Estrogen levels

Nulyte · December 2016

Any women have a baseline estrogen/estradiol level prior to starting endocrine therapy , eithe pre menopausal or post? Thanks

Sjacobs146 · December 2016

I just started Arimidex after being on Tamoxifen for almost 2 years. My doctor dida baseline estradiol test and a bone density scan prior to the switch. She told me that I'll have a bone density scan every two years from now on.

dtad · December 2016

H everyone. As I have said many times previously it boggles my mind that most MOs do NOT test hormone levels before during or after anti hormone treatment. IMO its a huge gap in our treatment plan. Good luck to all navigating this disease...

Michelle_in_cornland · December 2016

My hormones were tested by my MO right after the lumpectomy, then after radiation, and will be before drug therapy starts. You have to know your baseline to understand your progress.

vlnrph · December 2016

Yes, hormone levels were tested and then repeated for confirmation a few months later, before changing from tamoxifen to aromatase inhibition. Bone density was also done prior as baseline with annual follow-ups.

Cwill · December 2016

My MO said that with Tamoxifen there was no need to test estrogen levels because regardless of the level of estrogen we already know we need to block it inmy body because of ER+ status. I also thought they they would test it. Go figure.

Kicks · December 2016

I didn't have estrogen level testing before I started Femara/letrozole 7 years ago. Never thought about it. 19 years before DX, I had gone through natural menopause at 44. I had also been osteopenia for several years (thanks to a huge family HX on both sides of family) so just didn't give a second thought.

Nulyte · December 2016

Thank you ladies! I will be seeking a new MO after the holidays. After I refused her chemo plan she basically could care less what I take or do. I need someone supportive. My gynecologist didn't want to step on toes but I'm also going to call her and request the baseline estradiol and bone scan and see if she will follow and administer the Lupron/AI combo. I'm over the egos of some of these docs and their lack of knowledge. When we asked about estradiol she said "well we don't use it to adjust dosages why should I care?" .... as a pharmacist I bit my tongue but mown belive I should have told her then and there " why she should care" .....

Sjacobs146 · December 2016

I would add that estradiol levels were tested because it was unclear whether I was in menopause or not. My period hung on through my 3rd chemo treatment, so not sure if I was in chemopause or menopause. I'm guessing that if you were menopausal prior to treatment, measuring estradiol would be unnecessary.

So sorry that your MO is being a pill. When mine recommended chemo shae said that it was up to me, and that I could stop at any time, they weren't going to handcuff me to the chair. I love my MO and RO

Anonymous · December 2016

Yes, I asked my gyno-n.p. to test my levels-2x--to make sure chemo had put me in menopause. I was on tamoxifen till then, and then was able to request that my MO put me on an AI. I stopped having periods years ago because of surgery for fibroids, but I was still ovulating up till chemo. I had no way to know whether I was truly in menopause or not, so testing was the only way I could prove it and get on an AI.

You gotta be proactive. NO one else cares more about your own health than you do....

Claire in AZ

Estrogen levels

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