FEMARA

Marijen, are you talking about canker sores? Those are so painful. I get them now and then. I hope they heal up soon.

the letrazole I am on is from accord as well. So then I guess my teeth may have been affected by the chemo and if letrazole does the same it's a double whammy. I need to just make the appt with dentist and suck it up. I have been through so much this past year it shouldn't frighten me. I just have to do it. As far as side effects

I am having pain-mainly joint pain- in the winter but was okay in warmer weather as long as I walked. I am in my mid-60s so this is more a case of degree, I had some winter pains before Femara. I have resumed Ta Chi and walk in the mall. Am also starting PT in a warm saline pool. There ARE things we can do to alleviate side effects and the rest of the year was more than bearable. (Also, I am cheap and keep my heat off most of the time!)

I have been on letrozole since August also, my hair is a lot thinner especially on top

Marilyn

Yes, my hair is thinner and a different texture too. I can see through my hair especially on the crown. Does anyone know if it get back to normal once we are off these drugs? I am Letrozole too.

Optimist, I got both of these SE's. I have been off of Letrozole for 3 1/2 weeks so I guess we will see if the nails or hair comes back. I've always had very thick hair so I see a big difference but I don't think most people notice. It is still long and I can curl it or put it up and it looks fine. the nails are weird, definitely softer. Good point Marijen!

I know we all have to take this drug, but it's hard living with the side effects. It clearly has a "defeminising" effect with the removal of oestrogen from our bodies. I might investigate any way of maintaining hair as my hair has always been one of my best features. Having already lost a breast, this really concerns me.

My hair was already thin but has gotten much worse on femara. I recently got clip in hair extensions and they look great. I was also having trouble with my nails breaking and splitting. I have gotten 2 manicures with the gel polish. It has made them much stronger. I did just get diagnosed with DE Quervains Tendinitis. It's painful on the thumb side of my wrist. Plus my thumb will catch. The Dr said it's an inflammation of the tendon sheath. Makes me wonder about the trigger finger thing. I have been on Femara since Aug.

I've got the nail ridges too 😩

with trigger thumb when your knuckle is 1/3 bent and you try to straighten it it snaps or clicks. The swelling in the tendon at the base of the thumb in the palm limits the sliding

Optimist and Wintersocks, hair is a hard one to swallow, it was always one of my best features too. think I may cut it shorter soon to get more volume. I also have the horizontal ridges since starting Letrozole.....I quite Letrozole 4 weeks ago due to elevated liver enzymes which are now slowly going down. cway, I'll have to try the gel polish!

Marijen, My MO blew me off too on that subject. But you can look up a number of stuff online that supports that very real possibility. I was on it since Aug 10 to around Nov 22 so about 3 months. I hope this is the answer as the numbers are going down. I can't help thinking it might still be the Ibrance though as that made me feel crappier than the Letrozole? Wish this was all a more exact science right?

I've had the longitudinal nail ridges for years. Long before letrozole. As Marijen said, my dermatologist said it was due to "old age." But I was only in my late 40s when I got them, thank you very much! Hardly what I'd consider old age. If the letrozole makes my hair start falling out, I'm switching to something else. Back to tamoxifen if I have to. I lost one of my best features (my boobs). I'm not losing another one. I've always had good hair.

It is still possible to get Femara under the brand name Femara which the name Femara is owned by Novartis which developed it and patented it. The patent expired in spring 2011 and became available in the generic form - letrozole. When I started on Femara, it was Femara as the patent was still in effect but I have been on letrozole since the patent expired.

Personally, I'd be worried if my Dr (or the pharamist who fills my scripts) didn't know that.

I plan on doing that immediately. It wasn't just the fact that she didn't know but that she shot me down twice in a rather snooty tone....thanks ladies! I am looking into the cancer center about a half hour from me which is highly rated.