Hi I am 51. I finished chemo 11 weeks ago and had a masectomy andxrecon 8 weeks ago. I stared letrozole 12 days ago but by he end of day 4 my knees were so painful i coild barely walk. I had done a 5k jog and walk so thought it was that but i had done the same the week before and had been fine. The only difference this time was that i had started letrozole 3 days before!
But 3 days later, after only taking letrozole for 7 days, the pain was so much worse. I cant wear jeans my knees are so painful! I went to my gp and cried. She told me to stop taking the letrozole so i did for 3 days to see if things improved but they havent. My onc and bcn both said keep taking it.
I took one yesterday and i am keeping the pain controlled with alternating painkillers. This morning i feel rough with my knees, legs and ankles being really painful. I really dont want to take it anymore!
I feel I’ve done the chemo, I’ve dine the masectomy and now the hormone treatment has absolutely floored me after just one week!
Mate I am so sorry to hear how you are suffering, you have been through so much already to get to this point.
I dont know if this will help but when I was diagnosed, because I have osteoporosis in my spine my oncologist put me on Tamoxifen even though I have gone through the menopause, because it is kinder on the bones. I wonder if it would be possible for you to go on that instead or if you particularly need to be on letrozole, might be worth asking teh question?
Hi Helena and thank you again for being here. I was chatting to another lady who is stsyong on tamox8fen so was think8ng of asking could i swap. I think my onc will say i have to give letrozole a chance though.
Sorry to hear that you have been hit by another problem. It’s easy for the oncologist to say give it a chance, they’re not the ones in pain! Hope you can find a solution xx
Thanks Chaffinch. Just keeping active and keeping painkillers topped up. I am also taking the tablets around 6pm to see if that makes any difference xx
Hi Judeworth, sorry to hear you are having such a tough time. 2 weeks on and my knees are much better. I read on here about high5zero tabs which you make into a sports drink. I am putting 2 in water each day amd things have improved. Whether it is the high5zero or just my body getting used to the letrozole i dont know!
I am tired but apart from thst feeling quite ok now xx