Tamoxifen & Letrozole

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max2111
max2111 Member Posts: 17
edited October 2015 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

Hello Everyone,

What have been your experiences with Tamoxifen and Letrozole? What side effects have you had? How much weight gain and is it impossible to come off while you are on the medication?

What about joint pain and overall being able to get around? Have you experienced that with either drug?

I just got switched from Tamoxifen to Letrozole because I am in Menopause. This weight gain is so depressing - gained a lot on Tamoxifen and wonder if it will always be this way as long as I am on Letrozole.

I really need/want to hear about others' experience with these drugs - Please :o)


Thank you!

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  • savgigi
    savgigi Member Posts: 376
    edited October 2015

    Hi, Max. One thing I would suggest is that if you are on a statin, take it at a different time of the day than your letrozole. I was having bad joint and muscle pain until I figured this out. Most pain went away a couple of weeks after I started taking letrozole in the morning and my statin at night. Good luck.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited October 2015

    I have never been on Tamox but have been on Femara/letrozole for almost 6 yrs and have no issues/SEs with it. I was 19 yrs post natural menopause (at 44) when I went on Femara then letrozole when it became available in the generic form. I have gained no weight at all and still wear size 4.

    We are each unique and there is no 'One Size Fits All'. What one experiences is not necessarily what anyone else will experience so do not decide that you will have any particular issues just because someone (or some) have experienced is what you will.

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  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 5,758
    edited October 2015

    I am so glad to hear some good news about it. I just switched yesterday from Tamoxifen to Femara (generic). I gained 50 pounds on tamoxifen and from what I've read it sounds like this can have same effect. I took mine at night before bed thinking I might sleep off the worst of it but today at work and tonight have metallic taste in my mouth. Has that happened to anyone?

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  • Hopeful82014
    Hopeful82014 Member Posts: 3,480
    edited October 2015

    Hi - I've been on letrozole for a year and have no side effects to speak of. My hair may be a bit drier, so I take biotin and really pamper my hair. I've had no issues with odd tastes and I too have been able to maintain my pre-letrozole size (2-4). I hope you have as satisfactory experience as I have.

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  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 5,758
    edited October 2015

    My onco laughed at me when I told him what little I ate (I eat salad almost every day). We eat low fat, low everything due to other health issues in the household. He basically told me as long as I am on meds I will have a hard time losing that weight. I did have a lot of anxiety (mood) issues with Tamox and I'm hoping that will improve with Femara.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited October 2015

    I take my letrozole in the morning. I do not always go to bed at the same time at night and am often very tired when I finally get to go to bed so would probably forget often so I take it in the morning. I do not have any strange taste.

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  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 5,758
    edited October 2015

    At our house meds are at 7 and 7 for my husband so it's easy to remember for me. Might try to switch over the weekend to morning and see if it helps with the taste.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited October 2015

    At our home I'm the only that takes any meds so it's up to me when works best for me. 7 at night would not be a possibility as usually/often not home then.

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