Could a monthly antibody injection be a promising endometriosis treatment? * For more information about using Femara for infertility, see the section Off-label use of Femara for infertility above. Female infertility refers to not being able to become or stay pregnant. What are some frequently asked questions about Femara? In studies, increased cholesterol levels were one of the most common side effects among people taking Femara. You actually will have a decrease in the effects of the Femara (letrozole) which are joint pain, hot flashes, fatigue and generalized dryness. You can take Femara with or without food. But sometimes the drug is used off-label in people with this condition. Learn about side effects, warnings, dosage. If youd like to know about using Femara for these purposes, talk with your doctor. And the drug doesnt need to be stopped gradually to prevent side effects from occurring. Find answers to some commonly asked questions about Femara. Femara is FDA-approved to treat advanced breast cancer thats hormone receptor-positive (HR+). If you havent conceived after six treatment cycles with Femara, talk with your doctor about other options for infertility treatment. The generic is considered to be as safe and effective as the original drug. Ovulation tends to occur between 5 and 10 days after youve taken your last Femara tablet. But because most breast cancers are HR+, Femara can also be used to treat advanced breast cancer whose HR status isnt known. * However, the drug may be used off-label for this purpose. The greater the density, the stronger your bones are. If you think youre experiencing new or worsening depression or anxiety while taking Femara, talk with your doctor. No, Femara tablets should be swallowed whole. If you think you could be pregnant or have pregnancy symptoms, tell your doctor before you start taking Femara. In all of these cases, Femara is used to treat infertility by inducing (causing) ovulation. Below youll find answers to some frequently asked questions about Femaras side effects. If youre pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, talk with your doctor. Femara is FDA-approved for adjuvant treatment of early breast cancer thats hormone receptor-positive (HR+). Femara is a kind of hormone therapy. If you experience fatigue during your Femara treatment that doesnt go away or thats bothersome, talk with your doctor. To find out how often this side effect occurred in clinical studies, see the drugs prescribing information. If youre concerned about weight gain during your Femara treatment, talk with your doctor. Use of the term female in this article refers to sex assigned at birth. If you have fatigue or dizziness while youre taking Femara, dont drive or operate other machines. Femara tablets come in one strength: 2.5 milligrams (mg). More specifically, Femara is a type of hormone therapy called an aromatase inhibitor. Also, keep in mind that Femara isnt approved to treat breast cancer in females who havent gone through menopause yet. https://breastcancernow.org/information-support/facing-breast-cancer/going-through-breast-cancer-treatment/hormone-therapy/letrozole-femara. How do Femaras side effects compare with those of other cancer drugs? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as Femara to treat certain conditions. But the drug could be harmful to a child who consumes it in breast milk. Before your appointment, write down questions such as: How will Femara affect my body, mood, or lifestyle? Should I use other breast cancer treatments while taking Femara? If you have questions about using Femara for breast cancer, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You shouldnt take Femara unless its been prescribed by a healthcare professional. Oestrogen stimulates some breast cancers to grow. This allows them to monitor how strong your bones are. Femara is used in the following ways to treat advanced breast cancer: Femara has been found to be effective in treating advanced breast cancer. Risks of extended treatment to consider may include weakening of your bones or raised cholesterol levels. Be sure to always take the dosage of Femara thats prescribed by your doctor. See Femaras prescribing information for details. 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. Heres a list of some of the mild side effects that Femara can cause. Dont take more Femara than your doctor prescribes. What Types of Breast Cancer Have the Highest Recurrence Rates? * Its mainly used when infertility is caused by problems with ovulation (the release of eggs from your ovaries). Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if youre taking tamoxifen or any products that have estrogen in them. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs. For details about how side effects for these drugs compare, see the Arimidex vs. letrozole section of this article. What are the mild side effects of Femara? The half-life of Femara is about 2 days. For this use, youll take Femara for a few days after the start of your period. Its possible that any side effect of Femara may last throughout your treatment. Those that have been reported with Femara include: To learn more about each of these side effects, see Side effects explained below. What could happen if I become pregnant during my Femara treatment? Factors to consider include those in the list below. You can take your dose at any time of the day. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. For more information on the possible side effects of Femara, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They may recommend that you take Femara after youve had surgery to remove early breast cancer.With early breast cancer, the cancer hasnt spread beyond your breast or the lymph nodes in your armpit. For this use, youll usually take the drug for 5 years following surgery to remove the cancer. 