First Post, hello everyone

What reasons do they give for saying No? If I remember right, evening primrose is about boosting intake of particular vitamins and fatty acids, so the only reason I would avoid would be if there was a contraindication with the medicine you are on.

Which pharmacist did you ask, oncology pharmacist or general pharmacist?

Have you been on any different brands I'm now finally on Accord on other brands like Cipla etc I had way more side effects

Did lots of research myself which all seemed to say that the epo helped boost oestrogen which is why it helps menopausal women whose oestrogen is falling naturally and needs that boost. Surely I dont want to take something that helps the very thing that the letrozole is supposed to be reducing. Asked my oncologist to tell me why he thought it was OK and he just changed the subject. That's whenI called macmillan, cancer research etc. Want help with side effects but not if it's doing harm. Help, why does it all have to be so awful? I really hoped that things would be easier once the treatment was done but I feel it's actually getting harder. Thanx for listening, x

I am on accord. Do brands really make a difference? Been offered anastrozole instead but wanted to give the letrozole a good go. If I could trust my oncologist I would go with the epo but I'm just not convinced. 

From what you are saying it does sound like a contraindication, but the only person I would fully trust on that would be the oncology pharmacist. Where I am, they are not easy to get hold of directly, but I was able to do so on two occasions, one through the nurses on the chemo ward, and once through my breast nurse. On both occasions that oncology pharmacists were very cooperative and gave me a lot of useful information as well as where to look online for what I was after. (On one of these occasion the pharmacist saved me a lot of frustration when she explained that the drug I was trying to find out about was so new that they have not yet had the time to gather the long terms data about it.)

I am not on any hormone related treatment, but I have seen many posts here on the forum where ladies stated that a change of brand made a world of difference, just as Irish said here. It may be worth considering, or even going with the other drug. I hope that such a change brings fast relief for you, but if the first change of brand or drug does not bring on the wanted result, ask to change again, until you find the one that does work for you.

Hi have you asked for venlafaxin I'm on this it helps with hot flushes lifts your mood.  was given this the first time 23yrs ago and now after having a mastectomy last Feb hope you get what you need x