This condition can become very painful and may lead to infertility in some people. This is because drinking a lot of alcohol can increase your risk of osteoporosis, which is already increased by the drug. Spotting may occur along with other side effects from Femara, such as belly pain or cramping. For these women, infertility may be caused by problems with ovulation, or it may not have an obvious cause (called unexplained infertility). A study has found that taking Femara for 10 years instead of 5: reduces the risk of recurrence. . Letrozole Information for Healthcare Professionals, Letrozole Updated 11/2020. Cancer cells multiply quickly, but some healthy cells in your body also multiply quickly. If youre concerned about weight gain while taking Femara, talk with your doctor. If you have questions about using Femara for breast cancer, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Factors to consider include those in the list below. Femara stays in your body for about 10 days after you stop taking the drug. Over the last week I have been feeling increasingly poorly, very lethargic and completely lacking in energy as I have just come back from a lovely week away there really shouldn't be any reason for how I am feeling and it just occurred to me that it could be related to stopping taking tamoxifen. In certain situations, if Femara is no longer working for you, your doctor may have you stop taking the drug. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Novartis, the maker of letrozole, provided funding for the trial, along with NCI and the International Breast Cancer Study Group. Liver problems. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Femara. What are some frequently asked questions about Femara? One example of an androgen is the hormone testosterone. Learn how CBCs are used in the treatment of breast cancer. See Femaras prescribing information for details. It also helps keep the drug from harming the environment. Serious side effects, which are explained in more detail below in Side effect details, include: You may wonder how often certain side effects occur with this drug. Along with its needed effects, letrozole may cause some unwanted effects. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care. What Types of Breast Cancer Have the Highest Recurrence Rates? drug can stay in . It works by killing cells in your body that multiply quickly. Can Breast Cancer Be Detected in a Complete Blood Count (CBC)? If youre not having periods when starting Femara, your doctor will recommend when you should start taking the drug. Symptoms of a mild allergic reaction can include: A more severe allergic reaction is rare but possible. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Weight gain. This may happen more often if used for a long time. Should I use other breast cancer treatments while taking Femara? They can also suggest ways to help reduce side effects. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Femara comes as 2.5-mg tablets that are taken by mouth. Can breast cancer return while on letrozole? Your doctor might ask you to take Femara on either cycle days 3 to 7 or cycle days 5 to 9. Below are brief descriptions of each type of breast cancer Femara is used to treat: Before taking Femara, its important to talk with your doctor about your overall health and other medical conditions you have. Common side effects can be like menopause symptomsand include hot flushes, difficulty sleeping, tiredness and low mood. improved overall survival. It may also be used when someone is premenopausal and having treatment to stop the ovaries working (temporary menopause). Before your appointment, write down questions such as: How will Femara affect my body, mood, or lifestyle? Both cancer and cancer treatments can often cause changes in appetite and body weight. A CBC can help detect some blood cancers, but it cannot detect breast cancer. Chemotherapy describes traditional drugs used to treat cancer. Stopping Femara isnt known to cause any withdrawal symptoms. Taking medications, vaccines, foods, and other things with a certain drug can affect how the drug works. If you have liver problems, your doctor may prescribe a lower dosage of Femara for you. Femara tablets contain the active drug letrozole. If you are not tolerating it well due to side effects, sometimes temporarily stopping it or switching to another hormone drug may be considered. However, if you have severe symptoms, immediately call 911 (or your local emergency number) or go to the nearest emergency room. When you stop taking letrozole, most persistent side effects should improve within a week or 10 days, and as long as you have taken it for at least 5 years, then letrozole should continue to reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back for many years after you stop taking it. Femara is a kind of hormone therapy. * However, its sometimes used off-label for this use. Ask your doctor what other medications are better options for you. Some research from 2011 showed that Femara can help manage pain related to endometriosis. Breast cancers that are stimulated by hormones, such as estrogen, are called hormone receptor-positive (HR+). Note: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks side effects of drugs they have approved. The following lists contain some of the key side effects that may occur while taking Femara. Natco Pharma Limited. Mild side effects of many . Your doctor may prescribe Femara along with other breast cancer treatments. But you wont be able to notice it working in your body. But this side effect wasnt reported in studies. These cancers can be treated with hormone therapies that work by lowering estrogen levels in your body. