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Concerned about the side effects of anastrozole

Breast Cancer | Last Active: Apr 27 1:15pm | Replies (1931)

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@windyshores

This comes up on this forum all the time and I ask every time: if the goal is reducing estradiol below detectable levels (and you may be well above that since testing stops at 5), what difference does dose make? if a 20% dose and a 100% dose both reduce estradiol below detectable levels, and the result is side effects from estrogen deprivation are the same, what difference does it make what dose we take? I actually asking the question. I don't see my oncologist anymore but if I did I would ask it.

ps great to have 100% estrogen score- the meds should work well according to what I have been told!

My oncologist told me I could take Femara alternate days. I never did, but that is one option. They tend not to suggest cutting pills due to inconsistency of dose and not sure if it is extended release. If not extended release, maybe your doc would let you do 1/2.

Some meds are weight-based and the company uses an average weight of, say, 150 (Evenity) and when dose does matter, that is a disservice to us small folks.

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Replies to "This comes up on this forum all the time and I ask every time: if the..."

With AI's I don't see how cutting the pill (inconsistencies) would matter as it is an accumulated effect. With my oncologists approval I took 1/2 dosage with a choice of split pills every day or full tablet every other day. You're still getting the same dose every other day. Also, as others have mentioned, 20% dose still maintains acceptable levels. My oncologist also approved drug free vacations - 6 months on and 1 month off. There's another study I found showing satisfactory results with 9 months on and 3 drug free.
https://www.annalsofoncology.org/article/S0923-7534(21)02492-3/fulltext