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 Age from youngest to oldest (reviews with no age reported listed first). 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 | Stage 2b Breast Cancer | Fatigue, weight gain, anger, crying, joint pain, no libido | I was diagnosed in March of 2008. Cancer in R breast and one out of six nodes as per sentinal node biopsy. I opted for a bilateral mastectomy. Was given chemo of Taxotere and Cytoxin. Was given Femara and awful symptoms began and only increased as time went on. Almost 40lb. weight gain, NO desire for sex,uncontrolable anger, joint pain making it difficult to get up from seated position, cry at EVERYTHING. I told my oncologist I couldn't take it anymore and he let me stop on Sept. 8th. It is now almost a month later and I'm feeeling like a human again. The midruff weight gain is starting to go down, I'm not crying at all, joint pain gone.....I will take the chance rather than to live a living hell on that medication. I would be happy to answer any questions for anyone. Don't hesitate to email me. | F | 56 | 15 months | 10/5/2009 | 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 | 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 | 1 | breast cancer | extreme joint pain, finger joints snap, can't stay asleep. | I can't hold anything - everything slips from my hands, can't grab tightly, knee joints and finger joints snap back and forth, can't stay asleep. I am seeing my onco today for some recommendations. If none, I am going off the medication. Each day that goes by, something else hurts and stiffens up. I can't imagine what will happen in five years. This is no quality of life - even being alive. I can't even get myself dressed. | F | 56 | 4 months | 12/4/2008 | 1 | Stage 2 breast cancer in 2001 | Aching all over, back pain, severe headaches, hot flashes(severe), vaginal dryness, inability to think, hair thinning, extreme depression and feeling like I want to die. | Was on Tamoxifen for 2 years then oncologist switched me to Aromasin or Taxol. Can't remember which one was first, but I was pretty much crippled with bone pain after 6 months and almost had to quit my job. On Femara for the last 4 years and it has been increasing hell. I really feel like I am losing my mind and the pain is increasing daily. Oncologist says she is "comfortable" with me discontinuing. Would like to make it to five years on, but this is not a life. | F | 56 | 4 years | 9/14/2008 | 1 | Stage 2 breast & hot sentinel node | Extremely painful joints: mostly ankles, knees & wrists; achilles tendons very sore; fingers swollen every morning, can't make a fist until early afternoon; thighs and calves have pains that seem like I have run a marathon; I feel like an invalid; I can barely climb stairs; hurts worse after sitting; short term memory loss and difficulty finding words when talking; weight gain from no exercise; can get soaked with sweat in minutes | I apologize to all of you that my first reaction was happiness to read that so many of you were miserable with my side effects. Then I cried because I wasn't crazy or alone. Thank you. Dec 08 lumpectomy stage 2 with hot sentinel node. 2 surgeries; chemo (taxotere was another nightmare), radiation. 1 year of femara but going off for a month to see if it makes a difference on side effects. Tried so hard to put up with pain so I could stay on Femara. Trying Aromasin next. | F | 56 | 1 years | 9/1/2009 | 5 | breastcancer, estr. recep. | joint and bone pain, specially feet and hands, fatigue, headaches, forgetfulness/ fuzzy, diabetic, high cholesterol, loss of libido, dry vagina, | exercise, no alcohol, healthy diet helped with the pain and general well-being. Had to rest mid day, taking Femara at night reduced the pain, Supplements: calcium+ Vit D and Fosamax for the bones, glucosamine for the joints,Omega 3 for the brain! And lubrication, lubrication, lubrication for the sex. 2 weeks ago, I took my last Femara after 5 years. I am cancer free and celebrating survival and life! Keep heart, ladies! You can do it, too! | F | 57 | 5 years | 6/23/2009 | 5 | Recurrent breast cancer | Been taking it about five weeks. So far, only insomnia and hot flashes. | As my recurrence is on a reconstructed breast, several tumors are visible. I can SEE THEM SHRINKING already with the femara. When I have a hot flash, I just imagine it is energy given off by another cancer cell biting the dust! | F | 57 | 5 weeks | 6/18/2009 | 5 | for breast cancer | I have slight headaches but now have gone away. My eye sites changed a lot - deteriorating. My bones around my neck and shoulders feel stiff and despite weekly massage and acupunture and exercises it has not gone away. I am living with it. Weight gain is more like ballooning of the body. Someone who has not seen me in a few months said now I have nice round cheeks. Sleepless nights but acupunture is helping, but some nights I still can not sleep. The latest is heel pain on the left side, my oncologist said it is not from the drug, but it is: a new one for me Plantar fasciitis. Apparantly there are others who had heel pain in other discussion groups. | Diagnoised with breast cancer July 2007, surgery and chemo early on. On Tamoxifin for two years now five months on Femara. | F | 57 | 5 months | 5/8/2009 | 5 | Stage One Breast Non Invasive | Numbness in toes | Please e-mail me. could