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 |
| 1 | BC 3x | After BC #1, I was not given any drugs as I was premenopausal. (Ovaries taken out in between cancers.) Almost 10 yrs later, I was diagnosed with a new primary BC. After BC#2, I took tamoxifin for a short time (3-4 months). I was switched to Arimidex, which I took for almost 3 years. I took myself off – I was literally at a Race for the Cure & could not finish the walk, my feet were in such pain & numb. From Arimidex, I had weight gain, headaches, severe joint pain, sleep issues, but as many say I was 50 walking like an 80 yr old. Now, I have another new primary BC, BC #3 - 6 yrs after last cancer. Dr wants to put me on Femara, BUT what I have read here - - my decision is NOT! I can’t risk more weight gain, blood pressure or bone issues. Thanks to everyone for writing their experience. Being able to walk & exercise is too important to me to give it up again. Quality of life is a must! | F | 55 | 1X day | 1/31/2012 | 1 | BC Stage 1 | After first month some knee pain, but manageable. Also fatigue and confusion. After 90 days worse lower back pain of my life. Bedridden for almost 7 days and out of work for 2 weeks. Now after one month, still unable to stand or walk more than 10 minutes at a time. Quit Femara at 90 day mark. How long until this is purged from my system? Can there be permanant damage from this drug? Chripractor multiple visits have helped, but not sure if additional medical advice will be needed. About 1-2% improvement each day, with Chiropractor, Ice, Therapy. Very slow recovery. I will take my chances with BC rather than deal with these drugs. Not worth it. Oncologist not much help, will most likely just suggest another drug. Forget it, I will try healthy eating/lifestyle and hope to get me life back. I am still afraid I will never get back to 100%. | F | 63 | 90 days 2.5 1X day | 1/24/2012 | 3 | prevention | The usual. Joint pain, foot pain, old person shuffle, stiffness, NO libido, vaginal atrophy, dry skin, fatigue, weight gain, rising blood pressure, bone loss | Just told yesterday time to stop due to bone loss. I cross my fingers that 5 years of putting up with the side effects was worth it. | F | 60 | 5 years 2.5 1X day | 1/13/2012 | 5 | Stage I breast cancer - lumpectomy | I've experienced all of the joint aches and pains described by other women here. Was on tamoxifen for 14 months, arimidex for about a year (aches were even worse!), and now femara for 10 months. The most alarming problem has been light, but constant vaginal bleeding on and off for the last year. D&C helped for a couple of months. Problem has worsened last two months.. While gynecologist can't really explain (says I may have bleeding polyps), she is recommending a hysterectomy. I'm going for a second opinion. Has anyone else experienced this issue on femara or arimidex? | F | 56 | 10 months 2.5 | 1/8/2012 | 5 | breast cancer | I am sure there are others like me that don't have any problems ~ we only hear about the ones with problem. In the beginning I had joint pain, but I take glucosamine and chondroitin for that so I don't have any problem now. My hair used to be very thick, but is thin now. I don't know if it's because of the Femara or the chemo I had. The chemo could have killed the hair root. Guess I will find out when I no longer have to take it. Femara was the one my oncologist recommended, and I trusted him and had heard terrible things about Tamoxifen and didn't want to take it. I do have mild bone loss, but that runs in my family so I can not say what the cause of that is. Daily: I take D3 (6,000 IU a day), C, E, and several others. | F | 64 | 4 years 1X day | 1/7/2012 | 4 | breat cancer stage 1 | I have awful pain bottom of my feet - right shoulder - right knee -terrible pain in middle of my back - can barely walk - can barely get out of a chair - or go up and down the stairs - i hope i just have 1 more year to go on this pill - i feel like i am over 100 - Good Luck Everyone :-) | F | 67 | 4 years 2.50 1X day | 1/5/2012 | 1 | prevention of recurrance | Severe muscle weakness in legs with pain. Anxiety attacks. Could not function normally. | F | 56 | 3 weeks 2.5 | 1/2/2012 | 1 | Breast cancer stage 1 | I have never experienced this kind of pain before. As I am reading others, yes it makes one feel 100 years plus. I hate to see my kids watch me go through this. For me to go on a walk with my daughter and to have to say to her, stop I have to take my pain medicine or I won't make it. What goes through their little minds. My feet are the worst. They say I have Plantar fasciitis but I was walking 15 to 18 