Why are dosages for estrogen suppression drugs one-size-fits-all?
Why is the dosage for Anastrozole (and any other AI) the same for everyone no matter your weight or size? Does this-one size-fits-all approach have an impact on side effects, risk of recurrence, etc. I’d like to know what the medical community has to say.
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My conclusion from this sentence in this study "There was no overall difference in the level of oestradiol suppression between the 0.5 or 1.0 mg doses of ZD1033." is that .5mg works just as well as 1.0mg. The only difference happens after the last dose. I've been on Arimidex since March 1st (I had bi-lateral breast cancer - stage 1, ER+ but HERC- in both breasts which were treated by lumpectomy and radiation). I have always been an athlete and eaten well. I have night sweats and terrible pains in my fingers from the Arimidex. I have played with taking it at different times of the day and with/without food as it made me really nauseous at first. I would like to see more studies about taking a half dose of Arimidex.
Been on Letrozole since March 2023.
Have osteo arthritis of both knees and now am dealing with muscle pain in left calf to knee.
Also have osteoporosis.
I also read on Mayo Clinic Connect of the person who had muscle shrinkage and ended up in a wheelchair because they had the rare side effect of that from taking Eliquis.” Which I have been taking since 4/02/22.
What specialist can figure this out?
Hi I’d get that checked asap. Just in case it’s heart related. My symptom is my back and it’s / weeks today since I stopped Anastrozole my back in no better. In fact I think it’s a bit worst x
Thank you for sharing your experience. I found it very interesting. There are few references to jaw pain as a side effect of anastrozole. After taking anastrozole 6 weeks, I also developed jaw pain when eating. I did not see it listed as a side effect, so I did not think it was related to this drug. I thought that I had TMJ, so I made an appointment to see an ENT specialist. I was experiencing many other side effects from anastrozole, so I had stopped taking it after 2 1/2 months. I saw the ENT 2 1/2 weeks after stopping anastrozole. By then, my jaw pain had subsided substantially. The ENT said that my jaw pain was not caused by TMJ. Joint pain is a well-known side effect and the jaw is a joint. Estrogen protects joints and reduces inflammation. When an aromatase inhibitor lowers estrogen to undetectable levels, it seems to me that any joint could be affected.
BTW - My former oncologist would not acknowledge that my jaw pain or any of my other numerous side effects could be caused by anastrozole. However, they all went away after I stopped taking it. I now have a wonderful new oncologist.
This is important. I’ve found that we all have combinations of different symptoms after taking this pill. The fact that your jaw pain wasn’t listed, doesn't mean it’s not a side effect. I have found that I can’t expect my regular doctor…who is great..or my dentist to be informed regarding anastrozole and what it can do to your body. I do expect them to listen to concerns and take them seriously, not brush them aside because they aren’t on a list.
I phoned breast care in York yesterday and explained my situation. I don’t want to go back to my old oncologist either!! He is very arrogant and doesn’t listen!! I stopped taking it 2 weeks ago but pain in my back is worse not better!! I’m hoping breast care,, who are looking into my meds etc will come up with a solution. My gp surgery is useless.,
I tried all five of my oncologist's estrogen blockers. could not go on living like that. eczema was so awful I was on prednisone. I am post menopausal. asked what my estrogen level was? oncologist did not know? can you find out?... no...
went to pop with same question , she included it in regular blood work. my estrogen levels are below the charts???>. My pcp is both m.d. and naturopath. I am taking DIM and calcium glaurate, hoping for the best.
@laurapix I was on Anastrozole and like you - no baseline of estrogen before surgery (mastectomy) or starting Anastrozole or even the 2 3/4 yrs I took it. Oncologist and PCP do not have any knowledge about correlation between effectiveness of Anastrozole and estrogen levels. I know this because I FINALLY got my oncologist to order an estrogen test and the result was ‘< 0’ He could definitively tell me what that meant in relationship to me taking Anastrozole. It literally meant nothing. One oncologist told me when I asked him “how do you know it’s working?” ‘We just take it for granted’. Wrong answer. I left him. I think we are the test subjects.
❤️❤️👍🏻
It would cost too much for the pharmaceutical companies to test for all these combinations so they come up with a number that is not right for everyone - an average.
After having an awful experience with full dose of letrozole, I'm now being given anastrozole. Against my doctor's wishes, I was taking a half dose each day. Then I found this paper
https://aacrjournals.org/cancerres/article/75/9_Supplement/P1-12-15/606865/Abstract-P1-12-15-Intermittent-dosing-of-aromatase
and found for older women like me, half dose isn't a good idea - better to take it every other day.
So far not having any problems.