 yr and 3 months and I have gained almost 30 lbs. I still ear drink and exercise the same too, I am not sure what it means to have some effected in this way and others not. It is a battle to deal with and I say to myself the alternative is tougher. I joined a health club that has a cancer wellness program, if you are interested I will be happy to keep you posted on any news I should find out about ways to help this side effect. take good care....J
I've gained about 30lbs on Arimidex over the last year.I am curious if the cancer wellness program offered some effective ideas.

[p fisher]

my question was added on to j olson's entry. Basically I'm in the same boat with weight gain coming on fast. 30 or so lbs in about 10 months. The weight is primarily belly fat like the "Cortisol" stress ads. I have been on Arimidex for about a year and a half.

[claire]

I have just discoved this forum and am glad to find that I am not the only one who has gained 25 lbs in 2 yrs. I am 65 and very active but the added weight is sooo much of a downer. I am walking 2 miles daily and doing aerobic excersise 2-3 times a week. The joint pain caused my primary to send me to a rheumatologist but he was puzzled. I do believe it is the Arimidex. And so we do survive and are glad to do so!!

[Mary]

p fisher wrote:

my question was added on to j olson's entry. Basically I'm in the same boat with weight gain coming on fast. 30 or so lbs in about 10 months. The weight is primarily belly fat like the "Cortisol" stress ads. I have been on Arimidex for about a year and a half.

Thank you for your comment. My weight gain is primarily belly fat also and I too have wondered if there could be a connection between a higher level of Cortisol and Arimidex. Any thoughts or info out there?

[SHZ]

I am 50 years old. Was on Tamoxifen for 18mths and put on about 16LBS. Hot Flushes kept me awake and have been on Arimidex for about six weeks. Guess what - gained a further 4 lbs, hot flashes much much worse and I am yawning all the time. I also feel much more emotional than before. When I got my diagnosis I remember crying for about an hour, then drying my eyes and thinking "well that didn't help so shan't do that again" so I was able to keep myself in check. Now I find tears coming more easily over nothing!
Reading these posts has confirmed that
a)It really is not what I am eating (thanks)
b)It is important to keep perspective
c)I am not going mad!
Good luck to you all - xxx