Do you need estrogen level check before starting Aromasin?

Hi!

If your MO put you on Lupron, she must suspect that you aren't fully menopausal. I am doing the same protocol, albeit with Zoladex as my ovarian suppressor. My MO also didn't check my hormone levels when I started because she assumed that my ovaries might not have fully recovered from chemo. I am currently 48; I will take a break in two years and have my hormone levels tested then. If I am fully menopausal, I will get to stop the Zoladex shots. I did get a dexascan to check my bone density levels, but that occurred a month or so after I started Aromasin. (It showed that I'm already osteopenic, which means that I now take Caltrate twice a day.) You should ask your MO to request one if you want to get a baseline. I think my insurance will pay for them every two years.

Hope Aromasin goes OK for you! I've been lucky; I had some hot flashes and moodiness initially. With Celexa and time, those are gone.

Remember, too, that even without functioning ovaries (or ovaries at all), our bodies still make estrogen in the adrenals and fat cells. They secrete a testosterone-precursor that the enzyme aromatase converts to estrogen (estradiol). Hence the Arimidex, to inhibit the action of aromatase and thus prevent your body from making estrogen. The combination of ovaries that no longer produce estrogen, plus preventing the hormones secreted by your fat cells and adrenals from becoming estrogen, starves any remaining tumor cells of estrogen, causing them to die and/or be unable to divide.

Artista,

You can take Ovarian Suppressor (Lupron, Zoladex) + AI if you are premenopausal or perimenopausal, and you can take AI alone if you are post-menopause. If you choose an AI instead of Tamoxifen, the question is: when can you stop taking the OS? My MO assumed I was premenopausal because I was having regular periods before chemo. Indeed, after I started chemo in July 2014, I continued to have regular periods until September 2014. At that point, my ovaries were apparently too fried to function properly. MO didn't want to wait to see if my ovaries recovered after chemo; she wanted me on hormone therapy pronto. My cancer was 95% ER+/95% PR+, and it was Grade 3. So, she didn't bother to test my hormone levels.

If you are deciding between Tamoxifen and an AI, you may want to test hormone levels to see which is most appropriate for you. If you are willing to consider OS + AI, it may not matter. Best wishes to you!

I had my last period 2 days before Mastectomy, so when MO put me on Arimidex after chemo and rads, he wanted to be sure I was in menopause.  He said that is a very tricky blood test as hormone levels vary greatly and Mayo Clinic has the best results so even though I was at the Univ of Michigan, he sent my blood to Mayo Clinic.   I remember the script said:   ESTRODIOL     I had to get it checked every 2 weeks for 3 months to make sure.  Then I had a follow-up test about one year ago.

Bone Density/Dexascan - Myself, my mom, and sister were all diagnosed with BC within 3 years.  We are all on Arimidex.  ALL OF US had a dexascan BEFORE starting Arimidex for a baseline.  I have now had a follow-up since 3 years has elapsed for me.

Kiks1, yes I would recommend you get an Estrodiol level checked. My onc checked it every month, prior to my shot. It's how we discovered Lupron wasn't suppressing my ovaries enough, or quickly enough, so I'm headed for surgery to have them removed.

Melissa....yes you are right but I think we are talking about two different things. FSH test is to see if you are menopausal and estradiol test IMO should be done once you are menopausal before during and after anti hormone treatment. Best to all.....

I have been on Leterozole (Femara) for over three months. I asked my PCP to check my hormone levels, since this drug is supposed to reach maximum efficiency within 6 weeks and I wanted to be sure it was working. Surprisingly, my estrogen levels (estrone and estradiol) are all in the normal range for postmenopausal women, and my total estrogen levels are actually higher than the normal range for postmenapausal women (81 pg/mL whereas normal is <40)! My FSH levels indicate that I'm in menopause and I have not had a period in 5 years. I don't drink alcohol, I exercise at least 45 minutes every day and my BMI is about 20. What's going on? I read that estradiol should fall to when on AIs but mine is 16.9 pg/mL!

Good Afternoon,

I just had my levels checked with Salvia and same thing High! I've been on Femera (Letrozole) off for a 2 week break. What our we suppose to be looking at?

Thk-

I just had blood work done yesterday for the first time since I started on Lupron 4 months ago. They posted them this morning (Sat), but I am confused by the results. I will contact my doctor next week but in the meantime am curious if anyone has a perspective to share.

First, they did not check estradiol, so surprised by that.

Second, the FSH is very low at 2.3mU/mL. Isn't it supposed to be high because the Lupron is supposed to artificially put me in menopause? The range guide says Luteal 1.4-5.5. What the heck does that mean??