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 | Breast Cancer Stage 1 | My side effects were slow in coming but gradually dominated my life to the point that joint pain, lack of quality sleep, depression, paranoia, and lethargy made each day miserable. I used to be the most positive, energetic person I knew. I surely miss the old me. I went off this horror last week and am feeling my energy and personality sneaking back. The debilitating back and neck pain continue, but I am taking my chances here. The cure is worse than the disease. | F | 62 | 11 months 1X day | 4/2/2014 | 2 | breast cancer stage 1 grade 3 | hair on legs completely stopped growing so will see what happens to my head hair; I have muscle and joint pain never experienced before and it is becoming more severe as my time on this drug grows. | Swelling in hands, tired all the time,difficulty sleeping, weight gain; but I think the most distracting and disabling side effect is the body pain and lethargy; I don't feel much better than I did on chemo and raditation, and it has been 3 months since I finished treatments; I expected to feel like "my old self" but I don't. Depression? I am known to be a highly energetic and optimistic person--definitely not so right now... | F | 60 | 2 months 2.5 mg dai 1X day | 3/26/2014 | 3 | 2A Her2Neu+ Breast Cancer | Bone, joint, hip pain & slippage, blurry vision, fatigue/exhaustion, headaches, back pain, bRuTaL nerve pain, ataxia type symptoms (balance & coordination), mood swings, weight gain, night sweats, sleeplessness, disturbingly sweaty...all that stuff! Oww & Yuk! :( | Updates on things that might manage side effects. I've mentioned NeoCell for bone pain. I still take the collagen but also take straight Hyaluronic Acid. Please check with your doc & make sure you are NED before taking as HA may increase cell division. For nerve pain/neuropathy I take Redd Nerve Sheild, a mix of B vitamins and cucurmin. Also taking Bellena Nelle Omega 3 for nerve pain. It's widely known for heart health, but you may not know it also helps nerves. No fishy taste, there is lemon taste to it. Taking nascent nano colloidal iodine for breast health and/or take Celtic Sea Salt (watch Dr. Bob de Maria on YouTube for interesting info). Lose inflammatory acid & sugar diet. Some of my exceptions and indulgences: replaced my morning coffee with a homemade tea of Braggs vinegar (a good acid that balances), fresh (micro-planed) ginger, local honey and a dash of black pepper. Ginger is in the cucurmin family and as someone mentioned, you need to add black pepper to bring out the anti inflammatory compounds in the ginger too. Staying hydrated has been mentioned. Watermelon works wonders for me! :) For those of you who have a mean sweet tooth like me, and if you haven't had them in a while, try dates. I forgot how good, sweet & healthful they are. Like many of you, I never know how I am going to feel til I wake up in the a.m. and I am by no means pain free, some days are still brutal, but I feel I am gaining the tools to manage it better. Hang in there & ke | F | 50 | 4 years 2.5 1X day | 2/11/2014 | 1 | Infertility | Migraines, joint pain, weight gain | This med made me feel horrible and I didn't realize it was this drug until recently. I am no longer taking it but continue to have persistent joint pain and I had a herniated disc. No baby either. My doctor was shocked I was on it so long and said it was dangerous, asked who prescribed it to me like that and tried to deny it when I said her. Confusing and scary. | F | 28 | 3 years 2.5 5X M | 2/2/2014 | 5 | Stage IIIa bc ER+ her2- bilateral | Started to gain weight immediately. Have now gained about 10 pounds. Need to stop eating so many sweets. No significant increase in joint or bone pain. Need much more sleep than before even after chemotherapy and radiation about 2 1/2 years ago. Looking back, sleep needs increased after beginning Femara. Also, less optimistic and energized than before. | F | 53 | 5 months | 1/31/2014 | 2 | mastectomy stage 0-1 estrogen +Her2 | Thumb can't hold a pen ankle pain stiffness throughout legs.insomnia nightly 30lb weight gain lower legs ankles completely swollen I try to exercise need serious motivation as energy is drained from work had mastectomy mammos have since been clear in remaining breast. weight gain is very hard to shed. | 61 | 3 years 2.5mg | 1/25/2014 | 3 | Stage 1 Breast Cancer | Joint pain, trigger fingers, major depression, significant hair loss | Stage 