[Becky]

You know, that Tamoxifen/AI thing happened to me. I went on Tamoxifen after radiation was over but really wanted to go on an AI because they are better but only work if you are post menopausal. I was 46 then. I had not gotten my period since my second chemo. So, we did the bloodwork which showed I was post menopausal. My onc switched me to Arimidex. About 6 weeks later, my period came back. I will never forget it as it was a Sunday and I didn't know what to do (about taking the Arimidex) so I called the office and left a message. Oddly, my onc was on call and called me and told me not to take it. My gyn saw me the next day and scheduled an ultrasound in 2 weeks. At that point, the gyn said that not only was I not post menopausal, I should be (sexually) careful as my ovaries both were about to pop an egg each (luckily my DH had a vasectomy several years prior). So my gyn and I talked and talked and I ended up getting an ooporectomy in 3 weeks. 3 weeks after that, I started Arimidex.

So yes, an AI can wake you up if you are on the pre/post edge as I was. If you look up alternative ways Arimidex is used, it can be used to help infertility (but you have to be premenopausal for it to do so).

I knew getting the ovaries removed is a bonefide way to be post menopausal. Hopefully that study shows it has benefit as well.