not e-mail person with symptoms of numbness | F | 57 | 4 months | 11/9/2008 | 5 | breast cancer | I now have osteoporosis, and arthritis in fingers. Bad joints and right foot very painful. Get depressed, anxious and get terrible hair thinning in the summer. Vaginal dryness, skin rashes always in spring . | F | 57 | 3 years 30 mg | 3/28/2017 | 5 | idc, left breast | headache, neuropathy in feet. neck & wrist, thumb joints hurt. Muscles ache. Ribs hurt if I twist. sweat a lot upon exertion. losing words while speaking. some swelling of extremities. horrible insomnia. | Taking Femara as a neoadjuvant treatment before surgery. MRI shows that all 3 tumors have significantly shrunk. Ki67 level is 2% according to the 6 week biopsy. I can tolerate the pains, the sleeplessness and the headache so that I can see my family grow. The good news is that it is killing my cancer. Hoping to get more killed before I have a mastectomy in 3 months. Hang in there ladies, this is better than the alternative. | F | 57 | 6 months 2.5 1X day | 4/26/2010 | 5 | Stage IIIC Breast Cancer, Grade 3 | Absolutely no joint pain, bone pain, arthritis, etc. I lost 45 lbs. and took up running after I finished treatment and feel like I'm 30 again. Only noticeable side effect is hair loss. I've been receiving 4 mg. infusions of Zometa every 6 mos. for 2 1/2 years to prevent recurrence, so my bones are in great shape. No side effects from Zometa at all. I just celebrated 4 years survival since my diagnosis and am now confident I'll see my son graduate from HS 6 mos. from now. | F | 57 | 3.5 years 2.5 1X day | 10/15/2010 | 5 | metastatic breast cancer | insomnia, hot flashes, elbow pain, constipation | I had good QoL for 5 years on Femara, despite the side effects. I took Lorazepam to help me sleep and Black Cohosh for the hot flashes. Have just stopped Black Cohosh because onc. said it may act like estrogen in the system. Just dealt with the elbow pain. Femara stopped working last month so I switched to Tamoxifen and have less hot flashes but quite considerable pain in hip & down left leg so I need pain meds now but not when on Femara. But pain could be the enlarged tumour. Think positive .. Femara worked well for me. | F | 57 | 5 years | 12/27/2006 | 5 | Prevent BC recurrence | Hair losss, weight gain (due to a good appetite and eating more), minor lower back pains, which would go away once I moved around. | I took it for five years and in general have not had too many problems with it. My oncologist just took me off the drug as he doesn't feel continuing it would add more value. | F | 57 | 5 years | 7/25/2006 | 4 | breast cancer | hot flashes, severe joint pain, loosing hair, depression | using it before surgery and it works shrinking the tumor | F | 57 | 5 months | 5/22/2006 | 4 | Stage II with lymph nodes | I have the joint, back, foot pain, the dryness and the hot flashes. I was just menopausal when diagnosed; so, I already had the last two. I had chemo so I have had a hair gain! I do feel a lot older; I hate that. Treatment was supposed to leave me better than before, right? I am stunned at how hard it is not to worry every day that the cancer has recurred. Femara gives me a breathing space. I am thrilled that it is available. If I can't sleep it is not because of panic about going back into chemo or mourning the fact that I won't be there to hold my grandchildren. | I expect that at some point I will stop taking Femara; there'll be a better drug or its efficacy after time will be questioned. I would like to know if the joint pains will go away at that time. | F | 57 | 8 days | 1/2/2007 | 4 | Stage III BC with 5/7 lymph nodes+ | I have many of the same side effects that everyone else has, but mainly the joint pain, hot flashes, insomnia and weight gain. | I want to add that in addition to the turmeric/curcumin supplement, cinammon is also a natural anti-inflammatory. I actually take a teaspoon of cinammon mixed with a small amount of water and agave nectar every morning, and have much less joint pain with this supplementation. I also take a turmeric supplement but I was not aware that black pepper was necessary to fully complete the benefit of the turmeric. I will also add that, even though it is very hard to do, exercise actually help control the joint pain. It doesn't feel like it when you hurt while exercising, but having had to give it up for several weeks, the pain was much greater. I would very much appreciate the person who posted before me to give me the link to the turmeric supplement that you are taking, please. | F | 57 | 2.5 years 2.5 1X day | 8/27/2012 | 4 | Breast cancer | joint pain, hair loss, insomnia, sweating, weight gain,gerd,high cholesterol,bone loss, dizziness, fatigue | hated taking it, made me feel 90 years old. difficult to get up and start moving. But, I am still NED after almost 10 years. | F | 57 | 7 years 2.5 mg 1X day | 9/2/2010 | 4 | Stage I breast cancer | Not much, maybe my knees hurt. Beats chemotherapy and radiation. | I have had lupus and Sjogren's syndrome for the past 12 years and already have fatigue, joint pain, hair loss, dry skin. I wouldn't know if the drug was causing side effects because I already feel most of the side effects described and have learned to cope. Actually, the femara has made me feel a little better due to lack of estrogen. | F | 57 | 8 months 2.5 mg 1X day | 5/24/2010 |