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I have invasive ductal carcinoma (stage 1) no lymph involvement. I have had surgery, radiation, and am now on anastrozole. I am not experiencing any of the side effects that people have mentioned ... so far. I know I still could! I have only been taking them for about 6 weeks. I am 71 and have been in menopause for about 20 years. I began to wonder about if its because I am older. I cant find any articles that indicate that I am right! haha
I do believe there may be a correlation. When you take an aromatase inhibitor like Anastrozole, it quickly causes a reduction in estrogen. The side effects are from the reduction of the estrogen and how your body reacts to the reduction. If you have been post menopasual for many years, you are already having a natural loss of estrogen and your body has been adjusting to that over time. So when you take Anastrozole which completely reduces estrogen, its not as much as a "shock" to your system. I have been on Anastrozole 2 1/2 years . My side effects have been mild. I started it after being post menopausal for 11 years.
@A MyBCTeam Member
There are no studies that I have found that correlate side effects and a woman’s age in starting Aromatase Inhibitors.
No studies that say it is harder on older women with other conditions to take Aromatase Inhibitors.
Anyone over 80 may have a difficult time taking these if they also have certain Gene factors.
******Please go to the hormone group to read the posts I have put there on AIMSS
and why some women have genes that cause a predisposition to these Aromatase Inhibitor side effects.
This is a well known fact but never told to you by your medical oncologist….
Interesting. I can’t seem to find research on it anywhere. I am going to go on a bone building medication because I have RA and recently was diagnosed with osteoporosis. My oncologist is working with my rheumatologist for these conditions. I have a great team. Hope you are doing well!
While individual experiences with aromatase inhibitors can vary greatly, these medications are specifically designed for post-menopausal women since they work by blocking estrogen production in fat cells rather than ovarian estrogen production. The fact that you're not experiencing significant side effects at 6 weeks is Show Full Answer
@A MyBCTeam Member
If you are older and do not have AIMSS,
then you will most likely have few symptoms.
If you are older and have the gene susceptibility for AIMSS, my take is that you would have even more symptoms as you start with less estrogen.
I have not found anything to back this in studies or trials except that it seems that the older women on BC sites with AIMSS are the ones posting with symptoms and questions.
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