FEMARA Reviews (LETROZOLE)Average Rating: 2.5 (1087 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare FEMARA with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 |
More on FEMARA: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR FEMARA | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 3 | BC Stage II | I'm never without pain in my hips and knees, but sometimes the pain migrates to other joints, including my wrists, hands, and feet. It's much harder to walk and to rise from a chair. I suffer from sleeplessness, brain fog, lethargy and minor weight gain. A few months ago, my eyes became dry and they're sometimes painful. | Despite the side effects, I work full-time in a job that requires my full attention and fine writing skills and I do it well - most of the time! My family needs me, and I will endure the side effects for another 3 1/2 years. I hope my surgery, chemo, radiation, and now Femara will keep me healthy for as long as I am needed. My two B/C survivor groups are invaluable and I urge all survivors, if at all possible, to find one that meets your needs. Our doctors can not empathize with our journeys. They can only advise from what they've learned, from research and from us. | F | 57 | 18 months 1X day | 5/21/2012 | 3 | Stage 4 Recurrance Breast Cancer | Took Femara for 18 months, now on generic Letrozole, (which is a lot cheaper) for 20 months now. I do not notice any difference in the 2 meds. My joint pain is still terrible. Mostly my hips, back, hands, and feet. I still get hot flashes that bring on dizziness and naseau. It is worth it if I never get cancer again, but my biggest fear is if I live my life in such pain and discomfort for 5 years and the drug doesnt work. I pray everyday for a real cure or prevention. | F | 52 | 2.5 1X day | 5/16/2012 | 3 | 3a homone receptive breast cancer | I took femara for about 1 year with no side effects. I switched to the generic from Walgreens ( pink pill) a year ago with no side effects. 3 weeks ago I switched to a yellow pill of the generic and am having increasing knee pain and knee weakness. The yellow pill is from Breakenridge pharmacuticals. | Femara was fine for me but the generic form not so much | F | 65 | 2 years 2.5 1X day | 5/11/2012 | 3 | Breast Cancer | Bad pain in my feet, vein enlargement in my feet, all over joint and muscle pain, heaviness in legs, high cholesterol, somewhat high blood pressure (which I never had before) fatique and weight gain. | Shortly after starting Femara, I brought to my oncologist's attention, on two ocassions, that my feet hurt really bad. Was told it was a side effect of the meds the first time, second time I was told to take ibuprophen. I have a high tolerance for pain, but this was bad enough to seek some outside help. In the 18 months that I've been taking Femara, I developed some pretty bad osteoartheritis in both feet, along with spurs, something I never had before. This stuff DESTROYS YOUR JOINTS, except no one wants to tell you that. Prior to taking this medication, the most I had was some mild artheritis in my fingers...now I'm half-crippled in my feet. I also have high cholesterol now, as well as borderline high BP, vein inflammation in my feet (seeing a vein guy about that in 2 wks) gained 35 lbs in a matter of months, heavy-feeling tired legs and general fatique. Overall, I feel un-well a good deal of the time. They want me on this for 10 years. If this kind of damage ocurred in 18 months, what is going to happen to me after 8.5 years?! I have a decision to make regarding quality of life issues vs. the inevitable should I stop taking Femara. And you know what? I feel I've been duped. I should have been told about all of the possible side effects, which I wasn't and I'm pissed. I should have done research on my own though, but I didn't until all of this stuff happened to me. | F | 54 | 18 months 2.5 mg 1X day | 5/11/2012 | 5 | stage 2bc | Acid reflux joint pain stiffness when I get up from sitting and has made me continuously hungry. Will not go off this | F | 58 | 4 years 12.5mg | 4/27/2012 | 3 | DCIS microinvasive stage 0 | Memory issues, joint pain (Pain in feet is the worst) | I was on arimedex first for 3 months. Stopped because the foot pain got so severe I could not walk. I am already starting to have the same symptoms with the femara. I believe in this drug in principle and will gladly continue as long as the side effects