Sometimes it may … Side effects of letrozole If you have a loss of bone density, or 'brittle bones' - a condition known as osteoporosis. Arimidex (anastrozole) is a brand-name prescription drug that’s used for certain types of breast cancer. Letrozole can harm an unborn baby. Taking letrozole with other drugs. I have had several minor side effects, but 2 side effects that I deem as too important to continue taking the daily pill. You may gain weight when taking hormone therapy. This includes medications that can be purchased in a store or pharmacy. It can also take several weeks or months to reverse bad sleeping habits caused by Arimidex. Letrozole may cause dizziness. His feeling was that as there is no evidence that continuing Letrozole after 5 years is beneficial, I should stop taking it after December. • If night sweats interfere with sleep, try taking your letrozole in the morning. Hot flashes and sweating can subside after the first few months. Letrozole is a product that generally do not need to be stopped taking it gradually. Let your doctor know if you have pain or discomfort when urinating, if you urinate more frequently than normal, or if your urine is cloudy or foul-smelling. Let your health professionals know if you have any of these symptoms. Your ankles and feel may swell up because of the build-up of fluid. ohilly. Sometimes letrozole is given alongside a drug called goserelin (Zoladex) to women who haven’t yet been through the menopause. Always let your dentist know that you are taking letrozole. Letrozole works by reducing the amount of oestrogen made in the body. Letrozole is used treat early breast cancer in women who have experienced menopause (change of life; end of monthly menstrual periods) and who have had other treatments, such as radiation or surgery to remove the tumor. Explain that you are taking hormone therapy and that no one should start or stop it without taking to your cancer specialist in the first place. Or they may have difficulty concentrating or may feel anxious or have trouble sleeping. Posted: December 2, 2011; If you would like to reproduce some or all of this content, see Reuse of NCI Information for guidance about copyright and permissions. 2. Return the remaining pills to the hospital if the treatment is discontinued. Some women notice that their hair thins out while they are taking letrozole. This medicine may increase the amount of cholesterol and fat in the blood. Your nurse can give you further advice on this. 8. Tell your doctor if this does not get better. Let your doctor or nurse know if this happens. If you have any questions about this, talk to your doctor. Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medication. It is important to strike the correct balance between getting enough rest and staying physically active. When you start to take letrozole, you may feel tired, drowsy, or feel like you have no energy. Sometimes, women have irritated eyes or blurred vision when taking letrozole. A study reports on the results of several different studies looking at how often side effects made women stop taking hormonal therapy. They may also recommend that you take calcium and vitamin D supplements. Some people worry about stopping their treatment, but there’s evidence that exemestane continues to reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back for many years after you stop taking it. This will depend on your individual circumstances, but letrozole is usually taken for five to ten years. No one responded to my post about this, so I'll try again: I've only been taking Femara, but I'm already wondering: so what happens in 5 or 10 years (new research shows we might have to be on this stuff longer) when we stop taking our aromatase inhibitors? The level of drug in your body will remain high enough from the day before. In the study, 13% of women stopped taking the drugs due to side effects such as joint and muscle pain. Always tell your doctor or nurse about any change to your eyesight. Low doses of certain antidepressants can help reduce hot flashes. It is normally taken over a number of years. Do not stop taking letrozole unless your doctor instructs you to. Letrozole is suitable for women who have been through the menopause and whose breast cancer is oestrogen receptor positive. Aromatase inhibitors may cause muscle and joint aches and pains. Except when it is almost time for your next dose, do not take a double dose. Many types of breast cancer depend on the hormone estrogen to grow. You should take the right dose, not more or less. If your eating problems do not improve, talk to your doctor or nurse. However, some side effects, such as high cholesterol, lymphedema, osteoporosis, and vaginal dryness may persist despite discontinuation of Arimidex. Letrozole is taken once a day in tablet form. However, not taking the drug for the recommended time may increase the risk of your breast cancer coming back. Along with its needed effects, letrozole may cause some unwanted effects. Tell all of your health care providers that you take letrozole. Some people worry about stopping their treatment, but there’s evidence that letrozole continues to reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back for many