Arthritis flareup on Ibrance and Anastrozole and Zometa

[Dragonfly2]

Hello Ladies! I've just gone through my one year anniversary of being diagnosed with MBC...and am feeling relatively well. I can walk for at least a mile, play golf, and am relatively active for an almost 68 year old woman.

My most recent development is a painful flare up of arthritis in my hands, especially the thumbs and wrist. I know that golf can put a big strain on hands but I'm wondering if the meds have an effect on ongoing osteoarthritis. I hate doing sewing work now and in the morning especially y hands feel like stiff claws until I warm them up in hot water while washing up.

A recent article about the efficacy of low dose aspirin for MBC makes me think I should pursue this if not for the cancer, then maybe to get help with the arthritis. I am currently taking Naproxen in the morning with food and loratadine to deal with the bone aches from the zometa. Does anyone have a similar experience and what have you done? thank you so much for being their for us!

[Verbena1]

You sound great, and I love how active you are, very inspiring.

I understand what you’re dealing with! I was on anastrozole for almost a year and I had horrible arthritic symptoms, I could barely open my hands sometimes and for some reason my thumb down to the wrist was really painful and felt like I pulled it, for weeks I couldn’t use that hand. It’s still really tight but honestly not the worst of the side effects, so I just feel grateful it’s not like it was, although there’s still stiffness and pain in my hands…some of it subsided after I stopped the anastrozole, but I’m now newly on ibrance now so the jury is still out on symptoms from it.

(Ps I’m 50 and never had any arthritis symptoms - maybe some stiffness after I did exercises using my hands, but nothing like this!)

Lupron/eligard shots each month are also a contributing factor to the stiffness and/ or joint pain, from what I understand and I can’t wait until the day I’m off of it. For me it won’t happen until they’re sure I’m in menopause. God only knows when that will kick in~

Like you, it’s mostly throughout the night and in the am that the pain and stiffness is really bad, just until I can move them for a bit, then I’m fine.

I’ll follow here to see what solutions others might have for you. Good luck to you!

[Dragonfly2 in reply to Verbena1]

yes, you are at the age when I was first diagnosed with stage 1 BC...i took tamoxifen for about 7 years and finally begged to get off it because of the symptoms...but now I have regrets ...well, I think that's why it came back ...but that's all water under the bridge. I guess we just have to grin and bear it since the alternative is not good. Bless you for answering and continue to stay well...you have a long life ahead of you!

[Hidden]

Glad you are doing well a year on from diagnosis.

Inflammation in your body fuels arthritis and cancer so I would look to see how you could switch up your diet to more of a Mediterranean diet which has been shown to help in both areas. Chris Woollams has a great book and a lot of research on this ~ he runs a website called Cancer Active where you will find lots of advice and information and can get his book

There is lots of research on the benefits of low dose aspirin 75mg ~ I tried taking it but due to the impact of the Ibrance/palbociclib I found it exacerbated my symptoms of things like nose bleeds (as it is an anti/coagulant) but my husband who is some years on from his diagnosis and is NED (no evidence of disease) pulses it so I’m be takes it one month on one month off.

[Dragonfly2]

Thank you for reminding me about the diet…and I will look into Cancer Active..than’ yiu so much!