Its a hormone therapy for breast cancer. Use of the term female in this article refers to sex assigned at birth. Oestrogen stimulates some breast cancers to grow. You may also be able to ease headaches by applying an ice pack or heating pad to your head. My doctor said Femara may cause hot flashes. You actually will have a decrease in the effects of the Femara (letrozole) which are joint pain, hot flashes, fatigue and generalized dryness. This increases your risk of breaking a bone during Femara treatment. As a type of hormone therapy, Femara works by lowering estrogen levels in your body. Femara and clomiphene are both used to induce (cause) ovulation in females* who are having trouble becoming pregnant. Femara can stay in your system for several weeks after your last dose. Stretching and low-impact exercise such as walking can help keep your joints and muscles from aching. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident. For breast cancer treatment, youll usually take Femara once each day. If your bones become weak during treatment, your doctor may prescribe medication for you to help strengthen your bones. 2005-2023 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Femara may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. Femara comes as tablets that are taken by mouth. This condition can become very painful and may lead to infertility in some people. Some people start taking letrozole after a few years of taking the hormone therapy drug tamoxifen . Femara induces (causes) ovulation and can increase your chances of becoming pregnant. However, its possible that certain plant-based estrogens (called phytoestrogens) could make Femara less effective. If youre already ovulating before taking Femara, the drug may cause more eggs than usual to mature and be released from your ovaries. Avoid driving and doing other tasks or actions that call for you to be alert until you see how this drug affects you. Risks of extended treatment to consider may include weakening of your bones or raised cholesterol levels. If youre interested in using Femara for this purpose, talk with your doctor. Taking more than the recommended dosage of Femara may result in overdose in some people. How to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer: 10 Lifestyle Recommendations, Symptoms of Late Stage Metastatic Breast Cancer, What to Know and Consider Before Having Prophylactic Mastectomy. After five years, last September, my GP said that I should stop takingt the Letrozole, but could not answer any of my questions, e.g. You might take a look at the Calling Long Term Survivors thread, I believe there's a couple of women who have been on it for 4+ years. How many cycles of letrozole are needed to get pregnant? More specifically, Femara is a type of hormone therapy called an aromatase inhibitor. They can recommend you how much alcohol is safe for you to drink during Femara treatment. Here are a few tips that might help guide your discussion: Remember, your doctor and other healthcare professionals are available to help you. Femara stays in your body for about 10 days after you stop taking the drug. For this use, youll take Femara for a few days after the start of your period. Hot flashes. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. In this article, learn about, Breast cancer, which mainly affects females, is common. Letrozole is typically taken once a day for five days. (With off-label use, a drug thats approved to treat one condition is used to treat another.). But its not known if drinking alcohol after youre diagnosed with breast cancer can make your cancer worse or more likely to come back after treatment. Some research from 2011 showed that Femara can help manage pain related to endometriosis. Your doctor will help you to weigh potential risks and benefits of taking Femara for a long period of time. Use an effective form of birth control to keep from getting pregnant during . If you drink alcohol while taking Femara, you may be at a higher risk for these side effects, which can include: If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about the amount thats safe for you while taking Femara. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses. During clinical studies, both weight gain and weight loss were reported in people who took Femara for breast cancer treatment. Can Breast Cancer Be Detected in a Complete Blood Count (CBC)? Femara may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. They can suggest ways to help manage this side effect. However, its important to note that alcohol and Femara can have similar side effects. Also describe any vitamins, herbs, or supplements you use. Below are brief descriptions of each type of breast cancer Femara is used to treat: Before taking Femara, its important to talk with your doctor about your overall health and other medical conditions you have. Ovulation tends to occur between 5 and 10 days after youve taken your last Femara tablet. So researchers wanted to know if taking an aromatase inhibitor for 10 years would offer more benefits than taking one for 5 years. Femara comes as 2.5-mg tablets that are taken by mouth. For information on how Femara performed in clinical studies, see the drugs prescribing information. Sometimes your doctor may recommend that you take a higher dosage of Femara, such as 5 mg or 7.5 mg daily for 5 days. You can also find information on the drugs strength, form, and more. In any case, your doctor will recommend how long to keep taking Femara. If youre at a moderate weight, you may have fewer and less serious hot flashes. For example, they may order imaging tests to see if your cancer tumors are shrinking. The expiration date helps guarantee that the medication is effective during this time. In that case, just skip the missed dose and take your next dose as scheduled. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think youre having a medical emergency. Femara will start working soon after you start taking it. As with most drugs, some people can have an allergic reaction after taking Femara. But if they become bothersome, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Letrozole Information for Healthcare Professionals, Letrozole Updated 11/2020. But actual success rates of Femara for achieving pregnancy or having live births depend on many factors. Based on when your period begins, your doctor will advise you when to start treatment. But sometimes Femara is used off-label for other conditions. Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses. This also includes the release of bisphosphonates from bone surfaces that end up in the bloodstream, because they can't attach themselves to the bone cells and are simply unused. So, side effects that you have while taking Femara may continue for a few weeks after you stop using it. If you need financial support to pay for Femara, help is available. They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you. A 2019 review of studies also found Femara to be more effective than clomiphene in treating infertility in females* with PCOS. With early breast cancer, the cancer hasnt spread out of either your breast or the lymph nodes in your armpit. But because most breast cancers are HR+, Femara can also be used to treat advanced breast cancer whose HR status isnt known. Clomiphene is approved to treat infertility in females. The lists below describe some of the more common side effects that Femara may cause. It can also interact with certain supplements as well as certain foods. You also shouldnt use the drug for conditions it hasnt been prescribed to treat. For this use, youll usually take the drug for 5 years following surgery to remove the cancer. Femara can stay in your system for several weeks after your last dose. They may want to prescribe medication to help protect your bones during your Femara treatment. Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. Its a prescription drug thats used to treat certain types of breast cancer in adult females* who have gone through menopause. If you experienced side effects while taking Femara, those side effects may not go away for a few weeks after your last dose . Learn the signs and symptoms of metastasis, how you can make yourself as comfortable as possible, and tips for managing end-of-life symptoms. Femara can weaken your bones, which may cause new or worsened osteoporosis. This may happen more often if used for a long time. Natco Pharma Limited. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. But if you have any symptoms that are ongoing or that bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Does letrozole affect blood sugar levels? Most side effects of Femara are mild. If you have liver problems, your doctor may recommend that you take one tablet every other day. This stops estrogen from being able to stimulate breast cancer cells to grow and multiply. You can also ask your pharmacist for information on how to dispose of your medication. Note: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks side effects of drugs they have approved. Learn how CBCs are used in the treatment of breast cancer. Its also worth noting that alcohol is known to increase the risk of developing breast cancer. The usual dosage of Femara for adjuvant treatment of breast cancer is one tablet taken by mouth once each day. Medically reviewed by Carmen Fookes, BPharm. How long a medication remains good can depend on many factors, including how and where you store the medication. And you should continue to avoid breastfeeding for at least 3 weeks after your last dose of the drug. * In this article, we use the term female to refer to someones sex assigned at birth. The half-life of Femara is about 2 days. Most people are given letrozole for 5 years, but some will take it for up to 10 years. To find out how often these side effects occurred in clinical studies, see the drugs prescribing information. This is how Femara causes ovulation. . vaginal spotting. Femara is used in the following ways to treat advanced breast cancer: Femara has been found to be effective in treating advanced breast cancer. No, you likely wont. If you think you could be pregnant or have pregnancy symptoms, tell your doctor before you start taking Femara. (A drug class is a group of medications that work in a similar way.). Do I have a higher risk for side effects than other people taking Femara. If youve had an allergic reaction to Femara or any of its ingredients, you shouldnt take Femara. For these women, infertility may be caused by problems with ovulation, or it may not have an obvious cause (called unexplained infertility). However, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. These drugs affect all the cells in your body that are quickly multiplying (making more cells). However, if you think youre having a medical emergency, you should call 911 or your local emergency number. Your doctor will also advise when you should start having sex if youre trying to conceive (TTC) naturally. When estrogen is blocked, the pituitary gland gets a message that it needs to produce follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which stimulates the ovary to produce an egg. Femara, which works by lowering your estrogen level, is prescribed for females* whove gone through menopause. What could happen if I become pregnant during my Femara treatment? Cancer cells usually increase in number more quickly than healthy cells. Both Femara and clomiphene may be prescribed to treat female* infertility. reduces the risk of a new breast cancer . Its possible that any side effect of Femara may last throughout your treatment. headache*. If youre pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, talk with your doctor. These and other important considerations are discussed in more detail below. They can help determine if you should keep taking Femara or switch to a different treatment. The types include: To learn more about these conditions and how Femara is used to treat them, see the What is Femara used for? section below. Call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction to Femara. Learn more. If your doctor gives you the OK, here's a gentle routine to try. * For more information about using Femara for infertility, see the section Off-label use of Femara for infertility above. Your insurance plan may require you to get prior authorization before approving coverage for Femara. 