Some Femara Side Effects and Concerns

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  • trigeek
    trigeek Member Posts: 916
    edited June 2009

    Gals I have been struggling with the side effects, and Ifound out that when I go out an work out I actually do better. Yoga, acupuncture seems to help along with minimizing sugar (for hot flashes) and only having a light meal at night ( soup/salad)

    I also am on cosamine, vitd3 and take fish oil along with curcumin for antiinflammatory purposes.

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  • ipohgirl
    ipohgirl Member Posts: 85
    edited June 2009

    Dear Jnniferhertz,

    Wow, you were HER+, yet did not take herceptin? And, you have survived the three year mark! Comgrats! It's so heartening to hear such stories.

    I am apprehensive about starting femara now that I've finished my TCH and will start RADs soon.

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  • ajlive
    ajlive Member Posts: 134
    edited June 2009

    HensoChi:  on your June18th post about thyroid problems.  I have been told that thyroid problem could be a SE from radiation treatment.  I am in my 22nd treatment and can see the radiation burn up a ways on my neck.  I am going to see an endocrinologist (specializes in thyroid, metabolism and diabetes) after finishing radiation treatment.

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  • ajlive
    ajlive Member Posts: 134
    edited June 2009

    HensoChi:  on your June18th post about thyroid problems.  I have been told that thyroid problem could be a SE from radiation treatment.  I am in my 22nd treatment and can see the radiation burn up a ways on my neck.  I am going to see an endocrinologist (specializes in thyroid, metabolism and diabetes) after finishing radiation treatment.

    I did not have chemo but started taking femera about a week before radiation treatments.  I have been on it for a couple of months now.  Don't now if my SE's are from radiation or Femera.

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  • frustratedrg
    frustratedrg Member Posts: 10
    edited October 2009

    ive been on Femara now for 1 1/2 years.  I took Tamoxifen for 5 years prior.  The only side effects i had on Tamoxifen were weight gain and hot flashes/night sweats.  Now on Femara, Ive lost most of the weight, but am still dealing with hot flashes and extreme night sweats.  I dont know if its related but I too, have developed gastro issues as of the last few months.  Also, extreme anxiety at times and vision that is getting worse and worse.  Dont know if any of its related.  I assume the hot flashes are.  Dont have any joint pain or fatigue, but am thinking of going off it at the 2 year mark.  I would love to stop and not take anything but of course the fear is there.  Dont know what to do.  Im 55 years old and had stage 1 bc. Had chemo/radiation also.  Isnt that enough?

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  • chantilly011
    chantilly011 Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2020

    I took Femara/letrozole from September 2019 to November 2019. I had to stop it on my own. My medical oncologist wouldn't listen to me about my side effects. I finally stopped it after the acute depression it caused made me want to take my own life. After two days without the med, I was back to normal and every side effect stopped. Just two days! It's now listed under my allergies.

    - severe fatigue

    - acute depression

    - joint pain, especially in the left hip. Couldn't walk normal, almost started using a cane

    - bruised toes underneath toenails

    - vaginal bleeding (had a complete hysterectomy and bilateral oopherectomy in 2018, so no clue where it was coming from)

    - hair loss

    - suicidal thoughts

    - irritibility

    - brain fog (this one never went away)

    - weight loss

    Now I notice that my toenails, while I was on the drug, thickened. When you look at my big toenails, the new growth since November is normal, but then there's a huge hump where the nail is a lot thicker. It's very strange! That's where the bruising is as well. Also, I noticed last night that the skin underneath the nail has started pulling away, but only where it's thicker. The nails are also growing very slowly. Maybe 1/4 an inch since end of November. I think the drug was killing them.

    Talk with your medical oncologist and see if you can take something else. Something that won't give you so many side effects.

    Unfortunately, I'm not on anything, so I'm afraid about having my next mammogram next Thursday.

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