FEMARA Reviews (LETROZOLE)Average Rating: 2.5 (1087 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare FEMARA with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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More on FEMARA: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR FEMARA | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 1 | destoyed my spine and my hip i can hardly walk now, i am having cortizon shots so i can go on.it helps very little, the demage is done by femara. | i am alone and i have to take care of myself and it became very hard to leave with very bad pain. | F | 82 | 6 months 1X day | 6/8/2011 | 1 | prevent any return of cancer | I am 82 and have only a 5% chance of recurrence of succesful removal by surgery of stage 1 slow growing cancer in a milk duct. Femara would only change the odds of recurrence to 4% Asked about side effects. "Few---maybe hand joint pain." said oncologist. Wrong! Almost immediately had screaming pains in knees, hips, back of neck, nausea, total sleepiness between pain bursts of about 10 hours a day. Quit four weeks ago and nothing has improvedl Two baby aspirin at 12 hour intervals gives me about two hours a day of relative painless movement. I will now take nothing prescribed for cancer ever again. Went to a Chinese MD and he has given me capsules of mushrooms extract which he thinks will soon relieve the pain. No help so far, but has only been three days. I am not a fan of doctors----I really get the feeling that patients are an industry to be exploited and profited from. Otherwise, why do they lie and count on us not looking online for information? It is obvious | F | 82 | 28 days 2.5 mg 1X day | 10/11/2015 | 1 | Breast cancer post surgery therapy | Increased joint pains,loss of sleep,mood swings,depression,lethargy,vaginal irritation, thirst,loss of sense of taste,flushes and night sweats,some change to eye sight (optician not too sure yet if pills or just age related). | Tried hard to keep taking it but loss of quality of life was too much to cope with. | F | 81 | 14 months 2.5 mg. 1X day | 6/7/2016 | 5 | breast cancer with metastasis | joint and muscle pain, slight nausea, foot pain, walking compromised, terrible hot flashes(second time in my life),split,ridged nails, loss of memory, feeling like I have or am getting Alzheimers, cramping of fingers wrists, feet and legs, inability to start walking in morning without sitting up and resting. My feet feel like flippers at times. Weight gain, started to exercise and fell down on the street. Et cetera, et cetera. | At my age (79) I was very reluctant to complain because so many of you, most, are so young. My doctor says the femara must be keeping the cancer at bay, so I guess I will keep taking it. It is 4 years now. I remember a time when I would have been long gone but with the onset of these drugs I am still around. The quality of life is not the greatest but it is still life. | F | 79 | 4 years | 10/14/2008 | 2 | (stage1) left breast,nodes clear. | Memory loss and mental confusion: Vaginal Dryness:Nervous disposition, lack confidence. Some Insomnia:Weakness,(no energy)tire quickly.Depression.Dry eyes; | Would like to stop taking this drug but Oncologist insists that a re-occurrence of a cancer tumor would be fatal, this is a catch 22 situation.Continue the drug and be a long time walking dead or stop the drug, live a little, and be dead sooner.Tough decision but I'm considering it! Got to wonder where the years of billions of charity dollar donations for research have gone, to finish up with these miserable results. | F | 79 | 30 months 30 MG 1X day | 3/23/2010 | 4 | after bilateral mastectomy stage 1 | joint pain, relieved by 3 mg prednisone daily | While I'm not happy with the joint pain, it's much less bothersome with the daily prednisone. My rheumatologist suggested it (I had used it 6 months earlier when I suddenly got polymyalgia rheumatica). My oncologist said, "I've learned something," and none of my doctors is concerned about that low dosage. I'm very physically active, so being able to still hike, bike, and snowshoe has been a blessing. But my skin is crepey and dry, and I will be happy when I can go off the drug in a year and a half! | F | 78 | 3 years | 5/8/2007 | 2 | Breast cancer | Nothing for first 2 months then wow felt like I had been crushed, vaginal dryness, difficulty getting out of chair, car, stiffness of muscles, joints oh wow had arithritis to start but joints are burning and I cannot walk all the time. Walking helps after I get my balance etc. To be on this for 10 yrs. | If I knew of