FEMARA
Comments
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2Tabbies, thank you for that! Here's what has happened to me, two weeks ago I got very stressed out over family stuff. I also took a strontium on two different days, for the first time. Suddenly I had about four sores in my mouth on one side, so bad I was miserable and couldn't eat. Lost four or five pounds which is awesome. But now I am afraid to take any of my supplements until I feel back to normal. Also can't eat any fruit which is what I love most. I read up that stress can cause sores, hormonal changes can cause them, lowered immune (with two surgeries recently most likely) and all kinds of other things. I checked around on strontium and didn't find anything about bad se's. Seeing the dentist Monday, can't wait.
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Jean is that the Therasol that removes Tartar? It's at Amazon - concentrate 3oz for $26.95? Does that sound right?
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Marijen, are you talking about canker sores? Those are so painful. I get them now and then. I hope they heal up soon.
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Yes 2Tabbies, I think they were. It's better now but nearly two weeks of pain. Something new for me
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the letrazole I am on is from accord as well. So then I guess my teeth may have been affected by the chemo and if letrazole does the same it's a double whammy. I need to just make the appt with dentist and suck it up. I have been through so much this past year it shouldn't frighten me. I just have to do it. As far as side effects
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Marijen, yes that's it. It probably would irritate mouth sores though. Love, Jean
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I am having pain-mainly joint pain- in the winter but was okay in warmer weather as long as I walked. I am in my mid-60s so this is more a case of degree, I had some winter pains before Femara. I have resumed Ta Chi and walk in the mall. Am also starting PT in a warm saline pool. There ARE things we can do to alleviate side effects and the rest of the year was more than bearable. (Also, I am cheap and keep my heat off most of the time!)
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Has anyone noticed hair thinning and weaker nails while on Femara/letrozole? I started it in August and am finding my hair on the floor and in the shower. My nails have previously been quite strong but are splitting and softer now. I know it's nothing like hair loss with chemo but as we have to take it for years it worries me that the hair loss will continue.
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I have been on letrozole since August also, my hair is a lot thinner especially on top
Marilyn
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Low estrogen can cause thinning hair.
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Yes, my hair is thinner and a different texture too. I can see through my hair especially on the crown. Does anyone know if it get back to normal once we are off these drugs? I am Letrozole too.
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Wintersocks....looks like you've been on letrozole for three years. Have you just recently noticed the hair thinning? I keep thinking mine is thinning at the hairline...
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Optimist, I got both of these SE's. I have been off of Letrozole for 3 1/2 weeks so I guess we will see if the nails or hair comes back. I've always had very thick hair so I see a big difference but I don't think most people notice. It is still long and I can curl it or put it up and it looks fine. the nails are weird, definitely softer. Good point Marijen!
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artistatheart, now that you mention nails - I have noticed recently all my nails have verticle ridges
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I know we all have to take this drug, but it's hard living with the side effects. It clearly has a "defeminising" effect with the removal of oestrogen from our bodies. I might investigate any way of maintaining hair as my hair has always been one of my best features. Having already lost a breast, this really concerns me.
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My hair has been falling out all over the place but at the same time it's still really thick. My hairdresser and I can't figure it out. It's a nuisance
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My hair was already thin but has gotten much worse on femara. I recently got clip in hair extensions and they look great. I was also having trouble with my nails breaking and splitting. I have gotten 2 manicures with the gel polish. It has made them much stronger. I did just get diagnosed with DE Quervains Tendinitis. It's painful on the thumb side of my wrist. Plus my thumb will catch. The Dr said it's an inflammation of the tendon sheath. Makes me wonder about the trigger finger thing. I have been on Femara since Aug.
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cesuman650.....I have what I believe is trigger finger in my thumb. I have been on letrazole since feb. who diagnosed your problem with the thumb?
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I've got the nail ridges too 😩
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At medicine.net
Aging has been described as the predominant cause of vertical ridges on the fingernails. Onychorrhexis is the medical term used to describe longitudinal ridges on the nails that often accompany brittle nails.
In contrast to longitudinal ridges, Beau's lines are horizontal or transverse depressions in the nail that may be confused with nail ridging. These are caused by diseases that affect the entire body, including malnutrition, heart attack (myocardial infarction), severe infections, and metabolic disturbances, including poorly controlled diabetes.
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I think lack of estrogen makes us age... faster. I don't like it one bit.
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with trigger thumb when your knuckle is 1/3 bent and you try to straighten it it snaps or clicks. The swelling in the tendon at the base of the thumb in the palm limits the sliding
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Nash54,
It's difficult to tell where the chemo left off and the Femera started in relation to hair loss as they overlapped. my hair is definitely thin at the hairline, (you can see through it in certain lights to the scalp) but it is the crown that bothers me most as it is quite thin there. I am obsessing about it constantly and contorting myself to look at it with the mirror. It's very upsetting. Now I hear that taking this drug might be extended to 10 years. Depressing
I use a product called Toppix it is some kind of natural hair fibre and it does help to conceal the thinner places. Before all this started I had the most thick and wild, maddest hair. Now, I don't feel like it is my hair.
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Optimist and Wintersocks, hair is a hard one to swallow, it was always one of my best features too. think I may cut it shorter soon to get more volume. I also have the horizontal ridges since starting Letrozole.....I quite Letrozole 4 weeks ago due to elevated liver enzymes which are now slowly going down. cway, I'll have to try the gel polish!
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artistatheart, I told my MO letrozole could raise liver enzymes and she blew me off. Thanks for your post. You weren't on it that long
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Marijen, My MO blew me off too on that subject. But you can look up a number of stuff online that supports that very real possibility. I was on it since Aug 10 to around Nov 22 so about 3 months. I hope this is the answer as the numbers are going down. I can't help thinking it might still be the Ibrance though as that made me feel crappier than the Letrozole? Wish this was all a more exact science right?
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I did read reports on the letrozole, will have to check Ibrance too. My enzymes are good on letrozole but they jumped up at the time of scans, mri, pets scan and ultrasound, all in one week That scared me enough to check. A month later they were back to normal. Alsothe kidney tests went haywire as well! More scary.
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I've had the longitudinal nail ridges for years. Long before letrozole. As Marijen said, my dermatologist said it was due to "old age." But I was only in my late 40s when I got them, thank you very much! Hardly what I'd consider old age. If the letrozole makes my hair start falling out, I'm switching to something else. Back to tamoxifen if I have to. I lost one of my best features (my boobs). I'm not losing another one. I've always had good hair.
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So should I be worried that today my Onc contradicted me on whether Femara has generic brands. I was trying to tell her about the fillers issue and she was adamant that Femara was still under patent so there "can't be any generic". I said I have read many postings about it and she said I was confused and was thinking of the other two Ai's. A few weeks ago she did the same thing regarding a lower dose of Ibrance???? I'm starting to think about looking for a new one although I would hate to start traveling.....
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It is still possible to get Femara under the brand name Femara which the name Femara is owned by Novartis which developed it and patented it. The patent expired in spring 2011 and became available in the generic form - letrozole. When I started on Femara, it was Femara as the patent was still in effect but I have been on letrozole since the patent expired.
Personally, I'd be worried if my Dr (or the pharamist who fills my scripts) didn't know that.
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artistathea, I agree with Kicks. I'd be concerned if my onc didn't know that there are generic versions of Femara available. Google it and send it to her. It's not you who's confused.
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