I have been on letrozole for a mere 10 days and have painful carpal tunnel syndrome in left hand already. Oncology registrar advised seeing my gp. I will be talking to my main oncologist (I hope it will be her) later in June as well.
My question is have others experienced this with letrozole and can it go away as your body adjusts to letrozole? Or am I stuck with it if I stick with letrozole?
I already have a wrist brace to manage the pain in the mornings. Am nervous about it happening to right hand too as my work and life are very “hands” oriented (editing, writing and art).
Dear @Kara, I am sorry to hear you are suffering with Carpal tunnel syndrome. I also developed this on Letrozole and was also directed to my GP. I stopped Letrozole after 11 months in October 2024. The carpal tunnel syndrome has never gone away. I too use a hand splint at night.
I recommend recording this side effect via the Yellow card scheme. The more times it is reported the higher up the list of side effects it will go and the more seriously it will be taken.
Wishing you well, love Tulip x
I am so sorry to hear this. Did they put you on a different hormone therapy, do you mind me asking?
@Tulip29 my (very basic) understanding is that there is a surgical option .. is this something available to you, since you’ve been off letrazole so long?
Hi @Kara , to answer your questions..as its was not my only side effect I chose to stay off the hormone therapy completely. The AI stimulated my pituitary gland to produce fsh which increased my gynae estrogen causing an existing fibroid to grow, a new fibroid to appear and an ovarian cyst to develop. My cholesterol rose and blood glucose control deteriorated. As a type 1 diabetic I had to consider the long term damage of type 1 diabetes v the risk of breast cancer recurrence. I couldn’t consider Tamoxifen with fibroids and was reluctant to risk exemestane due to the steroid carrier (steroid raises blood sugar). It was a hard decision but I had to prioritise actual ham v potential harm.
Re the Carpal tunnel it is not as painful as it used to be two years ago. Now the triangle between my thumb and first finger feels numb with occasional sensations like electric shocks. I also did the recommended had exercises initially which helped.
The hand exercises were included in a patient information leaflet published by East Sussex Healthcare NHS trust that I found online.
That sounds rough. Definitely sounds the right decision. The stuff we have to put ourselves through… sigh
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I’ve been on Letrozole for 2.5 years. I have been having sentitive Achilles tendons, mostly on one leg with occasional tendonitis symptoms. The referral to physio took a while, but I now see one and have daily exercises to follow. It’s not getting worse, but is not healed yet either.
Sorry to hear about your carpal tunnel syndrome situation. Defenitly report it as a side effect via the Yellow card scheme, and seek medical help. Wishing you all the best with the recovery.