Hello judpet. I'm so sorry you've had such side effects. I was lucky until maybe today when I have such a pain behind my eye I can hardly move it. Not sure if it is a side effect or something else.  As you say though, so long as the cancer is shrinking. My lumpectomy is early January. Were you told iyou might not have to have the operation if the tablets work? I wasn't told that. I would certainly consider not having the op if I thought there was a reasonable chance of just stayingon the tablets.   Thank you for your reply, best wishes

Hi Musiclady,

I'm sorry to hear about the bother behind your eye. If this continues, please visit your optician. I wasn't aware of eye problems being a side-effect of Letrozole until I got them. I had 2 catarract operations, then a third as they had tried to correct an astygmatism, but were 25% out in the way they put the lens in. Two years after this I was in bother with my eyes again. I virtually lost the sight in one eye and was fast losing it in the other. I had to stop driving for almost a year.

I then had laser operations on both eyes and, feel very humbled that I have got my sight back and, am able to drive again. If there is a problem with your eyesight, the sooner it is noticed, the better your chances of doing something about it. If your optician suspects anything untoward, they can refer you to the hospital.

There are a number of different factors which come into play when considering whether or not to have surgery. I suspect that the doctors may not want to put Judpet through surgery at 80. Age, medical history, patient's general health, along with grade and type of cancer will all be considered before a decision is reached for any patient. I worried about surgery too, but it was the easiest part of my cancer journey throughout the past 10 years.

I had a lumpectomy first. Then the following year, I had a double mastectomy. I took Tamoxifen first time around and then Letrozole for 6 years. I stopped taking this in July 2017.

Please let us know how you get on with your eyes.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hello musiclady I have just been to see my consultant and he told me after examining me that the tumour had shrunk and was nearly gone and to stay on letrozole for now and go back in three months so thankfully won’t need an operation hope this is of some help to you kind regards

Hi Judpet,

I just had to butt in to say how pleased I am to hear this. Did you mention your nausea when you saw your consultant?

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Yes I told him but he said best to keep on letrozole and not change it as it was doing it’s job and to go to my gp for something for the nausea he said it’s not a common side effect kind regards judpet 

Hi Judpet,

Your consultant has a point, but please discuss your nausea with your GP.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

I was on it for the first year then Consultant moved me onto Anastrozole & when I'd had enough of that after 3 yrs, kept coming off it, side effects that bad, was moved onto Tamoxifen & feeling a lot better on it, although different side effects which aren't as debilitating as the other drugs.

It was the joint aches & stiffness with both Letrozole & Anastrozole that made me a cripple after 4 yrs.  After about 4 months off them, on Tamoxifen, one morning I walked downstairs normally & suddenly realised the stiffness had gone.

If you're suffering ask to change.  I think the new one Exemestane seems better.

Just read your post how Letrozole is working for you.  Fantastic news.

Omg i can relate to you.i got a lumpectomy in june started letrozole then and im am getting simliar side affects.i cant cope my quality of life aswell i  non existent....s terrible.... im on dfs 118 for the pain .i get severe bone pain on my chest ....the sweats are killing me.if i walk a mile i get soaking....im on choline for the flusehes which has helped but the best thing iv had for the flusehes are the lady care magnet....omg they reduced my sweats / flushes 80% ...best £35 iv spent..... i realy sympathise with you.but if not tried the above then please try....

Omg i thufgt i was reading my letter.iv ben n it 6mth and can say i feel the very same ..every wordi am waiting on my bc nurse spking to my oncologist dr...no life....im only 54 with a loyal bf. The depression thas gps with ut too. My bc nurse called it the old womens drug i have been advsed to switch the time i take it but iv not tried that yet.if i feel all day what i feel all night then really no thanks.my lifes been turned upside in a year....good luck.