I was told pre AI that the majority of people who take it do have side effects--which vary in intensity from person to person-- but that after a period of adjustment most find they get used to it. The length of that period of adjustment seems to be the issue for many of us. The other thing you are told is that you can stop taking it if you can't tolerate it. That is a tough decision to make, and I don't know how reversible the symptoms are. It probably--once again--depends on the individual. After 6 months of Letrazole and 6 months of Anastazole I find the physical aspects very annoying however the mental/emotional/intellectual/sleep problems are the most distressing. It's up to me if I continue to take it; I still hope I will get my old self back before I decide to ditch it completely. Unhappy people tend to be the most vocal (with good reason) and I suspect for everyone who hates it, there are many others who tolerate it well.
I had an oophorectomy before I started chemo in late 2016 as I was premenopausal and didn't want to muck around with Zolodex when the time came for me to start AI treatment. I have to say that the last step was a doozy, full on menopause is a shock to the system. @j9k makes a good point, if you are youngish and are undecided about how menopause with affect you, getting rid of your ovaries makes it an irreversible situation so Zolodex is probably sensible to start with. I'd had a recurrence of a very hormone dependent lobular carcinoma some time after I'd finished 5 years of Tamoxifen so, from my perspective, the hormones had to be reduced to a minimum. It's currently my best option if I want to survive this, so I'll persist as long as I can. Mxx
