I have been taking Letrozole for a year but I was struggling with joint pain and lack of sleep so my oncologist suggested a 6 week break before trying Anastrozole. Is it actually any better and is there one brand that people have found easier for side effects?
Hi @Pebbles51
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Hi Pebbles51
I have been taking Anastrazole since July I’m afraid the joint pain issue comes with anastrazole too, well it does for me. The different brands do tend to have different symptoms when I asked for a particular brand my local chemist said they can only give me what they can get 
Perhaps you may be different and find that you are ok on them. I have my fingers crossed for you. I would still rather have peace of mind by taking them than worry myself sick that I haven’t done all I can to help prevent a recurrence. Wishing you all the best, you’ve got this x
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That’s really interesting. I’m going to see if I can get hold of the oncologist. Thank you for telling us.
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Hi Pebbles51, I was on Anastrozle for abour 3 months and had some pretty awful side effects. Joint pain, nausea, hot flushes, diffuculty sleeping and low mood. I spoke to my Oncologist and she was really sympathetic.She recommended a 3 week break and a change to Tamoxifen. I’ve been taking it for a week now and so far so good just a couple of hot flushes. I hope your change works for you, Apparently it can take a bit of tweaking, we’re all different and react to medication differently. The important thing is don’t give up trying.
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Hello. I am currently on Letrozole and zoladax and been on these for 6 months. I am having a four week break from letrozole because my difficulty sleeping and waking in the night is debilitating. Two weeks and I’m still waking in the night so I’m thinking it may be the solid ax but I also might try to change tamoxifen only do you find Tamoxifen works better and helps with symptoms? I just don’t know what to do for the best either.
Hi Natalie, I’m starting Anastrozole in 2 weeks time after a 6 week break from Letrozole so I’ll keep you posted once I’ve been on them a little while. My joint pain is definitely better and I’m sleeping much better without Letrozole.
Hi I was on Tamoxifen and many side affects been on Anastrozole 1mg four months now I’m post menopause, a few headaches at first but now gone , I have asked for blood test full as read we should while taking it, they came back good and GP also booked bone density scan, but overall much better drug, and few friends on it had no symptoms.
Hopefully that helps you. Good Luck.
Thank you. Please keep me posted. Any advice welcome with all this medication! 
Good luck with it all too xx
Thank you. Yes please do. I am thinking it may be the zoladax but it’s hard to tell as I am half way through my break and only having 4 weeks off. I was thinking to try Tamoxofen without zoladax but I don’t know what the best things to do is
Hi
I had the same problem last year, I had been on Letrozole for a year with dreadful joint issues, I couldn’t even open the cap on a bottle of milk. My Oncologist suggested Anastrozole which I changed to within a month. Almost immediately I noticed the difference. I am almost 100% improved, very minimal joint pain now, however my sleep pattern has not changed, but to be fair I’ve not slept the same since I was diagnosed in January 2021.
I hope this helps
Best wishes
Janbabs
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I’m so glad the change of tablets has improved for you, I’m really hoping it works for me too.
The joint pain was horrendous and the weird dreams and constant waking at night was debilitating. Thankyou for your reply and I hope you continue to feel much better x
I started on letrozole following my surgery, in 2021, but the side effects were horrendous- I could only get up stairs one step at a time hanging onto the bannister,my knees and hips were so stiff and painful! I stayed with it for 18 months with a few short breaks then said I couldn’t take it any more. An understanding doc suggested Aromasin, which is exemestane, which has been so much less of a problem for me. I am 78 and told them that quality of life was better than quantity for me and I am taking it every other day. The day after a tablet I do have some tightness in my knee joints but nothing like before! My hair is thinner and my skin very dry and more wrinkled than before the cancer as I took hrt for over 30 years and had to stop- bam- after the diagnosis. Still struggling to control the BP and hypothyroid which have been messed up by the drugs- the problem is the onco looks at the cancer, the cardio looks at the BP the endo looks at the thyroid, and NO-one is looking at ME!