I felt ‘puffy’ after about a week. My oncologist said the biggest complaint he hears is weight gain around the middle. Then I had bone pain from my neck to my toes. I stopped and took a 2 week break after a couple of months because it was making me feel depressed. Now I just take it every other day. The bone pain is better. I still have that depressed feeling but I also don’t sleep much because it causes insomnia and hot flashes. I’m sure the depression is because I’m always exhausted. Not everyone gets side effects. Start it feeling positive. Acupuncture is supposed to really help. .

Bless you - I understand completely the hurdles you are facing. Maybe you are also feeling anxiety from the whole experience as well. Having had a cancer diagnosis, enduring the treatment and then the follow up appointments that cause total 'scanxiety' you will be consumed by the fact that your life is never quite going to be the same again. It's a kind of grief process for your pre-cancer life. You are in turmoil and all that was - will never be the same again as now you have doubts. Where once upon a time you knew your body was OK, now you do not know for sure if there could be another one lurking inside somewhere. The thing that you should be immensely proud of is that you have travelled along this journey and so far so good. Your puppy is helping you to find yourself again, do not give up trying to take steps to the new you. You are a phoenix and will overcome anything you put your mind to.
I live in the UK so our healthcare system isn't the same, we do not rely on health insurance but are restricted to what is available on the NHS.
Maybe you could contact the DMV and see if they make special arrangements for people that are recovering from cancer, if they do, take advantage of it.
Look for things that soothe you, that make you feel better about yourself and this whirlwind will slow down and everything you achieve will make you stronger.

@A MyBCTeam Member my distraction right now is my new puppy. I woke up stiff from anastrozole and back pain from tearing my ligaments in my lower back 4 years ago. But I had to get up and take him out. It got me moving and loosening things up. I honestly didn’t think I could take care of him because when I sit down at the end of the day it’s painful to even get up to pee. Put he’s been good for me. My oncologist said acupuncture may be covered by insurance because it’s to help cancer pain. I haven’t tried it because ever since I started anastrozole I feel terrible anxiety every time I leave the house. The last thing I want is another appointment to go to. If I leave the house with a list of things to do I can’t even get half of them done because I want to go home. My drivers license expired in August and I can’t even stand the thought of standing on line at the DMV. 😩

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A MyBCTea...

I stopped anastrozole in September after taking it for a year. The extreme fatigue,hot flashes and then breaking my wrist (lifting a pot) were too much. I now have to see a endocrinologist

Hey friend <3! I’ve been on it a year. Like you, I started shortly after the hysterectomy, so I am not sure what was from menopause and what was from Arimidex. I have definitely gained weight around the middle. The bone pain bothers me frequently. I take meds to counter it. The night sweats were really bad for me also. I was prescribed Brisdelle to help with that and while they aren’t resolved, they are much better. I’m very tired. I seem to require extra sleep. I was taking 20 mg melatonin that is also supposed to be a breast cancer prophylactic, but I stopped taking that. I don’t fee any more energy since I stopped taking the melatonin. Some people tolerate it better than Tamoxifen. I believe it has less drug interactions. Message me if you need anything. I’m still seeing Dr. Sidloski at the cancer center and see Dr. Warner in a couple of weeks.