What symptoms can I expect from hormone suppression therapy?

I am starting mine today. I will keep you posted

I’ve been on Exemestane, aka Aromasin for over a year and I really don’t have any side effects other than being a little hot flashy now and then.

I am on Arimidex and I do not have any side effects. I read all the possible side effects online, and I was sure some would come. I have been on this drug 4 1/2 years, and I still have no symptoms.

I have had to switch daily orals 3x due to side effects. 4th one up is tamoxifen. Starting that tomorrow. If you don’t have any symptoms, you are very lucky. I started having side effects and blamed them on working out too hard or stress…. But I realize they are due to the estrogen blockers. Which makes it harder to commit to taking them. Also get the zoladex shot every 3 months

Next week, i will start on Tamoxifen, which is the 3rd kind of hormome inhibitor med after 2 changes in meds due to harsh side effects. Anastrazole gave me anxiety. Then Letrozole made my joints & bones hurt, aggrivating my fingers arthritis & affecting my lower back & hips, causing much pain,so much so that i couldnt even put on my own socks without help. My sweet husband did for me. When i told my oncologist about all that, she asked me if id like tl change once more to Tamoxifen, which i begin taking soon, after 2 weeks of being off Letrozole. However, Im not too thrilled about taking hormone inhibitor med for about 5 more years! My sex drive is practically 0 while my husband's is soaring since he takes testosterone! But that wont make me not take my hormone inhibitor because I know it will keep the cancer at bay since breast cancer cells must have an abundance of estrogen in order to thrive. So the bottom line is hormone therapy is most definitely worth it. I will just have to cope with the rest. My left mastectomy was done in Nov 2022. I had opted initially for reconstruction. But on the same afternoon of surgery, the tissue expander collapsed. So then I decided against any reconstruction. So 2 weeks later, Im having another major surgery for its removal. I began chemo in Feb 2022 & had only 4 sessions that was 1 every 3 weeks. I didnt have nausea/vomiting since i received an anti-nausea med while getting chemo drugs. Thank goodness for THAT! But before the 2nd session, i had a vicious port infection that required 3 days of IV antibiotolics followed by oral antibiotic for 2 weeks. Without consistent improvement, the port had to be removed. So it was & a PICC line was surgically inserted. Then i could finish my chemo & did in mid -April 2023. Then i had to do PT for over a month because i h

...was having signs of a frozen shoulder. Then on Jan 2, 2024, my oncologist gave me the good news that Im in REMISSION! (She told me she couldnt say i was actually healed but in the depths of my soul, i felt that i WAS because God, the Master Healer, camr to my rescue & healed me!

My disgnosis of Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, came in Sept 2022. This is a rarer form of breast cancer that is isnt easily detected on imaging because it doesnt make any lumps but rather creates long fingerlet forms of cancer cells instead & causes breast tissue thickening of brraamin making it an evasive type. Its my understanding that ILC is slow growing. I had asked a panel of oncologists about ILC & was told that it could have very well been missed on prior mammos (even though I had been having 3D annual mammos due to having dense tissue). It was a situation of double factors of density & ILC detection evasiveness. Women are only instructed to breast self-examination ti feel for lumps. But the nature of ILC's fingerlet-type formation doesnt include lump formation. I felt nothing every single month of self-examination.

So I was unaware of having any symptoms that are commonly experienced, due to how ILC manifests itself & is hard to detect. I only wish that women were made aware of non-lump-forming breast cancer since I was caught completely by surprise with my diagnosis at 65.

So I have been on letrozole for over a month now and so far so good. But I am concerned about how it affects other parts of your body functions like high cholesterol and bone loss. Will see my med oncologist end of this month and will be asking her about what patients do.

Actually I'm having both symptoms. I've been on Letrozole over a year

Do you think lifestyle changes help? Like no alcohol, exercise, getting your protein in, etc? Has anyone been told by their doctor to do these things? Or personally seen an improvement once you started doing these interventions?

I was definitely told to change my diet

Plus I walk daily

My medication has a lot of symptoms smh

Been on letrozole for a few months and have had overall stiffness, I sometimes feel like I’m turning into the tin man. I’ve also had more sense of urgency when getting to the bathroom. I’m concerned about the bone loss and cholesterol and what it’s doing to me internally.

Same here😐 I have a girlfriend that took tamoxifen (among other treatments) she said her tests went back and forth from osteopenia to osteoporosis depending on how disciplined she was in her diet and exercising. Her BC was at least 15 years ago

I have been on Lestrozole 2.5mg for 3 years. I am stage IV metastatic breast cancer. I am 60 years old. Yes I have stiffness and joint pain. I recently started an alkaline diet, light weights, band work, air dyne bike with swimming and walking . A physical therapist helped design my weakly work outs. So each day is a little different which makes it fun. I have always been a work out personality. Mountain biking, rock climbing, weights, back country back packing and yoga. So I knew right away I needed to take it down a great deal. Plus I faced my life was going to change. I did retire this year to focus on my health, faith and my family. I take 50 mg of Lyrica daily to block the nerves which really helps. The lestrozole is really working and no longer need ibrance which is huge. No cancer detected as of the last 2 1/2 years.

I am on letrozole (femera) I have aches in my joints really bad but I notice the more I move the better I feel!!

I was completely shocked to hear I had invasive lobular breast cancer. By the time I was Diagnosed in December of 2023, I am already stage lla with infiltration of my pectoral muscle. I am taking Letrozole for 6 months prior to surgery to try to shrink it from the muscle, then surgery, then radiation. Will be on Letrozole for many years after. I agree that the joint and muscle aches are nasty but have found that Yoga helps tremendously. The oncologist told me to drink 1oz of tart cherry concentrate in an 8oz glass of water daily and it really worked for hot flash relief and better sleep. For me the most noticeable thing with letrozole is the fatigue and dull headache, but I tend to push myself and get overtired which isn’t good. I am sticking with it because the research I have done says it is the most effective of the AI ‘s for Lobular carcinoma. Good Luck!

Hormone suppression therapy can bring various side effects that many in this community have navigated, including hot flashes, fatigue, joint stiffness, mood changes, and sleep disruptions. Each person's experience is unique, so connecting with others here who've been through similar treatments can provide valuable insights and support as you prepare for this next step in your journey.