Hi, I had breast cancer 14 years ago, had two wide excisions, six weeks of radiotherapy and was on Tamoxifen for 3 years. My oncologist then changed it to Exemestane, but I ended up with such severe joint pain I asked to go back on Tamoxifen, which I took for another 2 years. In February this year the cancer returned (on the edge of the scar but over the sternum). I was immediately put on Letrozole. I had another wide local excision in April. The tumour was caught early and only stage 1. Now I am experiencing severe joint pain again, all down one side. I have been advised to stop taking the Letrozole for two weeks to see if there is a dramatic improvement. After one week there has been a real improvement so I am reluctant to go back on Letrozole. I am post-menopausal and the cancer was oestrogen receptive. Is Tamoxifen the best alternative? I have read that it is less effective than Letrozole. Thanks.
Hi, just saw your post,I had breast cancer for the first time in 1998 and after chemo I was on tamoxifen for five years the only real side effect was hair thinning and as I was only 32 at the time I went into the menopause and periods stopped, I was on it for five years and my periods returned afterwards unfortunately. Last year I was diagnosed with recurrence in my left breast so had mastectomy they also found a small cancerous area in my right breast which I had a wle and sentinel node removal no chemo this time due to low oncotype score but I have been on anastrazole since October as I am now 53 and menopausal. The only side effects my oncologist told me about before I went on it was bone thinning and joint pain, I had bone density xray before I started which was OK and I have not had any joint pain only stiffness, might be an option for you to discuss withyour doctors ? Anastrazole does occasionally make me feel drowsy in the late afternoon evening as I take it in the morning, it causes all the usual symptons like hot flushes and sleep disturbance, headaches to begin with but I have been on it for 7 months now and these are settling down now, I have to be on it for ten years, my drs told me that tamoxifen is usually only given to pre menopausal women when I asked if I would be going on it,