Tamoxifen or Letrozole???
Hi everyone, just wondering if anyone has an opinion or any knowledge regarding tamoxifen and letrozole. I have just started taking tamoxifen around a month ago but then my oncologist realised he hadn...
Forum Discussion
Hi @dougal,
It’s good to have choices. I started off on Tamoxifen after active treatment at the age of 47. I was in chemo induced menopause but had not been menopausal before diagnosis and treatment. After 18 months on Tamoxifen my periods returned and,due to my particular circumstances, it was decided that having my ovaries removed was the best thing to do. I finished up my Tamoxifen scripts and then changed to Letrozole at the 2 year mark.
Letrozole does give a bit better protection against recurrence and this may vary according to your pathology and individual risk of recurrence. I had a few side effects that seemed to settle at the 6 month mark but bone density was a problem for me. The first 12 months on Letrozole resulted in my bone density plummeting to osteoporosis levels. I reversed that with a weightlifting program and was managing pretty well on Letrozole until recently.
After 3 years and 3 months on Letrozole my oncologist considered that my increasing side effects warranted a change back to Tamoxifen. She has given me a month off everything to let my body rest and recover a bit. I start back on Tamoxifen next week.
I would definitely recommend having a bone density test to see where you are with that. My specialists had me undergo bone density tests at 12 month intervals because this was a problem for me. Tamoxifen will actually help this issue, along with a couple of others I have experienced with Letrozole. It still gives very good protection recurrence wise too.
The aim for me is 10 years anti hormone therapy. I am over halfway now and hopefully Tamoxifen will get me to that point, keeping me both cancer-free and in reasonable general health.
Good idea to find out all you can about your choices so that you can make the best choice for you. Good luck and take care. Deanne xxx
It’s good to have choices. I started off on Tamoxifen after active treatment at the age of 47. I was in chemo induced menopause but had not been menopausal before diagnosis and treatment. After 18 months on Tamoxifen my periods returned and,due to my particular circumstances, it was decided that having my ovaries removed was the best thing to do. I finished up my Tamoxifen scripts and then changed to Letrozole at the 2 year mark.
Letrozole does give a bit better protection against recurrence and this may vary according to your pathology and individual risk of recurrence. I had a few side effects that seemed to settle at the 6 month mark but bone density was a problem for me. The first 12 months on Letrozole resulted in my bone density plummeting to osteoporosis levels. I reversed that with a weightlifting program and was managing pretty well on Letrozole until recently.
After 3 years and 3 months on Letrozole my oncologist considered that my increasing side effects warranted a change back to Tamoxifen. She has given me a month off everything to let my body rest and recover a bit. I start back on Tamoxifen next week.
I would definitely recommend having a bone density test to see where you are with that. My specialists had me undergo bone density tests at 12 month intervals because this was a problem for me. Tamoxifen will actually help this issue, along with a couple of others I have experienced with Letrozole. It still gives very good protection recurrence wise too.
The aim for me is 10 years anti hormone therapy. I am over halfway now and hopefully Tamoxifen will get me to that point, keeping me both cancer-free and in reasonable general health.
Good idea to find out all you can about your choices so that you can make the best choice for you. Good luck and take care. Deanne xxx