something that did not have the awful side effects. Do not know if these side effects will continue to get worse. My trigger finger is moving to thumbs now too...... | F | 78 | 4 months 2.5 mg 1X day | 1/30/2017 | 1 | Breast cancer | Took femora for months . It was Terrible!!! Had to stop after 7 months. Had about every Side effect you can have. Felt terrible and got worse the longer I took it!! Horrible stuff!!! Weakness ,nausea, pain all over | Neuropathy got much worse. Sleeplessness, overall miserable. | F | 78 | 1 days 2.5 | 5/31/2020 | 1 | breast cancer | loss of weight 50 lbs in first 4 years , loss of appetite , panic attacks, constant abdomen pain, | Change in lifestyle, stopped shopping, all activities ex. bowling , movies etc, anything with noises. | F | 78 | 2 years 1X day | 9/2/2016 | 2 | Excruciating pain in wrists, feet, hips and knees. Stopped taking Femara 4/1/2010 but have not seen a difference in the pain. Is this going to be permanent? Had breast cancer,stage 2, lumpdectomy, chemo & radiation. Looking for an alternative to prevent the cancer from reoccuring and to stop the pain. | F | 77 | 15 months 1X day | 5/27/2010 | 1 | Stage 1 breast cancer | bone and muscle pain; bone density loss of 22% over 1 1/2 years | I would strongly advise anyone for whom this medication has been prescribed to consider the effect of this medication not only on one's quality of life but especially on the significant bone density loss. After months of complaining to my oncologist, he finally agreed to take me off Femara after seeing the results of the bone density test. | F | 77 | 1 months | 9/28/2009 | 5 | Breast Cancer - 1 Mastectomy | Thinning hair; weight gain. Overall good health & energetic. Was on ARIMADEX 6 mo. but had extreme joint pain with crippling effect; then TAMOXIFIN 4-1/2yrs happy/pain free. At 5yr mark Dr chose FEMARA for 5yrs/ended 6mo ago. Last 3 yrs on ZOMETA annual iv for bone loss; was switched to Reclast for bone because 10 yrs. in cancer remission & Reclast used for preventing bone loss. Now having bone & joint pain & tiredness, light-headed, these are side effects from RECLAST. I've always been very energetic happy person who is thought to be 10-15 yrs younger. God has granted me these 10yrs in cancer remission & I attribute much credit to FEMARA for this & to the care of a great Oncologist in St. Louis Mo. | I was sorry my Dr stopped my Femara when I reached 10 yr. mark on combined drugs. Dr said effectiveness after 10 yrs hasn't been proven. I exercise daily at gym; do lots of volunteer work to keep active. Femara was a very good cancer-fighting drug for me. All drugs have side effects. I try not to read them. | F | 76 | 5 years 2.5 mg 1X day | 9/22/2010 | 4 | Breast Cancer in 1999 | PROGRESSION HISTORY -- sprinkle with chronic type fatigue for the whole misery picture: Bottom of feet extreme pain to walk; Nasty scalp eruption; Weird urinary infection; Mean ankle muscle problem; Overall body crippling stiffness w/’flu-like’ pain; reaction to NSAIDs--swelling ankles; The “Brickwall impact” that’s taken all balance out of my life; Daughter told me to check Internet and I found this site. | Has anyone else’s muscles/joints/nerves ‘pure pain’ NOT stopped after coming off FEMARA? Mine didn’t. Since I’m stuck with pain that’s not going away and can’t get any worse, I requested the Oncologist last week to ok resuming an anti-cancer drug for that protection against cancer. Request refused. Last night I ordered an herb blend to replace that drug – I’m desperate -- told Rheumatologist first and he said it wouldn’t affect current meds. | F | 75 | 21 months | 5/2/2008 | 2 | As a follow after breast cancer | severe pain in the lower calf of the foot | F | 75 | | 1/28/2009 | 1 | Breast Cancer | Terrible pain in bones/legs and right arm..had broken arm, when I was 29.....and had no pain after healing....I am now 75 and the arm hurts as if I just broke it. My doctor recommended that I try Femara again...this time, (in 2008) I took the pill for 2 days and on the third day, I could not get up from my chair for over two hours. I never took the pill again...and, the doctor agreed with me. I recommend this pill for all enemies of the free world. This would tell them, that, we mean business in our search for peace. This pill is more devasting than a roadside bomb...at least when you're gone, you're out of misery. But, having to have pain every day is something you'd wish on your worst enemy. My doctor yielded to my discomfort (a mild word) and, I did not take this pill from Hell, again but, it's still rendering terrible pain. I