FEMARA
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Hi all!
I just started Femara about two months ago and I have the stiff hands and other general stiffness. All that I can deal with. I exercise and swim.
The side effect that is bothering me the most is a feeling like I drank too much coffee. Also, I am getting very irritable. I did read side effects peak around now and then go away. Does the irritability go away? If it does I can wait it out. If it doesn't, I am thinking I may have to try Lexapro or an occasional antianxiety medication. Do antidepressants help with this? Does the irritability go away on its own?
I am doing pretty good otherwise.
Pam0 -
I can't speak for anyone else, but I started Lexapro at the same time as Femara and have never regretted it. It seems to take the edge off the anxiety and hot flashes although I still use Xanax to help me through particularly rough patches. I have been on both for 10 months and find side effects to cycle/come and go.
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Jane, thank you. That was helpful and interesting! I'm taking 10000 iu D3 a day and I will keep it up after whaat you said. I was wondering if it mightt be too much but now I don't think so.
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pamelahope....i have that jitters too much coffe feeling too. i didnt even conect it to femera, i am a coffeee drinker so i cut back still shaky I may ask my MO about this
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I am on lexapro and letrozole. I have not had issues with joint pain or jitters. I do have a lot of issues with fatigue and chemo brain, so I have actually been trying to increase my caffeine consumption (although still keeping it to morning and early afternoon). So far it has not seemed to help the fatigue, however.
I was not aware that letrozole can cause anxiety. I'm seeing a neuropsychologist this week...had thought maybe changing from the lexapro might be recommended, but I'll bring this up as a possible caution.
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EWB, How can you say hang in there? It took 5 minutes to type this. my hands are crippled like a hundred year old ,my feet are just as bad. evry muscle and bone hurts. Takes me quite a while to stand up and walk (slowly) I'm getting affraid to try to stand. and no energy. Nothing on this journy has been easy and at first Arimidex, then Tykerb, and now Femara. I am going off it for a monthe to cleanse my body of it, then on to something new. I have been possitive all along the last year and a half, but patience take a toll. Like someone said I put on a good front. Been taking it for 3 months. Thanks for listening. Joy
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Joy - that plain sucks, so sorry....
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Yellowwing, I get that hobbling around feeling like an eighty year old. On the bright side, each day is different and I don't feel like that today???
Also, my anxiety has lessened since the weekend.
I am glad for the fluctuations everyone. The way we feel sure beats the alternative! Let's hang in there.
Pam0 -
Also, I get encouraged when so think about some women being given Femara to shrink the tumor pre surgery. I want to know after my five years I can be like a regular 51 year old. 46 plus five!!! Pam
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Pamelahope- I'm sorry that you are having the horrible SE's that most of us have gone through. My SE's started around month 2 but mine was triggered more from the antibiotic i was taking (levaquin). I had the stiff joints, unbearable to walk, feet hurt like hell. Once I changed the antibiotic i was on, life was A LOT better. if you haven't started taking glucosamine, i would definitely suggest that. With the Femara, it sucks all the good fluid you have in your joint out, while the glucosamine puts it back in. Try that before you get off the Femara, from what i've understood the SE's from Femara are a lot nicer than the other meds out there for us. Good luck.
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I started on Arimidex after being dx stage IV. Unfortunately after only fifteen months I had a progression..........during those months I went from a vibrant, energetic woman of 56 to a pain riddled ( not from the cancer) miserably depressed poor excuse for a human being. Thank goodness I was changed to Femara! Within days my mood lifted and all that pain had begun to recede.
Now just over two years later I am still doing well with few SEs. Yes, at one time or another I've had just about every one that is listed but they have come, hung around for a few weeks and then gone. The only one that still hangs with me is fatigue, a little stiffness and thinning hair which seems to finally be on the reverse.
Day I hear you on the stopping a med that gives you so much pain but some do not have that choice as each and every med that works is precious..........it means being here a little longer with a QOL that is sometimes just doable but none the less, doable. The bottom line is we all have to make choices in our lives and some of them are not what we would normal choose.
Love n hugs. Chrissy0 -
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Day, I felt the same way about Tamoxifen. It gave me horrible SEs that I just could not deal with. My MO considered me still premenopausal, and it was only preventive, so I ditched it. Fast forward a few months, recurrence, had BMX (which was thought to be best chance to control it ) along with started tamoxifen again, and again was miserable, so quit it again. Now with recurrence and mets, my new MO considers me post-menopausal and Femara is about my only choice right now (yes, there are other drugs, but this one made the most sense to start with) and I am hoping for at least stabiliaztion on it. I was told to exercise at least an hour a day, 70% aerobic (walking, swimming, etc) and 30% strengthening. This was the most specific exercise guidance I have ever had, and the MO said this was the best way to prevent and/or treat the bone/joint/pain SEs, and so far, I am doing fine. I did notice sharp pains in my ankle at the beginning of my walk this week, but it calmed down after warming up a little longer, slowing my pace, rotating it, etc.
