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 |
| 2 | Stage IV Breast Cancer | felt good for first 8 months or so. Then started having bone and joint pain, nauesa, headaches, dizziness, insomina,and most recently sever depression and spasms in my tendons. Now 18 months into it and the pain is really bad, I take 15mg oxycodone tid, Advile 800 mg at least once a day and 1200 mg Nurotin every day. All of these really help pain related to bone mets in my spine,hip and nerve damage from an old injury, but they only slightly helps the long bone, joint pain or spasms. I take 2oo mg Zoloft a day and it doesn't even begin to touch the depression. I stopped Femara 4 days ago and I am truly amazed by how much better I feel. I will not go back on it. | I have only very slow progression of bone mets, so i think it was worth it for a while. I would adivise any breast cancer pt. to take it because we all react differently. | F | 47 | 18 months | 12/26/2006 | 4 | Breast Cancer | Eye Problems, dry eyes & eye pain. Bone pain in the hip. Thumb pain also difficulty moving thumb. Back pain.. Tiredness. | Taken tamoxifen for five years and have been on femara 15 months now . Less side effects with Tamoxifen | F | 59 | 15 months | 12/21/2006 | 5 | Following 5 years of Tamoxifen | I have noticed thinning of hair and a slight elevation of my ALP in my blood tests. I feel GREAT...no joint or bone pain, no weight gain, have tons of energy. I exercise for a minimum of 60 minutes every day and have lost 26 lbs in the past year from weight watchers and exercise. I do a weight bearing exercise class 3x a week. | Appears it is working. I was Stage IIA Breast Cancer with 2/12 lymph nodes involved. Diagnosed in 2000. | F | 51 | 1.5 days | 12/20/2006 | 4 | metastatic bc in omentum & ovaries | After 9 1/2 clear years on tamoxifen I have begun taking Femara, joint pain, hair loss (in fact it stopped growing at all for some weeks) dizziness, depression, hot flushes (not unbearable) mood swings and headaches. | After so many years clear, if this drug is giving me more time I am prepared to continue taking it. I find it very difficult to get up in morning, my head is very foaty and dizzy. Will talk to my oncologist when I next see him. | F | 58 | 5 months | 12/20/2006 | 4 | Breast Cancer Stage 2 | I would have preferred not using any of the above options as a rating because I feel it is too early to do so. I have been on Femara for six months. It was my doctor's choice because I had had a stroke in 1999 and Tamoxifen could not be given. At first I thought my side effects were the continued side effects from the eight chemo and 33 radiation treatments, meaning the numbness in my feet. However, my balance is now affected and my joints hurt most of the time. I try to walk every day, but the stiffness and pain in my joints are always there. My libido is gone and there is vaginal dryness. I do find it hard to concentrate and have retired from my profession as an accountant. My cholesterol numbers are up since I started Femara. Three months ago the number was 244 and just last week the number was 238. My statin drug has been changed again. So far my weight is not a problem. Hopefully, I will not have to weigh my chances of having another stroke or having a heart attack or th | F | 66 | 6 months | 12/4/2006 | 3 | Stage 3 Breast Cancer | Severe feet/ankle pain especially getting out of bed first thing in the morning...bone/joint pain mostly in legs/feet...after sitting for a time, getting up and walking is painful...sometimes hand/finger pain...once I'm up and moving, it's better getting around...while stretching get severe cramping in feet/legs/back/arms, even mid-section...weight gain...irritable...impatient...some difficulty remembering words/names/making decisions...some hair loss...haven't had night sweats/hot flashes/nausea. | Was on Tamoxifen for five years and just the last several months have been on Femara and have four years and some to go. If this drug keeps the big C from returning, I'll be grateful. | F | 60 | 8 months | 12/4/2006 | 1 | Infertility | Flu like symtoms, miscarriage and my son has a kidney defect which is associated with this drug. | This drug is being used off lable for infertility. DO NOT TAKE IT!!!!! | F | 32 | 5 months | 12/4/2006 | 3 | prevent recurrence -breast cancer | First year of taking felt OK. Gradually developed joint pain and stiffness on a morning and after sitting for as little as 15 mins - feel like an old lady. Colossal weight-gain to almost 12st after being consistent 9st 7lbs for all adult life before illness. Loss of libido and extreme vaginal dryness made sex impossible. Currently having frequent smear tests as "borderline" and dread going each time as very very painful. | Previously took Tamoxifen for 5 years and had usual flushes and significant weight gain but no aches and pains at all. Beginning to question whether the side effects of Femara are worth it. But would feel stupid if I stopped and the disease returned. | F | 52 | 1.25 years | 12/3/2006 | 3 | prevent recurrence -breast cancer | First year of taking felt OK. Gradually developed joint pain and stiffness on a morning and after sitting for as little as 15 mins - feel like an old lady. Colossal weight-gain to almost 12st after being consistent 9st 7lbs for all adult life before illness. Loss of libido and extreme vaginal dryness made sex impossible. Currently having frequent smear tests as "borderline" and dread going each time as very very painful. | Previously took Tamoxifen for 5 years and had usual flushes and significant weight gain but no aches and pains at all. Beginning to question whether the side effects of Femara are worth it. But would feel stupid if I stopped and the disease returned. | F | 52 | 1.25 years | 12/3/2006 | 2 | Hormone receptive breast cancer | stiffness in