User Reviews for Femara

I have been on Femara for 3 months. After taking Tamoxifen for approximately 2 years, which I could not tolerate any longer, my oncologist put me on the Femara. While my hot flashes have pretty much disappeared, the joint and bone pain I am suffering is unbearable. My elbows, hands, fingers, knees, ankles and feet are the worse. In the mornings I cannot get out of bed. I take thyroid medicine in the morning and cannot open the bottle. It takes about 20 minutes before I can close my fingers or bend my toes. Nighttime is also bad. After sitting for short periods I cannot get up. I have never felt better in my life except for the constant agonizing pain. I am a very active 49 year old but feel like I am 90. This pain gets worse every day. I can only imagine what it will be like in 3 more months. I I am seeing my oncologist this week and am going to tell him I am stopping this drug. I believe the quality of my life is more important that the quantity.

Very stiff arms and legs. Weight gain, very disoriented. Lately the side effects seem to be getting worse.

For the past two years I've used Femara with no side effects at all, and still cancer free for 5 years now.

I am 52 years old and I too feel older than I am. I already have problems getting out of bed and I suffered with Sarcoidosis which affect the organs and causes joint pain, sending me constantly to different Specialists. Now I am taking Femara and it's not only causing me more pain, but it's causing my hair to fall out or thinning! I also notice that my vision is impaired sometimes when I'm driving and I only drive when I have too, but sometimes I find myself trying hard to focus. This is scary! I am calling my Oncologist tomorrow morning first thing.

I was on Tamoxifen for 2 years following breast cancer and doing fine. My oncologist wanted to try Femara because it could be a little better. I was on it for about 3 months when I awoke in the middle of the night with horrible joint pain, It had been coming on slowly, but I thought it was carpel tunnel, maybe arthritis. Then I realized that my doctor had said that joint pain was a possible side effect of Femara. I was also gaining approximately 2 pounds a month! I have been off of it for a month now, but am still having pain. It is worse in the mornings and evenings. Trying to grip with my hands is very difficult some mornings. My doctor said it could take a few months to get this out of my system.

I am having tremors in hands and feet. Joint pain and general feeling of ill health. Cannot handle it.

I have been on Femara for 5 years and have not had any reaction. Very pleased with this medicine.

I am 46 yrs old, stage IV MBC to lungs, been on femara for 1.5 years. My tumors were 40% down after one year and I am about to do next ct-scan soon. My side effects are minor muscle pain (and possibly some anxiety but may be unrelated). I have simultaneously adopted vegan life style and do regular exercise (yoga and walking). I have so much energy I don't know what to do with it. I don't gain weight either, and my muscle pain is usually gone after a brief stretch or walk. I highly recommend vegan diet and exercise to those who want to minimize pain. Thanks all and good luck.

I'm 4 years status post breast CA and doing well... no recurrence for my Stage IIIA. I started taking tamoxifen, then my oncologist switched me to Femara. I do have frequent hot flashes ((whew!) and joint and bone pain that worsens with being tired. Overall, I am able to tolerate the medication, and my oncologist believes it is the treatment of choice for me. The side effects of being without estrogen are worse than the Femara side effects. I know the drug is working as having no estrogen produced results in atrophic vaginitis, decreased sex drive, and other female issues that are bothersome. But, in the big picture of life, it's a small price to pay to be, and hopefully stay, cancer free. I will continue to use Femara!

My main concern was the memory loss. I could tolerate the hot flashes, the "morning sickness" was undesired and difficult, but the memory loss is something I can't deal with.

I had many side effects- including, hot flashes, confusion, stomach problems, vaginal dryness, tired easily and bone weakening. On the bright side-I have had no recurrence and it is now 12 years since my diagnosis with lymph node involvement.