Terrified of Hormone Therapy

Thankyou both for taking the time to share - have been distraught and need to calm down and think -was diagnosed Feb was fine thru it all but hit the wall now - am grateful to have been able to talk  to someone else going thru it

@Romla OK....so I'm 19 months post chemo, I have ER+ Breast Cancer, this is my 2nd diagnosis in 6yrs a recurrence. I am currently on Aromasin, switched in the last couple of months from Arimidex. I too have Osteoporosis in my spine and I have had 2 prolia injections so far 6 monthly. Hmmm not sure what horror stories you've read? My side effects are tough mostly due to chemo than anything.. BUT I've never felt better honestly. Yes I have joint pain and its impacted by the medication. I work with an Exercise Physiologist and has done wonders for me! 

I say, give it all a go, if you feel its no good for you then stop, can't go by what you read or someone elses experience, we all react so differently. I honestly say to you that for me the side effects havent been bad enough for me to stop taking it. Annoying and wears me down at times, yes sure. I was on Tamoxifen for 4yrs with no side effects. 

I also take Magnesium, Caltrate in powder form every morning, Vit D/C. Ive gone 3 days without panadol osteo, very odd LOL.

So I say try and make up your own mind, prolia injections are nothing. Hugs Melinda xo

Tamxofen proven ...not aramatose inhibitors? Sounds very much like your Dr is out of touch in cancer research. Be guided by your oncologist but raise concerns about worry of a stroke. 

The link below describes when it is used instead of tamoxifen. 
http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/hormonal/aromatase_inhibitors

Thank you for your wise words and information 

The risk with Google is that you can get the "horror stories" and not the success of the medication. All medication has potential risk factors, just look up panadol, but that doesn't mean we will experience the side effects.  You could consider oral meds instead for osteoporosis  such as fosamax but that can be a real hassle compared to 5 minutes at the Drs for an injection twice a year and takes longer to show improvement.  

I guess you need to weigh up the risks.

1. You already know you have osteoporosis and a very real risk of future compression fractures of the spine with or without an aramatose inhibitor.

2. Find out the statistical improvement of recurrence of breast cancer with or without an aramatose inhibitor.

3. Understand how prolio actually works and reversal of issues if they do arrive. (I have included a link to a real clinical trial report. ..not easy reading but the conclusion helps.)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3387828/#!po=32.5688

4. Find out ways you can improve your bone health on top of prolio for long term improvement. There is a on-line and face to face program you could do which will also help.  I've included a link but there are probably more.

http://onero.com.au

Not all women taking an aramatose inhibitor have major issues. Others do. But we actually won't know until we take it. I personally had stiff ankles and hands for a few months but it has improved and I hardly notice it at all now. Dryness was initially a problem too but my body has pretty much adjusted. I have osteopenia so am not entitled as yet to prolio but intend to have it once bone loss gets there. Having both a mother and grandmother and sisters with multiple fractures (unrelated to bc treatment but to osteoporosis ) their quality of life was seriously more effected by those effects than what taking the drug did (not started until after the fractures as they didn't know until then)

Best of luck with your decision. Kath x

Dr does not want me have it as have had 2 mini strokes - worried about bone strengthening injections mainly but feel tamoxifen proven not aromatase 

Are you able to take Tamoxifen? It doesn't affect bone density.