[TSund]

According to our onc, the incidence of tamoxifen uterine problems etc. is much less in younger women (Ruth is 52), and much less if taken less than 5 years with a planned switch to an AI a couple years down the road after menopause is confirmed.

She thinks the verdict is not yet out on the long term side effects of the AI's because they are so new. (tho the reason she put Ruth on Tamoxifen is clear and simple because Ruth was not menopausal pre-bc dx).

Ruth has not had the headaches, etc, I'm sorry that you suffer those. I've seen many more on the AI's complain about joint pain, vaginal atrophy dryness, etc. than tamoxifen, but that might be anecdotal. I was concerned about the study that said the AI's were showing a less reoccurance rate, but that did not take the tamoxifen non-metabolizer percentage into account, and the percentage of non-metabolizers is greater than the percentage of benefit of the AI's. (lesson is, get the blood test!) I was VERY concerned about the studies pm tamoxifen not working on HER2+ Herceptin or even feeding the BC, but those studies were done without Herceptin, so not applicable according to our onc. (Our onc said all the original success studies of Herceptin were given with Tamoxifen in the ER+ cases and that they were synergistic together) I was concerned about continuing Tamoxifen after Ruth's year was up, and the onc said that the Herceptin continues it's work in the body and not to fret.

Sometimes it seems like we're damned if we do and damned if we don't...