HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Anyone trying lower dosage for AI due to side effects?

Becky · 03-21-2008, 11:33 AM

Menopausal women still have some estrogen. The adrenal glands make it and fat cells make it. It is made using androgens that get converted via a (bio)chemical reaction to estrogen. The reaction needs an enzyme to make it go and that enzyme is aromotase. An aromatase inhibitor binds to aromatase and makes it unable to function as an enzyme in this reaction. Therefore you make less or in many cases no estrogen. Women with functioning ovaries (premenopausal) cannot take an AI because the ovaries produce estrogen in a different way so an AI would still block the way it is made from the adrenal and fat but that is such a small amount versus the ovarian mechanism - and a premenopausal woman would have no benefit as there would be tons of estrogen around.

Therefore, there can be a big difference in a menopausal woman versus a menopausal woman on an AI especially a menopausal woman who is also overweight (as they would be producing more estrogen).

No or very little estrogen is what is causing the symptoms - not necessarily the AI itself.

03-21-2008, 11:33 AM	#11
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	Menopausal women still have some estrogen. The adrenal glands make it and fat cells make it. It is made using androgens that get converted via a (bio)chemical reaction to estrogen. The reaction needs an enzyme to make it go and that enzyme is aromotase. An aromatase inhibitor binds to aromatase and makes it unable to function as an enzyme in this reaction. Therefore you make less or in many cases no estrogen. Women with functioning ovaries (premenopausal) cannot take an AI because the ovaries produce estrogen in a different way so an AI would still block the way it is made from the adrenal and fat but that is such a small amount versus the ovarian mechanism - and a premenopausal woman would have no benefit as there would be tons of estrogen around. Therefore, there can be a big difference in a menopausal woman versus a menopausal woman on an AI especially a menopausal woman who is also overweight (as they would be producing more estrogen). No or very little estrogen is what is causing the symptoms - not necessarily the AI itself. __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"