Has anyone else suffered a rash a few days in from taking Exemestane?
I tried Letrozole for 8 months, then Anastrozole for 8 months, but couldn’t cope with the severe joint pain & lack of mobility.
I had been so hopeful that changing to Exemestane would help, but instead, I have come up in severe, burning hives all over my body 
.
The lovely BCN nurse said to give it time, which I will.
How long did it last for any of you?
Hello
I’m not on Exemestane but I know a lot of people who are and I haven’t heard of anyone else having this reaction . It sounds as though you have a good relationship with your BCN which I have no wish to undermine but if this was me I would be quite concerned. If it’s no better on Monday I would be calling for advice and it might also be worth speaking to the Nurses on the helpline here as I’m sure they will have dealt with this before on 0808 800 6000 9am to 4pm .
Also think if there is a possibility that this could be related to anything else - new toiletries / washing powder / other new medication or an interaction between Exemestane and any other medication that you have been taking. I hope you get some improvement before Monday though . Xx
Thank you so much for your response.
It was actually a Nurse at the helpline that I spoke to (we don’t have allocated BCN Nurses at our trust). She says that apparently, itching is common when starting to take Exemestane, & that 1 in 10 women suffer from it.
She also thinks that as I have suffered such extreme inflammation reactions to each of the AIs so far, that I have a sensitivity to them. She said to give it time & hopefully my body will get used to the new drug.
I so hope this latest side effect settles soon - (I’m currently covered in Calamine lotion & the smell reminds me of when my children had chicken pox!).
The rash is definitely not down to washing powder/toiletries/drug interactions or similar, but is due to me starting Exemestane. Like you, I had been unaware of this particular side effect & I would love to hear from anyone else who had developed a rash too, & how long it lasted.
Wishing you all the best Xx
Hello, I also had a hives-like rash when I first started exemestane. I tried antihistamines and using an eczema skin care protocol but was still very itchy. My oncologist had me stop taking it for a month until the skin symptoms cleared up. I then restarted the drug and, although my skin is more sensitive than it used to be, I no longer have the rashes. I do continue to take a daily antihistamine as well.
In retrospect, I think my entire body was just overwhelmed, as I started ovarian suppression, exemestane and had radiotherapy all at the same time. It was a pretty brutal combination, and my immune system was also haywire after months of chemo beforehand.
Thank you so much for your reply @Briallen. It is very reassuring to hear that you have been in exactly the same situation.
A Breast Care nurse from my local trust has just rung & suggested that I stop taking Exemestane for 2 weeks whilst I try to get my GP to get the rash under control with a stronger antihistamine or steroids. To be honest, it seems pretty scary to feel unprotected for that time, but hopefully it will sort the rash & I’ll be able to go back onto Exemestane even if, like you, I have to take an antihistamine every day to counteract any skin effects. I would be happy with that.
I really appreciate your response & hope things are going well for you.
Xx
I am doing a lot better, have been on exemestane for over 16 months now. The side effects have become tolerable and I have found a lot of lifestyle changes that have helped along the way. I hope things get easier for you too 