A tale of two 'zoles

Anonymous

A tale of two 'zoles

Atl1967

I just wanted to provide some encouragement for those starting hormonal therapy with this story: I started Tamoxifen post-surgery (July) with monthly lupron shots until my estrogen levels were low enough for an AI to be effective. I tolerated the Tamoxifen pretty well - hot flashes and some emotions. I started letrozole in September after my blood tests showed my estrogen was low enough. It really threw me for a loop. My mind raced all the time, I was very spacey (forgot my brush when I packed, missed the exit for work), and I could spiral downwards easily over small problems. I reported these symptoms to my oncologist, fully expecting her to ask me to tough it out. She said, "Stop taking it - we have two more AIs we can try." I transitioned to anastrozole in mid-November. I fully understand the side effects such as joint pain could kick in later, but the emotional rollercoaster has not occurred. Emotionally, I feel fully myself. It's a huge relief.

The lesson isn't that anastrozole is the solution for everyone, but I wanted to tell my story to give encouragement to those who are early in this process. I just want everyone to know that each of these drugs is different, and working with your oncologist on different options could yield a solution that works for you.

Jlimo

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I'm starting letrozole in late January. My oncologist has lmk that she is very flexible with switching meds and trying alternate dosing schemes, so I'm hoping to tolerate AI treatment well.