Knee pain & Letrozole

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1

Hello

I was diagnosed with BC in 2023. Tumour 19mm, IDC, ER & PR +, HER2-, Grade 3, 1 lymph node positive.

I’ve been experiencing knee pain (both knees) for a few months, mainly when walking/exercising. I contacted my GP, who arranged an X-ray. The results were normal:
“No evidence of a significant OA. No obvious focal bone lesion”
Would the X-ray have been able to detect bone mets?
I’ve been taking Letrozole for nearly 2 years…
I’m assuming this is the most likely cause and I’m overthinking.

Thank you

2

@alli1
Pretty sure that the xray was routine but if there was spread, it would have shown up so u can relax now. It’s bound to be the Letrozole-it can give u painful joints all over (so if it’s just your knees, that’s good)!! I’ve been on it for over a year now and my knees are bad-now my fingers are getting painful but only when I wake up then it’s eases. There’s not a lot u can do for your knees but I definitely think exercise helps. I’m managing to do Pilates, weights and Zumba every week but when I’ve sat down for length of time, I look about 100 when I try to walk lol.
My advise would be “keep moving”!!
Take care x

3

I (and others) have found that the brand of Letrozole makes a difference. It’s something to do with the different fillers companies use in their tablets. My knees are much better on either Accord or Amarox. My GP has now put these brands only on my prescription.

4

Hi Moobloo
That has reassured me, thank you.
Very similar to you with the aches and pains which are manageable. Like yourself I’m a big believer in exercising daily from Yoga, strength training etc etc. It helps so much.
Thank you for replying.
Take care x

5

Hi Linda
Thank you for the advice.
I’m currently on Accord. I think I will have a conversation with my GP, certainly worth exploring.
Take care x

6

Hello ali1

Thanks for your post asking if your knee pain could be caused by letrozole and if the Xray could detect bone mets. You’re certainly not overthinking things.

Joint aches and pains are a very common side effect of aromatase inhibitor (AI) drugs like letrozole. We hear from many women who experience these symptoms 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 changing to a different hormone therapy or are told by their treatment team to take a break to see if their symptoms improve.

As @Linda_D73 says, changing brands may also help improve side effects.

Symptoms usually do improve with time, but how long they takes to settle varies for each individual.

Regular pain relief and regular exercise, as @moobloo suggests, such as walking, yoga or swimming may help to relieve pain and joint stiffness for some people. It sounds like exercise has been helpful for you. Physiotherapy as you are doing can also be helpful in some cases. Others find that complementary therapies such as acupuncture can help.

It’s good to know that your Xray showed no abnormalities. However, it’s important you speak to your treatment team for clarification. They may wish to investigate further. They can also support you to manage the knee pain you have.

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