do not interfere with my ability to actually live my life, If you look at the actual statistics early stage breast cancers will reoccur in about 4% of women. Taking femara reduces that to 2%. Overall the risks are not hugh so If side effects become debilitating I will stop the medication | F | 53 | 2 weeks 2.5 1X day | 4/12/2012 | 4 | Breast Cancer | The first year: numbness in my knees, joint pain in most joints, shooting pain in hands and feet. Horrible shifts in temperature, sometimes so cold I would ache. Years 2-4 were the same. Year 4, I wanted off it but after a consultation with an oncologist at OHSU, I wasn't comfortable going off. The last year has been rough: no energy and lots of pain. It has done it's job as I have reached 5 years!!! I was approved to stop taking it and stopped last week. | Going off the Femara after 5 years has been interesting. I stopped taking it 4 days ago. I am extremely tired, foggy brained, and am nauseous. It's similar to morning sickness. Could be anxiety over going off the drug but I don't think so. I am very comfortable with the next stage in my life. I am hopeful that the side effects will lessen quickly. I will post back every month with an update. Beth | F | 62 | 5 years 2.5mg 1X day | 4/8/2012 | 1 | breast cancer | It seems that every joint that has ever had some ache has now come back. My hips are the worst. Also my hands feels like they are extremely swollen. Went off it for two weeks and didn't get better. Taking Aromasin now for two weeks, still not better. | F | 51 | 2 months 1X day | 4/5/2012 | 2 | br. cancer stage 2a | Many, after 2.5 years could hardly walk, joints, hips, back, everythng hurt. Got off at that point. Not worth it to me, could not function.I have now been off Femara for about 9 mos. My symptoms gradually improved,but never went away completely. Now they have all come back big-time. Has anyone else had this experience? i feel like this drug has ruined my body. I was told it was most likely arthritis, but NEVER had any issues before Femara useage. | F | 65 | 2.5 years 1X day | 4/4/2012 | 2 | Breast cancer | I started having pain in my back, shoulder and hands almost immediately from the start of taking. The pain is now constant and can barely walk, cannot write without extreme pain and cannot sit or stand for more than a couple of minutes. I have hardly any short term memory, will have bouts of severe fatigue that comes on suddenly and have lost almost all muscle mass so that it shows I have only put on 5 lbs. but in fact, have put on quite a few inches. I also have tremors in my hands that I do not see listed as a side effect. I am going to disscuss with my Dr. about going off. I have no quality of life at this moment. | F | 54 | 1 years 30 | 3/26/2012 | 4 | Breast Cancer | Dizziness and unable to concentrate for any length of time. Short term memory loss. | Just recently I was asked to learn a new computer program at work. I ended up having a severe panic attack. I was so fustrated not being able to remember what we had just learned the day before. On a daily basis I would use little tricks to compensate for this handicap. But this week, with so much information coming at me all at once, it was the worst week I've had in four years... So, if anyone is feeling this kind of torture your not alone. However, I'll take my life with my husband and my kids over learning this new program any day. If this medication keeps me alive I'm willing to accept the side effects. | F | 53 | 4 days 2.5 mg 1X day | 3/25/2012 | 3 | Breast cancer | Aches in bones, shortness of breath, fatigue, tingles in mouth, hands and feet. Sleeplessness, foggy brain, forgetfulness, the shakes. And also sometimes hard for my eyes to focus | Happy to finish this medication after my 5yrs is up. Had breast cancer twice within 5 1/2 years. Age 33 then 38. | F | 42 | 2.8 years 2.5 1X day | 3/19/2012 | 4 | Hormone positive breast cancer | occasional hot flashes | So far, so good with no aches or pains. I take 5000iu of Vitamin D3 a day, which probably helps. I take it at bedtime and sleep through the night. | F | 65 | 6 weeks 2.5 mg 1X day | 2/29/2012 | 1 | Stage 1 bc | joint pain, extreme in my hips and shoulders, lower back pain pretty severe, surges of pain through out my body, brain fog | I was on Arimidex for 2 months. Horrible side effects. Went off for 2 weeks and felt better. Then I started Femara. I've been on it