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses. If you have questions or concerns about these potential side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. If you have questions or concerns about using Femara for infertility, talk with your doctor. Femara may cause reduced bone mineral density (weakened bones) in some people. The Femara dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on several factors. If you miss a dose of Femara, take it as soon as you remember, unless its almost time for your next dose. Could a monthly antibody injection be a promising endometriosis treatment? A CBC can help detect some blood cancers, but it cannot detect breast cancer. Femara is FDA-approved to treat advanced breast cancer thats hormone receptor-positive (HR+). Melatonin and Breast Cancer: Is it Safe and Can it Help? After surgery, the women were randomly assigned to one of four groups: 5 years of letrozole (letrozole monotherapy), 5 years of tamoxifen (tamoxifen monotherapy), or one of the two sequential treatment groups. HR+ breast cancer is encouraged to grow by hormones, including estrogen. (Letrozole is the active drug in Femara.) What are the more common side effects of Femara? If youd like to know more about treatment options for infertility, talk with your doctor. Also, if you experience fatigue, extreme tiredness, or dizziness while taking Femara, you shouldnt drive or operate heavy machinery. Then, you can share this information with your doctor. Prophylactic mastectomy is surgery to remove breast tissue. Femara may cause hair loss in some people. ChildrenUse and dose must be determined by your doctor. They can recommend some ways to manage this side effect. They both do the same job but Anastrozole is the more similar tablet so could well have similar side effects - You could ask about the Exemestane which I think are steroid based ? All rights reserved. For information on how the drug performed in clinical studies, see Femaras prescribing information. In that case, just skip the missed dose and take your next dose as scheduled. What could happen if I become pregnant during my Femara treatment? No, Femara isnt a chemotherapy drug. Estrogen helps to keep your bones strong. Some that are rare (occurring in less than 10% of patients) are not listed here. * For more information on this side effect, see the Side effect focus section below. Letrozole is a pill, taken by mouth. For oral dosage form (tablets): For breast cancer: Adults2.5 milligrams (mg) once a day. Like other drugs, Femara can cause mild or serious side effects. Your doctor will help you to weigh potential risks and benefits of taking Femara for a long period of time. Femara may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. Before taking Femara, talk with your doctor about your health history. The current stance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to avoid using expired medications. Femara will start working soon after you start taking it. However, statistics show that many people with breast cancer have an excellent chance of. As with all medications, the cost of Femara can vary. You will therefore start remaking this hormone. Learn the signs and symptoms of metastasis, how you can make yourself as comfortable as possible, and tips for managing end-of-life symptoms. This allows them to monitor how strong your bones are. Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks side effects of the medication. But sometimes the drug is used off-label to treat infertility in females* with PCOS. And ovulation problems commonly happen because of a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). But more research is needed to know whether higher doses of Femara are more effective than lower doses. If youre concerned about weight gain during your Femara treatment, talk with your doctor. In this case, stopping Femara can sometimes improve your breast cancer, rather than causing side effects. The generic is considered to be as safe and effective as the original drug. If your doctor confirms that you had a mild allergic reaction to Femara, theyll decide if you should continue taking it. You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 or use their online tool. How do Femaras side effects compare with those of other cancer drugs? * In this article, we use the term female to refer to someones sex assigned at birth. Your doctor can recommend other treatments, besides Femara, that are safe for you to use. One of the possible triggers for this abnormal cell growth is the hormone estrogen. And let your doctor know if you have more questions about these medications. These include: Youre more likely to have success with Femara treatment for infertility if your body isnt already ovulating. Femara has been found effective for treating certain types of breast cancer. If youre concerned about hair loss while taking Femara, talk with your doctor. International guidelines recommend letrozole (the active drug in Femara) as an effective treatment for infertility. 