I personally haven't been through what you mention. I've had breast cancer twice now. The first time I was pre-menopausal with HR+ and HER2 negative IDC and had a double mastectomy. Based on my post mastectomy biopsy and other tests I was deemed low risk for recurrence. My oncologist suggested I take Tamoxifen, but I declined because I have been at high risk of blood clots since my early 20s and blood clots are one of the more common potential side effects with the Tamoxifan.

My 2nd breast cancer is an aggressive stage 3C. My oncologist has me on Letrozole for my AI and on a CDK inhibitor called Ibrance. I am a 6 time cancer patient. I also have had endometrial cancer which returned 3 times and is also HR+. Most women are put on an AI or Tamoxifen for 5-10 years to reduce their risk of breast cancer recurrence. My oncologist has told me that with the AI and CDK inhibitor my 5 year odds of recurrence are 30% and without the drugs my 5 year recurrence risk is 50%. She said due to my history of having 6 HR+ cancers that I need to be on an AI for the rest of my life since allowing my body to produce estrogen ever again almost guarantees I will have cancer again if the AI is discontinued. I also have a defective CHEK2 gene which makes you more prone to getting cancer. For me with all my issues it's pretty much a matter of when, not if, I get cancer again so I believe in being aggressive when I have active cancer. I am taking the drugs as recommended and hoping they work in the long term, but I'm still not fully confident that the drugs will prevent me from getting cancer again. HR+ cancers can be sneaky and show up years, and even decades, after your original diagnosis and treatment and my oncologist says they are most likely to recur within a few years of finishing hormone treatments.

Since you are scared of the cancer returning now that you're not taking medication to suppress estrogen production have a talk with your oncologist about your fears and see if it would benefit you to take an AI. If your original cancer was on the aggressive and high risk side then it may be worthwhile. Also the AIs are supposed to provide better protection against recurrence than Tamoxifen and are for women that are menopausal. Good luck ❤️