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. Most of these side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. For more information about Femara, including details about the types of breast cancer it treats, see this in-depth article on the drug. If youre concerned about side effects from stopping Femara treatment after 5 years, talk with your doctor. Femara isnt currently approved to treat infertility in females. They can recommend some ways to manage this side effect. Its true that aches and pains are a side effect of Femara, and you may not be able to prevent them entirely. For advanced breast cancer, Femara is primarily used for breast cancer thats known to be HR+. Femara can cause mild or serious side effects. Femara tablets contain the active drug letrozole. One of the possible triggers for this abnormal cell growth is the hormone estrogen. Some people taking Femara may experience weight gain. Taking Femara can help you to become pregnant if youre trying to conceive (TTC), by either having sexual intercourse or using intrauterine insemination (IUI). However, clomiphene is FDA-approved for treating infertility in women. After youve gone through menopause, your ovaries no longer produce estrogen. In other words, it takes about 2 days for your body to get rid of half of a Femara dose. If you experience side effects that dont go way or interfere with your daily life, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if youre taking tamoxifen or any products that have estrogen in them. If you have questions about taking Femara with other drugs, talk with your doctor. Early-stage breast cancer that has been treated with tamoxifen citrate for at least 5 years. For this purpose, Femara is used after treatment with another breast cancer drug that blocks. 2004-2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK, a Red Ventures Company. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 5 Feb 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 22 Feb 2023), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2023) and others. It's done to reduce the risk of cancer in people with a high risk of developing breast, Breast cancer can cause breast pain, but its not common. This date is typically 1 year from the date they dispensed the medication. Female infertility refers to not being able to become or stay pregnant. If you have serious side effects from Femara, call your doctor right away. Phytoestrogens are supplements made from plants. Lumpectomy and mastectomy are different types of cancer surgery that remove cancer cells from the breast. You should not become pregnant or breastfeed for at least 3 weeks after your last dose of Femara. Early-stage, hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer that has been treated. I was prescribed Letrozole about 6 weeks before my operation, bilateral mastectomy with implants. If youd like to know more about how Femara and Arimidex compare with each other, see this detailed breakdown. Other interactions can increase side effects or make them more severe. You will therefore start remaking this hormone. But try to take it around the same time on each of the 5 days that youre taking the drug. In this case, stopping Femara can sometimes improve your breast cancer, rather than causing side effects. And there are other drugs used to treat infertility that do other things in your body. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. HR+ breast cancer is encouraged to grow by hormones, including estrogen. But its not known how often this occurs in people using Femara. Talk with your doctor about your health history before you take Femara. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist. If youd like to know about using Femara for these purposes, talk with your doctor. If youre interested in finding an alternative to Femara, talk with your doctor. Breast lumps and visual changes to the breasts or nipples are more frequent signs of breast, Aggressive, hard-to-treat breast cancer types such as inflammatory breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer are the most likely to recur. 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. Weight gain. Letrozole can stop or slow the growth of these cancers. If you develop serious side effects while taking Femara, call your doctor right away. Serious side effects of Femara that have been reported include: Learn more about some of the side effects Femara may cause. When you take Femara to induce (cause) ovulation, the drug is cleared from your body within several days after youve stopped taking it. In some cases, your doctor may prescribe Femara after youve taken tamoxifen for your cancer for at least 5 years. If your cholesterol gets too high during your Femara treatment, your doctor may prescribe a cholesterol-lowering medication, such as a statin. It works by lowering the amount of estrogen your body makes. If you have questions about using Femara for breast cancer, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. About, breast cancer want to prescribe medication for you to drink during Femara treatment or thinking about pregnant... Amount of estrogen your body advise when you should start having sex if youre concerned about side effects from,! 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