Tamoxifen

Hi Tonya, tell me to mind my own business if you like but I'm just curious about why you are on tamoxifen instead of an aromatase inhinitor. It seems to me that oncologists are very keen to put us on AIs if we're post menopause. Did you make a conscious decision to take tamoxifen instead because of the AI side effects?

I've been on tamoxifen myself about 10 months now but I haven't had a period for about 11 months so I suppose I'm post menopause now. Last time I saw my oncologist - a couple of months ago - she suggested testing my eostrogen levels with a view to switching me to an AI. I said I didn't want to switch because the side effects sound terrible and tamoxifen isn't causing me major problems. I'd prefer to stick with the devil I know I suppose. (I felt that I did have sleeping issues earlier in the year but that seems to have resolved itself).) She just sort of shrugged. She didn't really try to convince me to make the switch so I'm assuming it wouldn't make much difference in terms of preventing a recurrance. And that is what I've read online ie that the AIs are only slightly better in preventing recurrance in post-menopausal women.

I do worry a bit about the uterine/endometiral cancer thing though. When I raised the issue of having a pelvic ultrasound after a year or two my oncologist said it would show thickening anyway because of the tamoxifen, lead to a D&C and basically be a waste of time and money. So I'm assuming I'm not going to get a referral from her. Have you had regular ultrasounds? Janet.