1 lobular carcinoma: bilateral mastectomy followed by hysterectomy. Tumors (9 of them) were 99% estrogen+. Had carpal tunnel in both hands within a couple of days of beginning letrozole, which has subsided. I've had medication-controlled depression for years, but have been in the worst depressive state since starting letrozole. Working with psychiatrist to try different meds/dosages but the depression hasn't abated at all. I force myself to take 3-5 mile walks four days a week, mostly hoping it will help with the depression. The depression is what may end my usage of letrozole although I'm terrified to stop using. Almost 9 months of crushing depression has left me visiting the suicide websites. I keep reading the same page every day to make it through. The page stresses that suicide happens when pain outweighs resources. For me, that pain is mental; I can tolerate the physical discomfort. I find myself crying every time I read about any kind of suffering in the world (animal, human, etc.). I keep telling myself that this too shall pass. I'm also a three year survivor of Stage 4 thyroid cancer. My hair is half-gone since beginning letrozole. God bless us all and help us to endure. | F | 56 | 10 months 2.5 mg 1X day | 1/5/2014 | 2 | j Breast cancer | My white count is already down to 2.9 & I've had to go on antibiotics for bad sinus infection. I wake up with my joints hurting several times a night. All of my finger joints are sticking & I have developed trigger finger in the 3rd finger of my right hand. . The doctor didn't mention these ahead of time & they are listed as "rare" I accidentally found these on a breast cancer forum where almost every woman had trigger finger in at least one finger. This is extremely painful & disabling. I'm already on Celebrex for a back problem & it's not helping. Cortisone did help my fingers but I can't take it on regular basis. I'm going to try Glucosamine. Women on hormone blockers should be told to take vitamins to counter side effects before they occur, as well as extra for bone, joint support and immune system. | F | 61 | 3 weeks 30mg | 10/21/2013 | 1 | Endometriosis | This is my 2nd review b/c I had side effects I didn't realize were connected to Femara. I got uterine polyps that cause me such severe anemia I was passing out every time I tried to walk. My uterine polyps were considered iatrogenic because they were CAUSED by Femara. So I needed surgery (a hysteroscopy) because of Femara. So yeah, I'd say no to Femara. It made me need surgery and gave me a cancer scare (thankfully the uterine polyps were benign!). But seriously: go check out Femara's offical website and read the side effects CAREFULLY. | F | 26 | 14 days 2.5 MG 1X day | 10/13/2013 | 1 | Estrogen Positive Breast Cancer | Three weeks into taking the drug I developed the most severe depression, anxiety and mood swings. My oncologist put me on an antidepressant. I suffered from nausea every day. Towards the end of the 4th month, I became short of breath and felt like I was suffocating. After extensive tests, it was determined that I had lost 1/3 heart function. | I suffered from the uncommon side effects. Never did have bone and joint pain, but I think the loss of heart function and depression were worse. I have gone off the drug, I will take my chances... | F | 64 | 4 months 1X day | 10/7/2013 | 1 | breast Cancer. estrogen pos. | Femara has stunt my hair growth! My hair growth has stopped completely. I can barely do anything because of the hot flashes and sweating. I sweat as if someone has thrown a bucket of water on me. I should have been able to lose weight with the extensive sweating but that isn't the case, I actually have gained weight! I have severe lower back pain along with pain in my legs, also pain in my joints of my fingers and toes. I become so stiff when I am not mobile for awhile, but when I am mobile for long periods of time I pay for it with stronger pain. If I stand up after not moving for awhile my feet is in a combination of pain. My feet become stiff, numb, with full achy pain. I have to stand and give myself a but of a headstart to be able to move about I am truly not happy with this drug. I've read all the pros and cons of this drug with my conclusion there are more cons than pros. | F | 44 | 6 months 2.5 mg | 9/24/2013 | 1 | Stage 2B breast cancer | Severe joint pain especially in my legs. I have developed carpal tunnel syndrome in my right hand, neuropathy started after I ended chemo and started taking