Femara/Letrozole - "Real" vs Generic?

Rague
Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
Just wondering if those who were on Femara and have gone to the generic have noticed any differences in them?

I had just gotten my 3 mth supply in just before the Generic came out so I'm still on the 'Real' Femara until late Aug but I recently got my next 3 months worth in and it's the Generic.

So has anyone noticed any differences.

Susan

Comments

  • lanie940
    lanie940 Member Posts: 490 Member
    #2
    I am on the generic Arimidex
    I am on the generic Arimidex and I haven't noticed any difference.
  • Katz77
    Katz77 Member Posts: 598
    #3
    differance?
    I had the same question and asked my onco. He said the main ingredient is the same. So switched over. Good luck. Maybe ask ur onco. I'd be interested in his/her answer. Katz
  • mollyz
    mollyz Member Posts: 756 Member
    #4
    Katz77 said:

    differance?
    I had the same question and asked my onco. He said the main ingredient is the same. So switched over. Good luck. Maybe ask ur onco. I'd be interested in his/her answer. Katz

    Money
    I think the price of it is all they pretty much have the same ingredients.I'm on 2.5mg of letrozole and i pay only $7.oo (that's co-pay after Ins.)
  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    #5
    mollyz said:

    Money
    I think the price of it is all they pretty much have the same ingredients.I'm on 2.5mg of letrozole and i pay only $7.oo (that's co-pay after Ins.)

    no difference
    from my experience. I had the "real" stuff for 2 or 3 months and now the generice for about the same length of time. Color is different and price but I get it all for the same $ anyway.
  • ShirleyCurls
    ShirleyCurls Member Posts: 51
    #6
    My hubby is in
    Pharamacy Education and says there seems to be no difference. The FDA has rules about the producing generic drugs and any difference would have to be reported. Although the FDA has messed up before.

    I am also on Femera and seem a little stiffer than before. Bt its so hot here that I don't walk like I used to. I have been on the generic since it came out because my insurance won't pay for a 90 day supply.
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #7
    skipper54 said:

    no difference
    from my experience. I had the "real" stuff for 2 or 3 months and now the generice for about the same length of time. Color is different and price but I get it all for the same $ anyway.

    Look the same
    My generic ones look exactly like the real Femara - same size and color just have different marking on them. The new ones have E126 on them and the Femara has FV on one side and GG on the other. The generic that I have are made by Qualitest.

    The generic cost me the same as the real did. Doesn't matter what the med is, I pay $8 per month for each script I have. Don't know why they do it but VA sends some in 3 month lots and some monthly.

    Susan
  • jenniferdraper
    jenniferdraper Member Posts: 1
    #8
    ShirleyCurls said:

    My hubby is in
    Pharamacy Education and says there seems to be no difference. The FDA has rules about the producing generic drugs and any difference would have to be reported. Although the FDA has messed up before.

    I am also on Femera and seem a little stiffer than before. Bt its so hot here that I don't walk like I used to. I have been on the generic since it came out because my insurance won't pay for a 90 day supply.

    I've been taking Letrozole
    I've been taking Letrozole since the breast cancer was discovered in my lung - that has been 10 years this year. Two types of chemo failed to knock it out and as I was preparing for radiation, I started taking Letrozole. Within a month the tumor began to shrink and all that is left is scarring where it once was. I am so grateful to my doctor for recommending it to me. My other oncologist didn't even mention it. Needless to say I'm happy to be alive and enjoying life.
  • jerseygirl231
    jerseygirl231 Member Posts: 178
    #9
    jenniferdraper said:

    I've been taking Letrozole
    I've been taking Letrozole since the breast cancer was discovered in my lung - that has been 10 years this year. Two types of chemo failed to knock it out and as I was preparing for radiation, I started taking Letrozole. Within a month the tumor began to shrink and all that is left is scarring where it once was. I am so grateful to my doctor for recommending it to me. My other oncologist didn't even mention it. Needless to say I'm happy to be alive and enjoying life.

