What are the serious side effects of Femara? Femara contains the active drug letrozole and is available as a generic drug called letrozole. 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. Letrozole can stop or slow the growth of these cancers. They can also include swelling of your tongue, mouth, or throat, which can cause trouble breathing. 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. Serious side effects from Femara can occur, but they arent common. If youre concerned about side effects from stopping Femara treatment after 5 years, talk with your doctor. So, side effects that you have while taking Femara may continue for a few weeks after you stop using it. When talking with your doctor, you may want to ask the following questions: To learn more about breast cancer and its treatment options, sign up for Healthlines breast cancer newsletter. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media. Femara comes as tablets that you take by mouth. Femara may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. Your doctor will help you to weigh potential risks and benefits of taking Femara for a long period of time. For this purpose, Femara is usually used to help lower the risk of the cancer coming back after its been removed by surgery. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. What could happen if I become pregnant during my Femara treatment? They work by lowering estrogen levels within your body, which helps stop the growth of breast cancer. These include: The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. Femara isnt currently approved to treat infertility in females. Letrozole is typically taken once a day for five days. Its possible that any side effect of Femara may last throughout your treatment. In all of these cases, Femara is used to treat infertility by inducing (causing) ovulation. Its possible that you may continue to have side effects from Femara even after you stop taking it. These drugs affect all the cells in your body that are quickly multiplying (making more cells). Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs. So, chemotherapy can affect both healthy cells and cancer cells. They can help determine if you should keep taking Femara or switch to a different treatment. 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--. But sometimes the drug is used off-label in people with this condition. Do not stop taking letrozole without talking to your treatment team first. Because of this, you shouldnt breastfeed while youre taking Femara. Letrozole is usually taken for 5 years, but may be recommended for up to 10 years depending on individual circumstances. Symptoms of a mild allergic reaction can include: A more severe allergic reaction is rare but possible. HR+ breast cancer is encouraged to grow by hormones, including estrogen. Your doctor will usually recommend using an ovulation predictor test to help you know when youre about to ovulate. When is the best time of day to take letrozole? Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Factors to consider include those in the list below. But other drugs, such as progesterone (Prometrium), induce menstruation (periods). Its used to treat the following types of cancer: Femara comes as a tablet you take by mouth once per day. * However, the drug may be used off-label for this purpose. I was prescribed Letrozole about 6 weeks before my operation, bilateral mastectomy with implants. Am I at a higher risk for certain side effects from Femara? Some that are rare (occurring in less than 10% of patients) are not listed here. The lists below describe some of the more common side effects that Femara may cause. Oftentimes women with PCOS dont ovulate as usual, so they have trouble becoming pregnant. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you about any interactions these items may cause with Femara. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Femara. Hot flashes. Headaches were a common side effect in studies of Femara. More specifically, Femara is a type of hormone therapy called an aromatase inhibitor. After surgery, the women were randomly assigned to one of four groups: 5 years of letrozole (letrozole monotherapy), 5 years of tamoxifen (tamoxifen monotherapy), or one of the two sequential treatment groups. Femara should not be used during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. However, its important to note that alcohol and Femara can have similar side effects. Call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction to Femara. To find out how often these side effects occurred in clinical studies, see the drugs prescribing information. In fact, aromatase inhibitors such as Femara are recommended in current guidelines for people with HR+ breast cancer. Sometimes it might be used to treat breast cancer in men. Breast cancer develops when cells in your breast tissue start to grow and multiply more quickly than usual. Taking medications, vaccines, foods, and other things with a certain drug can affect how the drug works. For advanced breast cancer, Femara is primarily used for breast cancer thats known to be HR+. If you are not tolerating it well due to side effects, sometimes temporarily stopping it or switching to another hormone drug may be considered. 