FEMARA

artsee

Boy I see we are all a 'dried up mess'. Everything is drying up thanks to all these meds we have to take.

Heading to Arizona next week for 2 months and I'm so looking forward to that. Of course...more drying because of the sun and warmth. All I can say is moisturize, moisturize and more. But I'll take that instead of this winter cold weather.

justagirl

Just found out after 2 1/2 years on Femara my liver enzymes are elevated so Dr has scheduled a CT but says she thinks it's just the Femara.

Can you ladies remind me how many of you have had elevated liver enzymes from Femara?

Thanks

HLB

Scottiee I have been on letrozole for 6 months with no SEs. I just recently noticed a bit of hair in the shower every day but not much at all.

Chrisrenee77

Justagirl- my liver enzymes are also up. It is the femara that causes it. Something about the medication can cause fatty liver or even nonalcoholic cirrhosis. If my enzymes are up after next Fridays labs then I get a one way ticket to an MRI of the liver. Just make sure you keep an eye on your enzymes.



I've been on femara for 8 mos, and I started to notice some hair loss around month 3 and just thought it was normal hairloss. Boy was I wrong! It has now become my new normal to see it running down the drain. I would much rather have that than to go through chemo and rads. Vanity is a sad thing ha hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

wintersocks

Hi All,

been on Letrozole since Sept. Few side effects. no itching, few night sweats. I had terrible sweats before I started L. worry that it is not working.

WS

chrissyb

Wintersocks if you are not experiencing any SEs with the Letrozole that's great! Believe me when I say it's most unlikely that its not working for you. I also have almost no SEs but know that it is keeping me stable as I am stage IV.



Try to take a deep breath and relax a little.......stress is not good for you.



Love n hugs. Chrissy

jittersmom

I am new here. I just started Femera fter being on Tamoxifen since June. I enended up getting bloos clots in my arm!. Amy words of wisdom for these taking Femera. My MO also wants me to go on Reclast for my bones......

HLB

I was concerned that it wasn't working as well but it is. Tumur markers went from 116 to 33 after 6 months of taking it. I may have asked this before but can't remember if it was this thread; what about milk thistle for the liver? Mine are normal but look like they might be gradually going up and I want to stop it in its tracks!

Scottiee1

Milk thistle is controversial regarding whether it is estrogen producing or not.

artsee

Justagirl.....Read the thread I started called " Crawling in and out of that dark place". There are lots of answers to your question on Liver Enzymes.

Let me know if you have anymore questions...been through this a couple of time and is very scarey.

Hugs, Artsee

Lily55

Wintersocks - you had chemo so your oestrogen levels will have been lower from that when you started letrozole - so less hot flushes - I am someone with a VERY oestrogen dependent body so my flushes are horrid and all night long even 7 months down the line..........

Itching on lower legs can be sign of lvier stress - I have a lot of itching, scratching does not help

naturegirl2

Why must we stay out of the sun while on Letrozole?  I read that on my side effect page.  I just love the sun and will be bummed if I cannot get occasional sun come this spring/summer.

Input?

Chrisrenee77

naturgirl- from what I gathered with the sun is that it can cause serious burns. I am pale white (almost ghostly), when I was on hormones post hysterectomy if I was in the sun for more than 10-15 mins, I would burn pretty bad. So now if I'm out and eating outside I try to get under the shade as much as possible.

jacee

I've never known ( or been told) to stay out of the sun on letrozole. While I don't "lay out" like I used to, I certainly don't avoid the sun. I don't use any sunscreen, unless all organic, anymore either. I have been taking letrozole for 3 years and haven't had any issues with the sun, thankfully. This might be one s/e that I'm not having.....yippee!!!!

Momine

No sun? Ack! Nobody told me that. Like when you are on chemo? I have been walking outdoors without a hat for the past 10 months on letrozole. My doc never mentioned it.