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). Adjuvant treatment of breast cancer is treatment thats taken to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back after surgery. And some may be easily managed, too. Estrogen helps to keep your bones strong. Avoid driving and doing other tasks or actions that call for you to be alert until you see how this drug affects you. For more information about using Femara for infertility, see the section Off-label use of Femara for infertility above. * In this article, we use the term female to refer to someones sex assigned at birth. Pet and bone scans show no metastatic activity (again, so far) so fingers crossed it keeps working. If youre at a moderate weight, you may have fewer and less serious hot flashes. Plasma concentrations at steady state are 1.5 to 2 times higher than predicted from the concentrations measured after a single dose, indicating a slight non-linearity in the Its possible that you may continue to have side effects from Femara even after you stop taking it. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Femara can interact with some other medications. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can include swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet. Letrozole works by decreasing the amounts of these hormones in the body. Like other drugs, Femara can cause mild or serious side effects. If you think youve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor. To help make sure that you dont miss a dose, try setting a reminder on your phone. How long does letrozole stay in your system after you stop taking it? Some may be a better fit for you than others. Prophylactic mastectomy is surgery to remove breast tissue. If youd like to know about using Femara for this purpose, talk with your doctor. You can also call 800-222-1222 to reach the American Association of Poison Control Centers, or use its online resource. But 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). If youre interested in finding an alternative to Femara, talk with your doctor. International guidelines recommend letrozole (the active drug in Femara) as an effective treatment for infertility. Femara may cause fatigue (lack of energy) in some people. If you and your doctor determine that Femara is safe and effective for you, youll likely take it long term. Early-stage breast cancer that has been treated with tamoxifen citrate for at least 5 years. You shouldnt drive or operate machinery until you know how the drug will affect you. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. drug can stay in . Femara has been found effective for treating certain types of breast cancer. It works by lowering the amount of estrogen your body makes. This condition can become very painful and may lead to infertility in some people. Sometimes it might be used to treat breast cancer in men. To help make sure that you dont miss a dose, try setting a reminder on your phone. If you have questions about how Femara may affect your bone density, talk with your doctor. MNT is the registered trade mark of Healthline Media. Can breast cancer return while on letrozole? The usual dosage of Femara for breast cancer treatment is one tablet taken by mouth once each day. Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. But if you have liver problems, your doctor may recommend that you take the drug once every other day. Available for Android and iOS devices. If letrozole stops working and your breast cancer comes back, your specialist may prescribe another hormone drug. Liver problems. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil), may be effective for relieving headaches. Femara may be used off-label to treat infertility due to PCOS and other causes. Your body weight may change while youre taking Femara. Spotting may occur with Femara use. For information about the difference between sex and gender, see this article. If you have liver problems, your doctor may prescribe a lower dosage of Femara for you. Chemotherapy is a type of cancer drug. Call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction to Femara. This was common in clinical studies of the drug. improved overall survival. Your doctor will order blood tests to check your cholesterol levels before you begin taking Femara and during your treatment. Some people may have an allergic reaction to Femara. There are also some steps you can take to help strengthen your bones naturally. If youve had an allergic reaction to Femara or any of its ingredients, you shouldnt take Femara. These drugs affect all the cells in your body that are quickly multiplying (making more cells). Over the last week I have been feeling increasingly poorly, very lethargic and completely lacking in energy as I have just come back from a lovely week away there really shouldn't be any reason for how I am feeling and it just occurred to me that it could be related to stopping taking tamoxifen. Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. If you have questions or concerns about changes in your weight, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. High cholesterol. Below are lists of medications that can interact with Femara. Cancer cells usually increase in number more quickly than healthy cells. * For more information on this side effect, see the Side effect focus section below. Some people start taking letrozole after a few years of taking the hormone therapy drug tamoxifen . Femara tablets contain the active drug letrozole. Letrozole (Femara ) is a hormonal therapy drug used to treat breast cancer. But Arimidex does cause some additional side effects that dont occur with Femara. Swelling caused by Femara typically occurs in your arms, feet, hands, or legs. ChildrenUse and dose must be determined by your doctor. Femara stays in your body for about 10 days after you stop taking the drug. Prophylactic mastectomy is surgery to remove breast tissue. Femara isnt currently approved to treat infertility in females. But sometimes the drug is used off-label to treat infertility in females* with PCOS. Its used to treat the following types of cancer: Femara comes as a tablet you take by mouth once per day. They may be able to suggest ways may help improve your energy level during your treatment. This use of the drug is called ovulation induction. A medication timer may be useful, too. You may also be able to ease headaches by applying an ice pack or heating pad to your head. (With dependence, your body needs the drug in order to function like usual.) 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