FEMARA
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Patsy, I am 13 years past menopause and have been taking Letrozole for two months with no real problems. I take it in the morning to prevent sleep disturbance and have had a few minor headaches, which could be from neck joint pain or something else entirely. In a way, I don't mind some side fx so that it know it is working 🙂.
I've heard that if you sailed through menopause you can sail through Letrozole. So far so good for me.
Good luck to you!
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Interesting question, Patsy. I had a total hysterectomy in 1982 so it's been a LONG while. Of course, those were the days of HRT too so it was a relatively easy menopause. I started having hot flashes before the BC diagnosis. In retrospect, I wonder if that was a signal both primary and I missed. Having hot flashes now although not as bad as some have described. I started having all day headaches about 7 months into arimedex. Switched to femara in Dec. and have felt good but the headaches seem to be returning. If they continue, I plan to take a break during out 2 week vacation in August. Scheduled for six month appointment with MO in late Sept. although I know she would see me sooner and discuss another option if I called. She has been very responsive to my SE's but she is a very firm believer that AI's do make a difference, even for seniors. (I was 72 last month).
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taco, what am I missing here? Are hot flashes a sign of breast cancer? I had hot flashes and night sweats for like 5 years before my BC diagnosis even though I was on hormones! Yikes
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NO - hot flashes aren't signs of BC. Sorry if I gave you that impression. However, when I started having hot flashes at age 70, 34 years after a hysterectomy, I think I should have wondered why my hormones were acting up then rather than just popping the estroven.
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Has anyone out there been on Femara for a while? Do the side effects get better over time??
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not sure about better, but my MO told me that usually, it won't get worse than what you experience in the first 3-4 months. Lanne
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Thank you Lanne2389. I really hope it doesn’t get any worse! I have an appointment with my MO in July; I’m debating whether or not to ask about trying another AI.
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clynne, what side effects are you having? My oncologist encouraged me to try to stay the course for like 6 months because she said they often level off. After the first 3 months I had hip pain on both sides I was so beside myself then they got better and my right shoulder hurt so bad I had to do physical therapy and get a steroid injection. Now my shoulder is fine. Each time I was convinced it had to be bone mets - it wasnt. I got night sweats too and my gyn MD put me on gabapentin 600mg at bedtime that took care of it.
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gkbuser, I have hip pain and shoulder pain too. Occasional night sweats and dizziness that lasts seconds. Ankles hurt too. I started taking glucosamine for my joints. I really want to stay on the femara! I'm taking a yoga class tomorrow, praying it helps. Thanks forsharing your experience.
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Yoga does help.
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yoga felt great. I was on femara for 6 months. Bone and joint pain and fatigue wow. I could sleep all weekend. I just saw bs and she has found a chest wall lession and now am schedule for an ultrasound with biopsy. I have pain on both sides of my ribs and up the right arm into the armpit and no appetite. Although we can all lose a few pounds! I don't want tamoxifen. I have been menopausal since 14 years. I am worried about recurrence..but this is 6 months! I am looking for warriors with chest wall experience. Hard to imagine there is much benign stuff sitting in chest walls
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Lisa, I don't have any chest wall experience but I do know my original lumpectomy was taken down to the chest wall. So I assume mine was somewhat close. But I haven't heard any more about it. I wish you all the best love and hugs. This is tough and it's so anxiety-provoking. I don't think you have to worry about the Tam. If you're that far postmenopausal they'll probably keep you on the letrozole and order something else. If it turns out to be nothing I'm sure they'll just keep you on the letrozole. Please keep us informed. When is the ultrasound and biopsy?
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gkbuser tomorrow at 1 pm. They just took me off femara since my b.s. found this tumor. The mo suggested tamoxifen. I doubt I would even try it. I am so disappointed in all of this. My father was a great gp. I worked with him for 10 years before medical billing. I married a pharmacist. My sister is a bio genetist professor. My sweet sister was a chemical engineer with a double math degree that developed chemicals for cathers. She died at 51 after 2 years of bile duct ca. any one of us or people I know would go the extra mile for a fellow human. My point is that I have resources and knowledge and I feel this way. What is happening to the poor women and men who blindly follow doctor's who pretend to care or do the right thing? My heart breaks for them👿
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Lisa, yes I understand what you are saying.
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lisa,hang in there. Yes, I feel the same way. Doesn't make this disease any easier to deal with! Hugs!