hands, legs and back- especially upon waking or after standing for long periods of time; beginning hair loss; affected state of mind... uncharacteristically angry, depressed, intolerant, impatient, difficulty coping with stress; High pressure job- not functioning normally; weight gain in mid-section. Have high bp and feel like it's up all the time from the mood issues; loss of interest in sex; unusually tired almost all the time. Went off the drug 3 days ago in agreement with oncologist. Starting to feel like myself again. Will see nutritionist and start exercise program now that I'm beginning to feel better. Hope it was the right decision. Surely don't want to develop another cancer. Difficult trade-off. | Need more research so the cure isn't worse than the disease. | F | 56 | 7 months | 12/1/2006 | 2 | Estrogen caused breast cancer | terrible hot flashes, fatiigue, light depression/sadness, loss of my creativity, "stuffy" head, upon awakening feel drugged. An overall feeling of "why bother, nothing matters." Have been told it's a mild form of depression I'm feeling. Have also suddenly developed Tinnitus....no one sure if there's a connection to the Femara..... | One of the hardest side effects to deal with is the hot flashes. Cannot put on an overcoat until I am outside. Am getting sick a lot because of the heat/cold problem.......Am currently trying acupuncture for the hot flashes. I am also planning to stop taking Femara for a month to see if all my symptons go away. | F | 64 | 8 months | 11/27/2006 | 3 | Breast Cancer | Been on Femara 8 months. My hand pain went away. Now I have bad back pain. Lower and mid-back. Does anyone else have this? Also, I can no longer run. My knees ache too much. I'm more concerned about the back pain??? | F | 48 | 8 months | 11/13/2006 | 2 | breast cancer | I have extreme hair thinning, hand and foot pain (especially in the hands), vaginal dryness and now high blood pressure 150/70. The blood pressure is a fairly new side effect. Is there something I don't know about the blood pressure side effect of this? | Has anyone noticed their blood pressure creeping up? Mine used to be low but no longer. Has anyone had their doctor cut their femara dosage in half? Mine won't do it and wants to change me to Armidex (somethine like that). | F | 64 | 6 months | 11/8/2006 | 3 | prevent BC recurrance | Continuing therapy after 5 years of Tamoxifen. After 6 weeks on Femara, hair thinning and gradually increasing knee pain progressing to right ....then left shoulder pain, top of the spine discomfort, and finally finger joint pain. Can hardly walk down stairs. Great difficulty standing up after sitting down to watch TV. On a diet and faithful to it, but femara has stopped weight loss completely. Now stuck at same weight despite diet. Disturbed sleep and anxiety attacks at bedtime partially due to joint pain. Need painkillers to sleep. | I want to take Femara for the good it does. Started it last February, had to quit by April because of severe joint pain. Joint pain subsided only AFTER THREE FULL WEEKS off the medication. Reconvened with oncologist in September. Back on Femara during October. Knee pain increasing steadily, shoulder pain starting and finger pain mild. Will hang on as long as I can. But do feel like an old woman.... Doctor says it only helps lower recurrance a few percentage points. Maybe I should save up this pain and the fatigue it causes in case it does reoccur. | F | 59 | 5 months | 11/6/2006 | 5 | Breast Cancer Stage 2 no nodes ER+ | Each morning, as I get out of bed, I feel like my feet are broken. What libido?? Have gained weight (could be the instant menopause from the Chemo) Don't multi-task/remember things (CRS). Otherwise feel great. It's a small price to pay to be cancer free (2.5 years)! | Arimadex gave me trigger fingers. Couldn't open my hands without my ring fingers sticking. Much better since I am on Femara. | F | 48 | 1 years | 11/5/2006 | 4 | BC, prevent recurrence | Joint pain, hot flashes, insomia, complete absence of libido, wt gain. Also, have had intermittent bilateral ankle swelling, wondering if anyone else experienced this side effect. | Since I had two invasive lobular lesions, of which the largest was 0.4cm, negative nodes, agressive surgical treatment bilateral mastectomies) and onco-type was 3 out of possible 100, elected after trial of treatment with tamoxifen & armidex, both with awful side effects to have no ongoing treatment. However, after my mother had been cancer free for 7 years post surgery and 2 yrs post tamoxifen treatment and then got a stage 4 recurrence which seems to be responding well to femara, I had to reconsider. Now taking femara with all the side effects and hoping it's worth it. | F | 52 | 3 months | 11/5/2006 | 3 | breast cancer | low mood, tired all of the time | I have switched to femara after 2.5 years of Tamoxifen. Only been taking it for a few weeks but have noticed an increase in my hip and foot/ ankle pain as well as low mood and extreme fatigue. Hope this will wear off. | F | 39 | 3 days | 11/5/2006 | 2 | prevent reoccurence | joint/bone pain, hair loss, large itchy bunps on neck near back hair line, depression,fatigue. | don't know if this medication is working. only been on it for a short time. thinking of going off this drug because of side effects. quality of life issues. can't imagine being on it for 5 years. very worried about bone loss. | 64 | 4 months | 11/5/2006 | 2 | prevent reoccurence | joint/bone pain, hair loss, large itchy bunps on neck near back hair line, depression,fatigue. | don't know if this medication is working. only been on it for a short time. thinking of going off this drug because of side effects. quality of life issues. can't imagine being on it for 5 years. very worried about bone loss. | 64 | 4 months | 11/5/2006 | 2 | | 11/5/2006 |