Femara

scorpio37
scorpio37 Member Posts: 20
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My oncologist prescribed me Femara today but i did some online research today and am concerned about the side affects particually the other "cancer" which i found on the novartis website for femara.

Is anyone taking Femara? I also researched Arimdex and the side affects seemed better than that of Femara.

Any help is appreciated thank you

Comments

  • jo jo
    jo jo Member Posts: 1,175
    #2
    I wish i could help ya but
    I wish i could help ya but im not on femara im on Tamoxifen...but im sure youll get some answers on this board...just wanted to say hey!
  • kmowbray
    kmowbray Member Posts: 1
    #3
    Femara
    I have been on Femara 6 months. I have stopped for now.. my oncologist had me try arimidex, no change,so am off drugs for 1 month.. my side effects were : moderate to severe joint pain.. knees, elbows, feet, ankles, fingers, hand swelling, all especially at nite, so bad it hurts to move and get out of bed.. OK during the day after stretching.. fatigue, bladder infection related to vaginal atrophy fromm thinning membranes. vaginal dryness, very bad.(am now on estrogen cream, 1/2 dose.. very helpful) broken bone in my hand. increased cholesteral levels..all related to aromatase inhibitors.. not everyone gets all the side effects, but I did.. also muscle aches. Good Luck
  • mwallace1325
    mwallace1325 Member Posts: 806
    #4
    kmowbray said:

    Femara
    I have been on Femara 6 months. I have stopped for now.. my oncologist had me try arimidex, no change,so am off drugs for 1 month.. my side effects were : moderate to severe joint pain.. knees, elbows, feet, ankles, fingers, hand swelling, all especially at nite, so bad it hurts to move and get out of bed.. OK during the day after stretching.. fatigue, bladder infection related to vaginal atrophy fromm thinning membranes. vaginal dryness, very bad.(am now on estrogen cream, 1/2 dose.. very helpful) broken bone in my hand. increased cholesteral levels..all related to aromatase inhibitors.. not everyone gets all the side effects, but I did.. also muscle aches. Good Luck

    Been on it since January 2010
    I've experienced joint pain (mostly hips now, which my gyn warned me was my "weak spot") and killer hot flashes. The vaginal dryness is also bad (and can't take/use estrogen/progesteron. I wanted to take a break or stop but my onc said no and I figure since the option may be a recurrence I'll take the walking around like a dried up old broad. I have noticed that since I started taking the femera at night, my symptoms have gotten better (at least the joint pain).
    After this awful response, please remember that whatever you take, we're all different and you may be one of the lucky ones who sails through with no side effects at all. That is my hope for you and everyone else going through whatever phase of this you're in.
    Good luck.

    marge
  • lasimpson
    lasimpson Member Posts: 15
    #5
    mwallace1325 said:

    Been on it since January 2010
    I've experienced joint pain (mostly hips now, which my gyn warned me was my "weak spot") and killer hot flashes. The vaginal dryness is also bad (and can't take/use estrogen/progesteron. I wanted to take a break or stop but my onc said no and I figure since the option may be a recurrence I'll take the walking around like a dried up old broad. I have noticed that since I started taking the femera at night, my symptoms have gotten better (at least the joint pain).
    After this awful response, please remember that whatever you take, we're all different and you may be one of the lucky ones who sails through with no side effects at all. That is my hope for you and everyone else going through whatever phase of this you're in.
    Good luck.

    marge

    I am on Femara
    I have been on Femara for 2 months now. Yes, the side effects aren't fun. I believe this drug and Arimidex have similar side effects. Just had my first chemo treatment yesterday after finally healing from (6) surgeries and infection. So I am off of the Femara until the end of my chemo treatments.

    fyi - if you end up on Femara, go to their website, you might qualify for $10 a month or up to $800 off your prescription for 1 year. I did qualify.

    Good luck and take care. Laurel
  • GayleMc
    GayleMc Member Posts: 311 Member
    #6
    lasimpson said:

    I am on Femara
    I have been on Femara for 2 months now. Yes, the side effects aren't fun. I believe this drug and Arimidex have similar side effects. Just had my first chemo treatment yesterday after finally healing from (6) surgeries and infection. So I am off of the Femara until the end of my chemo treatments.

    fyi - if you end up on Femara, go to their website, you might qualify for $10 a month or up to $800 off your prescription for 1 year. I did qualify.

