I can’t believe I’ve been put on yet another brand! I began last year on Dr reddys from hospital pharmacy. This was part of a trial with another drug. I got on brillantly for 14 weeks until trial was over. Then when trial was over I went on Manx which was ok. Headaches, hot flushes and aches but manageable. Then Sandoz that was good better than manx but very soon unavailable. So Accord next, more aches and hot flushes. But yesterday back to Dr reddys! I was happy about this based on past experience but the first tablet yesterday has left me with a horrible headache and drowsey feeling like I’m hungover ( chance would be a fine thing! Can’t tolerate alcohol now). So tonight I reluctantly take tablet number two. I ask the doctor each time to write it on my prescription to try to keep brand the same but he 'forgets ?
Sorry to rant. I know that letrozole is so necessary, but just wish it was simple!
Hi Nellie,
That sounds very frustrating. At your next appointment with your GP could you ask to watch while he updates the repeat prescription note to allow you to access the same brand each time?
Although not the same situation at all I have the same problem with my asthma medication and this eventually worked for me!
I hope you’re feeling ok with the side effects of the second dosage today.
Take care, Becca at Breast Cancer Care.
I have been on Letrozole for 4 1/2 months. Initially I was given the Accord brand and I was coping really well with few side effects. The last prescription was dispensed as Sterling and after just 2 tablets I was hit with extreme side effects! I was dizzy, nauseous, exhausted and so stiff and sore I could barely move! The nausea settled down but after 2 weeks I was shuffling around like a 90 year old (I’m 53) and struggling with basic things like tying shoe laces
I went and spoke to my pharmacist yesterday and he said this wasn’t unusual and was able to give me 14 days supply of Accord tablets as that was all he had in stock while he tries to track down some more. He said he can’t request a specific brand when ordering and that three of the manufacturers (including Accord) had recently been bought by another company and he doesn’t know what the situation will be going forward.
I was so excited to be able to hang my washing on the line today and can’t face the thought of going back to how I felt on the other tablets. I thought that a drug was a drug and never imagined that different brands could vary so much. If I had started on one that wasn’t good for me I wouldn’t have known that things could be so different. No wonder you hear of so many women giving up on it.