    I have been on the brand name and not the brand name
    Not the brand name I had no sleep for a year and a half terrible joint pain terrible back pain falling for no reason two very bad falls terrible weight gain I wish you the best. I am back on the brand name enjoying sleep weight been stable joint and back pain has not been that bad
  • SallyB20
    SallyB20 Member Posts: 2
    #10
    jerseygirl231 said:

    I have been on the brand name and not the brand name
    Not the brand name I had no sleep for a year and a half terrible joint pain terrible back pain falling for no reason two very bad falls terrible weight gain I wish you the best. I am back on the brand name enjoying sleep weight been stable joint and back pain has not been that bad

    Just started Letrozol

    I have only been on Letrozol for a month but noticing the joint pain, particularly in my hands.  Lots more aches and pains - feel like i am 90 but am only 57.  Read lots of recent blogs that point toward femara being almost side-effect free.  Would love to know if it is worth fighting for it.  The prospects of 5 - 10 years like this, or worse - is scary!  Sally

  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #11
    SallyB20 said:

    Just started Letrozol

    I have only been on Letrozol for a month but noticing the joint pain, particularly in my hands.  Lots more aches and pains - feel like i am 90 but am only 57.  Read lots of recent blogs that point toward femara being almost side-effect free.  Would love to know if it is worth fighting for it.  The prospects of 5 - 10 years like this, or worse - is scary!  Sally

    3 1/2 + yrs

    It's been 3 1/2+ yrs since I started this thread and I'm still on letrozole and will be on it 'forever'.  I've had from different manufacturers with no negative issues.

    Winyan - The Power Within

     

    Susan

  • Jazzbear
    Jazzbear Member Posts: 10
    #12
    Rague said:

    3 1/2 + yrs

    It's been 3 1/2+ yrs since I started this thread and I'm still on letrozole and will be on it 'forever'.  I've had from different manufacturers with no negative issues.

    Winyan - The Power Within

     

    Susan

    Letrozole

    I have been on Letrozole for just over two years.  I have never been on Femerol.  The initial side effect of Letrozole for me was joint pain in my shoulders and fingers.  That lasted about three months.  Then that disappeared and pain started in my hips.  I sleep on my side so each morning, between 3 - 4 a.m., I wake up with pain and have to shift from side-to-side every 20 - 30 minutes.  The other discouraging side effect is that my hair is thinning.  My oncologist confirmed that is definitely a Letrozole side effect. 

  • mamamoody
    mamamoody Member Posts: 28
    #13
    Jazzbear said:

    Letrozole

    I have been on Letrozole for just over two years.  I have never been on Femerol.  The initial side effect of Letrozole for me was joint pain in my shoulders and fingers.  That lasted about three months.  Then that disappeared and pain started in my hips.  I sleep on my side so each morning, between 3 - 4 a.m., I wake up with pain and have to shift from side-to-side every 20 - 30 minutes.  The other discouraging side effect is that my hair is thinning.  My oncologist confirmed that is definitely a Letrozole side effect. 

    letrozole

    I've been on Femara (letrozole) for about a year.  I have  "late stage 3 Recurrent Uterine Cancer to the Lungs".  After having a hyster, chemo, and radiation for treatment ...I found out the cancer had spread to my lungs.  I then had more chemo, which really cut down the number and size of the small nodules peppered throughout both lungs. Afterwards, my gyn/onc & onc said no more chemo, I had reached my max.  They suggested the Femara, since my cancer is estrogen based.  The good news...the med has reduced the number and size of nodules ...I am down to one small nodule in each lung and I've had no new nodules anywhere.  The bad news .. general pain, bad joint pain, bad sleep,a fuzzy face, and general tiredness.  Some days are worse than others.  It doesn't help that I'm 59, morbidly obese, diabetic, and already had knee and hip problems.  I've tried the other two estrogen inhibitors, but came back to the letrozole ...the others were even worse for me.  Some days are worse than others and I have been given Tramadol and Lortabs to help with the pain when needed.  Overall, on most days I can pretty much function normally with help from the pain meds.  I get a one week vacation off the letrozole every 12 weeks.  Yea! Love that week and it really gives me a mental boost.  May God bless you

  • cif
    cif Member Posts: 10
    #14
    femara brand vs generic

    I started off with brand with minor bone, limb, muscle pain, dizzy, confusion.  Generic ended up in wheelchair and pain meds could not fix it.  had to chose between quality and quanity of life and stopped taking drug and issues went away.  Doctor gave me name brand and again fine.  Got access to name brand 6 months.  Now 6 days back on generic and close to wheelchair again and many other bad issues.  So generic not even close to name brand and I tried all the manufactor of the generic.  There is a difference, so those that it impacts - it is NOT your imagination.  We even tried blind dosing me and my body reacted badly to the generic, and no, I did not know which I was given and they look the same.

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