Hello, I'm on anastrozole which is a similar med...I was told it can a couple of months for things to settle. What time of day do you take it? I was advised to take in the evening...

dont suffer in silence, you can switch to another and from what I've read anastrozole is tolerated pretty well.....

good luck xx

Dear Marlyn

Thank  you for your response. 

A couple of months feels like an intolerable wait to settle down on a drug. After four days I felt  dreadful and all my positivity vanished. I take this drug when I go to bed at night, but my morning cuppa, which was my favourite of the day,  tastes nasty. 

I spoke to the hospital today and they said wait a couple of weeks and then try it again. At least I have a reprieve over Christmas. I will try again and if I still feel so poorly on Letrozole, I will ask to try anastrozole. I really appreciate your advice. 

Good luck to you Marlyn. It’s a comfort not to feel so alone and to have the company of other ladies who are going through this. I hope that you are through the worst? 

All best wishes, Nikki xxx

ps I hope that you have a happy Christmas.xx

When I was given anastrozole the onco told me if the side effects were too awful to give it a couple of weeks break, then if things improved i could switch, but to be honest letrozole scares me more than anastrozole! And as my side effects settled I think it's best to stick with it...

im defo through the worse, got my first mammogram next month....eek!!!

at least you have a wee break, hope things improve for you....merry Christmas....and here's to a kind 2020 xx

Hi Nikki,

I have had 2 bouts of breast cancer in the past 10 years. I took Tamoxifen first time around, then changed on to Letrozole a year later. I took this for a further 6 years and stopped taking it in July 2017.  I had a number of side-effects with both. The emotional effects were worst with Tamoxifen, but the joint pain was worst with Letrozole. I certainly wasn't aware of any problems after taking only 4 tablets.

The tearfullness subsided when I changed to Letrozole. You may just be especially sensitive. I was advised to stick to the original brand of Letrozole and to take it at night. I was given Ondansetron for the nausea and still take that to this day. Enjoy your break over the holiday period and, contact the hospital again if you continue to have bother with it. There are a number of different drugs to choose from.

Please let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Dear Jolamine

thank you for your response. I was so sirr6 to hear that you have suffered a second breast cancer. That must have been devastating. I thought that the drugs were preventative and would prevent the cancer returning. 

Thank you for your advise.

i wish you a happy peaceful Christmas, and a healthy happy new year.

all my best wishes 

nikki

xxx

Hi there I have been taking Anastrazole since September. Have had some side effects of hot flushes and a few aches and pains. It's not too bad and easy to cope with.Also felt tired but that was probably due to the radiotherapy.

Hope your side effects wear off for you.

Love Mary xx

Hi Lostmyself,

Fortunately, my second cancer was another primary, which occurred a year after my lumpectomy. It was devastating at the time, as I had been told that all had been removed and, that my cancer was a rare, but slow growing type. A number of doctors have commented on this and said that it shouldn't have happened.

I expect that some drugs work better for some people than others. As soon as this second cancer was discovered, I was changed to Letrozole for 6 years. I then had a double mastectomy.  I am now 10 years down the line, so something has worked.

I hope that you have a lovely Christmas too and, here's hoping for a Healthy and Happy New Year for us All.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Happy Christmas Marlyn

I sincerely  hope that the results of your next mammogram are good. I imagine that it’s a difficult time waiting for the results. I hope that 2020 will be a much better year for you.

i have enjoyed Christmas and my grandchildren have just gone home. They brought much needed laughter to our home and I feel so much happier. I think Christmas time is possibly the worst time to be going through the early stages of breast cancer treatment. Although I sobbed my heart out right through the Christmas nativity service at church, it was a turning point because I knew that as I watched my four year old grand daughter being an angel, I want to see the one year old grand daughter that I was holding in my arms, be an angel in years to come, and if taking Letrozole will enable me to see them grow up, I will take it with more courage and resolve.

Marlyn, thank you for your supportive messages. I feel hope now, and that I’m finding myself again.

Wishing you good luck with your results, and a happy new year.

happy Christmas

xxxxx 

Dear Mary

thank you for your response. It’s encouraging to know that there are drugs out there that are not too daunting

i hope that you are recovering well, and wish you a happy, healthy Christmas that’s filled with laughter.

love Nikki x