miles a week 6 months prior to my chemo. After my first treatment of chemo in April my feet starting hurting in May and did ok until I started my femara August 18 and have worsened and now I can't walk. My disability from my work stopped paying my in October and said there was nothing wrong with me and that I am able to work with no problems. I am going to fight this now that I have found this site from all of you and your main problem which tend to be your feet and joint pain. Hope you all feel better soon and I can't wait to get off this crap myself. | I haven't been on this medication long enough for it to work. Just 4 months on it and having all this pain and side effects, I don't have a choice at this time. | F | 51 | 4 days 2.5 mg 1X day | 12/28/2011 | 2 | Breast cancer stage 1 her postive | complete brain fog, forgetfulness, aggravation , vaginal dryness...The worst is the mind thing , I feel as though I'm losing my mind... | F | 55 | 3 months 205 1X day | 12/15/2011 | 4 | Stage III breast cancer | I experienced severe joint pain, mainly in my right hip, thigh and knee and stiffness in my neck. Upon awakening in the morning and after sitting for any length of time, I walked like I was crippled. My bones in my feet hurt really bad upon getting out of bed in the morning. I had extreme difficulty going up and down stairs, or hills when going for walks. I still experience fatigue and memory issues, but those may be long term post-chemo side effects. | I have tried all supplements I can think of; liquid glucosamine, cinnamon, turmeric, over the counter anti-inflammatories, all to no avail. The last time I saw my oncologist (October 2011), I asked if there might be a prescription anti-inflammatory. He prescribed Mobic (Melaxicam) and told me to try it, and if it did not help within 30 days to not refill the prescription. I have had AMAZING relief from the Mobic. I have absolutely NO hip, leg or knee pain. I would say that my pain was so debilitating that I was begging to go off the Femara, but now I will take it for however long he tells me to. I have also been in core strengthening and stretching classes as well as yoga classes and I am sure that has helped. I would suggest at least trying this, knowing that everyone responds differently to this drug. Keep your spirits up, be proud to be a survivor, and make each day a positive experience. | 57 | 22 months 2.5 1X day | 12/14/2011 | 4 | Stage 2 breast cancer | Stiffness and insomnia but I figured the trade off to keep my extremely estrogen positive cancer away was worth it. | F | 55 | 10 years 2.5mg day | 12/7/2011 | 3 | yes | constipation, osteopenia,hot flashes,colon resection,pain everywhere,heartburn,Lichens sclerosis,hair loss,dry eyes etc.. | was on tamoxifen 5 yrs and femara 4 years+ 2 months quit 2 days ago does anyone know if bone loss improves after you go off? | 70 | 4 years 2.5 mg 1X day | 12/1/2011 | 4 | prevent reoccurance | NO LIBIDO. Fatigue. Joint stiffness. Joint pain first 6 months then OK. Lots of anxiety but that may be for other reasons - don't know. | I went through menopause while in treatment so I do not know if my symptoms are from femara or menopause and won't until i am off it. The generic seems to make no difference. It is very important for me to take an aromatase inhibitor as my cancer was VERY estrogen dependent. Onc said after 5 years it will no longer be helping me. 14 more months to go. | F | 55 | 4 years 2.5 1X day | 11/19/2011 | 5 | Breast Cancer | Only a headache for the first week or two then no side effects at all. i HAVE BEEN TAKING FEMARA for FIVE (5) YEARS | I have been taking FEMARA for FIVE YEARS ( The box above would not register a number or words) !!! | F | 61 | 2.5mg 1X day | 11/14/2011 | 4 | Breast Cancer (Stage 2) | I do have the joint pain and when I first get up from bed, I do the shuffle. I find I can't stand being barefoot due to feet pain first thing in the morning, so I need to always wear shoes. My doctor will be taking me off Femara this month since it is my 5 year mark. My pain in my feet are minimum, but more so in my toes. | I found I had tremendous feet pain and could not even walk to the bathroom 5 years ago. I dreaded getting up from my recliner. My friend asked me to try drinking Vemma. She mentioned to drink it for at least 2 months to really give it a chance. I dranked it for the 2 months when I noticed my pains went almost completely gone. I got my life back and it did make my cry. What I'm told is Vemma doesn't cure you, but it makes your cells healthier to help heal. I have dranked Vemma for 5 years now, and the pains are at a minimum in my toes. This