joint pain from arimidex - Cancer: Breast Message Board

maria konoff · 12-11-2005, 09:52 AM

does anyone have joint pain from arimidex (or from loss of hormones/hysterectomy)? and if so, what do you do for it? Friend has severe body pain especially in her neck after hysterectomy

Cannalee · 12-14-2005, 08:19 AM

Hi! My hubby will be talking to his sister tonight and he'll ask her...she was taking the medication (don't know if she is still taking it or not)
Anyway, we'll find out from her if that's a possible side effect...

Cannalee · 12-15-2005, 01:07 PM

My sister-in-law said that Arimidex does indeed cause muscle and joint pain and is extremely hard on the bones and joints but that it has fewer side effects than does the other two meds of choice; she was placed on it because it was less likely to cause blood clots. She takes pain pills, hot baths, etc. for the aches and discomfort.
Hope this helps.

bonniemarie · 02-14-2006, 01:39 PM

hi. i entered this site to see if anyone was experiencing the joint/muscle pain that i have also had. i began taking arimidex in october 2005. my oncologist tells me that for the first six months the pain will progressively get worse. and, it has. my joints hurt if i don't move a lot. i have a hard time getting to sleep then wake up a lot and have to toss, turn, get up & walk to loosten up again. my hands are swollen & claw like in the mornings. i haev to stand up & walk around at least every 10 minutes while at my desk at work. i hate to complain ---and my oncologist says the arimidex salesman says that arimidex doesn't cause pain but my doctor has found that it certainly does. i have always tried to exercise & stay fit. i seem to feel better if i do walk daily. i am taking naproxin (an anti inflamitory) for the pain but i'm not sure that it helps much. i am hopeful someone can lend some helpful information - or at least share symptoms with me. thanks.

shelley2977 · 02-17-2006, 09:42 AM

Hi Bonnie, I have been on Arimidex since July 2004. I had my ovaries removed 2005. All of my friends on arimidex have severe joint pain and walk like 95 year old ladies. I was on Norco for the pain for the last 2 years. This is a narcotic and i felt i was addicted so i finally got off 2 weeks ago and all the pain is back in my whole body. I had still had some pain while on the norco so my oncoligist had me go off arimidex for 6 weeks to see if my pain would get any better but it did not. My one friend has decided to go off arimidex and take tamoxifen and she feels much better. I'm stage 3 and i feel that i need to take the best anti-cancer drug out there. of course tamoxifen has been around for 20 years and is very successful but i feel arimidex (and it could all be in my head) has better statistic rates. i have tried taking mobic,ultracet,ibuprofen,glucosamine. i am very worried about daily living with all this pain. it is really effecting my attitude and zest for life. i am afraid that after the 5 years on arimidex who knows what permanant damage it may have done. i am going to talk to my oncoligist about tamoxifen, i know the percentages for blood clots, uterine cancer are very low. I am sorry i have no answers,it seems like lots of us survivors are in the same boat with the pain. i am still searching for answers. I will keep you posted. Regards, shelley