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well thanks to God and all your prayer i have made it home and am currently pain free! Dr said it was not a seroma and took 2 samples and both marked with a clip. That doesn't sound like good news to look forward to. It is super hard to google on chest wall tumors after bxm. I am at the wait n see part which sucks almost as much as having cancer😷 again I appreciate you support💝
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Lisa, thanks for the udate. Sorry you find yourself waiting once again.
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hugs lisa, we are waiting with you.
When I was waiting I did really hard puzzles and construction projects around the house. I hope you find some good distractions that put your mind somewhere else. Hugs!
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Hi all - I’m wondering if any of you are taking a multiple vitamin/mineral supplement and if so, what kind.
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Lisa. Thinking of you at this time, the waiting is hard. Prayers for peace as you wait for the results.
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Lisa, waiting and praying for you too.
My lumpectony resection went to the chest wall. That was 14 months ago and I still have some pain and hardness in the area. MO said it's more due to radiation and can last months or several years.
I'm 67 and about 16 years post menopause... I don't remember when I stopped anymore! But I never stopped having hot flashes. They weren't frequent, but I had them. The hot flashes I have now are much stronger and worse when the weather is hot and humid. They are unpredictable though. Some days I have lots and days like today only one.
I'm taking 800 mg turmeric. I'm still stiff and I get aches and shooting pains in my thighs and hips mostly at night. I do yoga once a week and I notice my hips are more flexible. At first I couldn't sit cross legged, but now I can.
Going on vacation tomorrow. Had considered stopping the Femara, but I haven't felt too bad lately. Other than a new trigger pinkie! I've been on Femara for 2 months.
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for those of you with trigger fingers, what do you do to treat them?
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I had a trigger thumb for quite a while and then it just went away on its own.
My current pinkie one I think is due to the way I hold my phone. So I'm conscious of keeping it straight instead of curling it under. I also looked for exercises on the internet and they've really helped.
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my hand therapist friends have told me to get them splinted. I work with my hands and my body as a PT, so I can't afford problems. I carry the health insurance so I need to work at least 1 more years.
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I had a trigger thumb too and bought a splint at Walmart. It lasted about six months and then went away. Also had to get a electric can opener and a manual bottle top opener. Of course my MO didn’t think it was letrozole related.
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One week of Femara and I have carpal tunnel both wrists. All I can take is tylenol, I'm allergid to most other painkillers.
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Femara is a Selective nonsteroidal inhibitor of the aromatase enzyme system; it inhibits the conversion of androgens to estrogens.it is an orally active nonsteroidal compound that reversibly inhibits aromatization all over the body, as well as that within the breast cancer cells, resulting in nearly total estrogen deprivation.
Like any other medicines femara has some good effects and some harmful effects.
Most common side effects associated with the use of femara (letrozole) includes; Nausea, Vomiting, Hot flushes, dyspepsia, dizziness, headache, diarrhea, constipation, anorexia, depression, hypercholesteremia, raised sweating, alopecia, increased craving, peripheral oedema, skin rashes, bone fracture, osteoporosis etc
Less common side effects include tachycardia, high blood pressure, palpitation, cough, dyspnea, anxiety, insomnia, memory impairment, taste distrurbance, urticaria, pruritis, dry skin, urinary frequency, abdominal pain, thrombophelbitis, urinary tract infection, viginal discharge, vigina bleeding, pyrexia, breast pain, cataract, blurred vision, eye irritation, leucopenia, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, tumor pain, and general oedema.
Very rare side effect includes: arterial thrombosis, cerebrovascular infarction, and embolism.0 -
Five months and no side effects. I've also been able to loose weight with clean eating and just walking for exercise. I had so many fears after reading responses to chatrooms. I was more afraid of Femara than radiation. I know things can change but I'm optimistic the benefits to my health will outweigh side effects.
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Reb, do you know what manufacturer your Letrozole is made by? It’s on the bottle
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Ok ladies, so I started taking a new supplement to help with my memory and focus issues. It has caused all kinds of painful GI upset to the point that I didn’t take any of my meds the last 2 nights as I just couldn’t get them down. Well I woke up this morning with both hands aching, stiff and in a semi-balled up state that was excruciating to break. My feet and ankles and knees hurt, my neck started to hurt last night too. I guess the curcumin was actually mitigating a lot of pain and stiffness from the femara. I took last night’s pills with breakfast this morning and within the hour I was painfree again except for that slight stiffness in the left pointer finger to thumb area that I’ve always had since starting femara and curcumin. If you’re currently experiencing pain and stiffness and you’re not already taking curcumin that’s formulated for fast absorption/action and high bioavailability I encourage you to give it a whirl. I won’t be skipping mine ever again! This is the brand I use if anyone is interested:
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