Hi
I though I’d ask anyone out there who had been prescribed Letrazole - I had taken this for nearly four months - and experienced severe pain in my knees - start from all the other menopausal symptoms
I then had a an X-ray and was told mild osteo-arthritis in both knees
I can tell you that my pain went from 0 - 100 when I started taking Letrazole
I had a review with breast care team about five months after operation and I asked to have my aromatose inhibitor changed to Exemestane - which I have been taking for two and a half weeks
I’m not saying I feel like a new woman but the pain has eased off in my knees - although still aching body and night sweats etc
I was curious to find out if anyone else had experienced this xx
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I took Letrozole for 2 years and experienced worsening pain every day. Despite being a yogi, I struggled to exercise or practice yoga due to the discomfort. Since switching to exemestane, my pain has significantly decreased. Although I do experience insomnia with exemestane, physically, I feel much better. It’s been almost 3 years since the switch. My only concern is that Letrozole may be more effective in fighting cancer compared to exemestane.
I’m so glad to hear your pain has reduced. I’m hoping the same
The thought of taking Letrazole and putting up with the pain I was experiencing was just too much to bear
I’ve looked at studies and I think the three hormone therapy or should I say anti hormone therapy medications are supposed to be the same - although I’m not sure
Well I think I’m willing to take the risk and see how it goes
YES. I hated letrozole and call it the red demon. Life literally unbearable with the side effects so gave it up. However, only fair to add that a friend had only minimal problems so you have to try it to see how it affects you. Good luck.
I tolerated Letrozole for 18 months before the joint pain became unbearable, I also have mild osteoarthritis in my knees. I had a 6 week break and started Anastrozole, I also stopped this one after a few months due to side effects so I’m now taking Exemestane and so far so good. I think you have to do what’s right for you and it’s definitely trial and error with AIs. I’ve said I’ll stop all endocrine treatment if these tablets don’t work out as it only decreases my risk by about 3% anyway.
I haven’t had this experience but my friend who was diagnosed a few months after me came off Letrozole after a couple of months due to joint pain and went onto Exemestane . She isn’t symptom free but not as bad and has been taking it continually now for nearly 18 months . Xx
Yes it sounds like my story - although I only tolerated for around four months - no hint of any arthritis in my knees before I started to take it 
I’m keeping an open mind about side effects of Exemestane - so far they are tolerable - but I need to get bank to work and hopefully it will stay like this.
I have considered stopping it and I may decide to do this if knee pain comes back
It’s difficult - there’s like a positive and a negative - I sometimes get really frustrated when you get put on this medication and there is no monitoring - no blood tests - waiting a year on a bone scan - that was a rant but needed to
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Hi everyone - like many of you I have now come off Letrozole after just over a year. It’s been a strange one - I did have several side effects to start with which settled down for a few months and I felt relieved, thinking the treatment was not going to be too bad. Then they started up again, particularly the joint and muscle pain. My BCN gave me a two week ‘holiday’ from Letrozole and the joint pain definitely eased off. Now I have been on Exemestane for just over a week so it’s maybe too early to say. but I am experiencing severe anxiety symptoms - shaking, breathlessness, dizziness and nausea - and can’t decide whether it’s due to a shortage of eostrogen because of the medication, or for some other reason. I’m 85, was given a choice between lumpectomy or hormone treatment for small cancers in both breasts and chose the latter with full agreement of the consultant.
My main problem is the anxiety which is grim and not relieved by medication.