Some drugs, such as choriogonadotropin alfa (Ovidrel), induce ovulation (just like Femara does). So, chemotherapy can affect both healthy cells and cancer cells. * 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 drugs work by lowering estrogen levels in your body, which helps stop breast cancer from growing. Treatment will be taken over five consecutive days. If you have questions or concerns about these potential side effects, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. But studies comparing the two drugs have found slightly differing results. You may take Letrozole with or without food. Mild side effects of Femara can usually go away within a few days or a couple weeks. Can breast cancer return while on letrozole? And you shouldnt become pregnant or breastfeed for at least 3 weeks after your last dose of the drug. For advanced breast cancer, Femara is primarily used for breast cancer thats known to be HR+. If you have osteoporosis or risk factors* for developing this condition, talk with your doctor before starting Femara. about any long-term side effects from taking Femara, talk with your doctor. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident. You can also talk with your doctor or pharmacist to learn more. When Femara is used off-label to treat infertility, the drug doesnt increase the risk of birth defects or miscarriage. Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. What are the different types of breast cancer surgery? Femara is classified as an aromatase inhibitor. The types include: To learn more about these conditions and how Femara is used to treat them, see the What is Femara used for? section below. If you think youve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor. Femara is FDA-approved to treat advanced breast cancer thats hormone receptor-positive (HR+). Femara can cause mild or serious side effects. They can give you tips on how to deal with any side effects that may be bothersome. * For more information about this side effect, see the "Side effect focus" section below. If you think you could be pregnant or have pregnancy symptoms, tell your doctor before you start taking Femara. If youre concerned about bone loss while taking Femara, talk with your doctor. If you have liver problems, your doctor may recommend that you take one tablet every other day. What can I do to help prevent the aches and pains that Ive heard are a side effect of taking Femara? bone, muscle, or joint pain*. Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. Femara will start working soon after you start taking it. If you drink alcohol and youre concerned about how this might affect your condition, talk with your doctor. And they want you to get the best care possible. But if you have any symptoms that are ongoing or that bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can recommend some ways to manage this side effect. Dont take more Femara than your doctor prescribes. Be sure to always take Femara exactly as your doctor recommends. Early-stage breast cancer that has been treated with tamoxifen citrate for at least 5 years. If you have questions about the risks of Femara use in pregnancy, talk with your doctor. Then, you can share this information with your doctor. What are some frequently asked questions about Femara? In fact, aromatase inhibitors such as Femara are recommended in current guidelines for people with HR+ breast cancer. But its not known if drinking alcohol after youre diagnosed with breast cancer can make your cancer worse or more likely to come back after treatment. Your doctor may ask you to start taking the drug either on day 3 or day 5 of your menstrual cycle. For information about the difference between sex and gender, see this article. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as Femara to treat certain conditions. But serious side effects are more likely to last longer. Your doctor will explain how you should take Femara, such as how much to take and how often. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think youre having a medical emergency. What are the serious side effects of Femara? Available for Android and iOS devices. Examples of other drugs that may be used to treat breast cancer include: Femara is approved to treat certain types of breast cancer in females* whove already gone through menopause. . 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. Your body weight may change while youre taking Femara. * However, the drug may be used off-label for this purpose. Its a type of drug called an aromatase inhibitor. Swelling, another common side effect of Femara, can cause you to gain weight as your body holds on to water. Like most drugs, Femara may cause mild or serious side effects. Some people may experience mild or serious side effects during their Femara treatment. In some cases, your doctor may prescribe Femara after youve taken tamoxifen for your cancer for at least 5 years. (Off-label use is when a drug thats approved for one condition is used to treat another.) Learn. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Most side effects of Femara are mild. You should keep taking Femara for as long as your doctor recommends. This enzyme is the main way that your body makes estrogen after youve gone through menopause. Femara comes as 2.5-mg tablets that are taken by mouth. This is because if you havent gotten pregnant after six treatment cycles, its likely that this drug wont work for you. Before taking Femara, talk with your doctor about your health history. Femara is used off-label to treat infertility in females. But if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away. 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. So, dont be afraid to ask questions or offer feedback on your treatment. And let your doctor know if you have more questions about these medications. The FDA website provides several useful tips on medication disposal. However, this particular treatment approach isnt right for everyone. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. Femara isnt FDA-approved to treat infertility, but sometimes its used off-label for this purpose in females. 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. Note: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks side effects of drugs they have approved. So researchers wanted to know if taking an aromatase inhibitor for 10 years would offer more benefits than taking one for 5 years. When estrogen is blocked, the pituitary gland gets a message that it needs to produce follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which stimulates the ovary to produce an egg. This signals your pituitary gland to release hormones called follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. If youd like to know more about how Femara and Arimidex compare with each other, see this detailed breakdown. If you experience side effects that dont go way or interfere with your daily life, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. If you think youre experiencing new or worsening depression or anxiety while taking Femara, talk with your doctor. 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. Coming off letrozole. Some may be a better fit for you than others. Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. Melatonin and Breast Cancer: Is it Safe and Can it Help? If your bones become weak during treatment, your doctor may prescribe medication for you to help strengthen your bones. Stopping Femara treatment isnt known to cause side effects. By stopping aromatase from working, Femara lowers the amount of estrogen in your body. Femara has been found effective for treating certain types of breast cancer. Keep reading to learn more. (A drug class is a group of medications that work in a similar way.). Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. However, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk. What Types of Breast Cancer Have the Highest Recurrence Rates? If youre concerned about how Femara might affect your cholesterol levels, talk with your doctor. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects. But actual success rates of Femara for achieving pregnancy or having live births depend on many factors. Femara can stay in your system for several weeks after your last dose. No, Femara isnt a form of chemotherapy. Headaches were a common side effect in studies of Femara. If youre concerned about weight gain while taking Femara, talk with your doctor. This article explains how the foods you eat affect your estrogen levels and covers what dietary patterns are associated with elevated, as well as, Researchers say radiation treatments for breast cancer in women over the age of 65 do not appear to affect the rate of survival, The former Dancing with the Stars host shares how becoming her own advocate saved her life and why she's passionate about sharing the benefits of, New research suggests that melatonin may help lower the risk of breast cancer, slow the growth of breast cancer, and help make breast cancer. Clomid has been discontinued, but generic versions of clomiphene are still available. 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. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. For these women, infertility may be caused by problems with ovulation, or it may not have an obvious cause (called unexplained infertility). These types of therapies stop estrogen from encouraging breast cancer cells to grow. If your doctor confirms that you had a mild allergic reaction to Femara, theyll decide if you should continue taking it. Visit Medicine Assistance Tool to find programs that may help lower your cost of Femara. Medically reviewed by Carmen Fookes, BPharm. Femara and clomiphene are both used to induce (cause) ovulation in females* who are having trouble becoming pregnant. Femara may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. 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. But sometimes Femara is used off-label for other conditions. Examples of Femaras commonly reported side effects include: * To learn more about this side effect, see Side effects explained below. But this was not one of the most common side effects reported in studies of the drug. These cancers can be treated with hormone therapies that work by lowering estrogen levels in your body. Femara can stay in your system for several weeks after your last dose. Its important to discuss all of your concerns with your doctor. 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. Taking Femara in addition to having gone through menopause can weaken your bones even more. Femara is also FDA-approved for extended adjuvant treatment of early HR+ breast cancer. If you need financial support to pay for Femara, help is available. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you about any interactions these items may cause with Femara. And the drug doesnt need to be stopped gradually to prevent side effects from occurring. There's no way to completely predict or prevent breast cancer. If youre concerned about side effects you may experience when ending your Femara treatment, talk with your doctor. One thing that may help is trying to stay as active as possible. No, Femara isnt a chemotherapy drug. Find answers to some commonly asked questions about Femara. But sometimes the drug is used off-label in people with this condition. 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. It works by killing cells in your body that multiply quickly. Letrozole lowers the levels of the female sex hormone oestrogen in the body. They can suggest ways to help manage this side effect. 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