Half of breast cancer patients treated with antihormonals are noncompliant ie, do not

[TSund]

I am interested in this thread. I am very concerned about the suffering that women have while on these drugs. Ruth has only been on Armidex for a short time, (after a couple years on Tamoxifen, fortunately fairly non-eventful) and has already got such stiff knees that she gets discouraged. I read that some women totally stop their exercise regimes out of necessity, and there is weight gain associated with these drugs also. There are reports that some women have permanent joint damage from the AI's, and there is of course the bone loss issue also. To read something like these reports really brings it home.

http://www.askapatient.com/viewratin...&name=ARIMIDEX

I believe that Her2+ women might be more motivated to stay on these drugs, due to the fast growing nature of Her2 cancer, but it really seems like a catch-22.

My question is this: There is a proven cancer reoccurance rate reduction associated with a diligent exercise regime, and there is estrogen associated with fat cells as well. Isn't the risk factor affected negatively by these two items, possibly affecting the benefit of putting up with these drugs? Not to mention the osteoporosis factoring in.

By the way, Ruth takes DIM also. I believe that one of the things that DIM does for you is help the liver to process the excess estrogen out of the body.

I am wondering also about the dosage unknowns. Is the fear that a lowered dosage has a diminished affect or is that actually fear that a lowered dose could cause other unknown problems? I have long thought that meds should be adjusted by body weight just as chemo is. makes sense, but of course there is no stats to inform.