Scottiee1

Gals, like Chrisrenee I'm ghostly white and burn quite quickly, but I noticed last summer

when I was sitting outside the hospital having lunch, with a hat on, practically covered

up to my chin AND sunscreen of 60 on!!!!!...I still got red within seconds of that sun hitting me!!!!!....maybe it's the F/L or maybe some of us have just developed more of a sensitivity as we age...I for one can't go without sunglasses at all anymore...my eyes just tear up.......grrrr

Eph3_12

3.2 years & no issue with sun.  I was on a cruise at Christmastime & did get burned, but it was where I didn't put sunscreen!

Momine

Eph, I have never used sun screen. I have tried a few times, but it is so gross and sweaty to wear and it smells too, so I always give up after 1-2 applications.

jittersmom

I am new on femera after being on Tamoxifen, so now I need to take something for bone loss. Anyone here get Reclast? That is what i am leaning towards...thanks

Lily55

I have not been told anything about bone loss or avoiding sun (I live in sunny mediterranean where the sun is strong) due to Femara .................... just told to take the pills and that I might get aching joints and that is it

Scottiee1

Jittersmom....Femara/Letrozole can indeed give some people bone loss....many of us here have a bone density test done before starting, that way we can monitor by having a

yearly one thereafter.



I have not heard of reclast myself....perhaps some other ladies will come on and give

you their opinion. I take a calcium supplement with magnesium along with Vit D3 and K2

in order to try and keep my bones healthy, along with some exercise and light weights.

These supplements I get at my health food store. Hope this has helped you. Cheers

calm

Jittersmom, I was advised when I started on letrozole to take vitamin D3--1000 IU's per day. I had a bone scan showing I had good density--they wanted to keep it that way. I also take lots of calcium in my diet--milk, yogurt, cheese.

sbelizabeth

Anyone been given gabapentin for the joint pain?  I think it's making a difference for me. 

Shrek4

0

C-squared

I'm scheduled with ortho on Thursday for cortisone shots (my primary is recommending) in both thumbs.  The letrozole (and Anastrozole in the past) are rendering me completely dysfunctional because of the pain in my thumbs (40% of hand function comes from thumbs - the main difference between us and the monkey's).  Anyway.., HAS ANYONE EXPERIENCED RELIEF FROM CORTISONE SHOTS THAT WAS NEEDED AS A RESULT OF JOINT PAIN FROM THE AI's?????  Please tell me it's so!!!  And, yes, I'm taking Calcium, and D3, and Fish Oil, and B-Complex, and on & on...  :-)

jacee

C squared...trigger finger in 3 fingers is what caused me to cut back to only half a letrozole tablet per day. My joint pain was severe. It went away.

I have had a cortisone shot in my knee in the last year, but it was due to a strain rather than letrozole....but it completely took the pain away!! Good luck!

jacee

Added....the trigger finger went away, still have joint pain, not as severe.

Galsal

Right about now I'd love to have a cortisone injection for my hands!  Seeing Rheumy tomorrow.  Hands swell, wrists swell, nerve pain, joint pain.  I've had the hand problems before the AI though. 

nanna

I had shots in both my thumbs and also my heel. I was pain free in about 3 days. That was 6mo ago. My primary dr gave me my shots didn't  have go to ortho.

Galsal

It seems so far that I have some form of inflammatory arthritis.  Rheumy went and got another Rheumy to jointly see me after reviewing things with me since I'm seronegative for Rheumatoid Factor and because of the BC and Femara.  One says inflammatory and the other says no.  They realize the AI will continue or my risk rate to go through the BC again will go up into the 20s. 

For now, until the MRI and EMG and more labs are performed, I'll be on a round of Prednisone.  Hoping it helps!  Told them I have to be able to perform my job and work.  Told them I run a computer helpdesk and they rolled their eyes, like oh good grief.

Btw, they discussed research about how MRIs of hands taken of those on an AI have shown synovial involvement with the hand pain.