so I’m due to stop the tamoxifen after 10yrs give or take a couple of weeks…and just back from having another hysteroscopy and removal of polyps caused by it…has anyone heard of women being offered A.I’s after finishing 10yrs of tamoxifen or is that just not done…even trials about it…?? I know there are serious side effects on bones etc with them but just thinking that if we had always been on tamoxifen due to being pre-meno then would we be offered A.I’s when newly menopausal…probably daft I know but my brain is clutching at straws…in one way its woo hoo to no meds but then head says what if…xx
Hello Mary,
Well done you for managing Tamoxifen for 10 years. Hopefully someone will come along who can share more direct experience with you. I have only been on hormone treatment (Anastrazole) for nearly a couple of years. I would suggest you discuss with medical staff/request input from Oncology.
If you do a site search you will find numerous posts from people who are coming to the end of hormone treatment or who have finished. Some have written about the physical as well as emotional effects on them. It must feel like a security blanket is being removed, especially if you have remained free from recurrence.
Length of hormone treatment where applicable can vary according to individual disease and mix of drugs being used. Recurrence can occur irrespective of religious adherence to drug regime etc so it is all still a bit of a lottery. I was told by one lot of medics they recommended Anastrazole for 10 years, and yet another Oncologist I recently saw said 5 years would be sufficient. Well, I am just going to see how I get on with it day by day. I did read somewhere that 7 years on an AI like Anastrazole might be the optimum - ah the Lib Dems perspective…
Research is ongoing so no doubt over time, there will be new recommendations as it evolves, hopefully more specific rather than a blanket approach.
Regarding use for over 10 years, I have attached the link below. It does mention use of up-to 15 years. However, I think this was a by product of the research looking at 10 years and was not the initial focus of research. Apols if it is not relevant/helpful.
Regards,
Chick ? x