Intermittent Flushes/Letrozole

I know today some of our American friends can have the blood tests to check.  Could you ask your GP?

Hello peterawake,

Its funny how between us we can come up with different ideas for why we get the flushes - a few months after starting letrozole I was flushing every day - maybe once sometimes twice a day for around 30 seconds, then, without realising a few months on from there I was not flushing. It was only when I had a flush it made me realise that I hadn't been having them (if this makes sense). 

Anyway, my thoughts was the complete opposite to you - my thoughts were, that the letozole was doing its job taking oestrogen out of my body, and I was thinking that when I had reached a 'board line' - my thoughts only (no medical backing) I believed I had stopped flushing as oestrogen levels must be low (not enough to cause a flush).  I was thinking when I was first flushing the letrozole was slowly taking oestrogen out of my body and I was waving from have low levels to borderline - borderline and my body pushing me over and tablet working to take the oestrogen out.  Me classing the flush as a type of fight inside my body of 'body wanting to keep oestrogen and tablet/letrozole fighting body to take the oestrogen out.

Moving forward, no flushes, and slowly started to put on weight and not exercise..... flushing comes back, me thinking - the oestrogen is 'made/manufactured' in the fat cells ..... I've put on weight - so maybe I am making more oestrogen and the fight has started again.

I am sort of thinking the opposite to you. I think you get a flush when the body is making oestrogen and the tablet is trying to take it out of the body.

I wonder if levels can be taken... I would do like Londonmumof2 has suggested - ask your Doctor if you can have the blood test. (I am wondering if it is the same test that can show how fertile you are - I believe that is a straight forward blood test, although, I am not sure what the actual test is called.

Let us know how things go x

Hi WhatHappened,

Thankyou for your detailed response, you may be right that the flushes appear again when the body is making oestrogen and the tablet is fighting to take it out.  Always something to worry about with this journey!  I once asked the GP about measuring the oestrogen levels and he said it isn't easy and quite complex to measure!  

Hi, 

ive been on Letrozole now since April 2018, and the flushes have definitely eased, I now usually get one shortly after I wake up (and after a nap if I do!) but rarely many more. My first summer which was quite hot and suddenly humid, was just annoying but my rechargeable hand held fan worked wonders. 

Im not sure that any blood test to measure oestrogen levels is that worth while, honestly, just know that they must be pretty low after you’ve been on the drug for a while, but that, yes, fat cells AND muscle cells can produce oestrogen but probably at pretty low levels, and this may explain why we continue with occasional flushes. 

hugs xxx