Femara. Foot pain is worsening daily. | M | 56 | 1 years 2.5 1X day | 9/19/2013 | 2 | Breast Ca/Stage 1, lumpectomy | I woke up during the night to excessive urination. It came out in buckets. I've never experienced anything like it ( except to compare it to my water breaking!) I couldn't function without sleep as I was going to have to drive to see my grandson. I stopped taking it. Doc said to wait a week & try Arimidex. I stiffened up to the point of being unable to walk, my joints swelled & I developed painful trigger finger. My blood pressure went dangerously high, even after 3 doses of Inderal. After 3 wks, took a short break. All symptoms went away. Blood pressure came down to normal. Dr. tried Tamoxifen. To my dismay, the trigger finger came back, with very severe joint pains & stiffness in my hands/ feet, knees. I cannot make a fist without fingers getting stuck. So discouraged. Will try the supplement one lady mentioned for lubrication. I just can't function like this for 5 yrs. I have a home to take care of & no one here to help me. There must be something else that doesn't cause such suffering. No one is guaranteed no recurrence of cancer, but mine was only 1.2cm & I really blame the Estrace. Has anyone tried getting ovaries out? I have a long way to go & just feel horrible. I was Est+/pro+. I am half way through with radiation & that is scary enough. God knows what that will do to my body. Prior to diagnosis was on Estrace, which of course was stopped immediately. Considering getting my last remaining ovary out & m | F | 61 | 3 days | 9/2/2013 | 5 | Breast cancer - Radiation treatment | At first no problems other than insomnia. Now pain in feet when I first get out of bed but passes after I start walking. Sometimes leg pain, shoulder and back pain but Advil relieves the pain. | F | 56 | 3 years 2.5 | 8/25/2013 | 1 | cancer | it may be brain Mets or femara but my mind is going. I cannot reason I am so confused ....it makes me sad to hear all you old women complaining when you have had long lives and I am dying young. I guess wisdom does not come with age | F | 32 | 1 days 2 | 8/3/2013 | 1 | Stage 1 bilateral breast cancer | Sleeplessness | I cannot sleep on this drug after only 5 days. I had the same problem with Arimidex after ten weeks and switched to Femara. I cannot function without sleep and do not want to take sleeping pills! I feel as if I am on Speed. I am thinking of not taking this anymore! | F | 59 | 5 days 1X day | 7/15/2013 | 3 | Stage 2 Estrogen Positive Breast Ca | My major side effect is depression......really bad. Mood swings that are set off by insignificant things. I have some joint pain, but not really bad. I have had nausea (much like morning sickness) and stomach cramps. No weight gain yet. | F | 63 | 2 months 30mg 1X day | 7/10/2013 | 3 | ER+ PR+ HER- Breast Cancer stage o | hot flashes,night sweats,arm,shoulder & neck pain every night, fatigue, frequent urination | Advil liquid gel 2 tablets helps with the pain. I had dbl mastectomy but no chemo or radiation | F | 64 | 7 months 2.5 1X day | 6/28/2013 | 5 | estrogen postive breast cancer | Will continue to take Femara the rest of this last year of treatment despite increasing joint stiffness and major bone pain throughout my body enough to affect my daily life. Often have to take major pain meds to sleep. Take megadoses of D2 for pain weekly + daily doses of D3, calcium and magnesium. Major balding on back of head & vaginal atrophy. Beats another tumor! It is doing what it is supposed to. Clean 4 yrs out. You have to battle breast cancer. It is what it is. | F | 61 | 4 years 2.5 mg 1X day | 5/22/2013 | 1 | Breast cancer stage IIB | Fatigue, back pain, depression, hot flashes, weight gain around middle, joint pain | Started 1 month following last chemo treatment. Fatigue from chemo did not get any better, and depression worsened the longer I took Femara. Severe back pain every day to the point of needing to take Aleve every day to function. I've always been very thin, but noticeable weight gain in the abdominal area. I decided to stop taking Femara for a week to see if I felt any different. BIG improvement - couldn't believe how much better I felt. Fatigue and depression resolved, back pain lessened considerably. Stayed off for almost two months, but oncologist insisted I try Tamoxifen. Am trying it, but will stop if the severe side effects return. It's not worth it to feel so badly all the time. | F | 56 | 11 months 2.5 1X day | 5/21/2013 |