Menopause and what will I be prescribed?

Hi, I haven’t started my hormone therapy yet. I also had to do a blood test to find out where I was in menopause. I confess to not understanding the scoring at all and Google searches seem to come up with totally different scoring. Obviously I can’t confirm we had the same test and so scoring may be different. I was told that my score was 79 and that a score above 76 (up to 113, I think she said) was in the post menopause band. I am waiting for an Oncologist appointment to discuss radiotherapy and hormone therapy. I will ask more then, but I’d also be interested in anyone else’s experience of the scoring for this. Not sure if this helps you, but thought I’d share and at least bump your post back up. 
Mickey xx️

Many thanks, I’ll let you know what they say on Tuesday.
I’m interested that you say you have to wait for your oncologist appointment, so much waiting. I’m not sure whether to go back to work whist I’m waiting, have you?

kayla x

Hi Kayla, 

Yes please that would be be great. From what people have told me it seems to be the breast surgery team that sometimes prescribe, but if you are having further treatment then the Oncologist will often do it.  No, I’m not going back to work in between. I’ve been given an Oncologist apt now for two weeks on 14/02 (happy valentines) and so I won’t even think about going back to work until my Radiotherapy is completed and I feel recovered enough.  I know it helps some people to work a bit during treatment and others have little choice. Fortunately, I have never used my sick pay and so I can now and I know that I could not meet the demands of my job at all. This cancer journey certainly is a rollercoaster and I know I need lots of rest to fully recover. 

Virtual hugs Mickey xx

Hi Kayla, what did your Oncologist say about your score / scoring please? 
hope you’re ok. 
hugs Mickey xx️

Hi Kayla

i am 56 and my last FSH test was 13, so even though I have had no periods since I had chemo 5 1/2 years ago I am still not menopausal, so am carrying on with Tamoxifen for a further 5 years. 58 is in the menopausal range so you will have the choice of either. Tamoxifen is suitable for all women whether pre or post menopausal, the AI drugs such as Letrozole are only suitable if you are post-menopausal. They are both very effective in stopping recurrence, Tamoxifen is much better tolerated than Letrozole, my oncologist said that 20% of women who are prescribed Letrozole either stop taking the medication altogether , or swap to Tamoxifen due to the side effects, particularly bone and joint issues, Tamoxifen is not without is potential issues but I have been fine on it. 

Most women will be fine on any of these drugs, so try not to think you will necessarily suffer, they are all very important drugs, if you are triple negative you do not have the luxury of worrying about which drug to take as there is no suitable post-treatment alternative, which has really hit home recently as my friend has been diagnosed with TNBC and is scared she has nothing else to help her stop it coming back. 

Your medical team will talk through the pro’s and cons of each of the drugs, and then you can take an informed decision,

Good luck

Jo x

Hi Mickey, my consultant said I was post menopausal with a score of 58. I’m 55 years old so that’s what I suspected. That means she would prescribe letrozole. However I asked for Tamoxifen and she is happy to go with that. 
so sorry to hear about your friend and you are right we at least have a choice. 

thank you and take care

Kayla x

Thank you Jo and so sorry to hear about your friend and yes we do have a choice x

Hi Kayla, thanks for the reply.  I just wondered what made you choose tamoxifen after your comment about it not blocking out all of the oestrogen? Was it because it can be better tolerated? Trying to weigh this all up isn’t easy is it?

Thanks Mickey xx️