At What Age Were You First Prescribed an Aromatase Inhibitor?

I was 54 and did 5 years with no problems. If you have significant problems with one Al; you can try another, or go back to tamoxifen at that point. You won't know until you try. (I will add that if you just can NOT bring yourself to take it, you should be honest with your oncologist and get back on tamoxifen right away....you don't want to be taking nothing!)

Great thread! I am 44 to and facing same decisions. Currently continue on Tamoxifan but MO wants me to switch following ovary removal. Hoping more ladies chime in.

Hi Lori,

I'm 47. I was pre-menopausal before chemo, and as soon as I finished chemo up last month, my MO prescribed Lupron (ovarian suppression)+ Exemestane (aka Aromasin). My tumor was strongly ER+/PR+, and though it was on the small side, it was already showing an inclination to travel (SND done during lumpectomy showed I was node-positive). My onc doesn't want any estrogen anywhere that could feed a rogue cancer cell that might be floating around, so he recommended (ovarian suppression + AI) before chemopause could end. I got a blood clot in my port line right after implantation so that made Tamoxifen taboo for me anyway. On top of that he advised that the latest SOFT results show a dramatic improvement in survival rates and recurrence risk for "high-risk" women when ovarian suppression is combined with an AI. ("High risk" patients in the study were those who got chemo prior to hormone therapy.)

So I completely understand my MO's logic, and I am complying. But am I scared about SEs, and aging prematurely? YES. And part of me feels silly about that fear because it seems like it's just vanity. At the same time though, the physical cost I'm paying is for a benefit that is uncertain, since a) we don't actually know if there *is* a rogue cell floating around, and b) if there is, we don't know for SURE that the hormone therapy will wipe it out 100%. It's awful, and if I think about it too much I get angry and sad and confused. So instead, I try to keep what JO-5 said above in the forefront: "The side effects of an AI are easier to treat than cancer."

I'm 45 and can't take tamoxifen because I have a blood clotting disorder. So the dr started me on Lupron on Monday and then today I get a call from them asking what pharmacy I use so they can call in a RX for Femaral. I was totally shocked. We did not discuss any of the AI's and so I guess I feel I have no choice in which one to take. They all seem to have bad side effects but I just wish she had talked to me about them and told me why she chose that one. I am going to give it a try and I see her at the end of the month so I will definitely be bringing it up then.

Amanda

I was 49 at dx and peri-menopause. Had one period shortly after first chemo and that was it, no more. But MO put me on tamoxifen at first because apparently there's no way to know for certain if the chemopause is permanent or not. Just wait and see. After 2 years with no period, they tested my hormone levels and said I was definitely post menopause. MO still wanted me to stick with tamoxifen for 2 years then switch, but I was having real bad SEs from it so we went ahead and switched to the Arimidex. So, age 51 when started the A.I.

I started Femara at the age of 41 after my oophorectomy.  The side effects (which were manageable to begin with such as mild hot flashes) subsided after 6 months.  Right now, I barely have any side effects.  I have been on it for over 1.5 years.  My MO said the body gets used to it, and she said she has seen side effects subside in other patients.

LW0919,

I started Anastrazole nine months ago at age 60. I have had no side effects, so I just want you to know they don't happen to everyone. I was having mild hot flashes long before Anastrazole, and I'm still having them. I was seeing a dermatologist for thinning hair for about a year before my diagnosis, so I can't blame that on Anastrazole either. I've had no aches or pains and no vaginal issues. I know I'm lucky, and I appreciate that. I do believe though, that people who are doing fine don't typically post here. My advice is to take it as directed and see what happens. If you have issues, then tell your doctor.

I'm 47, was very premenopausal at diagnosis. After Oncotype came back at 20, was recommended to do chemo. Had an allergic reaction to chemo and the next week ruptured an ovarian cyst, which was very painful. I decided I needed that to clear up before I took anything. A month later new MO put me on OS. I am in my second month of Zoladex injection. I am presuming that by next week my estrogen level will have dropped off enough to start AI. I delayed starting it also because i was having my exchange surgery and was prohibited to exercise which I would like to be doing to help with SEs.

I can't say I'm looking forward to it. Already missed my first period and am having daily hot flashes. But if there are any cancer cells anywhere in my body they need to be starved to death, and that's it.

I was 37 at dx, 39 now, and my MO just handed me the SOFT study and asked me to look it over and consider changing over, as I started my period again regularly a few months ago after chemo and tamox-pause. I too am concerned about the serious side effects of OS/AI (ie: cardiovascular failure, bone issues) I can handle hot flashes and everything else, but I don't want to focus just on the cancer, and end up having a heart attack at 45 or major bone breakage. Osteo and cardio issues abound in my family history. My MO said that doesn't matter all that much, but I am not sure.

It is a lot to consider, especially since it was a 5 year study, and we don't know how it will affect ppl in the long run yet. i wish they would have done this study 20 years ago.