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Real members of MyBCTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

Estrogen blockers that don't cause muscle/back pain?

A MyBCTeam Member asked a question 💭
Tewksbury, MA

Is there any estrogen blocker similar to Letrozol that does not cause muscle or back pain? My doctor does not want to put me on Tamozifen because it can cause blood clots. I already have serious back pain and the Letrozol made it so bad that I could not function. She took me off the Letrozol and I have an appointment with her next week. I think they will want me to have radiation since I can't tolerate the Letrozole. I REALLY don't want the radiation so I was wondering if there was any… read more

August 8
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A MyBCTeam Member

i am on letrozole and i am blessed i have no side affects try to stay very active swimming walking stretch classes yoga etc every estrogen blocker have side effects but being active helps a lot

August 8
A MyBCTeam Member

@A MyBCTeam Member

I agree with the AI information.
You need to be honest with your Dr. about joint, bone and muscle pain.

If you are losing muscle strength and your legs are giving out, this is a bad problem.
If you already have arthritis, this adds to the problem.
Look up AIMSS.

Also, it is concerning if you find yourself unable to walk or your muscles are giving out at any moment without warning.

It is a balance of quality of life, age, and function.

Only you and your doctor can determine what to do.

Keep us posted.
Start doing chair exercises with an ottoman to build muscle.

August 8
MyBCTeam

That sounds really exhausting — dealing with serious back pain on top of everything else is a lot. It's great that you're going into your appointment armed with questions.

There are two other aromatase inhibitors in the same class as letrozole that your doctor might consider:

- Anastrozole (Arimidex)
- Exemestane Show Full Answer

That sounds really exhausting — dealing with serious back pain on top of everything else is a lot. It's great that you're going into your appointment armed with questions.

There are two other aromatase inhibitors in the same class as letrozole that your doctor might consider:

- Anastrozole (Arimidex)
- Exemestane (Aromasin)

All aromatase inhibitors can cause joint and muscle pain, but some people tolerate one better than another. It's very individual — what causes debilitating pain in one person may be much more manageable in another. There's also a newer option called elacestrant, which works differently from aromatase inhibitors. It's worth asking your doctor if it could be appropriate for your situation.

Muscle and bone pain is actually one of the top reasons people stop aromatase inhibitors early, so your doctor will likely have experience navigating this. Be very open about how debilitating the pain was — that detail really matters when choosing the next step.

Definitely bring up your concerns about radiation too. You deserve to explore all medication options before going that route.

August 8
A MyBCTeam Member

Everyone respond to AI differently, I did not take Letrozole well, then tried Tamoxifen and that ended up with some issue, I am on my 5th week of Exemestane and so far I feel I am handling the pain well. I do have a follow up with my specialist in about 10 days and if I continue to feel OK I probably will continue for longer.

August 9
A MyBCTeam Member

Woshing you the very best.

August 8

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