    Good luck and take care. Laurel

    Hi. I've been taking Femara
    Hi. I've been taking Femara for about six weeks and have done very well. I take mine at bedtime. I do not get awake from hot flashes and can't really tell in the daytime as it has been extrermely hot here anyway. An occasional knee ache, ( but I'm 57 so it might be age). I have no RX coverage and am in the process of applying for assistance from the manufacturer. I hope I qualify as I do feel fine on it but it's $ 503.00 retail. I got one of those cards for up to $ 800.00 in copay help but at $ 503.00 a month, it only covered one month. Anyway, good luck, I hope all goes well for you.
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #7
    GayleMc said:

    Hi. I've been taking Femara
    Hi. I've been taking Femara for about six weeks and have done very well. I take mine at bedtime. I do not get awake from hot flashes and can't really tell in the daytime as it has been extrermely hot here anyway. An occasional knee ache, ( but I'm 57 so it might be age). I have no RX coverage and am in the process of applying for assistance from the manufacturer. I hope I qualify as I do feel fine on it but it's $ 503.00 retail. I got one of those cards for up to $ 800.00 in copay help but at $ 503.00 a month, it only covered one month. Anyway, good luck, I hope all goes well for you.

    femara
    My younger sister is on femara and she was a little tired and achy at first, but switched to taking it in the evening and has been fine since. She has been on it about 4 yrs.

    I am on arimidex and had the same experience. I now take it in the evening too.

    My older sister just finished 5 yrs of aromasin and she had no side effects at all

    We all had ER+ cancer but see different docs as we live in different cities.
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #8
    GayleMc said:

    Hi. I've been taking Femara
    Hi. I've been taking Femara for about six weeks and have done very well. I take mine at bedtime. I do not get awake from hot flashes and can't really tell in the daytime as it has been extrermely hot here anyway. An occasional knee ache, ( but I'm 57 so it might be age). I have no RX coverage and am in the process of applying for assistance from the manufacturer. I hope I qualify as I do feel fine on it but it's $ 503.00 retail. I got one of those cards for up to $ 800.00 in copay help but at $ 503.00 a month, it only covered one month. Anyway, good luck, I hope all goes well for you.

    Canada?
    Just checking a Canadian pharmacy that I have used and 100 generic tablets go for $399. That beats $503 a month! Here is a link giving points for figuring out if a Canadian pharmacy is a legitimate, reputable one:

    http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/4-guiding-points-towards-finding-a-legitimate-online-canadian-pharmacy-2819878.html
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #9
    GayleMc said:

    Hi. I've been taking Femara
    Hi. I've been taking Femara for about six weeks and have done very well. I take mine at bedtime. I do not get awake from hot flashes and can't really tell in the daytime as it has been extrermely hot here anyway. An occasional knee ache, ( but I'm 57 so it might be age). I have no RX coverage and am in the process of applying for assistance from the manufacturer. I hope I qualify as I do feel fine on it but it's $ 503.00 retail. I got one of those cards for up to $ 800.00 in copay help but at $ 503.00 a month, it only covered one month. Anyway, good luck, I hope all goes well for you.

    Canada?
    Just checking a Canadian pharmacy that I have used and 100 generic tablets go for $399. That beats $503 a month! Here is a link giving points for figuring out if a Canadian pharmacy is a legitimate, reputable one:

    http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/4-guiding-points-towards-finding-a-legitimate-online-canadian-pharmacy-2819878.html
  • GrandmaJ
    GrandmaJ Member Posts: 209
    #10
    side effects
    I have been on Femara since May 1, 2010...so far my side effects include severe fatigue and some mild nausea. I take it at night, but the next day I find I could stay in bed till noon or later......... if I could.

    Judy
  • survives
    survives Member Posts: 254 Member
    #11
    GrandmaJ said:

    side effects
    I have been on Femara since May 1, 2010...so far my side effects include severe fatigue and some mild nausea. I take it at night, but the next day I find I could stay in bed till noon or later......... if I could.

    Judy

    4 years on Femara---
    I've been on Femara for 4 years, and the side effects I experienced were mild and were controllable with Tylenol or Advil and glucosamine chondroiton (spellings bad, but it's an OTC joint supplement). The fatigue does lesson, or it has for me. I take mine in the morning because I keep moving, and my joints feel better. I took it at night, and could hardly walk in the morning....but that's ME!

    Each of us is different. You may be one that it doesn't bother at all.
  • GayleMc
    GayleMc Member Posts: 311 Member
    #12
    CypressCynthia said:

    Canada?
    Just checking a Canadian pharmacy that I have used and 100 generic tablets go for $399. That beats $503 a month! Here is a link giving points for figuring out if a Canadian pharmacy is a legitimate, reputable one:

    http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/4-guiding-points-towards-finding-a-legitimate-online-canadian-pharmacy-2819878.html

    Thank you Cypress for the
    Thank you Cypress for the info on the Canadian pharmacy. I will keep this info close at hand.
  • scorpio37
    scorpio37 Member Posts: 20
    #13
    BIG THANK YOU
    Thank you all this has helped alot!!

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