I don't know if I have posted here before, but I have been reading regularly.
Is anyone on Femara AND Zometa? I am scheduled for Zometa infusion tomorrow and wonder what to expect, what to do ahead of time to make it easier (of course, I wait until the last minute to ask!!!
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Linda haven't had Zometa. I think there is a thread that addresses it though. I remember one poster who said it was important to be well hydrated and drink lots of water following infusion. Good luck.
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Hi, Linda, I've had Zometa. 4mg IV infusion once every 6 mos since dx. My MO feels that it's preventative along with tamoxifen (now Femara) for early stage BC. I am now fine when I get it. First time I had flu like symptoms afterwards, but nothing terrible. Here's what I've learned since in order to prepare.
1. Drink tons tons tons of water tonight and tomorrow. Being well-hydrated helps.
2. Ask them to do the IV much slower than what's recommended. Instead of 15 minutes, ask them to drip it in so that it takes an hour. This is known to reduce the se's.
Also important to keep your teeth in good shape as a general rule while you're being treated w Zometa. A rare se of Zometa is a bad jawbone infection. My dentist won't do any work that involves the jaw such as implants, extractions, while on the drug. I have had root canals, crowns, teeth cleaning, etc with no problems.
You'll be fine. Good luck!
Shari
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Linda, first of all, I am so sorry to hear about the mets.
The exercise recommendation is interesting. That is almost exactly what I do, just because it seemed to work for me. I do find that the annoying aches and pains lessen considerable once I get moving, but as you say you have to keep at it for a bit, before it helps.
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Been on this for 8 months now and joint paín worsening but also gained seven pounds in weight in last four months and i need to lose at léase 14 as being over weight increases risk too - did cancer math and this drug gives me 4 moré years of life so not insignificant but QOL is already declining - i exercise regularly and take supplements and i can not risk weight gain - diet is the same ......any suggestions?
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Lily, I would first go to a GP and insist on a thorough check of thyroid function. I don't think weight gain is all that common on femara, more a problem with tamox (but I could be wrong about that). In any event, I would rule out other causes first.
Also, I can warmly recommend fitnesspal com for keeping track of calories and exercise. The site is easy to use, and it really helped me analyze what I was doing wrong diet-wise (I was too thin).
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Hi Lily....I think Momine is right in that I don't hear a lot of women taking F complaining
of weight gain...more when taking Tamox.....as a matter of fact I'm one of women who has actually lost weight with it.....but you never know, our bodies all react differently
to this stuff.... Take Momine's advice and have your thyroid function checked. Good luck with that one.0 -
Hi all!
I posted earlier about Femara and irritability. I wanted to say I am on day 4 or so of Lexapro and I am feeling better in that regard.
I am still having trouble every time I feel an ache or a pain. It throws me into a panic. Hopefully, this will get easier. I don't get nervous by my hand stiffness so that is a plus!
Pam0 -
I am on thyroxine and last blood test was Ok - my diet has not changed and i was losing weight before......but i will check out the site .....
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Lily, it is more likely that your thyroid meds need adjusting than it being the femara. You may also want to have them run an A1c blood sugar test, just to make sure that is where it should be.
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i'm on week four of letrizole and beginning to feel joint pain and lack of energy. i woke up this morning determined to stop using it, but after reading some of the helpful posts I have a shopping list of supplements and will give it a bit more time. i have severe arthritis in my knees but it hasn't limited me until now. This is the first time that my bc has really got me down. Please tell me it gets better!
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I actually lost weight on tamoxifen due to it making me so depressed! Now I am holding while on Femera...still need to loose more because i gained so much during chemo!
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Anybody on here who is on letrozole who did NOT have chemo? I'm just wondering if you have found fatigue to a be a side effect. I started letrozole right after chemo, when I was anemic and had pneumonia, so if it caused any fatigue it would have been lost in the mix.
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Yes I did not have chemo and am on letrozole and fatigue is an issue for me......
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Hi. Ditto. No chemo and on Femara since mid January. Fatigue is my biggest complaint. Unbelievable fatigue. Only upside is that I sleep well at night.
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sgreenarch, are you taking pill in AM or PM? When I took it in the AM I had horrible fatigue; I switched it to just before bed & my fatigue pretty much went away within a week or so. This was about 3.5 yrs ago.
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