Has anyone else come out in little red spots after taking Letrozole?
A rash appeared on my chest about 16 days after starting Letrozole (Accord brand), and has gradually spread upwards, downwards and sideways. My GP thought it was a heat rash, but I saw the Consultant Oncologist on Mon 18 June for a radiotherapy planning session and he was certain it was an allergic reaction to the drug. He’s taken me off Letrozole, and has told me to wait three weeks for it to leave my system and then start Anastrozole, for wich he gave me a prescription. (The pharmacy gave me TEVA brand.) He’s also prescribed antihistamine tablets.
I mentioned to the CO that both my GP and the Breast Care Nurse had informed me that different brands of the same drug have different side effects. The rash was the only side effect I had any difficulty with. He shrugged his shoulders and said it is down to the pharmacy to decide which brand of each drug they dispense, he is not allowed to specify any particular one, and it’s all down to cost.
Has anyone else had a similar allergic reaction?
Has anyone been able to compare Letrozole with Anastrozole?
While you’re waiting for replies on here, I just thought I’d let you know that one of our email volunteers called Julie had Anastrozole, followed by Letrozole. You’d be very welcome to email her to find out about her experience and to hear a comparison of them from her perspective: [julie@breastcancercare.org.uk](http://mailto: julie@breastcancercare.org.uk )
I have taken tamoxifen, Anastrozole, letrozole and now on exmestance over my years with bc. They all have their own side effects and it’s a bit of trial and error finding the best one that suits you.
The brand is the key too …some of the generic ones have terrible side effects …
I think looking back Anastrozole is slightly easier to tolerate than letrozole (which is used widely for secondaries ) .
I took anastrozole for almost six month. at about three months I had an itchy bump on my neck. a few weeks later I had some red itchy bumps grouped on my arm. a week after than on my leg. then three big hives on my neck. My oncologist took me off anastrozole by Teva for a week. Hives were all gone. Started it up again on a sunday and had a hive on my arm by tuesday. New oncologist moved me to letrozole by Accord. a week later and I have a hive on my should and a small grouping of hives on my shoulder. Not sure what will happen next.