FEMARA
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My hair has always been thin and unruly; it is definitely thinner now, but I've also had chemo twice. My brows and lashes are about 1/3 of what they were. I am probably the only one who notices any of it, so I just put up with it. I'm just thankful for what I have for now, but I've never been a hair person; ponytail and go is more me (and my hair has to be up at work), so I imagine this would bother most people much, much more than me.
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I haven't noticed hair thinning either, but then I also had chemo, and my hair definitely came back thinner (and curlier) than it was pre-chemo, so I've blamed the TC, not the letrozole. Could be a combo though. For me, the biggest issue and SE remains join pain and stiffness. Exercise helps, but I am also going to be consulting with an orthopedic surgeon soon about a possible knee replacement (I already had moderate arthritis before bc)
Octogirl
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I have been on Letrozole for 9 months now and have not experienced any significant SEs that I can directly attribute to the drug. My hair is thinner, but I think it was thinning before I started on letrozole. Likewise, I have a lot of stiffness in my fingers, but I had that before as well, and find that extended computer work makes it worse. The most irritating thing is searching for words during conversation. I have had this problem before and took Gingko, which helped a lot. Now that I'm on letrozole, I don't take Gingko anymore because I am afraid of interactions. Does anyone have an alternative remedy for this?
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Hi ladies. New here..started Letrozole a week ago (with zolodex injections) and finally searched out this thread. I was on Aromasin/zolodex for 8 mo and was taken off due to severe joint pain. Hoping this AI will treat me better!
Hi MammaRay, I'm guessing you tried taking with food to combat nausea (if this is cause). What time of day do you take it? Maybe right before sleep would help. Just a thought. My pharmacy paperwork does list upset stomach as a SE.
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On letrozol for 2 months now. I take in evening during supper. Have joint stiffness which subsides with movement. Seems like my heartburn had increased, but my diet is not the best. Also have had chronic back pain for years which is worse at night. My only complaint is constantly waking up at night and difficulty falling asleep at night. This has been since surgery in July, so not sure if letrozol exacerbates. Starting exercise program this week and hoping for results regarding sleep, stiffness and weight gain.
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Novmoon, at first I was taking the AI at night figuring that I would sleep through the worst of the side effects. Instead, it kept me awake all night so I switched to the AM schedule and it is better for me although the joint pain is bad no matter when I take it. You might want to try taking it in the AM or even the early afternoon?
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Novmoon; I take mine in the morning. I also had trouble sleeping in the year or two after treatment ended. Your issues might just be related to where you are at in the process and not necessarily due to the femara. I used to take a half an ativan before bed - or when I woke up in the middle of the night. I did that until I didn't need it anymore - that just kind of happened naturally...... now they bottle of pills lives in my nightstand drawer and I only take one or half or even a quarter of one if I need to - which is very definitely not often enough that it concerns me.
Good luck!
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I also have trouble sleeping. I can fall asleep ok but then wake up at 3 or 4 and can't fall back to sleep. I thought it was just anxiety but now wonder if its the Femara. I'll try switching to mornings next week while I'm off work and see if it helps.0
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Shortly after all this BC stuff started, I saw a holistic doctor for all my issues, one of which was not being able to stay asleep. He suggested very tiny doses of melatonin, as in 0.3mg. I found some on Amazon and started taking it and it worked great for me, He said if you take too high of a dose, it will actually cause the opposite effect and keep you awake. I took it for a few months till I felt my sleeping habits were better and then slowly weaned myself off it. I now sleep really well. I usually get 8 hours a night and only wake a couple of times when I hot flash but just for a couple of minutes too cool off. So maybe that might help some here.
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I started hair thinning 12 months after starting it. Now 6 months lTer have 1/3 the hair I had.just got a Capillus laser cap to see if I can help this out as I don't want to go back to a wig
Cholesterol goes up from eating sugar not fat. The liver metabolizes it. I gained 15 lbs in the first 15 months on this stuff was starving all the time. Depressed as I went from a size 10 to 14
Went on a ketogenic diet and lost the weight over the last 4 months Eating Irish butter, healthy fats and protein, bullet proof coffee. Almost no carbs No longer hungry. Finally back in my old clothes.
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mine started coming out first couple of months. I have been on it 1 year now. The hair loss stabilized about 8 months in. Everything seems be growing slower- finger and toenails too. Weird
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I started hair loss about 12 months later. That's when the weight gain happened. High cholesterol etc.
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I have been belching like crazy lately and just started Femara two weeks ago. Can this be a SE? It's not listed on pharmacy info. Sorry if already covered..Didn't go back through previous pages.
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Thinkingpositive
That's pretty much the same for me too. hair loss at the crown.