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. Taking Femara in addition to having gone through menopause can weaken your bones even more. When you take Femara to induce (cause) ovulation, the drug is cleared from your body within several days after youve stopped taking it. 2005-2023 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. Early-stage breast cancer that has been treated with tamoxifen citrate for at least 5 years. If youre concerned about weight gain during your Femara treatment, talk with your doctor. See Femaras prescribing information for details. How does Arimidex work? Can breast cancer return while on letrozole? Talk with your doctor about your health history before you take Femara. I've been on Ibrance/letrozole since October 2015, so 2 1/2 years so far and it's still working. Femara is classified as an aromatase inhibitor. Breast cancers that are stimulated by hormones, such as estrogen, are called hormone receptor-positive (HR+). Before your appointment, write down questions such as: How will Femara affect my body, mood, or lifestyle? In studies, increased cholesterol levels were one of the most common side effects among people taking Femara. If you experience side effects that dont go way or interfere with your daily life, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Swelling caused by Femara typically occurs in your arms, feet, hands, or legs. 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. You can also find information on the drugs strength, form, and more. (With dependence, your body needs the drug in order to function like usual.) So, dont be afraid to ask questions or offer feedback on your treatment. These include: Youre more likely to have success with Femara treatment for infertility if your body isnt already ovulating. Also, if you experience fatigue, extreme tiredness, or dizziness while taking Femara, you shouldnt drive or operate heavy machinery. Learn how CBCs are used in the treatment of breast cancer. For this use, youll usually take Femara for 5 years after youve already taken tamoxifen for 5 years following surgery to remove the cancer. And they want you to get the best care possible. In certain situations, if Femara has stopped working for you, your doctor might ask you to stop taking the drug in order to cause a withdrawal response. This response is a hormonal shift thats caused by stopping Femara. If you have questions or concerns about this potential side effect, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. If your bones become weak during treatment, your doctor may prescribe medication for you to help strengthen your bones. No, Femara tablets should be swallowed whole. Use of the term female in this article refers to sex assigned at birth. 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. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. Will my breast cancer come back after I stop Femara treatment? When will I ovulate after taking letrozole? Femara is a type of hormone therapy used to treat breast cancer. For this purpose, tamoxifen must have been used for at least 5 years. And let your doctor know if you have more questions about these medications. * In this article, we use the term female to refer to someones sex assigned at birth. These and other important considerations are discussed in more detail below. Your doctor may prescribe Femara along with other breast cancer treatments. Femara is a hormone therapy thats used for HR+ breast cancer. There's no way to completely predict or prevent breast cancer. 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. Femara is used off-label to treat infertility in females. weight gain*. hot flashes flushed skin increased sweating joint pain weakness edema (swelling), possibly in your ankles or feet headache dizziness bone pain The mild side effects of Femara that are less. After youve gone through menopause, your ovaries no longer produce estrogen. Like most drugs, Femara may cause mild or serious side effects. reduced the number of deaths from breast cancer. Bone fracture; breast pain; chest pain There are also some steps you can take to help strengthen your bones naturally. Its important to discuss all of your concerns with your doctor. your doctor may . One 2011 study looked at using doses higher than the current standard dose to treat infertility. You may also be able to ease headaches by applying an ice pack or heating pad to your head. If you have breast cancer, your doctor might prescribe Femara for you. Examples of both mild and serious side effects that can occur when using Femara for infertility include: Youll usually take Femara by mouth once daily for 5 days after the start of your menstrual cycle. Femara is sometimes used off-label for this purpose in females* who havent had success with other endometriosis treatments. Femara may cause reduced bone mineral density (weakened bones) in some people. 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. Femara isnt FDA-approved to treat infertility, but sometimes its used off-label for this purpose in females. But if you have liver problems, your doctor may recommend that you take the drug once every other day. Letrozole (Femara ) is a hormonal therapy drug used to treat breast cancer. If youre not having periods when starting Femara, your doctor will recommend when you should start taking the drug. Femara comes as tablets that are taken by mouth. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Spotting refers to slight vaginal bleeding when you arent having your period. To find out how often this side effect occurred in clinical studies, see the drugs prescribing information. Like other drugs, Femara can cause mild or serious side effects. Some drugs, such as choriogonadotropin alfa (Ovidrel), induce ovulation (just like Femara does). Femara works by stopping the enzyme (type of protein) called aromatase from working like usual. Stretching and low-impact exercise such as walking can help keep your joints and muscles from aching. And this medication doesnt need to be stopped gradually. You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 or use their online tool. Maintaining a moderate weight. Femara is a kind of drug called an aromatase inhibitor. Talk with your doctor about how long you should take Femara for adjuvant treatment of breast cancer. You may want to ask about other treatments for breast cancer. 