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Kisqali Plus Hormonal Therapy After Surgery for Early-Stage Breast Cancer Reduces Recurrence Risk
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Ovarian Cysts and Tamoxifen?
Curious to know how many other ladies (especially pre-menopausal) have had problems with ovarian cysts ONLY after starting Tamoxifen? I ask because I spent Thursday and part of Friday in the hospital having emergency surgery to remove my left ovary due to cysts causing ovarian torsion. There were two cysts and the ovary…
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Unusual side effects of Aromatase Inhibitors
Trying to find resources or breast cancer sisters and brothers' experiences who are using AI and have unusual side effects that are not on the medication list. In my case, my skin color has changed from pale white to orange/yellowish. My blood tests are normal including all liver tests. Anyone else has a similar side…
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Life after finishing Tamoxifen
I was diagnosed with stage 1a breast cancer in 2018. Having lost my sister to the same disease at a young age, I chose to have a double mastectomy and went on a 5 year Tamoxifen regimen. I just came off tamoxifen in October after taking it for 4 1/2 years. Last gyno appointment showed endometrial thickening (benign,…
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How long to take a break from HT?
Hi all, I'm finally experiencing, I think, some dramatic side effects from taking exemestane for 11 years. I want to take a break to see if the side effects are related to this long-term use of AI. Joint pain in hips, cracking in neck and back, urgency and incontinence, and now some belly fat. I wondered if 2 weeks would…
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No hormone therapy needed?
I recently had a double mastectomy and am in the process of reconstruction. All sentinel node‘s (8) we’re negative, and I had lobular invasive and LCIS. The Largest cancer was 3mm. PR +, ER + HER2 negative. Stage 1B My breast surgeon said there is no need for radiation or chemo therapy due to the size of the largest cancer…
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Has anyone quit or reduced dosage of the hormonal therapy?
I am considering to quit, after taking Tamoxifen for a year, Letrozole for three months, then Exemestane for a month. Side effects, especially joint pains and fatigue, get worse and worse and have come to the point to make me think if I should quit. Or, would there be any option of reducing dosage, like taking every other…
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Tamoxifen side effects; when do they start?
I have been on Tamoxifen for almost 8 weeks now and have yet to really have any side affects. My oncologist told me it takes about 4 weeks for them to start showing up. I've had some cramping but I had my IUD out the day before I started taking it. So that could be the culprit of the cramps. No hot flashes, maybe some…
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Looking for anyone stopping Tamoxifen after 5-10 years?
I am finally finished with Tamoxifen after 9 years. I wanted to reach out to others to see how they are doing weaning off the drug. The hot flashes, which was my main side effect seemed to have slowed down so I don''t have them as often. Wondering how anyone else was doing. It's been a long haul. Anyone who is still on…
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Research News: 10 Years of Arimidex Reduces Recurrence Risk, But Doesn’t Improve Overall Survival
10 Years of Arimidex Reduces Recurrence Risk, But Doesn’t Improve Overall Survival May 5, 2023 Taking Arimidex for 10 years after breast cancer surgery reduced recurrence risk, but didn’t improve overall survival. Read more…
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Scalp pain from Arimidex?
Are there any others who have scalp pain after starting Arimidex? I've been on this stuff since late Feb (8 months) and have scalp pain on the top of my head since then. It is NOT constant, but there most times. Just feels like before my hair fell out and hurts. Like someone is pulling my hair backwards, or against the…
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37 year old, need advice on stopping hormone therapy early (estrogen blockers).
Hi everyone! I am looking for some advice or anyone who is willing to share their personal experiences (or studies you have found )with what I’m considering. 💗 I was diagnosed at age 36 with ER+, PR low +, HER2-, Ductal Invasive Carcinoma, and DCIS in my right breast last June of 2022. My tumour was a grade 2, and was 2cm,…
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Letrozole?
I've completed chemo and radiation but when I met my MO & RO in September they both said that hormone therapy wasn't an option as my hormones were Estrogen 3% positive and Progesterone and Her2 negative. Now, they are both telling me I should do Letrozole. I've heard many horror stories from it. Has anyone taken it and how…
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Tamoxifen after ALH diagnosis
Just joined the group. Recently diagnosed with ALH (Atypical Lobular Hyperplasia). Met with an oncologist and discussed about going on 5mg Tamoxifen for 5 years. I am 52 and perimenopausal…had some heavy bleeding issues in the last few years and did a endometrial biopsy which came back negative. I have to decide whether to…
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Who has finished HT and do side effects go away?
