Femara Letrozole: Side Effects, Uses, Dosage, Interactions, Warnings

3DFS events defined as earliest of loco-regional recurrence, distant metastasis, contralateral breast cancer or death from any cause, and ignoring switches to letrozole in 60% of the placebo arm. Censored analysis censors follow-up at the date of selective crossover in 632 patients who crossed to letrozole or another aromatase inhibitor after the tamoxifen arms were unblinded in 2005. The primary endpoint of this trial was DFS (i.e., interval between randomization and earliest occurrence of a local, regional, or distant recurrence, or invasive contralateral breast cancer, or death from any cause). The secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), systemic disease-free survival (SDFS), invasive contralateral breast cancer, time to breast cancer recurrence (TBR) and time to distant metastasis (TDM).

A higher incidence was seen for tamoxifen regarding thromboembolic events (2.1% vs 3.6%),endometrial hyperplasia/cancer (0.3% vs 2.9%), and endometrial proliferation disorders (0.3% vs 1.8%) (Femara vstamoxifen respectively). Research shows letrozole is generally more effective than Clomid in people with PCOS-related infertility. However, for those with unexplained causes of infertility, there does not appear to be a difference in the effectiveness of these two medications. Similarly, the live birth rates are about the same between the two. Fortunately, modern medicine has given us many tools to help couples conceive, including medications. One of these treatments is a medication called letrozole, also known by its brand name, Femara.

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Letrozole tablets are indicated for the extended adjuvant treatment of early breast cancer in postmenopausal women, who have received 5 years of adjuvant tamoxifen therapy. Extended adjuvant treatment in postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer who have received 5 years of adjuvant tamoxifen therapy. Efficacy of letrozole as extended adjuvant therapy based on analysis of disease-free survival in patients receiving the drug for a median of 5 years.

So, check with your doctor about the dosage of letrozole for infertility that’s recommended for you. They can also answer other questions related to using this drug for infertility. But before starting any new medications, be sure to talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

• Letrozole is a type of hormone therapy called an aromatase inhibitor.
• This information from Lexicomp® explains what you need to know about this medication, including what it’s used for, how to take it, its side effects, and when to call your healthcare provider.
• Femara (letrozole) was not mutagenic in in vitro tests (Ames and E.coli bacterial tests) but was observed to be a potential clastogen inin vitro assays (CHO K1 and CCL 61 Chinese hamster ovary cells).
• Comparisons of the incidence of adverse reactions revealed no significant differences between the high and low doseFemara groups in either study.

Breast Cancer

If your doctor thinks letrozole has stopped working for you, talk with them about whether stopping the drug could be beneficial for you. Also, you can apply an ice pack or heat pad to your head to help ease the headache. Holding the ice pack or heating pad on your head for about 10 minutes a few times a day when you’re having a headache is recommended. You may also experience weight gain with letrozole if you have swelling, which is another possible side effect of the drug. Swelling from letrozole usually occurs in your arms, feet, hands, or legs. In fact, this was a common side effect in studies of letrozole.

To help ease the pain, you can likely take over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). But check with your doctor before taking any medications with letrozole. If you want to know more about the different treatment options for infertility, talk with your doctor. Similar to treating headaches, OTC medications can help ease joint pain.

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You shouldn’t take letrozole while you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. You should also avoid becoming pregnant or breastfeeding for at least 3 weeks after your last dose of the drug. Letrozole may be used with other therapies in your breast cancer treatment plan. Stopping letrozole isn’t known to cause withdrawal symptoms or any other side effects. But be sure to talk with your doctor before stopping this drug. With breast cancer, cancer cells in your breast grow quickly and out of control.

Other studies Testo Depot (Testosterone Enanthate) 250 mg Omega Meds suggest that compared to women who took Clomid, women who took letrozole had higher rates of ovulation, pregnancy, and live birth. Letrozole is also an option for people who experience Clomid resistance. Clomid, or clomiphene citrate, is another common oral medication used for infertility.