FEMARA
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Hi Artsee, I paid $450 for my first month of Letrozole and then found out that Costco has it for $23.00!! Exact same thing from the same manufacturer! I don't understand how there can be such a huge difference in price and am going to look into it because it makes me mad that other places charge such an outrageous price. I've been on it for a little over a month and am struggling with diarrhea. It's the only side effect so far so I really don't want to switch to Arimadex before trying everything possible to get rid of it. Probiotics are helping a bit and my accupuncturist gave me a chinese formula yesterday that I'm going to try.Has anyone else experienced diarrhea from letrozole?
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SeaShelly beat me to it.
When Artsee posted on another thread I'm on that she was on Femara - I wanted to MAKE SURE all of you knew to go to COSTCO - you don't have to be a member to use the pharmacy. Tho, their food is good.
I went there last year when Arimidex ( my "drug" of choice
went generic. It was the first prescription and was $20 a month - ALL other pharmacies were, and still are , charging about $350.Good luck to all with finding a Costco near you. I drive 30 miles to get to the one nearest me. It's SO SO SO SO worth it. The pharmacy folks are lovely, helpful, you can call in advance & have the prescription waiting for you.
PS. When I was getting chemotherapy years ago, I had the worst diarrhea - emailed my docs at Dana Farber in Boston, and told him I was sure I needed a prescription - he said Immodium is as good as anything we could prescribe for you
ALSO at Costco!!!! 0 -
Well I am stunned! How can Costco charge $23.00. I guess we can all see what a rip-off all these drugs are. We have a store that's 30 minutes from us as well. We just were there last week. I will make sure I check that out.What's a half hour drive to save hundreds. My insurance covers all but $2500 every year. That's huge.It's a 'must' to look into it.
Thanks for the GOOD news guys.
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Artsee: I was on arimidex for one month - the only issue I had was a headache...unfortunately for me the headache was getting worse so my ONC took me off of it and giving me a 3 week break before trying, Probably femara generic... I have found through my reading, that if one gives you SEs, the other probably won't.... Praise God we have more that one med to try... My friend I walk with has been on Arimidex without one SE, so it is just finding the right plan, the right med for the right person... Don't be afraid to try it..... I will come back and take arimidex if the other meds SEs are worse than the headache... Just trying all my options before staying on it...
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Just wanted to let you all know I called Costco and a 30 day supply of the generic Femara is going to cost me $22.47.I was so excited I didn't even ask what Femara cost.
There is no question that I am switching to Costco for this drug. Thank you sooooo much for the input.
Hugs, Artsee
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Artsee - I asked costco that question when I looked into femara - the femara was going to be $1527.00 without insurance but could also get the generic for $22.47...
Edit: I found out my other pharmacy - BiMart will price match with costco!!!
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Ladies...........has anyone used the Novartis promotion of Femara for $10.00.........I know this offer has expired, but can anyone tell me how it worked............I got the offer 1 time..........it was my understanding it was good for more then 1 prescription...............am I goofy, or is my pharmacy completely misinformed..................I thought we were entitled to more then just 1 30 day supply...............help....if I'm wrong tell me.
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Ducky I used that coupon till it expired. Here's how it worked - it was up to the value I think of $800. I pay $45.00 for my co-pay for name drug, then they would apply the coupon $35.00 each month and I paid $10.00 THEN the generic came out and when I went to pharmacy my $45.00 jumped to I think $180.00 so I used up my total Novartis coupon that month, then I called my insurance office to ask them why the big difference in charges and the reaso they gave me (which I think they made up on the fly) is that your doctor has to write on the script that they must not substitute for generic, anyways I just took my prescription over to Costco where I got a 3 month supply of the generic for $25.00, so those of you transferring to Costco, check out the 90 day supply costs.
Cheryl
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I use Walmart pharmacy. The generic is $4 a month. I used the Novartis coupon for 16 months for femara, but the coupon expired in June. Now that it has gone generic, my insurance won't cover femara. Have to get generic. I have extra femara, because I only take 1/2 a pill a day. So, I haven't taken the generic yet. Hoping, when I do, the s/e's don't get worse!!
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Thanks ladies.................Aetna warehouse told me that the Femara would cost me $90.00 for a 3 months supply............the generic would be $60.00 for the same 90 days.............so far I have done very well on the brand, so I don't want to take the generic..................I paid a $45.00 co pay today for a 30 day supply.................that was CVS...............will call my MO tomorrow and get my script for the Aetna warehouse..................for the brand drug................I only got the CVS bottle because I am out..........otherwise I would have told them to shove it......Its ridiculous
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Jacee when I spoke to my insurance company they told me that if the doctor writes "do not substitute generic"(and I thought they made that up but maybe not) they have to give you the name brand so check with your insurance company and see if it's the same and then have your doctor write you a new script. I haven't noticed any difference on the generic, same old hot flashing during the night
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Thanks hbcheryl. But I won't have the Novartis coupon anymore, so I think it would cost me $70 a month or so. Once I start the generic, if I have issues, I may have to try it though.
