Arimidex and Headaches: What Users Say

• Pol...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 17, 2019

For Breast Cancer "I was diagnosed stage 1b lumpectomy, 4 weeks of radiation, then Arimidex. Well, the side effects are too much for me. The bone pain was excruciating, it woke me up at night. Fatigue, headache, nausea, foggy brain. I do yoga and walk 3 days a week. I have decided to go a natural path. Do the research for yourself before you make your own decisions. I just want a good quality of life back! I wish you all well."

• Ang...
• September 20, 2015

For Breast Cancer "I only took Arimidex for 1 month, after having a mastectomy. During that month I experienced severe joint pain, nausea, headaches, shortness of breath, and finally, a severe asthma attack which convinced me that I needed to stop this drug. Almost immediately, all side effects disappeared. Now, eight months after stopping Arimidex, and taking nothing else, I have quite severe Rheumatoid arthritis. I was previously fit and active. I am 70 years old. I would rather take my chances with the cancer returning than take this drug again."

• Lea...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 26, 2014

For Breast Cancer "I took it for 5 years and 2 months. I cannot say if the changes were from chemo or from Arimidex. Changes in taste and smell persist. Frontal headache, blurred vision, cough, calcium loss - osteopenia. Stiff joints, long bone pain, sciatica pain of right leg, fatigue, wicked insomnia, hot flushes & flashes. Neuropathy in hands and feet, especially balls of feet and very sensitive tips of toes. Very dry skin, aged face, hair is very thin and breaking easily. Never got back full eyebrows, very SAD! I loved my eyebrows."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 24, 2016

For Breast Cancer "I'm on year 12! Large weight gain. Horrid bone pain...especially bottom long bones in legs and right arm. Neuropathy. Weak hands as far as gripping. Getting up and moving after sitting awhile is not fun. Headaches. Walk the floors at night, because being up on my legs makes the pain a little better. I was stage 3c, ER+, scared to death to come off it. I'm 45 and want to stick around, but wish I didn't feel so crappy."

• Anonymous
• January 31, 2012

For Breast Cancer "I started taking Arimidex about 4-5 months ago as a breast cancer patient. I'm supposed to take it for 5 years. The side effects I've experienced are insomnia, hot flashes, headaches, weight gain, joint pain, and severe loss of grip in both hands. My hands are stiff in the morning and evening, it's just crazy. Well, even throughout the day. I asked my oncologist about this, and he said it was arthritis, which I do not believe. The onset was too quick. It was about 6 weeks after I started taking the Arimidex then the hand stiffness showed up."

• sis...
• June 19, 2013

For Breast Cancer "Took tamoxifen for 9 months. Extreme bruising. Switched to Arimidex. After 4 weeks, extreme pain in hand. Next, severe headaches. Each month brought increased pain in thumbs, hand, feet, long leg bones. Joints hurt, wrists weaken every month. After 10 months, I became depressed and had insomnia. Finally, I had enough and stopped. Within 2 weeks, long bone pain went away. I still have some knee pain, trigger finger, and wrist weakness and it's been 3 months. Doctor is switching to Aromasin next month."

• key...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 16, 2016

For Breast Cancer "6 months into taking this drug, I had to stop. Side effects: painful weakness in both hands, hurts to grip, trigger thumbs - bad when waking up in the morning. Took medicine in the morning. Dizzy, nausea, headache, heartburn, discomfort in the center of chest. Exhausted midday, bone pain. Lost sex drive. 62 years old. Since stopping 2 weeks ago - hoping hands and sex drive return, other problems have stopped. Feeling more normal, weakness and pain in hands still bad."

• Fin...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 12, 2019

For Breast Cancer "Had stage 3 HER positive. Been on Arimidex for over 5 years. Just stopped taking it, had all the side effects mentioned in early posts. I have been off it for only 8 days, but for the last two days have felt sick & really bad headaches. Is this like withdrawal symptoms? Has anybody else had this?"

• Hot...
• March 20, 2015

For Breast Cancer, Metastatic "Was taking it for 6 months. Side effects were bad: headaches, every bone joint ached and stiff. Moody, depressed, and memory was bad. Will be going on tamoxifen, hope it's not as bad."

• Pin...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 18, 2016

For Breast Cancer, Metastatic "Sweating, stomach upsets, joint back, hip pain, and leg pain, weight gain, sleeping problems, headache."