***OESTROGEN-REDUCING MEDICATIONS***

I started Anastrozole on the 1st Apriland so far so good. I did have a bit of heartburn in the evening so made sure I took them with food and that's now stopped. 

My hips are aching a bit but no more than when I was going through chemo, once I get moving I'm fine. Praying it stays the same.

So I've been taking Anastrozole for 28 days now and am starting my second pack. The first pack was Accord and the second one Teva. I did ask for Accord again but obviously my chemist didn't get the message. 

I know it's early days but so far, so good. My body does feel stiffer, particularly when I get up in the morning. I do find that walking, and exercising eases this.

Ive also had some quite nasty ulcers on the side of my tongue and have been using a mouthwash but not sure if this is a side effect or just because I'm maybe tired and run down. I maybe need something stronger if they don't ease. 

Im still not sleeping through the night, I wake up consistently at 1/2 am and I'm awake for an hour or so, I listen to podcasts or an audio book and do eventually fall back asleep. I've struggled with sleep since I stopped taking HRT last June so this isn't caused by the Anastrozole. I've been taking CBD oil but it's not really made any difference that I can tell. 

My mood is good, sex drive is non existent but my partner has been working away for the past 10 days so maybe when he comes home tomorrow that may change lol. 

I've also been slowly losing weight, lost half a stone since chemo ended in February, very slow to come off though. 

Interested to see what happens over the next couple of months as I understand that's when things may ramp up side effect wise.

I am about to start Letrozole any advice on best time of day to take it please ? Thank you hoping for not too many side effects  Also does it take time for these to show up? X

I take mine midday, no real reason other than I wanted to see if I noticed anything - I didn't. For me they are easy on the stomach, they did make me a little drowzy in the beginning but now I don't notice a thing. Good luck and don't worry 

I've been on Letrozole about eight months now.  I was advised to take mine at night as many women have found there are fewer side effects.  That also works for me in terms of a routine.

I see that Stuckinanightmare has suggested a different time.  I think it probably varies between individuals.

I started getting night sweats about six weeks in - to the extent that once I woke up in the small hours I wasn't getting back to sleep.  I spoke to my consultant who prescribed Venlafaxine which can reduce the menopausal side effects and has really helped (but I know that some women don't like that either).  I'm also using Replens vaginal moisturiser, which has made a big difference with vaginal dryness.

For me the worst thing has been joint pain in my hands (and occasionally my wrists).  It's worse in a morning - very stiff. The BCN suggested I take two paracetamol when I wake up, which I do on some days.  I find once I'm up and doing the pain is less, and sometimes I don't notice it at all.  

But see how you get on - you may find that you're ok.

Good luck!

After 2 years, I am now getting used to most side effects but pain in hands and wrists still fairly bad. I take paracetamol sometimes but mainly it wears off during the day. 

Keep going, you will get used to it!

I have been taking Letrozole for 3 months. Finding muscle ache from hips to knee but exercise and rub in with voltoral and not too bad.  I wonder though if anyone has had a bloated stomach.  My stomach wasnt flat but looking pregnant . I am eating healthy 

why are you thinking of changing to Tamoxifen I am age 75 next month

Hi, I was on Letrozole and had various joint problems but worse was that I put on 2 stones almost immediately. My middle in particular ballooned and I joked that following my double mastectomy, with no reconstruction it looked as if my boobs had dropped. I changed to exemestane but made little difference. The really annoying thing is being told if I lost weight this, this and this would all improve. I eat healthily (yes could cut out some things I suppose but I fit the healthy plate plus a glass of wine most nights) and I walk and do cardio most days unless joint pain is just too much. It affects my feet and ankles. I am 70.

I wasn't sure if I'd put on weight or not.  My diagnosis was about a year ago and the effects of lockdown, sitting at a desk for hours on end with little activity, had taken their toll.  I had to buy an emergency pair of dark trousers for a funeral at the beginning of November for a funeral, which is when I realised just how much weight I had put on (largely round my middle). 

I did the menopause weight loss challenge mid-January.  When I last weighed myself at the beginning of April I found I'd lost a stone in total - gradually, a few pounds each week, with some 'blips'.  I suspect I've put some of that back on again (a conference followed by a week in Cornwall), but it's made me think about what I'm eating.  I'm also walking more (or rather getting back to my previous levels of walking).  

I started doing Tai Chi (via my local Maggie's Centre) and took up Pilates again.  These have slipped - a good nudge to get myself back in gear.

The pain in my hands is the worst, now, I think - or at least the thing that I'm finding difficult to resolve.  But - if the medication is doing its work - it's a small price to pay to reduce my risk. I'm on Letrozole for ten years (I'm 56).

Diane

Yip same here ! Well iv stopped my meds for 12 weeks feel like my old self weight is goig down pain is going away .....but told I need to be on them.to keep the cancer away its arock and a hard place