As a type of hormone therapy, Femara works by lowering estrogen levels in your body. For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works. For more information about this use of Femara, see the section Off-label use of Femara for infertility below. Avoid storing this medication in areas where it could get damp or wet, such as in bathrooms. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 5 Feb 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 22 Feb 2023), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2023) and others. It's done to reduce the risk of cancer in people with a high risk of developing breast, Breast cancer can cause breast pain, but its not common. In all of these cases, Femara is used to treat infertility by inducing (causing) ovulation. . Breast cancer develops when cells in your breast tissue start to grow and multiply more quickly than usual. Stopping Femara isnt known to cause any withdrawal symptoms. They may want to prescribe medication to help protect your bones during your Femara treatment. See Femaras prescribing information for details. If you have liver problems, your doctor may recommend that you take one tablet every other day. What should I know about Femara vs. Arimidex? You can take Femara with or without food. Femara belongs to a group of drugs called aromatase inhibitors. For more information about using Femara to treat infertility, see the section Off-label use of Femara for infertility above. Its a hormone therapy for breast cancer. Cancer cells multiply quickly, but some healthy cells in your body also multiply quickly. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. If you have more questions about how Femara and clomiphene are alike and different, talk with your doctor. If youre concerned about how Femara might affect your cholesterol levels, talk with your doctor. Costs of prescription drugs can vary depending on many factors. Femara isnt currently approved to treat infertility in females. When talking with your doctor, you may want to ask the following questions: To learn more about breast cancer and its treatment options, sign up for Healthlines breast cancer newsletter. Limiting alcohol, caffeine, and spicy foods. Breast lumps and visual changes to the breasts or nipples are more frequent signs of breast, Aggressive, hard-to-treat breast cancer types such as inflammatory breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancer are the most likely to recur. They may be able to suggest ways may help improve your energy level during your treatment. November 24, 2017. Note: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks side effects of drugs they have approved. And this medication doesnt need to be stopped gradually. 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. Symptoms can be mild or serious and can include: If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. You can also ask your pharmacist for information on how to dispose of your medication. Learn how CBCs are used in the treatment of breast cancer. Femara is a kind of hormone therapy. If youre concerned about side effects from stopping Femara treatment after 5 years, talk with your doctor. Its possible that you may continue to have side effects from Femara even after you stop taking it. Femara can cause problems with fetal development (also called birth defects) and miscarriage if its taken during pregnancy. Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. Some people may have an allergic reaction to Femara. Mild side effects of Femara that have been reported include: Mild side effects of many drugs may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. Hot flashes. Although theyre not common side effects, in some cases, Femara can cause anxiety or depression. Using more than this can lead to serious side effects. Be sure to follow your doctors instructions. Like most drugs, Femara can cause an allergic reaction in some people. (Letrozole is the active drug in Femara.) Serious side effects from Femara arent common, but they can occur. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care. Your doctor may prescribe Femara along with other breast cancer treatments. Another 2019 review of studies found Femara and clomiphene to be similarly effective in treating unexplained infertility. But if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away. If you have questions about taking Femara with other drugs, talk with your doctor. If youre taking Femara, your doctor may want to measure your bone mineral density. The current stance of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is to avoid using expired medications. The following drugs should not be used while youre taking Femara: There arent any herbs or supplements that have been specifically reported to interact with Femara. If letrozole stops working and your breast cancer comes back, your specialist may prescribe another hormone drug. Off-label drug use is when a drug thats approved for one use is used for a different one thats not approved. If you experienced side effects while taking Femara, those side effects may not go away for a few weeks after your last dose. Your bones rely on estrogen to keep them strong. Femara comes as tablets that are taken by mouth. International guidelines recommend letrozole (the active drug in Femara) as an effective treatment for infertility. How long side effects last can vary from person to person. The half-life is the amount of time it takes for the drug level in your body to decrease by half. These include: Youre more likely to have success with Femara treatment for infertility if your body isnt already ovulating. If youre concerned about weight gain while taking Femara, talk with your doctor. Statistics