Hey all,

I am not really liking Arimidex, the new hormone drug I am on. It is turning me into a short tempered, moody nightmare. Is anyone taking it or know anyone who is? I am hoping that this will change in time but right now I am hating it.

Oh, Ellen. I'm so sorry. I have no advice, but I'm sure that someone will be able to help. Lots of hugs to you.

Thanks Kira I feel a bit better today but the past few it has made me feel very emtional. Here's hoping it's just my body getting used to having no estrogen.

Ellen,

I have a friend who takes Tamoxifen and reports it makes her feel awful, sweating, bad mood, maybe it is the same drug under another name?

Please report all the effects of it to your doctors, they need to know and may be able to give you somethign else which you tolerate better.

I send all my hugs to you,

Birgit

Hey Birgit,

I was one Tamoifen for about 8 months before I started chemo. It gave me hot flushes and sweating but wasn't too bad on the bad mood front.
Arimidex goes one step further and stops the body making estrogen so I suppose it is going to have stronger side effects than Tamoxifen. I will tell my doctor to see if he can help. Hopefully it will settle as I don't really want to take more meds for it.

Big hugs. Xx

I'm sorry, Ellen.

I don't have any experience with that particular drug but I was taking Fluoxotine a few years ago that gave me major headaches so I stopped. But both my doctor and my friends taking it said that it was only a temporary side effect. Hope this is the case with yours

How funny. My doctor tried to give me Fluoxotine for headaches. Everyone reacts so differently to different drugs. I'm hoping you get it straightened out, Ellen.

Ellen,
You pretty much have described a serious entry into menopause which essentially when decreasing and/or stopping estrogen production happens. I wonder if it would be Ok for you to take any of the OTC things that help with menopausal symptoms like Black Cohosh (sp?) and Calcium and magnesium and maybe something else your doctor may think OK w/o being another prescription type of drug that has another side effect to counter.

Arimidex can effect your bone density so if you've not had a BMD (bone mineral density) test you may want to see if your doctor would consider getting a baseline one. I realize you need to be treated for your major health concern right now however it's good to try and prematurely prevent other health problems if that's at all possible/feasible.

Back to the symptoms you're feeling hopefully they will quiet down tho I'd just see if your doctor or perhaps a naturopath who is very knowledgable about working with women being treated for cancer can help out with some of the natural substances that it's safe to take and can help quiet some of the symptoms induced by decreasing or stopping your estrogen production.

Hugs from me and headbonks and purrs from Winston and Alaska

I am sorry you are feeling so badly, Ellen. I have had no experience with either Tamoxifen or Arimidex. However, the moods you describe sound just like the perimenopause when your estrogen levels decline dramatically and erratically. I was unbearable to be with when I was going through that -- raging mood swings and a terrible, even violent temper. If the drug is given to lower your estrogen levels, then it appears to be doing its job. It may take a while for your system to adjust. Do talk it over with your physician. {{{HUGS, if it doesn't hit you the wrong way!}}}

sounds like perimenopause to me. I cannot take any hormones do to the fact that my mother and 5 generations back all had uterine cancer...my mother is the only one who survived it..she had a hysteroctomy. I also had a full one about 9 years ago at age 41. It really stinks....there is some stuff I take from the health food store but I cannot recall the name of it right now. You should probably tell your doc about this and let him/her advice you.