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Hi, since I switched taking Femara from morning to evening the side effects are manageable, at least so far. Thanks for all your support, I almost gave up. Another thing I am noticing is my hair is thinning, I see hair all over in my house. Would I lose all hair?. I have already taken tamox for 3 years and my Dr wants me to take Femara for next 2 years. I am hoping he would not ask me to go on another drug after 2 years. Did any one of your Dr give a reason for switching. These days I get very suspicious about all the Drs who push certain drug.,you could say I am almost paranoid
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Yes, MBoss, you can have thinning of hair. At least Femara. I can'y speak for the other 3.
My hair is shoulder length and I noticed when pulling it back the sides are much thinner that normally. I also have hair all over the place and it drives me crazy. Maybe I should just cut it.
I am going to try switching the drug to evenings. Going to my pill box right now.
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Hair thinning is definitely a SE of Femara, and probably of Arimidex and Aromasin too. It's also a SE of aging because of lack of estrogen, just as the other SEs are as well. I started Femara a month after finishing chemo and it took several months for my hair to return, but it's very thin on the crown. I decided to change the colour in an effort to make it less noticeable, so now I've gone from brown to dark blonde highlights and it's helped alot!
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Three years after chemo only now I am starting to see my hair half decent. But from what you are all saying looks like it won't last long. I was taking such good care by applying coconut oil two or three times a month and socking it for few hours or sometimes overnight (I put towel so pillow won't get oil stain). Oh well I will wait for two years and start all over again. One good thing with this femara, I am going to say it without shame, is that I am not as constipated as with Tamox
Artsee-try taking it in the evening. Though you may be kind of crippled in the morning, as the day goes by most of the aches and pains fade away . I take plenty of water with the med and try to flush away bad SE as quickly as possible, atleast that is what I am thinking. Good Luck.
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I am going into my second month and the only SE I am experiencing is tiredness on some days. I take it at night.
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Hi All,
In July my prescription insurance switched me to the generic Femara. Within two weeks all the old SE's - joint and muscle pains - came back with an angry pain I didn't get on the Femara. I perservered until this past week thinking the SEs would subside. They simply got worse and worse.
My body told me that the generic is not the same as the Femara. So, I called my prescription insurance company, talked with the pharmacist and for $10 more a month, I'm back on my Femara. As I told the pharmacist, the generic has turned my age backwards - instead of 58, I'm feeling 85. They are shipping me the Femara express so I'll get it by Wednesday, Thursday at the latest.
For those of you on a prescription plan experiencing the SEs of the generic worse than the Femara - call and explain. This way, I didn't have to go back to the oncologist, get a new prescription that says don't substitute. And now my file says "do not substitute."
Hope this helps.
Pat
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Is anyone off Femara for more than a year after taking it for 2 - 3 years? I would love to find out if the femara "belly" ever goes away!!
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Hey "belly".............how about Femara ankles, feet, hair, or lack of...................this drug is horrible.............just on it one month and I can see myself growing.............gonna try Medifast, a location just opened in my town......................can't deal with this weight gain..............nothing helps either.....................I'd go off it now, but my kids will go nuts...........
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Every time i get pissed off that my skin is so dry (and getting more pigment spots and I'm not out in the sun), my joints ache, I get a migraine or have another long lasting wet-hot flash and just hate hate hate Femara - I try to remember what it is doing and maybe because I have these side-effects it just means it's working.
I am thankful I tested positive (one good thing) and think I would take it for the rest of my life (I'm 58) if doing that would help reduce my chances of never ever having breast cancer again.
Even though I have had a DM and my SNB was negative, I still live in fear of one of those nasty bc cells living somewhere else in my body. Every little bump I find gives me shivers...so I will continue with my love/hate relationship with the Big "F".
To deal with the weight gain, I had to cut out some foods or decrease the amount and increase my exercise. It worked. It wasn't easy but I feel better for being able to control my weight and like myself a little better, even though my reconstructed breasts still have the 'Barbie Doll' look but more like a reject Barbie. #5 surgery next month to help correct my boob look.
We can't give up now - look how much we have all endured and we all want to continue this life with our loved ones, even though taking Femara makes the going rough at times. I often think of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz and that my yellow brick road has lots of ruts and rocks along the way but I really want to keep on going.
Sorry to ramble...
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Hi Debbie and other Femara girls,
At 6-months check-up my Onco seeing thicker finger joints of my hands, proposed switching from Femara to Aromasin (exemestane). Because being on Femara for 17 months with all possible SE's (belly fat too!) I'm asking myself what difference in SE's should be with this new medicine. Should I try? Coping with Femara I was so innovatory to find out what did and could help to maintain going on. So in the last months I was convincing myself the matter is tolerable.
