hi I'm sorry to hear of your horrible side effects from this medicine I would ask your doctor change to a different one there's quite a few to choose from and if nothing works you can have intravenous I've recently started letrizole and don't feel any different probably the side effects may come later or hopefully not at all we'll see I hope you're feeling better soon 

best wishes marie x

Hi Marie

Thank you so much for your kind reply.  I was previously on Letrozole, which in itself was awful.  I think though that the Anastrozole is doing more damage internally, which is why it's not so noticeable on the outside.

To be honest I've given up with the GP, actually GP's and the Oncologist!!!!  No sympathy re the symptoms and it wasn't sympathy I was looking for, just desperate for some relief.  I've seen more than one GP at my local surgery too, to no avail.  It took so much courage to tell a female GP that I physically cannot make love with my husband anymore and that he can't even touch me 'there', because I feel like it's "dried up and gone away" and she didn't even make eye contact with me, nor comment, she just changed the subject.  I have had soooo  many bladder infections and now need surgery and almost 11 months of treatment to repair the damage.  I am convinced that the drying out of my sexual organs has now affected my Urethra and hence the ongoing bladder problems I am having, but of course, no-one wants to address the cause, ie, whether or not it is the Anastrozole that is doing this, but from reading other comments on the forum, I am personally convinced it is. 

Just feel sooooo alone.  Desperate to wee 24/7, but can hardly go, so am exhausted through lack of sleep and feeling so uncomfortable all the time, but will try to be patient and hang on until my surgery date comes through.  Very hard when you have to go to work and you're exhausted before you get there........................ oh and by the way, I asked one of my GP's for a certificate for a couple of extra days off during one infection, just so I could catch up on sleep before returning to work and she said "you're pushing you're luck" before giving me the certificate.  I felt like a naughty school girl, when in all honesty, I asked out of desperation ....................

hi I think you really need to speak to your doctor and keep on at him to change to another medication there is a few to choose from and keep on at them until you are happy they have a duty of your care and it isn't fair to make you suffer like you are like I said you can come off the tablets and have Intrevenious option every 3 months I think the vaganial drying is the through the lack of estrogen the female body doesn't like been estrogen deprived you can buy some artificial vagainal lubrications over the counter or online from Anne summers to help yourself and husband to be intimate again .

best wishs Marie x

Hi Marie

I have tried several lubricants and have been advised by my GP not to use KY, or water based ones and that the 'Yes' ones (supplied on prescription) are suitable.  They do seem to be very good, but again, administering them is so painful, just inserting the tiny/slim capsule is almost too much to bear and leaves me in so much pain.  This doesn't solve the problem externally either .......

I will see my GP next week, my husband insists I have one last try to try and get help (just for the record, he is fabulous and so understanding), but it will literally be the last time.  I just can't take anymore fobbing off ......

Thank you Marie and best wishes to you too and I hope your intravenous option continues to work well for you.

 these doctors haven’t got a clue I’ve had the same problem you tell him about some problems you’re having pains and aches you’re not the only one that’s what my doctor said to me ! He is not taking these tablets for years in the end they haven’t got a clue what the pains are like  I do wish you get better and hope the surgery goes well, x Gina 

Oh bless you, I feel your not being listened to. I started anastrozole in July, and was told it takes a couple of months for the side effects to settle. I can totally identify with the intimate dryness, but you sound like your getting hit with everything. My onco told me if I wanted I could stop the anastrozole for 2/3 weeks and see if things improve, if they did I could swap to letrozole, but to be honest I'm more scared of letrozole!! So I'm sticking to anastrozole.....Iv also noticed the " Teva" brand suits me better than "Accord" or "Crescent " 

Is tamoxifen an option? But what you really need is a sympathetic gp....I do hope you can get it sorted xx

Thank you so much Gina & Marlyn

It's amazing how better one feels when you have people on your side and listening to you - you almost begin to wonder if you're going nuts and imagining things when your GP takes no notice and then that just knocks you back, which is the last thing you need.

My last lot of "Teva" Anastrozole was indeed much better than the Accord, so it just goes to show that a brand can make a difference, even if the Pharmacist tell you that it doesn't!

I've decided I'm going to ask my GP to put the "Yes" moisturiser as a repeat on my prescription list and will use it every night, to try to encourage natural lubrication and hopefully, that may have an effect on my Urethra too.  I'm going to discuss the variety of meds, but from looking at the forum, with the side effects of higher cholesterol levels and damaged bones, impacting on health, I really think I may give it a go to go without and hopefully feel a lot better in myself.

I see from the forum too that there are items of equipment available to gently stretch you internally.  I haven't been told about these and didn't have a clue that such things existed.  Perhaps if the 'Yes' works after a good period of time, I can ask the GP for advice on this too.

Thank you so much to all the ladies who have replied to my post and help me feel that I'm not alone.

Very best wishes to you all and wishing you good health for 2020.

I have been reading about Seabuckthorn oil supplements being helpful for post-menopausal vaginal soreness. Here is some evidence: www.sciencedirect.com/.../S0378512214002394. 

It might be worth trying to alleviate these particular symptoms?

I myself am pre-menopausal and I sometimes experience soreness in that area and this is purely anecdotal, but what helps when it happens is "sealing" the area. I use Weleda Skinfood - www.amazon.co.uk/.../B000ORV3NC . It is primarily made of lanolin and I have found it will need reapplication in the day. Sometimes I will put it on a pantyliner so my skin will be in constant contact with it, so this might be worth a try if you are not allergic to lanolin/pantyliners. Even if it doesn't work out, the cream is fantastic for dry skin in the winter months.

If you are practising safe sex using a condom, a silicon based lubricant might be a good alternative as lanolin/the Weleda cream should not be used with condoms (it can create holes in them). Again silicon lubricant can be put on a pantyliner and "seals" the area to reduce soreness.

Sorry to hear about your problems, I too have a problem with Anastrozole as per hot flushes, soaking bedsheets from night sweats aches and pains, all I can cope with but the thinning of the hair is making me so depressed. 

Anyway apart from all that you mention light swimming, I don't know how often you go but I was having terrible vaginal problems everytime I went swimming due to the chlorine in the baths and the chaffing against our tender bits. I went to the GP and was given Daktacortcream to clear up a fungal infection caused by the chlorine. It did work all cleared up back to swimming and low and behold the dry itchiness and discomfort returned. I now have a regime that works I plaster myself well my girly bits with vaseline before swimming, I take a clean flannel into the shower to ensure all the chlorine and vaseline are removed. When dry I apply the Daktacort. Over the last few weeks I have discovered I only need the vaseline to stop the chlorine destroying my good bacteria. 

Sorry if this doesn't apply to you but I would give good old vaseline a try anyway it soothes and forms a barrier against rubbing and helps to maintain your own good bacteria. Vasaline is also a good lubricant.

(no I am not on commission from Vaseline)

I also wash all my undergarments with hypersensitive wash liquid for dermatitis. 

Wishing you the best for the future and hope you have a Wonderfull Christmas