Estrogen blockers

CAP335

I will be starting radiation soon , then they want me to take estrogen blockers. I have read so much on side affects of them I am scared to take them. Can anyone give me information on this subject

moth

CAP335, you will want to read the information in the forum here: https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/78

also, consider adding your profile and making it public in the settings so we can see the details of your diagnosis and treatments so far.

Hormone blockers are prescribed for those for whom they are expected to provide a benefit in reducing the risk of a recurrence. Remember metastatic recurrence is not curable, so it is important to weigh your own risk profile (size of tumor, lymph nodes, Oncotype score etc) and consider how risk averse you are.

Also, many people tolerate hormone treatments quite well & when you look at side effects reported even for common meds like tylenol and advil, you hear tons of horror stories online; do read the forum that I linked above for a more thorough picture of what it's like.

best wishes

exbrnxgrl

Cap335,

There are many threads on this forum dealing with the topic. Bottom line? Not everyone experiences side effects and many find ways to manage the side effects. People who experience no or few side effects tend not to post about it. Unfortunately, there is simply no way to know who will experience severe se’s and who won’t. Your diagnosis line is not public so we can’t tell anything about your particular bc, which I assume is ER+. Can you tell us more, or make your dx line public?

I have been on AI’s for 10 years and am in a different position because I am stage IV but… I continued to live my life almost completely unaffected by them. Yes, I am stiff in the morning or after long periods of sitting and I do have some joint pain but I have been able to cope with ibuprofen and cannabis (in the evening). I would never tell anyone what decision to make but depending on your particular “flavor” of bc, it may be worth serious consideration.

scaredme

I have been on Femera and Lupron shots since April. Other than some stiffness at times, the only side effect that I've experienced has been that I have gained a few pounds. Overall, it has been very manageable. Not sure if it makes any difference, but I am 49 and was probably approaching menopause naturally anyway.

farmgirl888

I have been on Letrozole for 6 months, so far so good except some hot flashes. My MO advised me to take a natural supplement called Relizen to help with those https://hellobonafide.com/products/relizen .

I too was scared after reading this forum, but for me they have been no problem.

jennyjo20

I am one of those people who have been able to tolerate the side effects of Lupron/AI pretty well. I started ovarian suppression with Lupron a little over a year ago and switched from Tamoxifen to Arimidex in January of this year. I didn't post much in the beginning. Like Moth said, there are a lot of us out there who are doing really well and maybe not posting as much so I have been trying to make more of an effort to share that I am doing well in the hopes of making things a little less scary for anyone in the decision-making process. Best wishes to you on whatever you decide.

Miriandra

I started with tamoxifen, then was switched to anastrozole. It fluctuates for me - sometimes I barely notice anything, some days are more intrusive. My main SEs are hot flashes and insomnia. They tend to come together, when they show up. I'm going through them this week, but I haven't found any predictable triggers.

I hope your experience will be mild and comfortable. It's worth at least trying out, and you can always discuss options with your doctors. Quality of life is important too. Many women here have been able to switch meds, and found a much better solution for their body.