Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. The drug works by lowering estrogen levels in your body, which helps stop breast cancer from growing. This means that Femara will no longer be in your body when you ovulate or conceive. Its possible you may have side effects after stopping Femara treatment. This signals your pituitary gland to release hormones called follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). This includes the breast cancer medication tamoxifen. What can I do to help prevent the aches and pains that Ive heard are a side effect of taking Femara? Spotting may occur along with other side effects from Femara, such as belly pain or cramping. Both Femara and anastrozole (Arimidex) are used to treat certain types of breast cancer in females* who have gone through menopause. Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. * For more information on this side effect, see the Side effect focus section below. When Femara is used off-label to treat infertility, the drug doesnt increase the risk of birth defects or miscarriage. This stops estrogen from being able to stimulate breast cancer cells to grow and multiply. * However, the drug may be used off-label for this purpose. Your bones rely on estrogen to keep them strong. Ask your doctor what other medications are better options for you. If youre concerned about weight gain while taking Femara, talk with your doctor. It only has these risks if its taken when youre already pregnant. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can include swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet. However, if you think youre having a medical emergency, you should call 911 or your local emergency number. PCOS is a condition that causes hormone problems, irregular or skipped periods, and cysts on your ovaries. You can also talk with your doctor or pharmacist to learn more. And ovulation problems commonly happen because of a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Such drinks and foods may worsen hot flashes. Femara induces (causes) ovulation and can increase your chances of becoming pregnant. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Femara will start working soon after you start taking it. Pet and bone scans show no metastatic activity (again, so far) so fingers crossed it keeps working. If so, this article on breast cancer treatment options may be helpful for you. I was prescribed Letrozole about 6 weeks before my operation, bilateral mastectomy with implants. More specifically, Femara is a type of hormone therapy called an aromatase inhibitor. Be sure to always take Femara exactly as your doctor recommends. If you find the side effects ease within the two weeks they may try you on Anastrozole or even Exemstane. Clomiphene is approved to treat infertility in females. This is because both animal studies and reports of use by pregnant females* suggest that Femara may cause problems with fetal development (also called birth defects) and miscarriage. (Off-label use means using a drug for a condition other than the one its approved to treat.). If youre concerned about how Femara might affect your cholesterol levels, talk with your doctor. If youd like to know about using Femara for this purpose, talk with your doctor. And generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs. Femara isnt FDA-approved to treat infertility, but sometimes its used off-label for this purpose in females. Before taking Femara, be sure to tell your doctor about all medications you take, including prescription and over-the-counter types. This means that chemotherapy can affect both cancer cells and healthy cells. Taking medications, vaccines, foods, and other things with a certain drug can affect how the drug works. Lymph node surgery helps doctors determine, Knowing the early signs of breast cancer can help a person seek prompt treatment and improve their chance of survival. The mild side effects of Femara that are more common* can include: The mild side effects of Femara that are less common** can include: * Occurred in more than 20% of people in clinical studies ** Occurred in 20% or less of people in clinical studies. Doing this temporarily lowers your estrogen level. Because of this, you shouldnt breastfeed while youre taking Femara. After menopause, your body produces less estrogen, which can weaken your bones. You also shouldnt use the drug for conditions it hasnt been prescribed to treat. (Enzymes help chemical reactions in your body to happen.). Estrogen helps to keep your bones strong. It should be safe to drink alcohol during your Femara treatment. If youre interested in using Femara for this purpose, talk with your doctor. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. All rights reserved. But some people may experience side effects while taking this drug. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. But try to take it around the same time on each of the 5 days that youre taking the drug. It can also interact with certain supplements as well as certain foods. What Types of Breast Cancer Have the Highest Recurrence Rates? Some may be a better fit for you than others. But a generic version called clomiphene is available. One example of an androgen is the hormone testosterone. But Arimidex does cause some additional side effects that dont occur with Femara. Heres some detail on several of the side effects this drug cause. But if you have any symptoms that are ongoing or that bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They work by lowering estrogen levels within your body, which helps stop the growth of breast cancer. Or if youre using IUI, you doctor will recommend when you should go into the clinic for artificial insemination. When you take the drug, it stops androgens in your body from converting into estrogen. After youve gone through menopause, your ovaries no longer produce estrogen. Learn. My doctor said Femara may cause hot flashes. Below youll find answers to some frequently asked questions about Femaras side effects. Oestrogen stimulates some breast cancers to grow. Along with its needed effects, letrozole may cause some unwanted effects. They may be able to suggest ways may help improve your energy level during your treatment. The insurance company will review the request and let you and your doctor know if your plan will cover Femara. The drugs work by lowering estrogen levels in your body, which helps stop breast cancer from growing. If youre interested in finding an alternative to Femara, talk with your doctor. 