I’ve been on the hormone suppressant Anastrozole for well over a month now.
It is the drug that just keeps on giving – giving many and varied side effects, that is.
I am thrilled to say that none of the side effects are debilitating; and I am so grateful for that.
No, these side effects are just unpredictable and irritating AF.
So far, at least, I don’t seem to have any of the emotional kind of side effects that I was so afraid of. I have been in the land of crying at cat food commercials and I don’t want to go back. It’s not a fun place to be; I’ll just continue with my current level of crazy, thank you very much.
But the list of known side effects for Anastrozole is long; and sometimes I feel like I’m working my way through the entire fucking list, one by one.
Today – muscle and joint aches in my right arm; major headache most of the day; stabbing pains in my left boob (where I had the surgery); and the one that just seems so strange to me – hot flashes.
I never had any menopausal symptoms. Possibly because I am a FAT old lady and fat makes estrogen – so my fat body continued to have a regular (and apparently sufficient) supply of estrogen.
I can feel a hot flash coming on (it doesn’t so much flash as sneak up behind me and throw a blanket of too much heat over me) – and I will just keep getting warmer and warmer until I turn on my little fan for a little bit. The fan does it (for which I am so grateful).
My cousin (who is my source for all things Anastrozole) said that she got hot flashes but they eventually stopped and now she’s cold all the time.
Perhaps this would be a good time to stock up on cardigans?
Thoughts from a Fat Old Lady 
We know that all these “wonder drugs” can have some really weird side effects.
As for being cold – I’ve spent the past year knitting afghans & can’t seem to stop – want one?
Feel better – we KNOW this is only temporary.
I used to have some nice afghans – then we had a cat that loved to chew on yarn – by the time I realized what he was doing everything had holes in it! Little shit! Today I’m wearing a knit cami, a pullover sweater and a cardigan (and of course, jeans and warm socks), and I’m still a little chilly. Maybe I should be rethinking this moving to Michigan plan?
At some point you’ll warm up OR they’ll change your meds to something that gives you hot flashes, so it
won’t matter where you live. Have to weigh the pros vs cons here – if Michigan is calling you, you just might
want to answer.
If it’s still cold, let me know & that afghan is YOURS!