What a lovely post, Tigress
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Iāve been on Letrazole for 4yrs and I have been to hell and back Iāve had all the aches pains bone pain burning feet all the things mentioned but it really made my stomach bad gastrointestinal pain and itās nearly destroyed my liver I had a fatty liver to start with but Iāve been so ill Iāve had scans and mri cameras down my throat absolutely hounding my GP anyway I just thought my quality of life is terrible so Iāve stopped taking it and Iām not getting any pain anymore I feel brighter and more with it I just thought Letrazole is going to kill me I didnāt need chemo or radiation so Iām willing to take my chances and start feeling well again. Thanks for letting me join I need you all.
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@jazzyjue60 4 years is a good shift. I hope you feel well again soon and have a long healthy life.
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Oh Thankyou so do I xxx
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I am so confused. My onc said 10% risk as opposed to 5% with the endocrine therapy. Do you consider that significant? Everyoneās perspective is so different it seems. Thanks for weighing in. Iām leaning toward trying again, but have not heard from the doctor.
Four years seems like you gave it a good shot. Well done, you. Wishing you the very best and hope you feel better and better.
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Thank you for your kind and uplifting words. Yes, it is a tough balance between length and quality of life. I think, after reading everyoneās thoughts, I will give AIās another try. I am not comfortable with the āwhat ifā and feel I would regret not doing all I could to prevent a recurrence.
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I have been on letrozole aka Femara for 22 months and I have bad joint pain, constipation, and stabbing pains in my knees and ankles that suddenly start up. Apparently this is a common side effect. I went to a recovery meeting where an oncologist went through the alternatives to letrozole. Letrozole lowers oestrogen most but the other two lower it a bit less so this may be why the side effects may be less but the risk of recurrence may be higher. I have just moaned up to now but at least I have given it a lot of thought over the last 22 months. I have also got high cholesterol now and high blood pressure which letrozole causes so as far as I am concerned the jury is out on oestrogen reducing drugs. I rather like having strong bones naturally but oncologists donāt like oestrogen if you have oestrogen positive breast cancer and thatās that.
Seagulls
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Yes I consider 5% a significant decrease. But look at it this way. For you personally, itās 50%. It either works and the cancer doesnāt come back or it doesnāt work. Are you willing to roll the dice that it wonāt come back even if you donāt take it? Would you be okay with no regrets if it did come back?
But do you not also flip the equation and see the 90% chance of no recurrence? Just curious. Itās hard to sign up for the debilitating side effects.
I donāt but I was 48 when diagnosed. I have a long time for breast cancer to come back.
I certainly understand your feeling from that perspective. Itās scary. Iām 72 and itās still scary.
How long are you meant to take the AI for @terry? I think youāre in North America somewhere arenāt you? I assume the protocols are the same as here in the UK.
5 years and Iām only 5 months in. Iād be over 76 when I finished. Does one wait that long to live???
Yes, I am in the Boston area.
I think about it like that. . Liz o riordan says , it either comes back or it doesnāt.
. I heard an oncologist say they have to treat 100 patients for 5 to benefit from AIs but they donāt know which 5 will benefit 
.
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