Wildtulip, I have not had this SE.
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I do have much more gas than I used to Wildtulip and when I was on exemestane (aka Aromasin) I did not have this side effect so I think this side effect is the result of letrozole. I am not a gassy person normally but I do find myself doing things I normally did not before this drug. (burping and otherwise)
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It's been well over a year since I've posted anything. Things have been pretty good post surgery, chemo and rads. I've been on tamoxifen for about a year and a half. Doctors also had me on Lexapro for the hot flashes. My insomnia got so bad that I weaned myself off that about two months ago and my sleep quality has improved immensely without any obvious increase in hot flashes. It probably helps that I live in Switzerland now as opposed to Los Angeles! My one complaint with tamoxifen is the weight gain - I'm 10 lbs over my regular weight and can't get it off. For a while I blamed this on the Lexapro as well - I simply didn't have the energy or desire to be my normal, active self. I'm now back to running 25 miles a week and Pilates twice a week but I can't drop any of this weight. I was very excited this week that my oncologist confirmed I'm menapausal (had a hysterectomy 19 years ago) and switched me to Femara. At least I was until I started reading about the SEs on this blog. ☹️ Yesterday was my first day on it and by evening I was nauseous enough that I had to leave a holiday dinner early. I'm training for the Barcelona marathon in March and am really worried about the reports of joint pain. I wonder if I shouldn't seek out a new oncologist and consider another drug?
Thank you for all the posts out here. This community has been very helpful at numerous stages of this fun little BC adventure.
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All of the AIs have joint pain as a potential side effect, but not everyone has side effects
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so true, I have no joint pain. My worst SE is urinary frequency and urgency. My next stop is to a urologist. I am just starting to get nervous about it and need to rule out the nasty alternative.
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stellamaris...not sure if I already told you this but urinary problems are common while on anti hormone treatment. Its stems form the lack of estrogen. So if you don't have a UTI, you might have interstitial cystitis. Good luck and keep us posted.
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thanks Dtad, I will. Merry Christmas to everyone and wishing you all a much better 2017!!!!
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MammaRay, SO sorry. It must be very distressing. Hugs!!
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I'm also having lots more urgency and frequentcy lately. No pain, just the feeling of always having to go even if I just went. I had some of this before my recent recurrence of what is now MBC but never quite this bad. I guess I will call the doc's office and see what he recommends.. I sure hate to add another medication to my regimen.
Mammaray, I'm also sorry about your sudden large hair loss. That is just such an awful feeling., I cried for days when I went bald 25 years ago from Chemo. I hope it is a one time thing for,you. It seems like my hair has finally stopped falling out so much (knock wood) after a year on these drugs for MBC. Of course it had gotten thinner as I got older but now it's worse. The shedding is better but the hair itself is very fine now. Just no body! I'm trying Nioxin products and they seemto help a bit to make it look thicker.
Wishing everyone a healthier happy 2017.
Faith (in the future
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The hairdresser said hair goes in 4 month cycles. If you are super stressed 4 months later your hair shows it. Likewise it takes 4 months for hair and nail supplements to show they are working. Hang in their ladies. I have 1/2 the hair I had a year ago, but glad to be alive
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hi. I see your post about losing your hair was in 2014. You said that it goes in four months cycles, about how one's hair falls out from the medicine and/or stress, according to what your hair dresser told you. (My sister has always said that too). You said you lost about half of your hair. I have lost about half of the thickness that I used to have. It's wicked depressing. Major receding hairline. I just wanted to ask you - did it ever grow back when you finished the medicine andor treatment?
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Katie, Chloesmom's post was just an hour before yours. I think you saw she joined in 2014. That has thrown me off before too! Although she may still have input, I wanted you to know the post was current. Best wishes!
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Iala1, I just read your post about melatonin and I'm passing on to someone. Just wanted you to know the info was helpful!
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Yes you are right bosum my onco also confirmed that no benefit to doing more than 5 years on AI. There was some news earlier this year but they just came out reversing the previous finding.
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My BS also says 5 years only on Letrozole and the other 5 on Tamoxifen. I am hoping that the thinning hair will improve once off Letrozole. I don't know if hair loss happens on Tamoxifen?
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My onco suggested I could go on tamoxifen but really left it up to me. I am not doing it. It carries a risk with it and I don't see any evidence suggesting benefit. My onco agrees. Sometimes going off of treatment is too frieghtening for some but not me.
Wintersocks, our situations are different I think I would continue with tamoxifen if I were you. My SIL was one of the very unfortunate few people that got GYN cancer from tamoxifen. Atleast that is what her doctor told her.
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Mamma Ray. We're all tired. Go ahead and scream. Family is wonderful but they aren't going through this.
>Z<
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