on breast cancer survival rates by stage, reduced bone mineral density (weakened bones), swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet, swelling of your tongue, mouth, or throat, whether youre using Femara with other fertility treatments, spotting (light vaginal bleeding between periods), rarely, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which occurs when more eggs than usual develop in your ovaries, the condition youre taking Femara to treat. Below are brief descriptions of each type of breast cancer Femara is used to treat: Before taking Femara, its important to talk with your doctor about your overall health and other medical conditions you have. If you have questions about Femaras success rate in treating cancer, talk with your doctor. Stopping Femara treatment isnt known to cause side effects. To find out how effective Femara was for infertility in clinical studies, see the drugs prescribing information. If you no longer need to take Femara and have leftover medication, its important to dispose of it safely. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think youre having a medical emergency. And the drug doesnt need to be stopped gradually to prevent side effects from occurring. What could happen if I become pregnant during my Femara treatment? Heres a list of some of the mild side effects that Femara can cause. improved overall survival. How does Arimidex work? (Day 1 of your menstrual cycle is the first day of your period.) They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you. Lumpectomy and mastectomy are different types of cancer surgery that remove cancer cells from the breast. How to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer: 10 Lifestyle Recommendations, Symptoms of Late Stage Metastatic Breast Cancer, What to Know and Consider Before Having Prophylactic Mastectomy. This stops estrogen from being able to stimulate breast cancer cells to grow and multiply. Always check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any herbs or supplement products while youre taking Femara. For these women, infertility may be caused by problems with ovulation, or it may not have an obvious cause (called unexplained infertility). Women with hormone-sensitive breast cancer face years of adjuvant . your doctor may . This means that chemotherapy can affect both cancer cells and healthy cells. Call your doctor if you think youve taken too much Femara. They can also suggest ways to help reduce side effects. What are the different types of breast cancer surgery? Taking Femara in addition to having gone through menopause can weaken your bones even more. Breast Cancer Treatment: Why Some Older Patients May Not Need Radiation, TV Host Samantha Harris Says her Breast Cancer Was Misdiagnosed for Months. If you have questions about whether its safe for you to drive or operate machinery during your treatment, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. For information about the difference between sex and gender, see this article. If you need financial support to pay for Femara, help is available. Femara tablets should be stored at room temperature (77F/25C) in a tightly sealed container. 2004-2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK, a Red Ventures Company. They may be able to suggest ways to help manage this side effect. Both cancer and cancer treatments can often cause changes in appetite and body weight. If you have breast cancer, your doctor might prescribe Femara for you. These and other important considerations are discussed in more detail below. How to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer: 10 Lifestyle Recommendations, Symptoms of Late Stage Metastatic Breast Cancer, What to Know and Consider Before Having Prophylactic Mastectomy. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think youre having a medical emergency. * Risk factors for osteoporosis include a family history of the condition, low physical activity, smoking, drinking alcohol, and a diet low in calcium and vitamin D. It should be safe to drink alcohol during your Femara treatment. The recommended length of time that letrozole is taken for will depend on your individual situation. And because Femara also lowers your estrogen level, the drug can add to this effect. Before you take Femara, tell your doctor if you have any liver problems, including cirrhosis. Letrozole is a pill, taken by mouth. Is the ketogenic diet right for autoimmune conditions? Femara is used off-label to treat infertility in females. And let your doctor know if you have more questions about these medications. For this use, youll usually take Femara for 5 years after youve already taken tamoxifen for 5 years following surgery to remove the cancer. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. Your doctor may ask you to start taking the drug either on day 3 or day 5 of your menstrual cycle. Many drugs are available to treat infertility. During clinical studies, both weight gain and weight loss were reported in people who took Femara for breast cancer treatment. This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug. Factors to consider include those in the list below. Chemotherapy is a type of cancer drug. When you get Femara from the pharmacy, the pharmacist will add an expiration date to the label on the bottle. Femara has been found to be effective in treating early breast cancer. * An allergic reaction is possible after taking Femara. Your side effect notes can include things such as: Keeping notes and sharing them with your doctor will help them learn more about how the drug affects you. Learn more. Symptoms of a mild allergic reaction can include: A more severe allergic reaction is rare but possible. Letrozole works by decreasing the amounts of these hormones in the body. Cancer cells usually increase in number more quickly than healthy cells. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. If you have osteoporosis or risk factors* for developing this condition, talk with your doctor before starting Femara. However, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. If you have serious side effects from Femara, call your doctor right away. If you and your doctor determine that Femara is safe and effective for you, youll likely take it long term. Over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil), may be effective for relieving headaches. Hormone therapies stop estrogen from encouraging breast cancer cells to grow. Femara comes as tablets that you take by mouth. When you stop taking letrozole, most persistent side effects should improve within a week or 10 days, and as long as you have taken it for at least 5 years, then letrozole should continue to reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back for many years after you stop taking it. The usual dosage of Femara for inducing ovulation is 2.5 mg taken by mouth once daily for 5 days. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. 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 youd like to know about using Femara for these purposes, talk with your doctor. If you have questions or concerns about these potential side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You actually will have a decrease in the effects of the Femara (letrozole) which are joint pain, hot flashes, fatigue and generalized dryness. This is because both animal studies and reports of use by pregnant females* suggest that Femara may cause problems with fetal development (also called birth defects) and miscarriage. To find out how often these side effects occurred in clinical studies, see the drugs prescribing information. Spotting may occur with Femara use. Femara may cause hair loss in some people. Prophylactic mastectomy is surgery to remove breast tissue. If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Generally it takes four to five half-lives for a drug to be eliminated from the body, so in the case of Arimidex this would be 150 to 300 hours, or six to 12 days. Letrozole only works in women who have had their menopause. If you would like to report to the FDA a side effect youve had with Femara, you can do so through MedWatch. Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. What Types of Breast Cancer Have the Highest Recurrence Rates? Phytoestrogens are supplements made from plants. Femara, which works by lowering your estrogen level, is prescribed for females* whove gone through menopause. If you have a certain type of breast cancer, your doctor might suggest Femara (letrozole) as a treatment option. They can recommend healthy ways for you to manage your weight. reduces the risk of a new breast cancer . But if you have any symptoms that are ongoing or that bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. You should take Letrozole at about the same time each day. Femara is used off-label for this purpose. If you find the side effects ease within the two weeks they may try you on Anastrozole or even Exemstane. So, dont be afraid to ask questions or offer feedback on your treatment. Read on to learn how to take Femara, what its uses and side effects are, and more. Serious side effects of Femara that have been reported include: Learn more about some of the side effects Femara may cause. In certain situations, if Femara has stopped working for you, your doctor might ask you to stop taking the drug in order to cause a withdrawal response. This response is a hormonal shift thats caused by stopping Femara. Medically reviewed by Carmen Fookes, BPharm. At that point, the aromatase enzyme is the main pathway that your body uses to make estrogen. And there are other drugs used to treat infertility that do other things in your body. Studies conducted by maxillofacial surgeons have shown that most of the free-flowing chemical in the bloodstream is eliminated in approximately three to four months. How many cycles of letrozole are needed to get pregnant? When is the best time of day to take letrozole? And dont stop taking Femara unless your doctor recommends it. Those that have been reported with Femara include: To learn more about each of these side effects, see Side effects explained below. The growth of many cancers of the breast is stimulated or maintained by estrogens. You can do this for about 10 minutes a few times each day. Femara tablets contain the active drug letrozole. PCOS is a condition that causes hormone problems, irregular or skipped periods, and cysts on your ovaries. Some people whove taken Femara have also benefited from complementary treatments, such as acupuncture and massage. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. The drugs work by lowering estrogen levels in your body, which helps stop breast cancer from growing. In fact, aromatase inhibitors such as Femara are recommended in current guidelines for people with HR+ breast cancer. Sometimes it might be used to treat breast cancer in men. If so, this article on breast cancer treatment options may be helpful for you. Pet and bone scans show no metastatic activity (again, so far) so fingers crossed it keeps working. But try to take it around the same time on each of the 5 days that youre taking the drug. Serious side effects are possible from taking Femara. They work by lowering estrogen levels within your body, which helps stop the growth of breast cancer. You can also visit the Femara manufacturers website to see if there are support options. 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