Femara stays in your body for about 10 days after you stop taking the drug. These lists dont include all possible side effects. For this purpose, Femara is usually used to help lower the risk of the cancer coming back after its been removed by surgery. When will I ovulate after taking letrozole? Femara can interact with several types of drugs. 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. Femara shouldnt be taken during pregnancy. As a type of hormone therapy, Femara works by lowering estrogen levels in your body. Femara should not be used during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. https://www.drugs.com/pro/letrozole.html, Letrozole (Femara) Breast cancer now. Taking a Break From Letrozole Therapy After Breast Cancer. Mild side effects of Femara that have been reported include: Mild side effects of many drugs may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. But if they become bothersome, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. With early breast cancer, the cancer hasnt spread out of either your breast or the lymph nodes in your armpit. In fact, aromatase inhibitors such as Femara are recommended in current guidelines for people with HR+ breast cancer. How does Arimidex work? Letrozole is a pill, taken by mouth. The usual dosage of Femara for inducing ovulation is 2.5 mg taken by mouth once daily for 5 days. What should I know about Femara vs. Arimidex? The insurance company will review the request and let you and your doctor know if your plan will cover Femara. You can also call 800-222-1222 to reach the American Association of Poison Control Centers, or use its online resource. If youre breastfeeding, talk with your doctor before you start taking Femara. Femara may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. It may also be used when someone is premenopausal and having treatment to stop the ovaries working (temporary menopause). But Arimidex does cause some additional side effects that dont occur with Femara. 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 may happen more often if used for a long time. Another 2019 review of studies found Femara and clomiphene to be similarly effective in treating unexplained infertility. Researchers say radiation treatments for breast cancer in women over the age of 65 do not appear to affect the rate of survival, The former Dancing with the Stars host shares how becoming her own advocate saved her life and why she's passionate about sharing the benefits of, New research suggests that melatonin may help lower the risk of breast cancer, slow the growth of breast cancer, and help make breast cancer. Also, keep in mind that Femara isnt approved to treat breast cancer in females who havent gone through menopause yet. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if youre taking tamoxifen or any products that have estrogen in them. Oftentimes people with PCOS dont ovulate like usual, so they have trouble becoming pregnant. Trying mental and stress-relief activities such as. After youve gone through menopause, your ovaries no longer produce estrogen. Chemotherapy describes traditional drugs used to treat cancer. More specifically, Femara is a type of hormone therapy called an aromatase inhibitor. For information on how the drug performed in clinical studies, see Femaras prescribing information. 1 Some fertility experts recommend taking the pills on days 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of your cycle. One way your doctor will monitor your bone strength is by measuring your bone mineral density. Along with its needed effects, letrozole may cause some unwanted effects. If you are not tolerating it well due to side effects, sometimes temporarily stopping it or switching to another hormone drug may be considered. You may also be able to ease headaches by applying an ice pack or heating pad to your head. To find out how effective Femara was for infertility in clinical studies, see the drugs prescribing information. Symptoms of a mild allergic reaction can include: A more severe allergic reaction is rare but possible. Most people are given letrozole for 5 years, but some will take it for up to 10 years. Femara isnt approved to treat polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, stopping Femara treatment isnt known to cause new side effects. Spotting refers to slight vaginal bleeding when you arent having your period. If you have breast cancer, your doctor might prescribe Femara for you. Early-stage breast cancer that has been treated with tamoxifen citrate for at least 5 years. Different interactions can cause different effects. Risks of extended treatment to consider may include weakening of your bones or raised cholesterol levels. This is especially helpful when you first start taking new drugs or using a combination of treatments. They can help determine if you should keep taking Femara or switch to a different treatment. (Enzymes help chemical reactions in your body to happen.). Keeping cool with a fan or removing layers of clothing during hot flash episodes. (To learn more, see Is Femara used for infertility? right above.) Can Breast Cancer Be Detected in a Complete Blood Count (CBC)? You can also visit the Femara manufacturers website to see if there are support options. Examples of mild side effects that have been reported with this drug include: In most cases, these side effects should be temporary. For some people, Femara may cause fatigue or dizziness. These cancers can be treated with hormone therapies that work by lowering estrogen levels in your body. 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. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Clomid was a brand-name drug thats no longer available. If so, this article on breast cancer treatment options may be helpful for you. 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. But both drugs are usually taken for 5 days at the start of your menstrual cycle. And talk with your doctor about ways to help improve your energy level during treatment. But if it contains estrogen, it may interact with Femara treatment. You shouldnt take Femara unless its been prescribed by a healthcare professional. 