FEMARA

I went through menopause at 48. Ive been taking Femera now for three months. The hair thinning, although mostly in my crown, joint pain and foot issues are for sure from Femera. The bloating of my tummy looks ridiculous without breasts! (I was not a candidate for reconstruction) What I really want to know is, after were done, are any of these side effects over?????

Treeskier - I am confused about vitamin "I" - ibuprofen. You take that - what I understand to be over-the-counter Advil, only generic, for joint pain.

But you take naproxen - which is (at least in Canada)  a prescription med, for headaches.

But aren't they both NSAIDS. Except naproxen is stronger?Or is it that ibuprofen is cheaper and easier, with no prescription needed, on an ongoing bsis?

could you kindly sort out my confusion? I take Femara's sister - arimidex, as well as have arthritis, so have plenty of joint pain. I've never tried ongoing plain old ibuprofen - sounds pretty good to me.

many thanks

That sounds cool, Heather.

Artsee, for three weeks after surgery I was taking pain meds around the clock. Happily, not any more! I have never taken ibuprofen in 600 mg strength before and I found out it is definitely more effective than the regular dose. I don't have a reaction to them, taken with food and water, but I wouldn't take more than 400 at a time without my doctor's okay.

Flannelette, You're right, Ibuprofen is the generic of Advil (and Motrin?). I agree that naproxen is stronger -- ibuprofen doesn't put a dent in my migraines -- but ibuprofen is better for muscle and joint pain.

I am just about to start taking Femara, so I don't have any personal experiences of side effects yet, and hope I won't. I worry about joint pain because I guess it's common, and I already have osteoarthritis in my knees.  My new oncologist said it's not clear whether ibuprofen will prevent joint pain from an AI. The first one I talked to recommended it, though -- 200 mg, or 400 if needed, at bedtime to prevent morning stiffness.

What they both said is that research shows the best remedy for AI joint pain is exercise! I know that if I have sore joints I find it harder to exercise, so if I get sore on the Femara I'm going to try taking ibuprofen and also try some different kinds of exercise like yoga and water aerobics. (Good intentions! Wish me well with them!)

Good health to you all and sleep well.

Ellen

That's great news ktab96!   Sure hope it continues on in the sme way!

Love n hugs.  Chrissy

Artsee, I was switched from Arimidex to Femara not just because I had a slight progression but because of the side effects.  I was fully expecting the same on the Femara but to my amazement, other than a little fatigue and hot flashes that are subsiding, I have no other SE's.  Perhaps a change would be good for you also.  Good luck with your visit.

Love n hugs.  Chrissy

Chrissy...my apt. went well today. Good for another 10,000 miles

He said we could try another AI but I told him it is what it is and I'll suck it up for another 1 1/2 years. Femara has been good to me and maybe the arthritis is just coming on with a little help from it. He did fax in a prescription to Costco....so I hope it will be $23.00 when I pick it up like they told me when I called. Doc couldn't believe the price.

Next apt and mammo...7 month. Wow that's almost spring again. WooHoo.

artsee-I got Femara generic @ my local Costco on Friday for $22.49.  Yippee!

I talked with the pharmacist at the drug store where I paid $460 for Letrozole my first month before I knew about Costco's price. She was amazed and said she will tell patients to go to Costco for it instead from now on!! I was very pleased and thanked her for being so ethical.

Hi,   have not thought about it. I don't understand how insurance companies can get away with charging so much for it. It does not seem right.  SharonH

Just got back from picking up my prescription from Costco for the first time. They wanted to see my insurance card, and they found that I could only have one month at a time...well I knew that so they gave me one month. I'll have to call my insurance company and when they see the price they'll let me have it no doubt for 3 month at a time. Anyway it was $22.49, and then it'll go through insurance. Not bad...but it's a crime that there is such a difference in Pharmacy...think I'll take it too the Supreme court.

Hi Everyone, I got off Arimidex 3 weeks ago and the onc is putting me on femara generic... He also left me a message that if a headache, like the one I got with arimidex comes, to get off it immediately and call him... I sure hope this works better.. Anyway, I guess this will be the place for me...

Have any of you tried going to Walmart for your Femara? It's $4 a month for me there for the generic.

My generic still was $254.00 before insurance. This was since June before that $568.00 which I've been paying since May of 2009. Sure I have insurance but I want to give them a break....why should they have to pay those kind of prices? That's exactly why our monthly insurances are so darn high. Because of the greedy pharmaceuticals. Funny...it always boils down to greed.

Yes....it's quite scary isn't it? A couple of years ago I was moving on just fine and then on our way up to our lake home for New years with our friends they called me cell phone and the nurse said the Dr. wanted to have me have a CT scan on Sat. so he would have the results on Mon. when I had my scheduled apt. (This was Wed.) when I got the call so you can imagine my celebration immediately was down the toilet. My elevated liver enzymes turned out to be high from a prescription drug. After a lot of elimination they went down to normal. I have never been stress free since then, because I keep looking over my shoulder constantly. Let's pray you will be fine, and that it's just a dumb cough. they sure know how to scare one right? Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.

Hi all,

So glad for those of you who can take the generic and for $23 are geting it as Cosco!.  I was on femara since last Sept and then  this July received the generic.  In two weeks I was totaly crippled - such pain in joints I couldn't believe t.  So after a month of that, I went back on the brand Femara (rather than a generic) and in less than a week the severe pain was gone.

Although the generic has the same core ingredient, it does have different buffers and fillers.  My body said "no way" to the generic.  So, if the SEs are worse, go back to the brand....or, if there is more than one manufacturer of the generic - try another.

Hugs to all my sisters!

Pat