Letrozole

Ady

Hi Ladies
I have started my third month on Letrozole and I have started to ache really badly, ever so tired and the weight is piling on around my middle, even though the diet is good and I am exercising when I can but not as much as I usually do due to having an op on my foot and it is taking a long time to heal as it is very swelled. How is everyone else who takes it getting on? I came off Arimidex as that had awful side effects but now I am getting this. I still have over 4 years to take these tablets. I think I will be crazy by the end of it haha.

Cheers
Ady :-)

Scooper

Hi Ady.  Yes I have the same problems.  I resisted for nearly 10 months but now take a painkiller in the am and then in the pm.  I try really hard with my diet and exercise when I can.  Not doing very well I must say.  The one good thing is that my hair is starting to thicken up a little after 12 months.  I know that it trivial but it is important to me.  I am sure that the cold weather we are experiencing in Melbourne does not help  my bone aches.  With my very best wishes to you Ady.
Love Sandra xxx

Ady

Hi Sandra.
Thanks for your reply. I live in Qld and it has been very hot but I still ache!  I have tried pain killers but haven't helped. I am just hoping that as time goes by symptoms may lessen but that is probably wishful thinking haha. After dinner at night is when I get the most tired. I have heard you can lose some hair with these tablets but not me. If anything my hair has got thicker! 
Hugs
Adrienne xx

Deanne

Hi @Ady
I have been on Letrozole for just over a year now. Before that I was on Tamoxifen for 2 years. I had no real problem side effects on Tamoxifen but when I had to have my ovaries removed my oncologist switched me to Letrozole because it does give better protection against recurrence.
At the one month mark on Letrozole the aches and pains started with avengence. The hot flushes also worsened for a few months but have now just about gone. The pain comes and goes but is not as bad as the first few months. It is worst in my hands and seems to be related to some pre-existing mild arthritis that I had. The Letrozole just makes this a bit worse. I also (strangely) find the joint aches much worse when there is a storm or wet weather approaching. It is better once the storm or rain arrives!
I take krill oil, glucosamine and magnesium which seems to help. I also exercise which seems to help. I walk daily and do a weight lifting program 2 or 3 times a week. This is also to help with bone density which Letrozole has caused problems with for me. I find coffee (caffeine) makes it worse and some foods (red meat and tomatoes mostly). Salty foods also increase the pain for me. I use a lot of turmeric and ginger in cooking (these are natural anti-inflammatories) and believe this helps with the pain also.
I have also had my Vit D levels checked as this can make the aches and pains worse if you are deficient.
I have another 7 years to go on this medication (unless they discover something different). I hope you find that the side effects lessen over time. I have also heard that acupuncture can help. I might try this one day. 
Deanne xxx

wendylou

Deanne said:

Hi @Ady
I have been on Letrozole for just over a year now. Before that I was on Tamoxifen for 2 years. I had no real problem side effects on Tamoxifen but when I had to have my ovaries removed my oncologist switched me to Letrozole because it does give better protection against recurrence.
At the one month mark on Letrozole the aches and pains started with avengence. The hot flushes also worsened for a few months but have now just about gone. The pain comes and goes but is not as bad as the first few months. It is worst in my hands and seems to be related to some pre-existing mild arthritis that I had. The Letrozole just makes this a bit worse. I also (strangely) find the joint aches much worse when there is a storm or wet weather approaching. It is better once the storm or rain arrives!
I take krill oil, glucosamine and magnesium which seems to help. I also exercise which seems to help. I walk daily and do a weight lifting program 2 or 3 times a week. This is also to help with bone density which Letrozole has caused problems with for me. I find coffee (caffeine) makes it worse and some foods (red meat and tomatoes mostly). Salty foods also increase the pain for me. I use a lot of turmeric and ginger in cooking (these are natural anti-inflammatories) and believe this helps with the pain also.
I have also had my Vit D levels checked as this can make the aches and pains worse if you are deficient.
I have another 7 years to go on this medication (unless they discover something different). I hope you find that the side effects lessen over time. I have also heard that acupuncture can help. I might try this one day. 
Deanne xxx

Try CBD Oil , it will help

primek

@wendylou what is cbd oil?

