FEMARA

Hi Jilly, we were on the same timetable for diagnosis and surgery and then hormonals (I am still waiting for my Oncotype redo, long story, should be in tomorrow for final chemo decision).

I see you tried the method of ramping up from 1/4 to a whole- worked for me. I also switched though, from anastrozole to letrozole generic and then finally to Femara brand name. Since I had tried two generics, my insurance is covering the Femara. I think it is $25/pill!

The first two were intolerable. With the brand name, the initial doses were tolerable but unpleasant. But I have to say that after a couple of weeks (I think, I forget the time frame) most of my initial reactions to the drug eased up, so I figure it made sense to have a lot of symptoms when the estrogen abruptly dropped (including hot flashes). Even at this early date in my treatment, the hot flashes are a lot better- and I was still having them from normal menopause anyway. The beginning doses made me feel buzzy and anxious but now I feel energetic (repeating myself here).

The one thing I do have is some knee pain but as I wrote before, it is a "clean"pain, not inflammatory, and walking once a day helps a lot.

I really hope this is the case for you and that Femara does it for you without too many side effects. My doc told me of some alternatives but this is the best class of drugs for us so wishing you good luck with it!

I f you do generic, I do better on Teva. Not sure why. If you fail letrozole you will have tried two generics, which meets some insurance co. requirements, and your doc can say you are sensitive to meds Good luck!

Evening all,

I take 10,000 iu of Vit. D3. I buy it in bottles of 5000 iu and take 2 a day. been doing this for about 3 years now, to stay in the range where the Drs want it.

Vickie

Hi Ladies anyone experience intermittent chills and hot flashes while taking femara?   Thank you for your input!!

how many hot flashes a day are you guys having? Do you take Effexor?

Hello! I haven't been on BCO in a long time and hate to be a bad-weather friend but I need help and advice from some sistahs:

The tops of my feet are killing me! I feel like I broke all my little tarsals! Methinks Femara is the culprit.

Though I have been on it for over a year, I have also been on prednisone for most of that time and am in fact still on the loathsome steroids but as my dose tapers, I am realizing it was probably masking the side effects of my Lupron/letrozole regime.

Any suggestions? I just read about fish oil and plan to ask my doc about it.

Thank you, friends!

So, I started the femara yesterday, so two pills so far. I also had my first 50k Vit D2 yesterday. Today...upset stomach and diarrhea and bad hip pain. I know there is no way I am getting hip pain already...I have arthritis and have been walking/exercising more than normal so I am gonna chalk it up to that. But the diarreah? Has anyone had this from either the femara or with the high does vit d??

Rose, I'm a runner too -- or used to be! I ran a 5K last weekend and noticed the pain shortly after, so at first I thought it was related to the run, but the run wasn't particularly strenuous and it is literally the TOPS of my feet -- feels like the bones themselves. I'm sorry you're experiencing it but kind of glad to know I am not the only one!

I read about fish oil on BCO:http://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/fish-oil...

Interestingly, placebos worked almost as well, but it's possible it's an ingredient IN the placebo (!) ... since I don't know how/where to buy the placebos used, I figure I'll try fish oil

But first must ask my oncologist....

Hi Alaska momma,

I too was having excruciating pain and although I take Tylenol 3 and naproxen that was not doing anything for the pain. I started taking natures made 400mg magnesium and the pain is substantially decreased. I'm also taking Bell brand immune system booster coriolus versicolour ( or turkey tail fungi). I have pain from my bilateral torn rotator cuffs and tendinitis in my left foot according to an ultrasound. So going without pain med because of these not an option but for sure all the bone pain relieved I'm thinking since I went not even wanting to move a muscle to wanting to go for daily walks.

I wonder how I can get vitamin d level checked cause my GP won't order it. He said in Canada they won't do it anymore. So is he telling me the truth? This is the same GP who tells me my medical problems are all in my head. So I'm skeptical considering my diagnosis that I can't have a vitamin d blood level check toknow how much to take. Anyone else in British Columbia have it checked and who ordered the bloodwork?

Thank you for helping wishing everyone a Happy Sunday 💟

Snowgirl ...here is a Vit D test by mail.

BC, the only thing I've found helpful is gentle stretching like slow paced Taichi or yoga. Core strengthening has helped my back pain too but gentle isometric rather than hard crunches. Slow and steady. Love, Jean

Winding: No tinnitus (yet) for me -- sorry to hear it. Maybe my blog will help distract you and/or put you to sleep: alaskamamaruns.blogspot.com

I haven't written in quite a while, for personal reasons. I'm fine, just back "home" where I want more privacy than blogging affords, plus I now have a political job and wouldn't want to embarrass my boss

Hope the tinnitus goes away, that's brutal.

windingshores, do you sleep with a fan on or anything? I've had tinnitus since before bc and have had to have some kind of background noise at night (like a fan) to be able to sleep.

does anyone else experience terrible back pain along with a nauseous feeling? It has been terrible for the past couple days, today to the point of not functioning well. I am also sleeping very little. I think I saw the clock at every hour last night. I have been on Femara just 9 weeks.

Oh yeah. I do get those cramps. Love, Jean