HelloI am about to start taking Letrozole and after reading the side effects I am concerned. I've come so far after chemo, mastectomy and radiation and now feeling really good and enjoying life. The last thing I want is to go back to feeling unwell again! What symptoms did you experience or are experiencing?

I find your post extremely sad. Not everyone suffers badly and you maybe one of those.Letrozole is just one of the AI group.My medical team treats me with the utmost respect. I am sorry if yours is as you mentioned above.Venting is a way of releasing frustration!

I think it’s interesting to note the range of side effects from aromatase inhibitors like Letrozol that can be from mild to life altering in a terrible way. I can’t believe how often people dismiss these side effects as if they are not much, despite a high incidence of sufferers and high drop out rate in taking these drugs. I am due to start an AI in the next couple of days and as someone who is not arthritic and doesn’t have any osteoporosis or joint or muscle pain, I take the likely addition of such problems into my life very seriously. I have breast cancer so I have to now be constantly grateful to the medical world, but I am not doing that shit. I am refusing to start so the experience doesn’t ruin Xmas and holidays and I have put commencing right off until Jan some time. As best I can see you will be minimised if you raise the issue of side effects from aromotase inhibitors. The best you can do is to walk, eat rabbit food and/or STFU- this is the summary I have reached. NB: The other advice commonly given is to “talk to your doctor” which is also code for STFU. I truly hope you are not badly affected and I hope I am not when I get round to taking it. There’s so little information by and for women about side effects so the only thing to do is to go ahead and not worry our overly emotional, side effect inventing pretty little female heads and hope it isn’t too terrible because doctor says so. Great isn’t it? I hope we all share our actual experiences, good and bad, with other women because I’m terrified The male body builders taking aromatase inhibitors have more information and discussion than we do!

HiShort answer is, it is variable and the type of side effect or the severity is hard to predict. Joint pain is experienced by many and I have none at all. Flushes and menopausal symptoms also, I haven’t had any of those either. Vaginal dryness, yes but mine may also be compounded by age and the severity and impact experienced by others is from mild to severe. There are treatments and ways to alleviate this, with varying success and many don’t get it at all. Bone thinning can occur - if you don’t already know, wise to get a bone density test before you start, then you can accurately monitor any impact. Again, age can make a difference. But bottom line, give it a shot. I’m still on it 7 years in, don’t know if I’ll make 10 but we are working on it year by year. If it’s too difficult you can stop, but you’ll have done as much as you can to get any benefit. Best wishes.

Not everyone has side effects that are troublesome. For some there's niggles initially and in time the body adjusts.Hopefully you are one that sails through.Take care

I too am troubled by your post @Temple . It would seem your medical support team has been disappointing. At the beginning of treatment I changed one of my oncologists as I did not feel comfortable - I guess I was lucky being a private patient I could choose my team.If you can maybe you should too.Re Letrozole nobody starts hormone therapy lightly but we choose to do so as Er+ breast cancer in the hope that it prevents recurrence ie it’s the best shot we have post surgery/ chemo/radiotherapy - we are lucky in that our Triple negative sisters have no such option.I do not defend Letrozole, it was the scariest part of my treatment for me esp given my pre existing osteoporosis but I’ve tried very hard to manage it’s side effects . I realise some find it very tough but many find it doable - I’ve been lucky to be in the latter.Finally I think it’s important to try , garnering as much information as you can to try and find a pathway to manage side effects for the potential protective benefits.

Letrozole | BCNA Online Network

23 Replies

arpie
Member
6 years ago
Be aware, @Ctoo - but don't despair. As the girls have said - not everyone gets all the side effects. Fingers crossed that is you xx

Just get out there & keep doing what you love doing - keeping active is one of the ways to mitigate any side effects xxx
iserbrown
Member
6 years ago
Not everyone has side effects that are troublesome. For some there's niggles initially and in time the body adjusts.
Hopefully you are one that sails through.
Take care
Afraser
Member
6 years ago
Hi
Short answer is, it is variable and the type of side effect or the severity is hard to predict. Joint pain is experienced by many and I have none at all. Flushes and menopausal symptoms also, I haven’t had any of those either. Vaginal dryness, yes but mine may also be compounded by age and the severity and impact experienced by others is from mild to severe. There are treatments and ways to alleviate this, with varying success and many don’t get it at all. Bone thinning can occur - if you don’t already know, wise to get a bone density test before you start, then you can accurately monitor any impact. Again, age can make a difference. But bottom line, give it a shot. I’m still on it 7 years in, don’t know if I’ll make 10 but we are working on it year by year. If it’s too difficult you can stop, but you’ll have done as much as you can to get any benefit. Best wishes.

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Letrozole

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