Letrozole

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Grandee
Grandee Member Posts: 5

I was diagnosed with type 2 breast cancer in 2012, had a lumpectomy on my left breast. They took some nodes but only found a trace of cancer in one. I was told it wouldn't have even shown up five years ago. So I decided to forgo chemo but did do the radiation and because the Tumor was hormone positive equivocal I started on tamoxifen. I took that about six months then because of terrible stomach pain that then developed into diverticulitis I quit taking that. Went to see the oncologist and he kinda didn't think the drug was to blame.  So after many rounds of antibiotics back on tamoxefin and the same thing happened! I eat healthy, lots of fibre so I went on the Mayo clinic site and apparently rarely some people have stomach pain. Has anyone else had this happen?

I'm now on Letrozole and was wondering if the leg pain, back pain and yes stomach pain eventually goes away? I'm afraid to go off the drug as I really don't want to have the cancer come back. I would appreciate some feed back.

Grandee

Comments

  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited October 2014

    If you do a search for "tamoxifen and diverticulitis" you will see you are not alone. There are women on the forum who have had vomiting from it as well.

    I was taken off chemo because I developed diverticulitis and the oncologist said he didn't want to kill me by perforating my bowel (which happens easily with diverticulitis) so he stopped chemo. The drug in that case was taxotere.

    I hope you find a solution. It must be frustrating.  Hopefully, someone will answer who has more useful information.

    Where in Canada are you?

  • Grandee
    Grandee Member Posts: 5
    edited October 2014

    I'm in Nelson. So what did you do if you couldn't have chemo? And what treatment are you doing now?

  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited October 2014

    I'm not getting any treatment. The diverticulitis happened a few days after my first dose so I didn't get any more after that.  Mine is triple negative so the hormones won't help.

    There might be more people on the boards during the week so hopefully someone is using that drug and can help you. Best of luck.

  • fizzdon52
    fizzdon52 Member Posts: 568
    edited October 2014

    Hi, Donna from New Zealand here. I've been on Letrozole (Femera) for about 5 months now. I do have joint pain, mainly when I get up from a sitting position. Haven't really noticed any stomach pain though. In fact I'm pretty sure it is helping with constipation haha! Hows that for too much information. So even though I feel a bit like an old lady sometimes, I think it's just something I have to put up with to give myself the best chance possible.

  • JudiH
    JudiH Member Posts: 1,184
    edited March 2015

    Hello ladies, just popping in to give a comment. I see that most have only been on Letrozole for a short while. I'm going to be 60 this year so I had the choice 4 years and 1 month to either go on Taxomifen or Letrozole. Due to my age and the fact that my oncologist is an expert on Letrozole, I chose the latter. Yes, I too had severe leg pains and severe constipation, I finally worked through it. I started back exercising and never looked backed. The constipation finally left (thank God) but I think that was from the surgeries (had a lumpectomy and then another one to clear the margins). But better yet, I was in a Femara (Letrozole) study and had to use the brand product, not the generic. Guess what? I actually feel 100% better with the brand. I had no problems when I switched and I asked my oncologist for the brand only. Now, I have only 11 months to go before I find out if I'm off of the drug altogether. At my last appointment, my oncologist suggested that maybe 10 years after surgery to be on it. It was mind blowing and I told her so. She said that since my cancer was itty bitty, maybe 5 was o.k. I'll find out when I see her in April.

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