Anyone Taking Aromatase Inhibitors?

[gah_70]

I have been on Aromasin for about 12 weeks.  I took Femara for a short time back last fall, and again this spring.  Are any of you on Aromasin, Femara, Tamoxifen, or Arimidex experiencing joint/bone pain?  If so, do you find it getting worse the longer you are on it?  I finally got off IV chemo in favor of taking AI's because IV chemo was doing too much damage and I needed a break.  My cancer is highly estrogen positive so AI's seem to be the choice for me at the moment.  But, I have noticed more and more pain the longer I take it.  My ankles, legs, knees, arms and wrists get so stiff and sore, and I feel like I'm 90 when I try to get up.  I have oral pain meds...Lortab...but I work full time, and it's hard to pop a pill and head out the door to drive an hour's commute.  Any suggestions on how to manage the pain?

Thanks,
Gail  

[JC145]

Hmmm .. I have a brochure on Aromasin and it does not mention bone pain as a side effect .. just nausea, flashes, feeling tired.  I have heard from others, tho, that bone pain is a definite side effect.  I am on tamoxifen 10 mg x 2 daily.  I have a friend who was taking tamoxifen 20 mg once a day and had pain so she was switched to 10 mg. twice a day and the pain is less.  Is there any way to split the dose???  Judy

[survivor_susie]

I remember I was told by my doc that the Aromasin I was taking would become harder and harder to take.  Boy, was he right.  I took Aromasin for 11 months.

Wooboy did it make me hurt.  The pain in my joints, especially my thumbs, my hips and toes, made me feel like I was 80 years old. By the end of 11 months,  I couldn't get out of a chair. I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs unaided.  I couldn't get out of the car.  It was hard to sleep.  I had to stop exercising.  My appetite was unquenchable, too.  Yikes.  Bad combination for me.

I'm glad I made it as long as I did, and I may decide to take, say, one pill a week for the rest of my life.  So, hopefully I took it long enough to be in the clear for a while.

Best of luck to you.

[msjazz]

I took arimidex for a month or 2 and when I found out it was causing the pain I quit. It was while I was in remission. I didn't understand the concept that it could prolong the remission though until I recurred. The dr thought I was still taking it. Hope you find a solution.