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Artferret's avatar
Artferret
Member
7 years ago

Letrozole vs anastrozole

Has anyone gone from Letrozole to Anastrozole and found that the side effects eased or did they just stay the same? My right hand is just ballistic at the moment, stiff, sore all over particularly round the thumb area extending down the wrist. I do use my left hand more but am wary of doing too much with it for fear of it going down the same track. Last night I'm awake at 4am with an extremely sore right hip and not able to massage it cos of sore hands. Very frustrating! 
Also for those who have had a holiday from the drug how long were you off it for and when you went back on were the side effects eased somewhat or just gone back to what they were before? 
I am planning a break from the drug but would like to hang out till winter to do it as last winter was pretty bad for my hands. I see my onc in April.  Exemestane is not an option for me as I've been told it will play havoc with my cholesterol levels and as i now got them down to where they need to be without drugs I'd rather not upset the apple cart. 
I'm due to see my GP next week so I'll have a chat to her. I do exercise a fair bit at the gym but am finding that it's not a lasting fix in the joint stiffness area. It's good while i do it and it does give me the joint mobility but then later on in the day it just degenerates back to its usual status.
Any pearls of wisdom?
hormone-therapy

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  • Artferret's avatar
    Artferret
    Member
    7 years ago
    Thanks to you all. @Deanne if you wouldn't mind, let me know what your onc said. It will be interesting. I've been on letrozole 14 months , wasn't on tamoxifen as i was post menopausal. I can relate to painful writing! I find typing easier. Every now and again my thumb joint does a little 'click' and it frees up so much almost as if it had been dislocated and then put back in place. This happened last night.  It doesn't last though. 
    @Vangirl i had constant hot flushes for a long time mainly at night but they have now all but disappeared. No foggy brain or tears though.
  • jennyss's avatar
    jennyss
    Member
    7 years ago
    Dear @Artferret, wait a minute, make that on Anastrozole since December 2017 LOL!
  • jennyss's avatar
    jennyss
    Member
    7 years ago
    Dear @Artferret , I can't compare, but I have been on Anastrozole since November last year and have had minimal side-effects; a little aching of the left ankle which soon wears off in the morning. Lucky I think.

    from jennyss in Western NSW
  • iserbrown's avatar
    iserbrown
    Member
    7 years ago
    For me it was 6 months only on Femara. The bone pain is what drove me balmy. At 3 months Michael asked me to persevere to see if my body would adjust.

    I am now on Aromasin and my GP gave me palexia for the bone pain so I could enjoy Christmas however within days a different problem started, non BC and palexia wasn't working. 

    I think Aromasin suits me. 

    I did not quite 3 years on tamoxifen however I had 2 surgeries as a result of tamoxifen induced troubles.

    Our bodies are fickle 

    Best wishes 
    Take care 




  • Deanne's avatar
    Deanne
    Member
    7 years ago
    This is a timely discussion for me as I am off to the oncologist tomorrow. I have been on Letrozole for just over 3 years (was on Tamoxifen for 2 years before that). I have just finished writing a list of side effects, their time of onset, my attempts at counteracting them, and the degree of success or failure of these counteractions. Trying to be factual rather than emotional about it! :s The whole time my right thumb was in agony as I held and moved the pen!

    I feel as though I have reached the time where I can no longer manage some of the quality of life effects with what seemed to work up until recently. The past 6 months have seen a marked deterioration in my ability to ‘hold my own’ against the effects. 

    My intention is to explore all options. @Vangirl your experience gives me hope that a simple swap might be the answer. Will be interested if anyone else has found a change beneficial. I guess at this point I am ready to try as I have nothing to lose! 
  • Vangirl's avatar
    Vangirl
    Member
    7 years ago
    I had a foggy mind, awful sweats and couldn't stop crying while on Letrozole. Since I started on Anastrozole a few months ago have had no discernible side effects at all.