years after you stop taking it. Keep using birth control for at least 3 weeks after your last dose of letrozole. Letrozole can interact with other drugs. Stopping Letrozole? Keep the pills in their original packaging at room temperature. However, they may be more problematic for some women. • Some people find it helpful by avoiding alcohol, spicy food, caffeine intake (coffee, tea, colas, chocolate). If your vaginal bleeding continues for more than a few days, tell your doctor or nurse. Physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight can help reduce joint pain and keep joints flexible. If you’re taking any other prescribed or over-the-counter medicines, check with your treatment team or pharmacist if you can take these with letrozole. If you forget to take a pill, take one as soon as you remember. Taking regular walks, eating a healthy diet, not smoking, and following guidelines for drinking alcohol will also help strengthen your bones. Let your doctor or nurse know if this happens. Here, we explain the most common side effects of letrozole. If you’re taking letrozole to treat breast cancer that has come back or spread to another part of the body, you’ll usually take it for as long as it’s keeping the cancer under control. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor. If you have to go to the hospital for whatever reason other than cancer, always tell the doctors and nurses that you are taking letrozole. This usually improves as your body adjusts to letrozole. You may have pain or stiffness in the joints, or sometimes in your muscles. It is very important that you do not stop taking letrozole without telling your doctor, as this may affect the success of the treatment. Posts: 446 Joined: Jan 2008 Apr 10, 2009 - 5:23 pm. Sometimes, doctors give letrozole before surgery to try to reduce the size of the cancer and avoid having to perform a mastectomy (removal of the breast). Casper says that about 1 percent of people who take letrozole get leg cramps and headaches, but the good news is that these symptoms go away once you stop taking the pills. Dr. Edward Smith answered. However, not taking the drug for the recommended time may increase the risk of your breast cancer coming back. Get a new prescription before the one you have runs out, and keep track of holidays, when pharmacies may be closed. 4. This type of breast is called estrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive) breast cancer. Three months ago I started with bone and joint pain. These are known as oestrogen receptor positive or ER+ breast cancers. It can cause mild withdrawal symptoms that can include the following:-Dizziness-Nausea-Headache-Sweating-Depression-Insomnia. You won’t need to stop taking it gradually. Do not stop taking letrozole unless your doctor instructs you to. If hot flashes are troublesome: • Try taking your letrozole at bedtime. Nausea is usually mild, but tell your doctor or nurse if this happens. Always inform your doctor or nurse of the side effects you experience. It is also used to treat early breast cancer in women who have experienced menopause and who have already been treated with a medication called tamoxifen (Nolvadex) for 5 years. Your hair will thicken after the treatment ends. This treatment can cause vaginal changes. In rare cases, women may have vaginal bleeding. Doctors sometimes prescribe it before or after another type of hormone therapy. Occasionally, letrozole may be used as the first treatment for breast cancer, for example when surgery isn’t appropriate or needs to be delayed. If bleeding continues for more than a few days, tell your doctor or nurse. They can prescribe drugs to help control them and can also give you advice on managing side effects. If this is the case, make sure you talk to your cancer doctor or nurse. If you are taking other drugs, you may have certain side effects that are not listed here. Letrozole is usually given after surgery to reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back or spreading. Hormone therapy is a very common treatment for secondary breast cancer and many people take it for a long time. Do not use if you are pregnant. The half life of the drug is 2 days so it should be out of your system within 4 days. Instead it's made in the fatty tissues of the body. #1 is a problem with my hands, unable to make fists or grip a knife to cut meat, hands feeling swollen every morning. HOT FLASHES AND SWEATING. To hear from us, enter your email address below. Find out more about the side effects of letrozole. Breast Cancer Now is a company limited by guarantee registered in England (9347608) and a charity registered in England and Wales (1160558), Scotland (SC045584) and Isle of Man (1200). Do not stop: Letrozole ... Hi, i stopped taking femara (letrozole) two weeks ago - cold turkey and have been having a lot of headaches, dizziness, nausea, muscle and joint pains, tiredness? I had bad joint pain in my knees for the full time and hot flashes as well as some foggy mental functioning. Letrozole is also used to control breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (secondary breast cancer). Letrozole is a drug called an aromatase inhibitor. There is hope after this med! How does letrozole work? You will normally have a bone density scan to check on the healthiness of your bones before and during the treatment. Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking letrozole: Less common. Letrozole can also cause indigestion or abdominal pain. I have another appt booked at the oncology clinic in early December so I will talk further about it with whomever I see at that time. Now 2 months later, without letrozole I am feeling much better. Sometimes it may be possible to change to another hormone drug. Tell your doctor or nurse if this is a problem. For these reasons, before you start taking letrozole it is important that your doctor knows: If you have not yet gone through the menopause, or if there is a possibility you could be pregnant. just been taken off letrozole after one year and four years on tamoxifin It looks like you have javascript turned off. Letrozole is a drug used to treat breast cancer in women who have gone through the menopause. Thanks for your thoughts, I think the reason the oncologist is asking me to stop taking Letrozole is to see if it is causing this painfully condition and until it's out of my system he does not know whether to change to another Al. Do not take other drugs containing oestrogen, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), while you’re taking letrozole as this may interfere with its effectiveness. In this section, you can read about why it's so important to stick to your treatment plan and ways to handle possible difficulties in following radiation, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy regimens. Taking letrozole for a number of years increases the risk of bone thinning (osteoporosis). I stopped taking it a month ago cause My hips and shoulders felt like they were coming out my sockets. If you're taking adjuvant hormonal therapy medicine now, stick with it as prescribed. There are a number of other brands of letrozole, all of which contain the same dose of the drug. There are certain important things to remember when taking the tablets. Some people start taking letrozole after a few years of taking the hormone therapy drug tamoxifen. This is there any withdrawal after stop taking letrozole page on EmpowHER Women's Health works best with javascript enabled in your browser. Registered Office: Fifth Floor, Ibex House, 42-47 Minories, London EC3N 1DY. This happens when an enzyme called aromatase changes other hormones into estrogen. However, not taking the drug for the recommended time may increase the risk of your breast cancer coming back. 7. If you feel drowsy, don't drive or operate heavy machinery. Letrozole is a hormone therapy drug. If you miss a dose, you don’t need to take an extra dose the next day. Some women may discover that they feel down when taking letrozole. It is very important that you contact your doctor immediately if you develop a sever rash. It can help to lower your intake of nicotine, alcohol, and hot beverages containing caffeine such as tea and coffee. Research has shown that about 25% of women who are prescribed hormonal therapy to reduce the risk of recurrence after surgery either don’t start taking the medicine or stop taking it early, in many cases because of side effects. You can buy these from a chemist, or your doctor can prescribe them. #2 is possibly just the inability to bounce … Both tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors can cause side effects. You can use non-hormonal creams, gels or lubricants to help with vaginal dryness and any discomfort during sex. "If the side effects from letrozole are intolerable, benefits are maintained by switching to tamoxifen rather that stopping hormonal therapy altogether." You may also hear it called Femara, which is its best-known brand name. It is used to treat breast cancer in women who have gone through menopause. Most side effects settle down a few months after taking letrozole or can be controlled or managed. Eating healthy meals and becoming more physically active can help you maintain a healthy weight. It’s best to take it at the same time every day. Learn about side effects, warnings, dosage, and more. 3. Who it’s suitable for Use effective birth control if you are not past menopause. Dress in layers so you can remove clothing if you need to. They can normally suggest ways to improve the side effects. Talk to your specialist, pharmacist or GP about any complementary therapies, herbal remedies or supplements you want to use before you start using them. It the side effects are very bothersome and are unmanageable, your oncologist may suggest you start on a different hormone therapy. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have ever had problems with blood pressure. These act as chemical messengers and help control the activity of cells and organs. These drugs, which include Arimidex (anastrozole), Aromasin (exemestane), and Femara (letrozole), are usually given to postmenopausal women. Your nurse will monitor it regularly during treatment. These are common and tend to be mild, though they can vary. These are common and tend to be mild, though they can vary. This is important to ensure that it is working as well as possible. 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