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 | reoccurance b/c mets to lung | mentally foggy, achy joints, headache, no libido, elevated blood pressure, fluid retention, no energy, weight gain, hot flahes every half hour, sweating, can't sleep, scalp erruptions & dry scalp, some hair loss | My oncologist did not tell me any negatives about this drug and what I read prior to the website was not informative - I have stopped taking this drug 5 days ago after being on it for 2 months and I am (almost) back to my old self! My husband and I cannot believe what a change it made in my personality - I had DCIS w/no spread to my lymph nodes 8 years ago, lumpectomy & node removal, 6 wks radiation only. I have been diagnosed with reoccurance of b/c with mets to right lung and given 3-5 years IF I take the medication, I will figure something else out | F | 45 | 2 months | 11/10/2008 | 1 | Breast Cancer | Most side effects have subsided or gone away entirely since I stopped taking femara six weeks ago. | My oncologist suggested taking anti depressants to combat the side effects I was experiencing with Femara. I asked why would I want to get addicted to a drug....I am not depressed. My body has rid itself of most of the side effects except for foggy brain, and arthritic fingers. AM debating...to go back on Femara for two more years or not.....feel so much more human when not taking it. | F | 45 | 2 years | 4/18/2008 | 1 | Breast Cancer Stage II-B | severe foot pain, weight gain, raised cholesterol, foggy brain, vision demise, muscle and joint pain, hard to get up and walk after sitting, hobble like an old lady after standing, no libido, severe vaginal dryness, thinning hair, depression, night sweats, hot flashes, generally feeling like crap. | Reading other's symptons made me feel better in that I realized it wasn't just me. I am mad that all these side effects were not made known to me before I started taking it. I have stopped taking it as my quality of life is so bad. | F | 45 | 1 years | 9/27/2008 | 1 | Ovarian Cysts | Cysts shrank, but I now have permanent crippling arthritis in both hips and my spine! Not worth it AT ALL! | I feel like a lab rat. If I'd had breast cancer and this drug might potentially save my life, it would be different. But over an operable simple cyst (they thought was endo, but wasn't)?? I can barely walk--and I used to hike 10 miles. Makes me want to cry! | F | 45 | 6 months | 8/14/2008 | 1 | Breast cancer/ twice | Massive muscle and bone pain. Trouble swallowing, cough, insomnia. | F | 45 | 10 months 25 mg | 9/15/2015 | 1 | Breast cancer recurrence prevention | Horrible musculoskeletal pain. At age 45, I literally felt 90. It hurt to step on my feet when I woke up in the morning. I also had NO libido, chest pain and cough that went away after I stopped the medication. | F | 45 | 12 months | 5/30/2007 | 5 | Breast Cancer | Hot flashes, weight gane, bone pain, hair thinning, stiffness...all as described by other patients here. | The side effects are very worth it for me. I was lucky to find my cancer myself, at stage 1, when I was 42 years old. I opted for a double mastectomy, and my oncologist opted for chemo/medication as an aggressive approach. I have not regretted my choices. In my opinion, the discomfort is temporary, and I have mitigated it with exercise, lots of rest, and positive thinking...knowing that I am doing everything I can to live a long and healthy life. I read the posts of those who stop taking Femara temporarily, and this is so dangerous. Instead, I would suggest talking to your oncologist or primary physician, and doing all you can to minimize the side effects, and to make yourself as comfortable as possible. Time does pass more quickly than expected in the end, and eventually you will stop taking Femara, and the side effects will subside. Overall, dealing with these problems is a thousand times better than dealing with the alternative. We all are strong!!! Do whatever you need to to beat your cancer!! :) | M | 46 | 2.5 years 2.5 MG 1X day | 8/19/2010 | 4 | Breast cancer. Stage 2. | Hip pain, complete loss of libido. Stiffness on waking - walk like a cripple for first 5 minutes - similar to Quasi-modo. General depression. Weight gain of 10 pounds. | On Femara after 4.5 years on tamoxifen.Much worse side effects but cannot take tamoxifen any