FEMARA / SIDE EFFECTS

Femara is used for the treatment of certain types of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. The medicine works by blocking the action of estrogen receptors in the body, which lowers the production of this hormone and helps decrease the cancer's growth.

SOUNDS GOOD IN theory but when put into practice it comes with a lot of luggage....SIDE/EFFECTS

There have been studies in the United States of America ....BUT looking at the American breast cancer forum boards they tell a very different story.

Femara has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials, in which a group of people taking the drug have side effects documented.

 This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur and how often they appear.

In these studies, the most common Femara side effects included:

• Hot flashes -- in up to 33.7 percent of women
• Fatigue or weakness -- up to 33.6 percent
• Increased sweating -- up to 24.2 percent
• Joint pain or arthritis -- up to 22 percent
• Headaches -- up to 20.1 percent
• Swelling or water weight gain -- up to 18.4 percent
• Back pain -- up to 18 percent
• Nausea -- up to 17 percent
• High cholesterol -- up to 15.6 percent (see Femara and High Cholesterol).
  

Some other common side effects (occurring in 2 to 15 percent of people) included:

• Dizziness
• Night sweats
• Cough
• Constipation
• Weight loss
• Weight gain (see Femara and Weight Gain)
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Insomnia (see Femara and Insomnia)
• Breast pain
• Muscle pain
• The flu
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs or bladder infections)
• Broken bones
• Vaginal dryness or irritation
• Loss of appetite
• Indigestion or heartburn
• Drowsiness.

I have tried FEMARA...twice now on two seperate occasions, the results were the same  DEPRESSION, JOINT PAIN,  CONSTANT HEADACHES, HOT FLASHES.....joint pain like I have never known, burning ,as though my entire skeleton were on fire, my fingers became sticks I could not remove the toothpaste cap from its tube ....my feet, I felt as though I was walking on hot coals.

SOON, when I finish chemotherapy my Oncologist and I are going to have to have a long talk, because if I wish to survive I must take this drug or something very similar once more for the next five years. BUT what kind of life will this be for me ?   Of course the choice will be mine, live in the SHADOW of cancer or become a cripple to have an extra few years....This for me will be a very hard pill to swallow.......