I am new to this group. I had Stage II breast cancer in 2019. No chemo, just started out on Anastrozole but had terrible insomnia, joint pain and arthritis so I went on Letrozole after 2 years. I was walking 6-9 miles a day for a month just as I started Letrozole, my weight went up and my cholesterol went sky high.…
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11 years on exemestane and urgency/incontinence
Hi everyone. Well, like other women in their early 60s, I'm beginning to have some incontinence and urgency that I can't control. I've cut out caffeine completely (heartbroken) which seems to help; I am extremely active (yoga/pilates/barre/hiking) do kegels and have for years, but lately I've begun to suffer from urgency…
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Thyroid panel and A1C and confused a little
Had my physical a few weeks ago and since my oncologist checks so much of my stuff my doctor only pulled a Lipid and thyroid panel along with an A1c. They seemed okay for the most part but I am wondering if some of it may signal some upcoming trouble? I've been on AI's and an ovarian suppressor for five months now. Anyway…
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Cycling through side effects, worse when I miss a dose
Just marked my 4-year anniversary of starting Tamoxifen and hoping to be done in a year. Side effects have been generally tolerable, although I'm starting to feel like I've cycled through all of them. At various times I've had muscle and/or joint pain, gyno issues, fatigue, mood issues, and a general unwell feeling. But…
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Extreme fatigue and tamoxifen
I started tamoxifen last May after IDC/ILC/DCIS surgery and a month of radiation. I was 47. The first three weeks were brutal, but then things settled down. Aside from hot flashes, not so bad! Except now, I'm having a bunch of new side effects, including extreme fatigue. I am capable of sleeping 9-10 hours a night and…
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Hormonal therapy doses and outcomes, and post-menopausal status
Has anyone encountered research (or hypotheses or observations from clinicians about this): Given that after menopause, women's bodies produce vastly less estrogen than the bodies of younger fertile women-- is there any data suggesting that dosages for hormonal therapy might be varied according to the amount of estrogen a…
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oral minoxidil for hormonal therapy induced hair loss
Hello all, My hair grew back very thick after chemo (took 2 hours to blowdry!) and stayed that way through ovary removal and 4 years of AIs. I thought I had lucked out. About 1.5 years into Tamoxifen I started losing it again - diffuse loss, over a few months, most noticeable at temples and crown. I had a scalp biopsy done…
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Neck Cracking and Grinding?
Hi ladies, I am wondering if anyone has experienced neck cracking and grinding when on hormonal therapy. I have been on Exemestane for more than 5 yeas now and just noticed neck cracking on one side of my neck. No pain and numbness of other parts of my body. Hopefully it's not something serious.
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joint pain from arimidex
I've been taking 1mg of arimidex for 12 weeks and the joint pain is VERY uncomfortable. Any suggestions/experiences for relief? Thanks!!!!
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Collagen powder supplements
Hi. To ease my hormonal therapy side effects, especially joint pains, I planned to take Collagen powder supplements. But I found both good things and bad things about collagen on the Internet and confused myself. Have anyone been using Collagen supplements and found them helpful or any issues? Thank you.
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Oncotype and Breast Cancer Index - any correlation?
Reading through many other threads, it's clear I'm not the only one who's ever approached the five-year mark and struggled to decide whether to continue for another five. I'm thinking of asking for the Breast Cancer Index test. On the other hand, I feel relatively comfortable calling it quits, as my oncotype was low, and…
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Premenopausal Tamoxifen Users Need Advice
Hi All, Are there any premenopausal tamoxifien users who have had very thick uterine lining and there was no fibroids or cysts? I am looking for your experiences and treatment outcomes please! I am scheduled for D&C and Hysterscopy next week. I am really nervous! Thank you!!
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To continue with hormonal therapy beyond 5 years or not
I was premenopausal when I was diagnosed with Stage 1, grade 1, highly HR+, HER2 - breast cancer 4 years ago. Yesterday, my MO said I could be nearing the end of the hormone therapy, but she gave me two options. 1. Continue on Tamoxifen for 1 more year in order to complete 5 years of treatment and then stop or 2. Switch…
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Seeking Tamoxifen sucess stories
Hello, I am in my early 50s, had a lumpectomy for stage 1, grade 3 breast cancer in December, was able to omit chemo due to my Oncotype score of 13, and am finishing radiation tomorrow. I have been prescribed tamoxifen to start after radiation, and came here to read about what to expect. I probably shouldn't have started…
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Onco recommends stopping Tamox at year 7...no longer 10 years..
Hi, I'm 5 years out, had double mastectomy no chemo or radiation. Er/Pr+ Her2-. Have been on tamoxifen since 2017 and see onco every 6 months. In the beginning it was said I would be on tamoxifen until menopuase then switch to an AI until a full 10 years of hormonal therapy was done. At my last onco visit in December she…
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Thinking of quitting Tamoxifen for a second time
Hi all, I was diagnosed in 2020 with DCIS when I was 39 years old. I had a lumpectomy and radiation treatment (no chemo). I started Tamoxifen in 2021 and I experienced the side effects right away: very heavy and long periods, spotting, a lot of cramps almost weekly. I used to be regular but then I became very irregular. My…