1 Some fertility experts recommend taking the pills on days 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of your cycle. If you have more questions about how Femara and clomiphene are alike and different, talk with your doctor. Bring someone with you to your appointment if doing so will help you feel more comfortable. Femara is a prescription drug used in adult females* whove gone through menopause. If you think youve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor. The list below includes factors to consider. Femara can cause mild or serious side effects. Headaches were a common side effect in studies of Femara. But its not known for sure what symptoms you may have from overdose. Talk with your doctor about your health history before you take Femara. was on it for 10 years!!! They both do the same job but Anastrozole is the more similar tablet so could well have similar side effects - You could ask about the Exemestane which I think are steroid based ? This use of the drug is called ovulation induction. Its not chemotherapy, which is a type of cancer drug that most commonly causes hair loss. Serious side effects, which are explained in more detail below in Side effect details, include: You may wonder how often certain side effects occur with this drug. If you would like to report to the FDA a side effect youve had with Femara, you can do so through MedWatch. The Femara dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on several factors. Learn about the dosage for Femara in treating certain types of breast cancer. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. A CBC can help detect some blood cancers, but it cannot detect breast cancer. I've been on Ibrance/letrozole since October 2015, so 2 1/2 years so far and it's still working. Do not stop taking letrozole without talking to your treatment team first. For information about the difference between sex and gender, see this article. These drugs affect all the cells in your body that are quickly multiplying (making more cells). Infertility is often caused by problems with ovulation (when eggs are released from your ovaries). However, this particular treatment approach isnt right for everyone. Chemotherapy describes traditional drugs used to treat cancer. In that case, just skip the missed dose and take your next dose as scheduled. Prophylactic mastectomy is surgery to remove breast tissue. Femara may cause mild side effects other than the ones listed above. When used for this purpose, Femara helps lower the risk of your cancer coming back. If you and your doctor determine that Femara is safe and effective for you, youll likely take it long term. Some people may have an allergic reaction to Femara. Hormone therapies stop estrogen from encouraging breast cancer cells to grow. Femara is classified as an aromatase inhibitor. Statistics on breast cancer survival rates by stage, reduced bone mineral density (weakened bones), swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet, swelling of your tongue, mouth, or throat, whether youre using Femara with other fertility treatments, spotting (light vaginal bleeding between periods), rarely, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which occurs when more eggs than usual develop in your ovaries, the condition youre taking Femara to treat. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Femara. When is the best time of day to take letrozole? A 2019 review of studies also found Femara to be more effective than clomiphene in treating infertility in females* with PCOS. Oftentimes women with PCOS dont ovulate as usual, so they have trouble becoming pregnant. They can recommend you how much alcohol is safe for you to drink during Femara treatment. Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. . Most side effects of Femara are mild. (With osteoporosis, you have weak, thin bones.). But some healthy cells in the body also quickly multiply. If your doctor confirms that you had a mild allergic reaction to Femara, theyll decide if you should continue taking it. What Types of Breast Cancer Have the Highest Recurrence Rates? But after menopause, your estrogen levels fall, which can weaken your bones. headache*. Femara comes as tablets that are taken by mouth. And because Femara also lowers your estrogen level, the drug can add to this effect. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media. Femara is a kind of hormone therapy. Breast cancer develops when cells in your breast tissue start to grow and multiply more quickly than usual. If you have questions about taking Femara with other drugs, talk with your doctor. If you experience side effects that dont go way or interfere with your daily life, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Learn more about some of the side effects that Femara may cause. Your side effect notes can include things such as: Keeping notes and sharing them with your doctor will help them learn more about how the drug affects you. If the side effects seem life threatening or if you think youre having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects. You may also be able to ease headaches by applying an ice pack or heating pad to your head. They may want to prescribe medication to help protect your bones during your Femara treatment. In this case, stopping Femara can sometimes improve your breast cancer, rather than causing side effects. But more research is needed to know whether higher doses of Femara are more effective than lower doses. Femara contains the active drug letrozole, while Clomid contains the active drug clomiphene. Learn the signs and symptoms of metastasis, how you can make yourself as comfortable as possible, and tips for managing end-of-life symptoms. Off-label drug use is when a drug thats approved for one use is used for a different one thats not approved. improved overall survival. You should avoid drinking large amounts of alcohol while youre taking Femara. However, alcohol can cause side effects similar to those of Femara. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil), may be effective for relieving headaches. Letrozole works by decreasing the amounts of these hormones in the body. For breast cancer treatment, youll usually take Femara once each day. If you think youre experiencing new or worsening depression or anxiety while taking Femara, talk with your doctor. Learn how CBCs are used in the treatment of breast cancer. About 90% of radiolabeled letrozole is recovered in urine. Femara comes as 2.5-mg tablets that are taken by mouth. Talk with your doctor about your health history before you take Femara. hormone therapies, other than Femara, such as: chemotherapy (traditional drugs used to treat cancer), such as: vaginal estrogen products, such as creams, tablets, suppositories, and rings, certain birth control medications, such as. Talk with your doctor if youre pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant or breastfeed. However, if you find that Femara gives you a headache, or makes you feel dizzy, nauseous, or tired, drinking alcohol may worsen these side effects. 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