What Should You Do if You Want to Stop Hormonal Therapy for Breast Cancer? 

I took anastrozole for three months. Developed conjunctivitis a few weeks in. Joint and muscle pain was so bad I could hardly get up and down stairs. I also had insomnia sleeping only about three hours a night. I also suffer from fibromyalgia. After stopping anastrazole I am still struggling with muscle aches and pains. Before starting the anastrozole my fibromyalgia was quite well controlled with adequate sleep and relaxation therapy techniques I have used for years. I believe the insomnia caused my fibromyalgia to flare. Am hoping with time I can get that back under control. I have had stage one cancer in both breasts within two years. Both tumors were less than 2 cm with centinal lymph nodes negative. I opted for mastectomies for both tumors. For me hormone therapy is not worth compromising my quality of life. I am 73 years old.

The side effects are terrible I don’t think the doctors really get how awful some of the side effects are 😢

What I don't understand is when they say it will reduce you getting cancer back by 50%. 50% of what?? A 1,000 women 10,000 women?? What are those numbers?? I have done a lot of research, and I can't find numbers. I am a stage one triple positive, and so far, I have refused to start hormone blockers. My body has been through so much already.

Thank you for this helpful video! I'm 13 months on endocrine therapy (AI and estrogen supressors), feel great and experience minimal side effects. Take one additional medication which helps with hot flashes, one to help with sleep and one on standby to help with diarrhoea (took three times during all this time). I agree with my medical team that there is nothing wrong with taking an additional medication to counteract side effects of a life saving medication. However, the main reason why I feel so good is that I exercise 4-5 times per week, follow the healthy ketogenic lifestyle with intermittent fasting 18:6, quit smoking and alcohol for good. I am using this time to bring my health in perfect order and build up a strong and sustainable immune system that would get rid of any unnecessary cells. 80% of immune system is in the GI, liver and pancreas and the way to care about them long term is with nutrition and lifestyle. One of liver's functions is destroying excess estrogen. If the liver is not working properly, we risk estrogen dominance and thereby BC recurrence. The main point here is what happens when the endocrine therapy is over, and it's important to understand that this therapy is not a guarantee that BC doesn't come back. Our health long term is in our hands and our responsibility only.

The difference between relative risk vs. absolute risk is key. 50% reduction in risk when the absolute risk is, say 10%, means reduction from 10% to 5% (this is about where I am). Nope, totally, completely, not worth it based on the miserable side effects. Also, all the reduction in bone density? Great, no cancer but a broken hip that cripples me. Again, that's a hard "no." Not to mention just feeling...meh all the time, zero quality of life. Rather take my chances with the cancer. Prefer 10 great years than 20 miserable years. I am almost 60, finished raising my one child who will not be haviing children (long story) so not letting any family members down or anything if, heaven forbid, it returns. I am finishing up radiation and, except for radiation burns, I feel back to normal now.

Thank you, Dr. Griggs, for medical advice and continuous support for breast cancer (health) and awareness,

Thank you very much for your very, very helpful information. I am an emergency nurse and I love my job. I know I’ll have some problems but I will do everything to decrease my chance of recurrence and have the best quality of life I can have. I find your videos very helpful and clear. Even though I’m a nurse I don’t know everything but I want to learn. Thank you again!

I did this therapy for 8 years. It was very difficult but I felt that it was necessary for me. I was stage 2B.

Thank you. This was very helpful. Tried Arimidex first which caused joint pain (level 4 on 10 pt pain score) that would awaken me multiple times during the night. Tylenol helped somewhat. Switched to Aromasin. Reviewed list of possible side effects, noting which ones that I was experiencing & conferred with oncologist & then psychiatrist, changing dose of antidepressants, & starting therapy dealing with BC for the past year. Still dealing with sleep disturbances & swollen feet but tolerable side effects for benefits. (Triple positive HER 2/ stage 3b)

I think its important to take something to assist with the aches and pains from the hormone blockers. I use turmeric pills b12, b6 and b1. It has helped. I should definitely exercise more.