realize, it's probably out of my system, but, the havoc it has caused is still with me. I have contacted the makers of this Hell-Pill to no avail. | F | 75 | 12 days 1X day | 9/22/2010 | 1 | 2nd Cancer-Tamoxifen 4-1/2 years. | SWEATING, back and hip pain, tingling in fingers, skin problems-fingers peeling, fatigue, MORE SWEATING (not to be confused with hot flashes) upon ANY exertion | I would like an answer about POST-FEMARA effects. I took it for four months after 4-1/2 years on Tamoxifen. The sweats upon any exertion(not to be confused with hot flashes) were so bad that I had no quality of life....dripping from my hair actually, fatigue,night sweats, joint pain. Doc said to stop it. SINCE THEN, the sweating stopped, but my scalp became very oily and itchy, and breaks out so much that I have trouble brushing my hair sometimes---my skin itches all over, and I have gained 15 POUNDS. WHY? | M | 75 | 4 months | 5/1/2006 | 5 | breast cancer 1 lymph nod effected | slight hair loss, lost lybido, vaginal dryness, pain in joints, osteoperosis,lost 5 centemeters height, slight weight gain | Got relief for most of the side effects by taking Glucosamin, Chondroitin, MSM pills for joints and it helped greatly. Am taking Replens and Ovestin cream for vaginal dryness,and have succeeded in having a sex life, even though less exciting. I have taken Femara for a year and a half after five years of Tamoxifen. No recurrence of Cancer, worth everything. | F | 74 | 2 days | 5/28/2006 | 4 | Breast cancer estrogen positive | Very few at first, started getting worse recently. Some joint pain and stiffness but now neck and hip pain, some days can hardly get out of bed but OK after moving around, hot shower, hot water bottles on lower back. Annoying insomnia, lack of motivation and depression. But it has been mostly pretty tolerable and it's a trade-off because I refused chemo. I have no doubts I would go to mets without it as tumour was very large, 10 affected lymph nodes, the cells will have already travelled into the body and Femara is all that is stopping them from growing. I was feeling very positive until recently but now not so sure I will be able to keep going if pain gets worse. But not a lot of options apparently. | F | 74 | 1 years 2.5 | 4/4/2019 | 1 | After Breast Cancer Operation | FEMARA has caused me devasting pain in my bones and, even though, I have complained to my doctor, there is nothing to counteract this pill from Hell. Even though, the last pill, I took was in Oct.08, I am still feeling the side-effects. I took the pill in June of 08 and then stopped because of the pain. My doctor asked me to start it again..I did in Oct 08for 2 days....on the 3rd day I was sitting and when I tried to get up, I couldn't for almost 2 hrs., finally, I had to lean on a chair and pushed to get to my bedroom. It is a pill from hell. I contacted the makers of this pill and they were only interested in me giving them the names of other persons, that, I knew, who were having the same problems...of course, I wouldn't do that. I felt, I was in a "Blind Study Test" without my permission. | I don't think, I can add anymore without getting vulgar. | F | 74 | 14 days | 9/5/2009 | 4 | for endometrial stromal sarcoma | I am taking it for uterine cancer with positive hormone receptors. The pain after 5 years is unbearably brutal. It is in neck/shoulder blades/upper back,hips/buttocks/knees. I didn't gain any weight on it which was good. I had to stop taking it the last 6 weeks because of the pain. I think it is working so well, I have no estrogen left in my body, thus all the pain. I have no choice because I have lung nodules and they kept them stable and I had no new growth in any other part of my body. | Femara is a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing because it works so well but a curse to have to live with unrelenting pain that doesn't go away. It has been 6 weeks off. I emailed Novartis about this and they sent me a form letter. Nothing accomplished. Is there another answer to reduce the pain? | F | 73 | 6 years | 12/24/2008 |
FEMARA (LETROZOLE): This medication is used to treat certain types of breast cancer (such as hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer) in women after menopause. Letrozole is also used to help prevent the cancer from returning. Some breast cancers are made to grow faster by a natural hormone called estrogen. Letrozole decreases the amount of estrogen the body makes and helps to slow or reverse the growth of these breast cancers. FDA Approval Date: 1997-07-25 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)