Hello
I was previously on Letrazole following surgery and radiotherapy for stage 2 ER+ PR+ HER2-
After around a year I started experiencing significant fatigue and at the start of the year I was switched to Exemestane. Since switching I seem to struggling with sleep which generally wasn’t a problem with Letrazole. I took Letrazole at night and I’ve continued taking Exemestane at night but I wondered if there was any evidence that taking it e.g. in the morning could help with sleep.
Hello czeke,
Thank you for posting. Struggling to sleep is a common but unpleasant side effect of exemestane.
Although there is not any clear evidence, many women report that switching the time of day they take exemestane can help with side effects. As you are struggling to sleep you could try taking it in the morning to see if it helps. The most important thing is to make sure you take it at around the same time each day.
Exemestane is made by a number of different manufacturers. Some of the tablets may have different additional ingredients (for example preservatives). This does not change the effectiveness of the treatment. Some people find exemestane produced by one manufacturer seems to suit them better than another. You can discuss this with your pharmacist.
We have some information on trouble sleeping which you might find useful. The NHS have some useful resources on getting better sleep. Some women find that complementary therapies and relaxation techniques can be helpful. You may also be interested in our facebook live video on managing sleep difficulties.
If your sleep problems continue to be difficult for you or get worse as time goes on, and badly impact on your day-to-day life, it is important to talk to your breast cancer team or GP. They may suggest changing you to a different drug
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Best wishes,
Angela
Breast Care Nurse
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