Letrozole side effects

So sorry to read that Letrozole has brought on these issues

From what I know - been on Letrozole Femara brand - and from visiting here for 18 months. The brand has a lot to do with many SEs. They could be physical aches and pains or emotional mental health ones. Though many oncos, GPS and nurses would argue the brand is not an issue, there are far tooooooo many women on here who would disagree . A major point is always that though the initial drug is the same what is added to create the tablet varies. It would seem that often these additives cause issues. Knowing what they are is helpful 

i would urge  you to go back to your team or GP and impress on them the negative effects the drug is having

Keep looking on here there have been dozens of discussions d

Take care

Leolady56

Dear ,

I have a couple of thoughts on all this, first please, please, remember 'it is very early days for you' - you and your body have gone thought so much, you have such a lot of healing to do, both physically and mentally. 

You have been thought such a lot, it could be a number of things, along with the side effects of having less oestrogen in the body.

So many of the events you have gone thought could be triggering the fatigue, the worry from the diagnosis, the worry and stress of the operation, the side effects from the radiotherapy, the side effects from the letrozole and of course how our bodies react to having less oestrogen.

Please don' t be too hard on yourself, like I say it is early days.  From what I have read, I believe the Accord is a very good make of letrozole (in the back of my mind, I believe this is one of the closest match to Femera, if not the same).  We have to remember some of the 'side effects' are actually how are bodies are behaving and feeling having less oestrogen in our bodies.  

At the moment, I seem to be loosing a lot of my hair, the same happened a few months after I started the tablets.  I don't know if this is a 'side effect' of the tablet or is it a side effect from my body having less oestrogen (like we see older ladies with thinning hair) - after all, this tablet is taking out the oestrogen - this would normally happen over years and years, so it is in a way ageing us a lot quicker. Therefore, I think it is good that we take supplements, a lot of the Fruit Loops on here take Glucosamine, Vitamin D suppliments, Calcium supplements, etc.

You could ask your Doctor to prescripe the Fermara brand and see how you get on, if your symptoms improve.  Plus, if you can spend half an hour on yourself, push yourself to go out for a walk for half an hour, this will help bother mentally and with your body physically.

Sending love and hugs xxx 

Thank you so much it helps to talk to others

Who have similar symptoms 

The fatigue is awful and hot sweats and hair falling out  but not yet had any joint pain so I should think myself lucky.

Hope the fatigue wears of soon though

Love kath x

Thank you so much it helps to talk to others

Who have similar symptoms 

The fatigue is awful and hot sweats and hair falling out  but not yet had any joint pain so I should think myself lucky.

Hope the fatigue wears of soon though

Love kath x

Okay, so I'm just throwing this out here......... arrghhh, can't believe I am going to type this.......

Has anyone started 'chewing their tongue'!!! 

A few months ago I noticed I was chewing/biting my tongue, this is something I have 'never' done before. It seems to be getting worse, I find I am holding my tongue at the side of my mouth between my teeth and sort of biting down on it.

I am really clutching at straws as to why I have started to do this.... I am thinking maybe stress related and then I thought, hmmm maybe, just maybe, could this be a side effect of letrozole, I don't really think it is, but, thought, hey I'll ask, you never know.

So there it is, I have put it out there.... or could anyone (politely) suggest any reasons behind this 

Thank you xxxx

Hiya WhatHappened

Don't know if this coincides with any change of meds or starting a muscle relaxant/sleeping tablet but mostly this is down to a few common reasons.

Grinding your teeth during the night.

Sleep Apnea  (tounge slipping between your teeth when your mouth is open)

False teeth becoming a looser fit.

Injury or anything that has caused the tongue to swell up, like If when you have bitten your tongue previously and it has swollen a little, this can make it occur more often ? until you break the cycle.

More uncommon = Night time mini seizures.

Perhaps you just get hungry and are too sleepy to get up and grab a biscuit 

Hopefully someone else must have had this and could offer more help ?

Hugs, G n' J

Hi , 

Thank you so much for your reply, I do value your input, always have, I feel you're like our medical directory, so I do appreciate this.

The only problem I have with all this is....  I'm doing it when I'm awake!!! arrghhhh. I'm not sure what goes on when I'm asleep, I've not noticed anything different, many years ago I was told I grind my teeth, but, this holding tongue between my teeth and biting on it 'is actually when I am awake' 

I've never done this before now, then out the blue a few weeks back I noticed I was doing this, it is like I am trying to bite/press/squash something out of my tongue if this makes sense.

I was clutching at straws thinking 'could it be a side effect' and I thought, well, if I don't ask I'll not know.

I've not changed medication, I've not got false teeth, I naughtily have a hand full of peanuts just before bed, I just don't know

I seem to start doing it without realising, as soon as I become aware I stop.... very strange 

I do hope some poor soul has had this too - sorry arrrghhh 

Lots of Love to you both xxxx 

Hiya WhatHappened

If this is happening as an involuntary movement while awake it could be what is termed Awake Bruxism ? as opposed to Sleep Bruxism.

This can become subconciously habit forming like when Gordon Brown used to drop his jaw lots when talking maybe ?

Just thinking aloud but maybe worth checking out online or better still your GP to see if it ties in with what's happening (see what I did there)  lol

Just found this -

Awake Bruxism: Jaw clenching and teeth grinding occurs when the person is awake. It is more common in women and is often associated with certain semi-voluntary oral activities like nail-biting, cheek-biting and tongue thrusting.

Hugs, G n' J

Gordon Brown used to tongue thrust too (don't know if he still does).

Marykate, I was terrified after reading about hair loss on letrazole. I had already lost all of mine with chemo. I bought Nioxin shampoo. I think it has worked. My hair has come back nice and thick. I intend staying on it. 

Originally got it from the cancer U.K. website but now just get it on Amazon.