If you've stopped taking hormonal therapy......

AmyCinny

For those who are post-menopausal and stopped taking any of the AIs or Tamoxifen - regardless of the reason - did your body revert to what it was before taking the drugs?

I know that most women who take an AI who stop because of muscle/joint pain will experience relief from the symptoms. Was the relief complete?

And what about weight gain? Once you stopped the drugs, did the weight come off?

Did your hair regrow its thickness?

Any changes in hot flashes or sleeping difficulties?

I appreciate any information.

Thanks.

SpecialK

No, my body did not revert to what it was, but I was eight years older and had been through a lot of surgery and chemo. I stopped taking anti-hormonals a couple of years ago and I will never know what would have happened if I had not experienced those things so I have no yardstick to compare against. That said, nobody guesses my age, and I feel pretty decent. I am in reasonable shape and maintain a normal BMI/weight. I had some arthritis and degenerated disks long before breast cancer, I did have some pain while on an AI, and it did lessen slightly when I stopped taking it. Am I pain free, no. Again, now 10 years older than I was at diagnosis and probably am experiencing normal aches and pains for age. Hurts less when I move more and that was true when I was on an AI. Weight did not magically come off - I have to work to lose weight and work out to maintain the loss - was the same while on an AI. My hair thinned, but might have anyway according to my genetic testing. I did not thicken once I stopped the AI. I had a surgical menopause at 45 and wicked hot flashes were my only menopausal symptom. This is now 20 years later and I still have them, but fewer, and somewhat fewer than when I was on an AI. I slept like crap before breast cancer, still do, lol! That is just how I am wired though and I require very little sleep and still function very normally.