2004-2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK, a Red Ventures Company. Femara can weaken your bones, which may cause new or worsened osteoporosis. In certain situations, if Femara has stopped working for you, your doctor might ask you to stop taking the drug in order to cause a withdrawal response. This response is a hormonal shift thats caused by stopping Femara. https://breastcancernow.org/information-support/facing-breast-cancer/going-through-breast-cancer-treatment/hormone-therapy/letrozole-femara. * For more information about using Femara for infertility, see the section Off-label use of Femara for infertility above. You shouldnt take Femara unless its been prescribed by a healthcare professional. It only has these risks if its taken when youre already pregnant. Alcohol isnt known to interact with Femara. Breast cancer develops when cells in your breast tissue start to grow and multiply more quickly than usual. Femara, which works by lowering your estrogen level, is prescribed for females* whove gone through menopause. If youre taking Femara, your doctor may want to measure your bone mineral density. Do I have a higher risk for side effects than other people taking Femara. It works by lowering the level of estrogen in your body. And there are other drugs used to treat infertility that do other things in your body. Femara is classified as an aromatase inhibitor. Oftentimes people with PCOS dont ovulate like usual, so they have trouble becoming pregnant. They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you. High cholesterol. You should take Femara according to your doctors or another healthcare professionals instructions. The aromatase enzyme helps make estrogen from other hormones called androgens. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Femara is a brand-name prescription drug thats approved to treat breast cancer in females* whove gone through menopause. Femara should not be used during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Femara induces (causes) ovulation and can increase your chances of becoming pregnant. This increases your risk of breaking a bone during Femara treatment. . But with advanced breast cancer, the cancer has spread to nearby areas or lymph nodes (called locally advanced breast cancer), or it has spread to other parts of the body (called metastatic breast cancer). Risks of extended treatment to consider may include weakening of your bones or raised cholesterol levels. However, this particular treatment approach isnt right for everyone. You may also be able to ease headaches by applying an ice pack or heating pad to your head. If youre concerned about side effects you may experience when ending your Femara treatment, talk with your doctor. The expiration date helps guarantee that the medication is effective during this time. Femara contains the active drug letrozole, while Clomid contains the active drug clomiphene. If you develop serious side effects while taking Femara, call your doctor right away. However, if you think youre having a medical emergency, you should call 911 or your local emergency number. Mild side effects of Femara can usually go away within a few days or a couple weeks. was on it for 10 years!!! why should I stop; would I benefit from stopping; would I benefit from continuing, who would monitor me, etc. What are the mild side effects of Femara? Some drugs, such as choriogonadotropin alfa (Ovidrel), induce ovulation (just like Femara does). Can diet help improve depression symptoms? However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. If you miss a dose, do not take a double dose the next day. There are also some things you can do to help minimize loss of bone strength while youre taking Femara. Some may be a better fit for you than others. If you experience side effects that dont go way or interfere with your daily life, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. For this use, youll usually take Femara for 5 years after youve already taken tamoxifen for 5 years following surgery to remove the cancer. These breast cancers are called hormone sensitive or hormone receptor positive. Your body weight may change while youre taking Femara. Female infertility refers to not being able to become or stay pregnant. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs. Most side effects of Femara are mild. 2005-2023 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. And the drug doesnt need to be stopped gradually to prevent side effects from occurring. Letrozole lowers the levels of the female sex hormone oestrogen in the body. A hot shower or bath may also provide some headache relief. This can make your bones weaker and easier to break. Some side effects, such as osteoporosis (weakened bones), will not get better on their own, even after you stop taking Femara. But if you have any symptoms that are ongoing or that bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Chemotherapy is a type of cancer drug. My doctor said Femara may cause hot flashes. Most of these side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. Infertility is often caused by problems with ovulation (when eggs are released from your ovaries). , the maker of letrozole, while Clomid contains the active drug clomiphene effective during this time the. During this time lower doses whove gone through menopause conditions or other factors that affect your health.. Thats caused by stopping Femara., UK, a Red Ventures Company interactions! Mood, or treatment medical emergency, you can do to help loss... Develop serious side effects can be like menopause symptomsand include hot flushes, difficulty sleeping tiredness... Effects you may experience when ending your Femara treatment for infertility, talk with your doctor approves a,. 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