I have been on letrozole for almost 3yrs. I am having a lot of muscle and joint pains. I do have arthritis in hands and knees but in the last couple of months I’m getting a lot more aches and pains. I am 72 so expect some problems but could lrtrozole be exacerbating my problems. Who do I talk to, my doctor (who is my main health provider or do I try and contact the cancer clinic at the hospital I had my treatment in?
Thank you for any advice. I do feel a bit isolated
@mnorm Oh please don’t feel isolated-that makes me so sad to hear. I would be picking up the phone to the breast clinic team in the first instance and asking for an appointment to discuss this. I sense GPs will defer you back to them in any case and tend to be hands off on anything related to our cancer once we’ve gone into the hospital for care. Please do let us know what happens & remember you deserve to have the conversation and to feel well in yourself xx
I am sorry you’re experiencing that; letrozole can cause joint and muscle pain, so it seems sense to be worried after taking it for years. To avoid having to handle things on your own, I would advise talking to your primary care physician first. They can also work with your cancer clinic if necessary.
Hi @Mnorm,
Thanks for your post asking who to speak to about the muscle and joint pains you are experiencing.
Joint aches and pains are a very common side effect of aromatase inhibitor (AI) drugs like Letrozole.
The cause of AI-related joint symptoms is not known for certain, but it is thought that they are linked to a fall in oestrogen levels.
We hear from many women who experience joint symptoms such as pain and stiffness, and have questions about this. Symptoms may affect the hands, arms, knees, feet, pelvic and hip bones, or back. They often affect daily life, and some people consider stopping their treatment early. So, as @adamparker and @whataloadof say it’s always important to talk to your treatment team or GP as soon as you can if you experience joint symptoms which have an effect your daily life.
Regular pain relief and regular exercise such as walking, yoga or swimming may help to relieve pain and joint stiffness for some people. Physiotherapy can be helpful in some cases and you can discuss this with your GP or treatment team who can refer you if appropriate. Others find that complementary therapies such as acupuncture can help. If you are overweight this can put extra pressure on your joints, so it may help to lose any excess weight. Our information about healthy eating after breast cancer may be useful.
You ask who to contact to talk to. As you’re still within your 5 year follow up at the hospital you can contact your breast care nurse or treatment team. Your GP may also be able to help, but your hospital team will be best placed to answer the questions you have.
If the pain is severe, your treatment team may ask you to stop taking Letrozole for a short period of time to see if your symptoms improve. This could also help them to understand if it was exacerbating the arthritis you have. You and your breast care team can then discuss your treatment options.
Your treatment team may suggest changing to a different aromatase inhibitor drug to see if that suits you better. If there is no improvement you may be recommended another hormone therapy, tamoxifen which has fewer joint-related side effects. Your treatment team will be able to talk to you about the benefits of doing this.
Our upcoming speaker live session on Understanding Hormone Treatments may be of interest.
We offer a range of free supportive services which you may be interested in and make you feel less isolated. They include face to face and online courses and events.
Do call our helpline if you would like to talk this through or have any further questions. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to additional support and information if necessary. Your 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.
If you would prefer one of our nurses to call you. Please complete this form ticking the box agreeing to a call back.
Our usual opening hours are Monday to Friday 9am - 4pm and 9am -1pm on Saturdays.
We are closed on English bank holidays.
Out of hours you can leave a message and we will call you back when we next open.
Best wishes,
Sonia
Breast Care Nurse
Please read the disclaimer Full details on how we collect and use your data can be found in our Privacy Policy
As we are unable to monitor for further replies, this thread will now be closed. If you have any additional questions or would like to provide feedback, please start a new thread, call our helpline, email us or request a call back.