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. This condition is called controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, or superovulation. Most of these side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If your bones weaken while youre taking Femara, your doctor may prescribe medication to help strengthen them. 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 is how Femara causes ovulation. If you have questions or concerns about using Femara for infertility, talk with your doctor. Femara works by stopping the enzyme (type of protein) called aromatase from working like usual. If youre pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, talk with your doctor. breast and liver cancer in 2010. chemo and radio. Its used to treat the following types of cancer: Femara comes as a tablet you take by mouth once per day. Doing this temporarily lowers your estrogen level. Heres some detail on several of the side effects this drug cause. reduced the number of deaths from breast cancer. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. Femara isnt currently approved to treat infertility in females. In all of these cases, Femara is used to treat infertility by inducing (causing) ovulation. Femara is a hormone therapy thats approved to treat certain forms of breast cancer in females* whove gone through menopause. Keep reading to learn more. Its a type of drug called an aromatase inhibitor. 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. With advanced breast cancer, the cancer has spread to nearby areas or lymph nodes (called locally advanced breast cancer), or it has spread to other parts of the body (called metastatic breast cancer). How do Femaras side effects compare with those of other cancer drugs? Nausea. Side effects usually improve after a few months as your body gets used to the medicine. The aromatase enzyme helps make estrogen from other hormones called androgens. Letrozole is approved to be used alone or with other drugs to treat: Breast cancer in postmenopausal women who have any of the following types of breast cancer--. If youd like to know about using Femara for this purpose, talk with your doctor. Like most drugs, Femara may cause mild or serious side effects. Femara contains the drug letrozole. If youd like to notify the FDA about a side effect youve had with Femara, visit MedWatch. When Femara is used off-label to treat infertility, the drug doesnt increase the risk of birth defects or miscarriage. If youd like to know more about treatment options for infertility, talk with your doctor. You can also ask your pharmacist for information on how to dispose of your medication. This is because the drug can stay in your system for about 7 days after you stop the treatment. If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, talk to your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it. But after menopause, your estrogen levels fall, which can weaken your bones. weight gain*. It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure that this medicine is working properly. improved overall survival. Can diet help improve depression symptoms? These effects are called interactions. Femara is used off-label for this purpose. Cancer cells usually increase in number more quickly than healthy cells. Keep in mind that side effects of a drug can depend on: Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you more about the potential side effects of Femara. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. The following lists contain some of the key side effects that may occur while taking Femara. If youre concerned about hair loss while taking Femara, talk with your doctor. Clomid has been discontinued, but generic versions of clomiphene are still available. As with most drugs, some people can have an allergic reaction after taking Femara. Your doctor might ask you to take Femara on either cycle days 3 to 7 or cycle days 5 to 9. But if you think youre having a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number. Weight gain was a common side effect in studies of Femara. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any herbs or supplement products while youre taking Femara. They work by lowering estrogen levels within your body, which helps stop the growth of breast cancer. You may also gain weight if you have swelling, which is another possible side effect of Femara. There are also some steps you can take to help strengthen your bones naturally. In certain situations, if Femara is no longer working for you, your doctor may have you stop taking the drug. Below are lists of medications that can interact with Femara. This includes the breast cancer medication tamoxifen. These lists do not include all possible side effects. The usual dosage of Femara for breast cancer treatment is one tablet taken by mouth once each day. No, you likely wont. Then, you can share this information with your doctor. If you havent conceived after six treatment cycles with Femara, talk with your doctor about other options for infertility treatment. For more information about Femara, including details about the types of breast cancer it treats, see this in-depth article on the drug. For more information on the possible side effects of Femara, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. A medication timer may be useful, too. Below are examples of off-label uses for Femara. You shouldnt drive or operate machinery until you know how the drug will affect you. . If you have questions about using Femara for breast cancer, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Are recommended in current guidelines for people with PCOS dont ovulate like usual, so they have trouble becoming.! Lower the risk of the key side effects should be temporary about types. Risks of extended treatment to stop the growth of breast cancer now Femaras! Contain some of the key side effects or other factors that affect your health doctor might Femara... Are usually taken for 5 days when you first start taking Femara, talk with your doctor have. 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