What are the side effects of hormone blockers after breast cancer surgery?

Hormone blockers can indeed cause menopausal-like side effects including hot flashes, mood changes, and sleep disruptions, which can feel especially challenging when you've already been through menopause naturally. Many members here have shared helpful strategies for managing these symptoms, and your care team can work with you to find approaches that minimize discomfort while protecting your health. Having concerns about treatment side effects is completely normal, and this community is here to support you through both the upcoming surgery and the journey ahead.

Elizabeth, request a Tempus XT blood test, to determine if you have the PIK3CA mutation. If you do, and a lot of us that are HR+ her2- do, endocrine therapy will be of limited benefit. I was put on letrozole, which I could not tolerate, and then tamoxifen, which was not better. This was before I was given the Tempus XT test, wherein I found out I had that mutation and what the implications were. I opted out of endocrine therapy at that point, and am doing the metabolic diet along with lots of exercise. So far, so good. Three successive negative Signatera blood tests since then.

Thank you.

The hormone blocker are not fun. Thinking about stopping mine.

I heard that women stop it because of the side effects. They are a lot to handle.

I had a double mastectomy in May and am glad I did because DCIS was found in the non cancerous breast that hadn't shown up on the scans. I also opted out of reconstruction. I do take the hormone blockers Anastrazole and am not thrilled with having night sweats and hot flashes again, it really disturbs my sleep. I will be talking with my doctor about starting Veozah which I learned about on this page. It's non hormonal and is supposed to really help.

Thank you.

I had a bilateral mastectomy with no reconstruction. The prosthetics are super comfortable. For me, it was the right decision and I would make the same choice if I had to do it again.

Thank you

In had a left breast SMX 1 yr ago. I am post menopause too 71. My thought I yr out. Have a DMX. If you have gone through life hating wearing a bra, if your right breast is B+. I was so overwhelmed I never had time to consider this. Now the constant hassle of finding a bra I’m comfortable in. Not worth it IMO. have a nice flat closure. You could still were a bra when you go out if you want, but at least it would be even and weight and sit the same. Loosing your breast(s) will be shocking and horrible either way. You will get used to it and adapt. But assuming you are older, think comfort. Menopausal again, maybe I was lucky, but I haven’t noticed any real additional menopausal symptoms. I still Have an occasional hot flash or brain fog but that happened anyway. Just my 2 cents.

Thank you

I have been taking letrozole for 3 years. I get hot flashes and some night sweats sometimes but nothing terrible.

-thank you.

Thank you.