is not a gimmick, because I don't sell Vemma. I do buy it for my entire family. In addition, I also bought a foot/calf massager from Brookstone for circulation, which I use every evening. I have a second chance at life. I stand on my feet all day with my job and as soon as I get home, I'm using my massager. The first thing I do in the morning is drink 2 oz. of Vemma. I now have started my own business and I do all the traveling and marketing for my business. On Friday evenings, I'm loading my trailer for my marketing trip. Some of my friends can't believe where I get the energy. I truly believe Vemma gave me a second chance...along with prayers. I ask you to just commit yourself to drinking Vemma for at least 3 months and get a massager that helps your calves and feet. I don't know if it will help every situation, but it is worth trying to see if it will help you. | F | 45 | 5 years 2.5 mg 1X day | 11/8/2011 | 2 | Recurrent ovarian granulosa cell ca | Muscle and joint pain/stiffness. depression, mental confusion. Feel old. | Muscle aches and joint pain started about 2 weeks in. I told my husband I felt like I was 80. Mental confusion started slowly- noticed it started with small things - thought it might be age, but has gotten much worse. To the point where I have memory loss, and actually went to see a neurologist for episodes of amnesia. Also have had a major depressive episode. Didn't help that the cancer returned and they were unable to get it all this time. My onc says I am on it for life, or if the tumors increase, another round of chemo. Am now separated from my husband..I think he could not deal with the femara side of me. | F | 57 | 2 years 2.5 1X day | 11/5/2011 | 4 | Stage III BC | I have joint pain, newly in arms, hands, fingers. Also elevated cholesterol in the past 1.5 years. Severe back pain and also bone loss. Vaginal dryness is also a side effect I have. | Most of the negative side effects have been in the past year and a half. My doctor hopes I can tolerate Femara for up to 10 years. Not sure I can handle another three but I will take the pain vs a return of the cancer! I do have an infared sauna and that helps with the pain some. I am a 13 year survivor. | F | 60 | 7 years 2.5 mg 1X day | 11/2/2011 | 1 | Stage 3 Breast Cancer | Severe joint pain. Pain in hands, wrists, stiff fingers, feet, ankles, all around pain. I feel so old especially in the mornings. Increased hot flashes. I feel brittle, frail, and old. | F | 43 | 6 months 30 MG 1X day | 10/18/2011 | 3 | Breast cancer, stage one | I have been on Femara for 12 months. I experience some joint pain and have always had trouble sleeping so don't know if it is from Femara. My onc. told me that there would be bone loss, my primary care dr. did a bone scan so I was prepared. My main dislike is the weight gain and bloating. I quit smoking after 49 years so realize that part of the weight gain is due metabolic changes. | I trust my onc with my life so will continue to take Femara for four more years. | F | 67 | 365 days 2.5 mg 1X day | 10/13/2011 | 5 | Stage IIB BC; 9 years later in lung | joint aches, tendonitis, pain in thumbs | Here is what has helped me based on my Onc's recommendations and from reading forums like these: I take Schiff Move Free pills every day. (Gluscosimine and Chondroiton sp?) That brand is the first that I tried and it works so well that I have not tried anything else! It eliminated the joint pain completely for me. I definitely had the early morning aches! My fingers and feet felt crunchy!" After a couple years I started getting severe tendonitis in my feet and shoulder. My primary care Dr x-rayed it or MRI'd it and was considering surgery! I read on a forum that I should try taking femara with food. (I take it before I go to bed and so my stomach was always empty.) I started taking it with food and literally within 2 days I felt better! I urge you all to try things before giving up - especially those who have had advanced stage BC. I do need more sleep than before - I mean like 7 or 8 hours instead or 4 or 5. But really, shouldn't I need more sleep anyway? Oh, I was getting very "bitchy" and now I take Lexapro and feel like myself again. My husband says it is a world of difference. I do have things like a little less focus, a little less motivation, but I can manage all that with more effort. Right now I am looking for a remedy for my hands - my thumbs are both really bothering me. Very arthritic feeling. Any suggestions?? My history in brief: At the age of 28, I was diagnosed with stage IIb BC and had a bilateral mastectomy | F | 44 | 5.5 years 2.5 mg 1X day | 10/12/2011 |