longer. Will take anything to prevent recurrence! Joint pain makes me worry about recurrence but this site has made me feel better! | F | 46 | 6 months | 8/29/2007 | 4 | 2nd bout of breast cancer after 6yr | I am tired all the time | F | 46 | 4 months | 11/18/2004 | 4 | Post breast cancer >5yrs tamoxifen | 15 pound weight gain within first 3 months despite usual regular excercise and lifetime (46 years) of being thin without diets. I have never had to diet and watch weight until now); also significant daily joint pain, especially feet and hands first thing in the morning, and feet, hands, knees, elbows and shoulders throughout the day, and significant but intermittant fluid retention. | 5 years of Tamoxifen and now 8 months of Femara have keeped me cancer free, side affects are worth that for sure! | F | 46 | 8 months | 1/1/2006 | 4 | Metastatic Breast Cancer | I was diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer in June of 2006. The cancer spread to my Colon (primary was never found in my breast). I'm a rare bird. The first year I was put on Tomaxifen and my tumor markers continued to rise. About three months ago I was put on Femara because the tumor came back again in my colon. Since then I've had very noticeable joint, bone and muscle pain (even in feet). I also have chest pain, palpitations. Even though I have a mitral valve I think the medication offsets these symtoms. I wear glasses but my vision seems somewhat more blurred. I even seem to get short term memory losses. I get off the bus everyday and can't see to remember where I parked my car. I'm very fatigued and can't sleep so I have to take a sleeping pill every night (Ambien CR) which usually makes you binge. In the beginning I was getting very bad hot flashes and night sweats but those have gotten better now. Vaginal dryness is the other symptom I have. That something a little | Even though I have majority of the symtoms I'm happier with the fact that my markers have come down alot in just three months. The joint pain was so bad I could hardly walk sometimes and I felt like I was 90 instead of 46. But I have some really good news to spread with all of you. (1) stay as active as you can becuase I find that has been helping me. I used to be an avid rollerskater and I had not been since surgery. I recently went back about 1 month ago and can feel a difference. Not only that, but I suggest this for all of your out there. Just ask your doctors, I did. (2) PHYSICAL THERAPY - I started going two days a week and it has been working wonders. I feel like a new person. My Physical Therapist has decided to JUST do physical therapy for women with Breast Cancer! I was so happy to hear that. If any of you live in the central NJ area her name is Marcia Nieberg of Premier Therapy (Plainsboro, NJ). She is great. I even do massage therapy 1 day a week. You have to | F | 46 | 3 months | 11/2/2007 | 4 | prevent recurrance | pain in my shoulder and hips, fatique, low libido, brain fog, depression,severe hot flashes, difficulty sleeping | i took tamoxifen for 5 years with some weight gain but no other side effects. i have taken femara for 5 months and i feel terrible most of the time. some days are better than others. i just do what i always did but i hurt while doing it. i try and have a good attitude and i am so thankful to be alive!!!! i feel it is worth it, so far, to prevent future b/c. i had a double mastectomy/reconstruction in 2001 and chemo and radiation. i had stage 2 b/c with microscopic involvement in 1 node. i want to look back and know i did everything i could to prevent ever going through b/c again. i watched my mom die from this disease. i don't want to. i excercise and i pray and i hope it gets better!!! | F | 46 | 5 months | 11/1/2007 | 2 | Breast Cancer | Side effects gradually hit me, after almost three years: severe headaches, muscle aches especially in my calves, lethargic, anxiety ridden, sleepless, nausea..........feeling 96 at 46. | Who's to say, a life saver or not. I started taking Tamoxifen shortly after chemo and radiation were done, did not tolerate it well. Was switched to Femara and for two and a half years did not notice many side effects, however......the last six months or so have been terrible. I have always been an active energetic person...Making it through a day of work has been a struggle, the