***OESTROGEN-REDUCING MEDICATIONS***

This is very helpful.Thanks for sharing.

Hi everyone. I’ve just started letrozole and I’m so worried about hair loss and thinning.  I know it’s crazy as saving my life is far more important but I can’t stop worrying. Does anyone have an help or advice. Are there supplements to take to prevent this ?  Thanks x

Hey i have been  on Letrozole for a week, as ive had to change from Anstrozole as that was making my heart race...It may not make you loose your hair... i wouldnt worry about it.. I wont be worrying, think ive worried enough these last 4 months... 

Please try not to worry!  I worried so much about all the possible side effects about starting Anastrozole. I have never taken drugs of any kind apart from paracetamol.  Although I do drink alcohol  I agonised for weeks before finally taking them! In the end I thought well let’s try them and if I suffer side effects then I can try something else, I believe there are 3 different types, and if trying them all I can’t take them I will stop. Well here I am, after taking them since June this year, with different brands of anastrozole every time the chemist supplies them and I can honestly say I have not noticed one side effect! Yes my legs ache but I was already suffering that following chemo and herceptin treatment which I am still having every 3 weeks until November. Give it a try, and if it doesn’t work out try something else!  They are only offering it to try and help us !  Take care and good luck x

Thanks for replying.  It is really crazy that I feel this way   I think during initial diagnosis and then surgery I was just going with the flow and now I have time to reflect and it’s given me so much anxiety. I’ve read some real horror stories x

I take a few supplements now that I did not take before. For hair loss and the like I take Biotin. Another important one for me, as I don't want to suffer from thinning bones later in life, is Calcium.. Good luck, X

Hi yds,

Just wanted to say I'm sorry you are feeling so anxious but it is very understandable. Like you I was fine with the diagnosis and rapid progress of the op and recovery from that but then after a long wait for HER2 results to finally come back as negative I  was relieved to find I still might need chemo. So my anxiety levels began to climb again. I was told the results oykd be back in 2 weeks its now 4 weeks and I'm waiting for an appointment in 5 weeks to find out what my next step will be. I struggle with anxiety anyway but all this waiting and getting to targets to find the goalposts have moved isn't helping at all. I hate tali g medicines as when I tried anti deptessents the first few made my whole body feel like it was on fire. So like you I am dreading having to take latrazole. I am trying to tell myself to deal with one day at a time and only deal with facts, it is hard but at least its a plan I also do yoga on line and have a Calming track of music I listen to even when fine to learn to relax when I hear it.

There are horror stories out there but there are also people who have had few or no side effects try to wait and see how you feel and deal with 'actual' rather than 'what ifs' I know it's very hard but it's something to hang onto and it will get you through. We are all stronger than we think. Wishing you a smooth journey x

Wishing you a positive outcome. You are so right there are some horror stories and I read them all each step of my journey and non of them happened to me   Time to just breathe and believe in the outcome xx

Hi, how long after starting Letrozole would side effects kick in? Any ideas? Thanks 

• Hi irishgirl 16

coming up a year now since starting Letrozole. 
Side effects can start more or less straight away, if you get any at all. I had really bad menopausal symptoms. Lots of aches and pains. Was told by breast care nurse that body starts to get used to drug after about 9 months. She was right. I have very slight symptoms now although I’ve noticed lately that my hair is thinning somewhat. 
Try to keep on same brand of Letrozole and don’t be fobbed off. 
Take care and stick with it.