Thanks Doc for your generous sharing. I couldn't tolerate the three different AIs. The symptoms were so wicked. I'm into my 4th or so month of Tamoxifen and seem to be tolerating it "okay." I think my regular exercise habit is helping. Do I notice side effects? Yeah. I try to take life one day at a time. My recurrence risk is 10% after BMX and chemo. I'll happily take the 50% reduction down to 5% with tamoxifen. Thanks again for your work and this channel. I just subscribed. There is another lovely doctor, Liz ORiordan, who is also a breast cancer patient as well.

Dr Griggs thanks for this insightful video. You referenced that if the risk is low to begin with the benefit is small. What would you consider a low risk to begin with? For example in a oncotype score?

I had stage 1, double mastectomy and on the predict tool, I go from 90% to 91% survival rate in 15 years. Why are Doctors so persistent in me taking the therapy. I feel like a crazy person for opting out. I am in Brazil by the way.

Thank you for the information. Diagnosed with breast cancer Her2 positive in 2014, taken 5 months of chemotherapy, in conjuction with targeted therapy for 15 months, metastasized while on treatment to bone cancer. Went on Arimidex for 9 years, metastasized again to 5 new places in body, including spine. Chemotherapy is not an option. Hormonal treatment being given, Fluversant injections 2 x 250mg every 2 weeks over 3 sessions thereafter monthly for a period that it continues to help further metastases. Can you please enlighten me a little about this last treatment.

Please - latest 2 studies finished in 2021 Sweden and 2023 UK were done bc women were quitting tamoxifen early due to the sude effects. They used lower dosages and found that 2.5 mg and 5 mg works equally as well if not bettee than 20 mg. 20 mg is the max amount before toxicity. This is why the side effects - it's 10x overdosing! Your bodies are reacting to being poisoned! Ask your dr for 2.5 mg or 5 mg pills and give that a try before stopping. There were no side effects at these effective dosages. Also, if you're on anastrazole, then ask for testosterone pellets compounded with anastrazole. Testosterone used to be used as a successful cancer treatment and prevention. Good luck!

I was stage 2 , 2 lymph nodes positive oestrogen positive. Since starting Anastrozole my BP rose dramatically up to 215 . I was told possibly coincidence, i don't think it is I'd reached 65 without a BP problem. My oncotype dx score was 6 . Ive now just started taking Anastrozole every second day in the hope of reducing my Bp . Its still high despite now taking 2 BP meds. Im taking milled flaxseed and DIM every day as there natural oestrogen suppressors . Am i doing any good taking it every second day or just stop it all together, as worry about heart health as thats a family problem rather than cancer .

During my pet scan they found i have uterus enlargement, since tamoxifen may cause endometriosis, is it wise to use tamoxifen,? I would greatly appreciate if you answer my question. Because i will be soon starting tamoxifen

What do you think about high dose melatonin in place of AI?

Hello i just have a question,i have a breast cancer stage 2,finish last 2 nd part of chemo last nov,28 why do i have more body pain and hot flush?iis ok normal?and now i do the operation,on dec 14 thank you

I had a severe allergic reaction to a very low dose of tamoxifen. And I have hypertension and high cholesterol that does not respond to treatment so they do not want to give me AI drugs. I wanted to be able to take these medications.

I do get, why we should take these drugs. Why the side effects. Dear Dr. Griggs has educated us thoroughly and passionately . IMO people could deal with it so much better if they could greatly reduce the length of time a person has to take something like this. That makes life so miserable quite a number of people just can't do it. Dr Griggs are we anywhere close to something of shorter sessions ?. 10 yrs is a bit much.

I had stage zero dcis - extremely slow growing. I am seriously thinking about stopping my hormone blocker. I have gained weight. I have always exercised and still do. I have type 2 diabetes and have had good control for nearly 35 years. I have never really been overweight. I am thinking the side of effects from diabetes are worse than the breast cancer and hormone blocker.

Is it possible to take the anastrozole every other day in lieu of every day?

I took Tamoxifen for a few days and suddenly I started feeling fatigue abd body ache. Not sure if this is because of Tamoxifen or something else. So, I do not know what to do 😢

Medical team? I have no mediical team...

Does beer consumption cause breast cancer? I was diagnosed with ILC stage 3, I enjoy beer but I don’t get drunk or abuse it. I feel guilty that I may have caused this disease. I stopped drinking it since the treatment started. Is 0% alcohol beer okay? Also, can alcohol consumption cause BC recurrence?

How about after completing the plan 5 years or so? Tamoxofin only acts as a blocker.