Forum Discussion
Early Days on Letrozole
So, I started taking Letrozole on the 1/6/18.
My oncologist says I have to be on it for 10 years as several ongoing studies are indicating cancer preventing benefits beyond the seven year mark. It's a watching brief though, so I'm prepared that the advice might change in this time.
Three days after starting it my ankles started to ache. A lot. It got worse and started to wake me up at night. Whether I exercised or not didn't make any difference. I took some osteo-panadol for when it was really painful but I didn't fancy living on that, so on the advice of many people here, and my oncologist, I started taking krill oil. Within a few days the pain was down to a manageable level. Hooray!
Three weeks later though the ache ramped up. At exactly the same time my hot flushes, which had subsided to a bearable level after chemo, suddenly got a lot worse. Longer, stronger and now with extra bonus sweat!
I persisted with the krill oil for another week but there was no change. So in my personal clinical trial, I came off the krill oil for a (painful) week, and then started magnesium. Again on the anecdotal evidence from the good folk here, many of whom say it helps.
I also had a foot, ankle and lower leg massage at one of those mall massage joints on the same day as I started magnesium. It was utter bliss having my aching ankles worked on!
Something changed, because again the ankle pain subsided to a bearable level. Now whether this was something to do with the massage, or the magnesium, a combination of both, or my body simply adjusting to the rapid withdrawal of oestrogen, I simply don't know.
My oncologist says no evidence that magnesium works on anything other than cramps. However I'll keep taking it for a couole more weeks and then stop. I'll observe what happens and then, if the pain returns, I'll move on to the next thing in my 'clinical trial', which is curcumin. The onc says her patients have reported success with that. There'll be a magnesium spray test at some point as well!
My ankles still ache but it's at a lower level at the moment. All our bodies are different, der, but I thought I'd share my experiments in managing Letrozole side effects. It might be useful to someone! K xox
My oncologist says I have to be on it for 10 years as several ongoing studies are indicating cancer preventing benefits beyond the seven year mark. It's a watching brief though, so I'm prepared that the advice might change in this time.
Three days after starting it my ankles started to ache. A lot. It got worse and started to wake me up at night. Whether I exercised or not didn't make any difference. I took some osteo-panadol for when it was really painful but I didn't fancy living on that, so on the advice of many people here, and my oncologist, I started taking krill oil. Within a few days the pain was down to a manageable level. Hooray!
Three weeks later though the ache ramped up. At exactly the same time my hot flushes, which had subsided to a bearable level after chemo, suddenly got a lot worse. Longer, stronger and now with extra bonus sweat!
I persisted with the krill oil for another week but there was no change. So in my personal clinical trial, I came off the krill oil for a (painful) week, and then started magnesium. Again on the anecdotal evidence from the good folk here, many of whom say it helps.
I also had a foot, ankle and lower leg massage at one of those mall massage joints on the same day as I started magnesium. It was utter bliss having my aching ankles worked on!
Something changed, because again the ankle pain subsided to a bearable level. Now whether this was something to do with the massage, or the magnesium, a combination of both, or my body simply adjusting to the rapid withdrawal of oestrogen, I simply don't know.
My oncologist says no evidence that magnesium works on anything other than cramps. However I'll keep taking it for a couole more weeks and then stop. I'll observe what happens and then, if the pain returns, I'll move on to the next thing in my 'clinical trial', which is curcumin. The onc says her patients have reported success with that. There'll be a magnesium spray test at some point as well!
My ankles still ache but it's at a lower level at the moment. All our bodies are different, der, but I thought I'd share my experiments in managing Letrozole side effects. It might be useful to someone! K xox
373 Replies
- You are SO right, @Sister ..... we should make contact with them, that such IMPORTANT tablets (like chemo) SHOULD have the Day's Letter on each one! Such a SIMPLE solution!! DUH!
I think the only reason they put them on to Birth Control pills was so they weren't blamed if someone forgot one & they got pregnant?? - I have thought about the pill dispenser but I feel so bloody ancient already. It's a bit like wearing glasses on a chain or a cardi over your shoulder as a librarian - much as it would make sense, I just can't. I'm thinking of doing the same as you @arpie. I just can't believe that the manufacturers don't see it.
- @arpie certainly the pill dispenser hasn't helped to dispel the feeling that I am old before my time! :smiley:
- My thoughts exactly, @Sister, on having the 'day' on the tablets .... I was thinking of just writing the letter of each day on top of each tablet on the pack so I can see when I miss one! The old memory just isn't as sharp as it used to be!!! :(
I am resisting using a pill dispenser .... my brain doesn't like being THAT dependent ....... :( And it's not like I am on a HEAP of tablets! ... - The dispenser is indispensable! I fought it for ages (turning into my mother) but everything I take (medication, vitamins etc) goes in it and as I only take pills first thing in the morning or at night, it sits by my bed. Have not forgotten to take it on trips (long or short) yet!
- @Sister I had to get a pill dispenser early on during chemo. My Letrozole can't be stored out of the pack but the foil can be divided into individual doses and then they fit into my dispenser. Even then I can still forget if I have put the dispenser out of sight!
- @sister and @kmakm I also take low dose aspirin which does have days of the week and know if I have taken Letrozole as I take both at same time
- @Sister Totally agree! My sad pills have the days of the week on them, brilliant.
- Just popping my morning Letrozole and wondering how long before I forget if I've taken it or not. Why can't they package them like the Pill, with the days of the week on them?
- Hopefully there's a solution to look forward to as well! :smiley:
