Get Informed: Femara
Active Ingredient(s)
Letrozole
What does it do?
This product is used in the treatment of breast cancer. It works by inhibiting the conversion to estrogen which can promote cancer cell growth.
- Last Text Update:
- 2010-Aug-25 3:01 PM
- Last Data Update:
- 2010-Sep-02 9:03 PM
Other Names
- Femara
- Letrozole
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
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- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category
- D
- Black Box Warning:
- No
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 25 Jul 1997
- Est US Patients*
- 160,500
- Generic Available
- No
- OTC Available
- No
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
* Estimated number of US people currently taking Femara or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.
Recent alerts for Femara
There have been no iGuard.org alerts regarding Femara during the past year.
Femara Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
- Please login or register (it's free) so iGuard can check how Femara interacts with other drugs and diseases in your profile.
What is Femara used for?
iGuard is currently tracking more than 1,200 patients that use Femara (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.
| Disease / Condition | % | Average Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Breast Cancer | 100% |
mild
severe
|
How well does Femara work?
iGuard regularly polls our more than 1,200 users taking Femara (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM). This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.
Average Satisfaction Score
(out of 10)
Average Effectiveness Score
(out of 10)
- 88%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Femara outweigh the bad things.
- 16%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Femara.
Common Side Effects of Femara
iGuard regularly polls our more than 1,200 users taking Femara (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.
70% of patients experience side-effects on Femara
9% of patients experience significant side-effects on Femara
Most Common Side Effects...
-
Hot Flashes
-
Bone/Joint Pain
-
Muscle Pain/Cramps
-
Fatigue
-
Weight Gain
-
Hair Loss
-
Mood/Behavior Changes
-
= 10%
Less than 1%: Bloating/Gas, Dizziness, Dryness, Itch/Rash, Loss of Libido, Numbness/Tingling, Sweating, Weakness
Global Patient Feedback for Femara (Letrozole) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
After a single mastectomy for Stage 1 breast cancer one year ago, I was put on Femara. Because of severe joint and muscle pain, I began taking this drug every other day instead of daily. My doctor thinks this will be fine because of my low risk status. I am still fatigued, have an occasional hot flash, and get stiff muscles, but I enrolled in an adult classical ballet class two times a week and feel great! Exercise is definitely a must.
68 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-25 20:39:26
Question/Comment:
I am currently in a clinic trial for Cymbalta. The purpose is to see if it will relieve the extreme bone and joint pain I've experienced on Femara. After 30 days I have seen a remarkable improvement in my symptoms and I'm thrilled. I encourage anyone who has this side effect to ask their doctor for Cymbalta. Although it's not yet approved for this use, it is approved for fibromyalgia. I will note that I had nausea for the first week, but it does go away. My sleep quality has improved too.
54 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-07 06:25:24
Question/Comment:
I was on Femara for a year and a half. The first six months seemed to be fine except for many hot flashes. Then the joint pain got worse and I choice to live with it. But then my hair started falling out. I eliminated all other possibilities and it came down to the Femara as the possible cause. I decided to quit taking this drug. I am a 59 year old Female. I developed Breast Cancer in 2004 had chemo and radiation and tamoxifen .
59 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-05 07:55:46
Member Answer/Reply:
My story sounds exactly the same! I was put on femara after tamonifen for 2 years after chemo and radiation. The femara gave me severe hot flashes and then joint pain. The final straw was when my hair started falling out. I too eliminated all other possibilities and went off femara after 1 year. My hair stopped falling out but is now very very fine. Does anyone have any suggestions.... I take zinc and biotin
59 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-04-15 11:52:47
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Adding olive oil or other healthy fats, such as avocados or nuts, to your diet may help. Talk with your physician about adding a multivitamin to your diet as well.
Posted: 2010-05-01 14:55:45
Question/Comment:
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. Been through chemo, herceptin. Now on Femara for two weeks and am having blood pressure and high heart rate especially in the am. Have you ever heard of this side effect? I have just started taking Norvasc and HCTZ, but still have a pulse rate of 99 in the am.
63 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-10-10 07:37:48
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Hypertension and high heart rate have both been reported by patients taking Femara. About 5% of patients report increased blood pressure. It would be best to continue working with your physician to find the best combination of medications to control your symptoms and treat the beast cancer.
Posted: 2009-11-06 10:16:58
Question/Comment:
I have been told that estrogen inhibitors stop the production of grease in your joints which cause irrepabel damage of the tissue in your joints, ans also causes pain and restriction of exercise and cannot be treated with medicins.
Who has the same complaints and information from the doctor?
65 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-08-31 12:42:15
Member Answer/Reply:
I just started taking Femara but my doctor first had me have a baseline bone density scan to see if I need to take something form bone loss because Femara does cause some bone loss in some people. My test was ok but was told to maybe take a calcium supplement just to be sure.
50 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-12-08 16:04:03
You may post comments for the benefit of other patients or post questions other patients might be able to answer. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Only your age and gender will be published with your comment, although your other user details will be securely recorded for verification purposes.
Comments may be either questions or answers to previously posted questions. Any iGuard.org user may post questions and reply.
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Patient Comments About
Femara