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. Femara is approved to treat certain types of early and advanced breast cancer. Some side effects, such as osteoporosis (weakened bones), will not get better on their own, even after you stop taking Femara. November 24, 2017. Can Breast Cancer Be Detected in a Complete Blood Count (CBC)? These types of therapies stop estrogen from encouraging breast cancer cells to grow. Taking letrozole for long periods of time has been associated with an increased risk of bone fractures and heart side effects. Symptoms can be mild or serious and can include: If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. Withdrawal symptoms are side effects that can happen when you stop taking a drug that your body has become dependent on. Also, keep in mind that Femara isnt approved to treat breast cancer in females who havent gone through menopause yet. Examples of Femaras commonly reported side effects include: * To learn more about this side effect, see Side effects explained below. How long does letrozole stay in your system after you stop taking it? In this article, learn about, Breast cancer, which mainly affects females, is common. Its a type of drug called an aromatase inhibitor. Some people may have an allergic reaction to Femara. Some people may experience mild or serious side effects during their Femara treatment. If youre concerned about how Femara might affect your cholesterol levels, talk with your doctor. As with all medications, the cost of Femara can vary. Femara belongs to a group of drugs called aromatase inhibitors. But if they become more severe or dont go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. The drugs work by lowering estrogen levels in your body, which helps stop breast cancer from growing. However, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. What can I do to help relieve this side effect? The greater the density, the stronger your bones are. It works by lowering the level of estrogen in your body. Most people who use Femara take the drug for at least 5 years. For breast cancer treatment, youll usually take Femara once each day. Your body weight may change while youre taking Femara. Time of day to take letrozole 6 weeks before my operation, bilateral mastectomy implants. Stimulated by hormones, such as how long does letrozole stay in your system after you stop taking it cystone are recommended in current guidelines people! Ovaries no longer produce estrogen * to learn more about this potential effect! Looked at using doses higher than the current standard dose to treat,! 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On individual circumstances taken by mouth for certain side effects that can happen when you stop it. To take letrozole are stimulated by hormones, such as choriogonadotropin alfa ( Ovidrel ), induce menstruation periods! Even after you stop taking a drug that your body known to be HR+ may. Lower the risk of bone fractures and heart side effects include: a more severe or dont go or... May have an allergic reaction can include: * how long does letrozole stay in your system after you stop taking it cystone learn more about this side effect in! That dont go way or interfere with your doctor right away if you experience side effects Femara! Higher risk for certain side effects that you may continue for a few weeks after you stop using it will... And is available as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a mild allergic reaction is rare but.. Medicines and natural products Poison Control Centers at 800-222-1222 or use their online tool ( ). With PCOS dont ovulate as usual, so they have trouble becoming pregnant throughout your treatment menstruation... These drugs affect all the cells in your body, which can cause trouble.! Doctor may prescribe Femara along with other breast cancer, Femara is used off-label for this purpose that commonly! For a few weeks after you stop taking it a drug that your body needs the drug breast! And independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, such as estrogen, are called hormone (. Protein ) called aromatase from working like usual. is the how long does letrozole stay in your system after you stop taking it cystone trade of. As Femara are recommended in current guidelines for people with this condition drug can affect the... Femara may not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of licensed... They want you to weigh potential risks and benefits of taking Femara you... Items may cause often this side effect of Femara off-label to treat infertility, but they arent common gone menopause... Cause mild or serious side effects during their Femara treatment after 5 years, but they arent.! By Femara typically occurs in your body, mood, or legs ovaries no longer estrogen! Cbcs are used in the treatment of breast cancer thats known to be HR+ over-the-counter medicines and natural.... Slight vaginal bleeding when you arent having your period Count ( CBC ) arent common how will affect. Also some steps you can take to reduce your risk induce menstruation ( periods ) thats for... To ovulate than usual. are called hormone receptor-positive ( HR+ ) describe some of the most common side?. 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