thought of skiing or running frightens me. I feel terrible all of the time, felt better when I had breast cancer, even during chemo. I own my body and have decided to go on a medication holiday. Femara free for the next month and then will re evaluate with my oncologist. Who's to say if I will go back on the meds., it is my life and my body! Life should be a celebration, especially after surving cancer, not a struggle! | F | 46 | 3 years | 2/13/2008 | 2 | Breast Cancer Stage 1 | I hurt in all joints. numbness in hands. not sleeping | I have been on Femara since Aug 09. In September I started hurting all over. My hands would go numb in the middle of the night. I am now on a 2 wk break to see if Femara is the cause of this. I am not sure if I will go back on this. I had a lumpectomy in Oct 08 then chemo & radiation. No node activity. My cancer was agressive so that is why I went though all of this to cut down on my recurrence. I won't live in pain everyday. I know 90 yr olds that move better than I do. Durning my this last year I lost my sister to a blood clot and my mother to heart problems. Life is to short to be in pain very day. | F | 46 | 3 months | 10/27/2009 | 2 | Breast CA stage II | **Thank you for this site,,,, I thought I was crazy and a whimp. FATIGUE, edema, hypertension, 30# wt gain, nausea, headaches, insomnia,lost libido,severe vaginal dryness,hotflashes from hell, intense joint and muscle pain, tendonitis,elevated cholesterol, mental fog and difficult to walk normally after sitting short periods | started Arimidex after chemo, hypertension started immediately. ONC switched to Femera and the side effects temporarily diminished. Escalated to living hell. | F | 46 | 12 months | 1/20/2007 | 2 | Breast Cancer Stage 1 | Hot flashes that keep me from getting a good nights sleep, joint pains, odd shooting pains in the back of head, periodic nausea and vomiting, frequent bladder pressure and more urinating. | I was on tamoxifin and arimidex. Both elevated my cholesterol very high. Had to have ovaries removed.Developed large cysts. Now, after 6 months have gut problems. Any one else? | F | 46 | 6 months | 5/22/2007 | 2 | prevent recurrence of BC | swollen feet and hands in the morning, sore joints, acid reflux, hot flashes. Although none of the pain is chronic, every day I feel pain somewhere else: the elbow, the wrist, my hips, my knees. | My oncologist told me the symptons usually fade after 6 months but comments from other patients make me think otherwise. | F | 46 | 4 months 25 1X day | 4/8/2010 Patient History | 1 | post breast cancer | Horrible pain in my joints, esp. my hands, feet and hips. Severe hot flashes, nausea, general malaise. I felt like I had the flu. I quit after six months in June 2010 and I STILL have severe pain in my hands and feet. My GP said the pain can take up to 1 year to go away. I've heard from other patients that it takes a long time for the joint pain to disappear. | F | 46 | 6 months 20 1X day | 11/4/2010 | 1 | endometriosis | night sweats, no labedo,huge belly gain, joint pains, malaise, extreme fatigue! | i don't even know if it's helping for what i have. had a total/radical hysterectomy when i was 30. evidentally, part of ovary was left in and endomitriosis has run wild. tissues already killed/strangulated one ureter killing one kydney. We'll see if this works. Not sure yet! | F | 46 | 6 months | 8/20/2007 | 1 | Stage 3a BC 1 positive node, ER+ | Hot flashes, SEVERE pain in hands and feet, especially in the morning, weight gain, depression. | While taking tamoxifen, my estrogen level went through the roof. Dr took me off tamoxifen, recommended oopherectomy, and put me on arimidex after that. The side effects weren't immediately bad, but gradually got worse over time. Dr switched me to aromasin because 'studies' showed no bad side effects. The pain didn't decrease and may have actually increased. I was then put on femara. The pain wasn't any different so I stayed with it as the lesser of the evil meds. After 18 months and ineffective pain control with vicodin and tramadol, my Dr ordered a PET scan to make sure there was no cancer present. Test came back negative for cancer presence, so was taken off Femara. Thank God! Now I'm hoping for the pain to subside so I can get back to a painfree quality of life. | F | 46 | 18 months | 4/25/2006 |