Romla

Hi@Ady - have been on Letrozole 4 months + and managing ok although have had a raft of side effects . Joint pain managed with Caltrate Bone Health which contains Magnesium as well as Calcium/ Vit D one in the morning and one afternoon as well as a Krill oil capsule daily per recommendation of medical oncologist.I also do a twice weekly gentle stretch and balance class as well as walk most days for an hour. I am already osteoporotic and have had a fracture so also have a 6 monthly Prolia injection which counters the further bone thinning of Letrozole.My biggest worry is the near trebling of my cholesterol and spoke to someone else yesterday who has had the same - I do not want to go back on statins and prefer a low dose aspirin daily as statins caused major problems with my mental functioning- I thought I was developing dementia but clearly was not as within 3 weeks of stopping statins I was back to normal. I have noticed a tendency to fatigue and depression which my daily walk helps a lot - probably by releasing endorphins .I am far from athletic but can’t tell you how much walking helps me amd some days it hurts but I seem to be able to walk thru discomfort and it goes away.Like everyone I find things tough at times both physically and emotionally but am continuing with Letrozole and taking each day at a time. I noted the dietary comments of @Deanne and offer the following I rarely eat red meat, am a tea drinker ,eat naked ginger often as well as curries ( turmeric is a component) , salty foods are not my thing - maybe my diet helps.I also gave up aerated drinks as I have been told they are not wise if you are osteoporotic. Maybe I have been lucky or maybe there is something I have gotten right dunno.

Deanne

This post was from a year ago. I hope Ady is going well. Glad to hear you are managing the effects ok so far @Romla.

I have actually continued to notice improvements when I eat certain foods and consequently I have refined my diet even further. I do think my body is very reactive on Femara (maybe it is menopause too). But I have very little trouble with any side effects now as long as I eat well and exercise daily. The only time I am stiff or have joint pain is if I sit down too much/too long or eat something that causes an inflammatory reaction. 

The other week I had lunch out and chose a calamari salad. The calamari was deep fried (did not say this on the menu) and that night I woke up with hands feeling swollen, stiff and painful. The reaction got worse the next day and the only thing that I was happy about was that it made me realise how good I had been feeling for the months prior! Needless to say I will be avoiding anything deep fried in the future.

I eat mostly vegetarian now and find that seems to work well for me.

I also was diagnosed with osteoporosis after being on Femara for a few months. I have had great success in reversing this (improved my bone density by 9.72% at the spine and 3.76% at the hip) through a weightlifting program run by ‘The Bone Clinic’. I no longer have osteoporosis and have avoided the need for Prolia or any bone density medication for now. Will be interesting to see if the weightlifting can continue to keep my bone density from deteriorating on Femara. 

Romla

It’s interesting about the impact of diet - guess we need to listen to our bodies but admit finding it hard atm with Christmas soon.Also have noticed chopping and changing weather plays havoc including with my diet . I do light weights in Stretch/Balance and am interested in your Bone Clinic work just a little worried about it’s suitability for my situation as I have already had a fracture.I too hope @Ady is going well . I would be a vegetarian by choice but hard with a family - twins who only eat chicken and a carnivore husband .Thanks for letting me know it was an old post.

SoldierCrab

@primek
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Anne94

I’ve just seen this post, have been on Letrozole since June & I’m having similar side effects. I use magnesium oil on my calves at night for the restless legs. I’ve started taking tumeric once a day as well. This month I have a new side effect / fluid retention  I exercise regularly which helps with the feet and back pain.  Nurofen every now and again when it’s really sore. Off to the chemist to see what I can do for the fluid retention.