about a month. I am having the same side effects as Arimidex, but not as severe. The side effects are pretty debilitating still. Onc put me on Neurontin for leg pain, it's helped. It also is beneficial for hot flashes. Which were so bad I would get sick and they were happening several times in 1/2 hour period. But still not as bad as with Arimidex. I feel pretty horrible. I will be calling Dr. in AM. Not sure I will be staying on this. Have no quality of life. Already cut my hours at work from the severe side effects of Arimidex, but not sure if I can even work. I am saddened as I have a 13 yr. old daughter and I can't do a lot of things with her. I really don't know what to do. My husband is saying well, you just won't be able to take it. I guess taking the chance is easier for others to take when it's not them having to deal with it. I know he doesn't want to see me hurting so bad. I am afraid to take it and not take it. :( | F | 43 | 1 months 2.5 1X day | 2/27/2012 | 3 | Bc stage 1 | beginning lot of joint pain ESP in back and hips trigger finger depression brain fog better now but still have joint pain exercise really helps take d3 calcium fish oil turmeric b complex Hang in there ladies day at a time god bless all | F | 58 | 4 years 2.5 1X day | 2/23/2012 | 4 | prevent reoccurrence | Being on it such a short time I only feel a little pain once in awhile on my right shoulder, and some fatigue. | Reading all these side effects I was very hesitant taking femara, but I figured I give it a try. I was diagnosed 2+ years ago, had a bi-lateral mastectomy with reconstruction, followed by 4 months of aggressive chemotherapy. I was stage 1 BC and BRCA+. So far so good. | F | 53 | 30 days 2.5mg 1X day | 2/16/2012 | 4 | Breast Cancer - Stage 4C | From the very beginning taking Femara I had joint issues...my fingers would cramp up, I would just pull them apart and figure, hey preventing another bought of breast cancer, worth the cramping of my fingers. I am now 6.5 years breast cancer free in 2012. I am 58 years old come April, 2012 and as a result of taking Femara for this length of time, I believe it caused my bladder wall to be non existent and last Wednesday, I went into the hospital to have a anterior repair, repair of the vaginal wall as my bladder was actually coming into my vagina...and at this point, I also have a small posterior issue, my gyno felt to small to repair at this point. I don't think it helped I took a trampoline class for 4 weeks at the gym and then purchased a mini trampoline for exercise at home. So, I will be on Femara for another 4 years and I'm worried the posterior problem may become worse and another surgery needed. I, of course, will stay off the trampoline and prevent it from happening sooner. | F | 57 | 6 years 25 mg. 1X day | 2/12/2012 | 4 | breast cancer | It is difficult to say which are the side effects of Femara since the chemotherapy put me in menopause. I also get calcium injection to blood (Zometa) twice a year. Probably the stiff neck and general stiffness could be caused by Femara. But it does not prevent me from doing sports, gym, yoga or going to skiing holidays. Recently I have a feeling that my memory is not what it used to be, I'm less quick and I'm hearing less well. | The tumor was dependent on oestrogen so there is a need to prevent oestrogen production in my body | F | 50 | 2.5 years 1X day | 2/10/2012 | 3 | breast cancer | bit worried after reading your comments 2007 lump and sental node + fec x3 taxetore x3 radation 6wks ,tamoxifen and triptorelin for 4 an half yrs just started femara meant to be on it for 5yrs but already suffering most of these conditions for the other drugs stg 2 wondering if the best years of my life are passing me by | F | 43 | 2.5mg 1X day | 2/4/2012 | 4 | Breast cancer Stage I | This is currently the worse time for me and my side effects. My hands ache everyday with joint pain and now the fingers are starting to twist due to arthritis. I have to wear a brace on my thumb and fingertip-less gloves to keep my hands warm with a little compression to help ease this pain. I never had this before Femara. My knees are starting to ache and the bottom of my left hurts when stepping down. Oh, did I mention my right big toe now has arthritis???... I am not sure if it is the cold weather or what. | I am thankful I only have two years left to go on the Femara. | F | 59 | 3 years 1X day | 2/1/2012 |