I’ve been on letrozole for 18 months. The joint pain although bad I can cope with, but with the difficulty the chemist has in getting letrozole I haven’t been able to stay on the one make. With having to take whichever he can get I’ve had 3 different brands. I’m now in such a mess with depression crying all the time struggling to get through the day. Fatigue I’ve always had but it’s now got that it’s a big effort to move getting up in the morning is getting later and later. Has anyone else had these problems and any tips for improving this dark place I’ve found myself in.
I’m sorry you are having tough time with this brand stock issue. I encountered the same concerns after starting Letrozole last year ‘25. My local chemist each prescription dispensed various brands and said it was a supply issue.
One brand of Letrozole in November ‘25 was just too much for me by week 4 to handle so I discussed with my oncology team. They let me know they were very aware of different brand and supply concerns. My consultant also advised me the different brand caking agents may give side effects versus the actual drug.
I have since negotiated with my GP to prescribe Letrozole 3 months in advance so that my local chemist has more time tracking the same brand down. It’s seems to be working since November ‘25 with continuity.
All the best
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Hello, I had trouble with all the side effects on Letrozole regardless of the brand. I changed to Exemestane. The joint pains improved, particularly my hands, and the vaginal soreness is so much better. On the whole I just feel more normal, I never felt ok on Letrozole. I remember thinking it was more likely to kill me than cancer!!
Maybe you could talk to your team about trying a different drug rather than focussing on the brand issue.
I hope you find a solution and can get back to being yourself x
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Hi, I started on Letrozole, but the joint pain was awful, so I was switched to Anastrozole. This was better, for a while, but then the joint pain flared up again, so I was moved onto Exemestane. I now have a bit of pain in my hands and feet, but I can cope with that, the exhaustion is horrible though. A few months ago, I moved to a pharmacy that delivers, and they sent me a different brand of Exemestane, which caused a lot of joint pain, so I switched back to my original pharmacy (in Asda), and it settled to a manageable level. It’s difficult to reconcile with the fact that these medications can help you live, but to what level? 6 years to go!! Hope you find something that suits xx
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Thank you I will contact my breast cancer nurse, to see if changing would be more beneficial. I’m not happy on letrozole I feel like an old woman with the joint issues. My main problem is the depression it’s got really bad. Thank you again for your advice
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Thank you after reading these replies I will contact my nurse about a change.
Thank you I think I will speak to my nurse and see about a change from letrozole. If not I will ask my GP about getting a 3 months supply.
Is the joint pain everywhere? My biggest concern with letrozole is the depression. I am very scared. X
Hello dee6,
Thank you for your post about coping with the changes in brands of letrozole. It sounds as if you are having a really difficult time with this.
For some women changing the brand of letrozole can have a big impact on the menopausal symptoms they experience such as joint pain, fatigue and mood changes. As @human.1926 007 suggests, if you have found a brand that suits you, getting a 3 monthly prescription could help.
Letrozole can affect your mood and feeling depressed, crying and struggling to get through the day can make you feel in a very dark place. It is important that you speak with your GP or treatment team about this as soon as you can so they can help you find ways to feel better especially as you mention feeling scared. This might include switching to a different type of aromatase inhibitor such as anastrozole or exemestane. As @laneycass and @jukat have experienced, this can sometimes make a real difference.
Your treatment team or GP can also refer you for some supportive therapies, such as, counselling, to help you find ways to manage how you are feeling. Sometimes certain complementary therapies can be of benefit too.
You would also be very welcome to call our helpline and talk to one of our nurses. They have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to additional support and information if necessary.
Fatigue is a common side effect of letrozole and one that can be difficult to cope with. Macmillan Cancer Support also have some good suggestions on how to manage this.
As you have experienced, the emotional impact of breast cancer and breast cancer treatment can be difficult, and you may find some of our free supportive services helpful to you. They include face to face and online courses and events.
Some women find that talking to someone who has had a similar experience can often be helpful. Our Someone Like Me service can match you with a trained volunteer who’s had a similar experience to you. You can be in touch with your volunteer by phone or email and they can share their personal experiences to help answer your questions, offer support and listen to how you are feeling.
You can ring the Someone Like Me team on 0800 138 6551 or email them at someone.likeme@breastcancernow.org, so they can then match you to your volunteer.
As suggested, do call our helpline if you would like to talk this through or have any further questions. The call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks.
Our number is 0808 800 6000. If you have hearing or speech difficulties dial 18001 followed by our number and the call will go through Relay UK. Our helpline has access to telephone interpreters if language translation is required.
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Best wishes,
Angela
Breast Care Nurse
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