Completed 5 years of anastrozole. Withdrawal symptoms? Side effects?

My oncologist tests hormone levels before putting a patient on aromatase inhibitors and also later to monitor the change in them. I can't opine as to the effectiveness of the tests but he's at a world-renowned medical center and seems conservative in doing only what makes sense.

Estrogen is a very powerful hormone. Suppressing it is a significant change for the system. Is it reasonable to consider that, once off an aromatase inhibitor, and the body establishing a new norm and remaking estrogen, which it does even after menopause, there can be the same mood changes that some women have during menstruation and/or menopause? The body would be adjusting to yet another new normal which cancer, surgery and other cancer treatments and the related stresses (not to mention all of this happening during a pandemic) have triggered a plethora of already?

Which medical center are you at?

Cleveland Clinic.

I tapered off my Femara. Noone told me to. It just kind of made sense to me, and wouldn't do any harm.

I wasn't put on Anastrazole until a couple months after the breast surgery.

And, how did that go for you? How long have you been on it? Any problems?

It is now, 2 months since I stopped Ansastroloze and I still hurt. I contacted my oncologist and she should said the longest time she has heard from patients is 3 months. That was promising! Hopefully, this is going to go away. The pain is in my shoulders. At least, that is what I think. It is really my upper arms. It is bad!

One suggestion is to research what estrogen depletion does to the body and address anything that might seem as if it applies. I did not take an aromatase inhibitor after surgical removal of a stage 1A tumor in October, 2021. The reason I did not was because of the predictable hastened bone loss. I know someone currently trying to deal with osteonarcosis of the jaw from the side effects from the drugs used to 'treat' osteoporosis and it's very difficult. For one thing, neither her former dentist or oral surgeon will work on her because of the risks the osteonarcosis puts her at. If you haven't been monitoring bone density, though I expect all oncologists do so, a DEXA scan will analyze how your bones are doing. You're probably fine but might be able to take some proactive steps. Another side effect of the aromstase inhibitors is elevated cholesterol and you can remedy that. In an abundance of caution, I'd have an endopat test done as well since depleting the body of estrogen seems to affect endothelial tissue. I should add that I have the genetic marker for heart disease so might be more cautious than most. And I have a low risk for recurrence according to the OncotypeDX and a private geneticist so weighed the side effects of the anti-hormone meds versus quality of life and other known risks. Being older probably tilted me more toward the known present and quality of life today versus an unknown possible future risk but with the odds in my favor if the geneticist and my oncologist are correct.

I see my oncologist next week to talk about next steps. I don't want to take anything until we can figure out what is causing my pain. It could be nerve related or something besides a side effect of the anastrozole.