Fearful of Letrozole - side effects

Sometimes it’s best not to read the list of side effects when you begin a drug - it just terrifies you and most of them you will probably never get. I started tamoxifen 3 weeks ago and other than being hungrier I don’t feel any different yet. No doubt in time I will but I was already having awful hot flushes and headaches, night sweats, muscle aches etc from the chemo and so it has all just blended in 😊 I don’t know what is causing what anymore. Then there is the afternoon energy collapse where I don’t know how I will get through the evening meal followed by being wide awake for hours during the night. It’s all FUN! I can’t blame any of that on the tamoxifen - I have just had a big year and now 15 radiation treatments in I can add that too. 

Be gentle on yourself @Karma03 ... and keep a diary on any side effects you feel.  As @Afraser said .. not everyone gets all the side effects - some get none! 

Sorry to hear you were so crook during chemo!  Definitely No fun in isolation.

Any AIs that we take are to reduce the chance of recurrence, so your Onc should have given you the percentages re the benefits of taking them.  My own percentages were pretty low but I still chose to go with the AIs as “insurance”.  And you CAN swap between the different AIs as well.  I started on Letrozole and now on Arimidex.

take care, all the best xxx

Hello, you are def not the only one who feels like that. I’ve also had a double mastectomy, had a Zoladex injection, going through radiation and need to start Letrozole soon. I’m terrified of the side effects too but trying to stay positive. As others have said, maybe you won’t get severe ones, and if you do, you can always ask to change. That’s my plan anyway. But I’m def feeling more tired than I used to. Good luck xx

Thank you Afraser for your encouraging words.  I think l am expecting too much of myself and l need to remember as you said that my body has been through a lot over the past 6 months and it will take time to recover.  

The prospect of taking medication that may have unpleasant side effects, for years, is perfectly rational. Your oncologist should explain why it is being recommended and the benefits he/she believes that treatment will provide. You should also ask about their willingness to change medication (different brand or type) if the side effects are severe. Some people get particular side effects from Letrozole, some get different ones, some get almost none. Unfortunately you have to start to find out which category you are in. Never underestimate the impact of what you have been through - tiredness is often a symptom of just being tired of it all. Not necessarily depressed, but definitely not as cheery as you may act. Keep an eye on it, it’s a side effect not often discussed. Best option for letrozole is to get as much information as you can, check your baseline (such as your bone density), start and see how you go. Best wishes.