Now, I'm afraid what this turn to the new medicine will bring to me!
I would like to ask experienced ladies or ladies on Aromasin how it's about state of health, how they are feeling, how effective this treatment is or was?
Thanking in advance!
Greetings!
Usha
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Slousha...I can tell you that Aromasin was my first medication my Onco subscribed. I couln't tolerate the side effects. Pain all over. He then put me on Femara which I was doing good with for 2 years plus...now I am noticing the finger joint pain and swelling. My elbows hurt as well, and ankles. I know when I see him in 2 weeks he'll suggest a Arimedex which I don't want to take. Heard to many stories from people on that. So in the realm of things I guess I suffer through as I only have till May 2013. Is this why I have belly fat?? Tell me about that. My Onco pointed to my stomach last visit and he told me to get rid "of THAT". I walk every day but it doesn't help the belly. It's hard after kids.
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I am currently on a 6-week break from Femara. The joint pain in my fingers has almost completely disappeared. I've been off the Femara for 6 nights.
I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis by a rheumatologist, but I think the pain is from the Femara. I think I will be trying something else when I go back on an aromitase inhibitor in October. I didn't realize that Femara caused belly fat, too. I definitely have that, and I had a free-TRAM reconstruction, so after that surgery my belly was totally flat. I hate having it stick out again.
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Well, looks like there is no escape for me from Femara. After taking it for almost two weeks I told my Dr's office that I don't want to take this and that I want to switch back to tamox. I went to get my B12 shot today hoping that Dr would have left prescription for tamox but the nurse said that Dr wants me take Femara for another 2 weeks before even thinking about the switch. I was really disappointed and angry. Now, if I had to continue on Femara I want to know how I can get it for cheaper price. I am terrified to go on generic. Im thinking that if go on generic the side effects may be even worse. Can someone please please help me?
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Someone on here helped me and recomended 'Costco'. It will cost $23.00 for 30 days. Far cry from $565.00 for 30 days agreed? I hope you have a store near you. They ship as well.
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Can anyone tell me when you finish the AI's after 5 years, does your hair gets thicker like it used to be???? This is depressing having a combfull of hair all the time.
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Thanks artsee. We do have membership for Costco. Next time when I go I will ask them to see how much it is going to cost me with my insurance.
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I have an apology to Femara ( on it for 11 months) for blaming my foot pain on it. Heel spurs was the diagnosis. Some waves are appearing in my stick straight hair and I will give Femara credit for that.
Jane
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I have just been told to go on AI therapy (after lumpectomy and brachytherapy, glad those are done with!) and my oncologist has had best results with femara, so I read a lot of this thread to learn more. Here's what I'm thinking...
Seems like some posters are pre-menopausal or still peri-menopausal (still going through it, as it takes YEARS -- who knew!) and I think you would be dealing with some of these symptoms of estrogen deprivation anyway, maybe just less intensely. I truly hope they ease off for all of you (and for me, if I get them).
If you are younger than me (I'm 58), you may be just getting accustomed to being middle-aged. Your joint pain and stiffness may actually be in part ordinary osteo-arthritis that just hasn't been diagnosed yet. I was diagnosed three years ago and my regular doctor told me almost everyone has some osteo-arthritis by the mid-50s. I didn't believe I had it but special Xrays proved it to me.
Here's the sure cure, like it or not: "vitamin I", ibuprofen. It prevents the inflammation of the joint and doesn't just prevent the pain, it makes the joint better. Take it with food and you may have no problems at all from it (I don't). I like Aleve (naproxen) for headaches but for joint pain, vitamin I is IT. My oncologist suggested that if I take it at bedtime, it will have the strongest effect on how I feel when I wake up. All I know is that in the past few winters, taking it at breakfast, lunch, and dinner on a ski day (and some on the next day) makes an enormous difference in my knees!
I've been unhappy about going on AI therapy because eliminating my remaining estrogen is not good for my prospects of osteoporosis (my mom and grandmother suffered a lot from it), but I'm going to do it and hope for what someone in this thread said... basically, don't borrow trouble by expecting side effects that you don't yet have. And, like xgolfer with her foot pain, realize that breast cancer and its meds are not the only things that could be going wrong in your body!
While I'm rattling on about stuff, I have a comment for MBoss. The breastcancer.org goddesses have just started a thread about new research confirming the strong benefit of taking a couple years of tamoxifen and then a couple of years of AI (or vice-versa). Your doctor is not jerking you around, he/she is following current evidence of the best possible treatment.
Seems like these oncologists don't always have the best "bedside manner"... We can all be grateful to websites like this one (and Dr Susan Love's) that give us great scientific info in a loving way. And I am grateful to all of you for sharing your info about femara and how to treat its side effects (if I get them... knock on wood!!). Feel the love, ladies.
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