I am taking several supplements to help deal with the joint pain/stiffness that is a side effect of femera. I take 3 fish oil capsules a day, 2 calcium, 3 glucosamine and chondroitin as well as antioxidants and apart from the first two weeks so far the joint pain, although present is minimal. The worst is my fingers. I cannot say for sure that this will work for you, just give it a try, and who knows.
Good morning Kit20
I just wonder how long it took for your side effects to appear after you started Femara. I have been on the medication for 4 weeks now and had no signs of any side effects so far.
Kindest regards
Alanaa x
Hi Alanaa,
I started Femara in October last year & side effects kicked in after about 3 months or so.
My main side effects are night time flushes ( increasing) & joint stiffness, legs & shoulders mainly.
I was advised to take glucosamine from the start along with Omega 3 but sadly didnt but have now bought some, i do wonder if things would be slightly easier if i had taken the advice when given.
Sarah.xx
Hi Alanaa,
I can back up what Sarah says about the side effects taking a while to kick in. I moved on to femara after tamoxifen, which had also given me joint pain. The immediate effect was great as all the tamoxifen aches disappeared and I was really pleased, but then after that lovely honeymoon period the aches came back. I too used glucosamine and chondroitin.
Best wishes to all,
Julie
Funny - I was told the SE’s would wear off - and that’s been my experience! Started Femara (Letrazole now) in September, and was really stiff after a few weeks, and joining the synchronised flushing (especially at night)… Now, however, my joints are fine and the flushes come and go, as they used to before… Sadly, alcohol makes them worse! (so sometimes I just put up with them!!!)
Jane
Hi Jane,
I was on Tamoxifen as am pre menopausal but unfortunately got a clot so was switched to letrazole with Zoladex, i think the flushes may be from Zoladex as it so quickly tossed me into “clinical” menopause 
I was lucky when on Tamoxifen as didnt have any se’s at all, am never quite sure what causes what now especially as every time i get letrazole its a different brand name.
Sarah.xx
Hi
I’ve been on Femara for over 3 years. Some side effects did show up after a few months(painful and stiff fingers, back and feet) but disappeared a few months later. Since then I’ve been just fine. No SE at all.
I have been on Femera (now Letrozole for 8 months and have aching joints, especially my knees,shoulders, hands and hips. I am now experiencing really hot flushes and night sweats. As anyone else been experiencing low moods since taking this medication.
I started Letrozole (Femara) in October last year and within 48 hours I had the most horrendous joint pains everywhere, ankles, knees, hips elbows, shoulders and fingers. I am taking Celaritis (similar to glucosamine) and I think things have eased a bit but I still have pain and creak and struggle to get vertical after sitting or lying a bit like a 100 year old woman!! I am also getting flushes but they too are manageable. I don’t feel depressed, although have noticed that I am more emotional, a soppy advert can make me weep at the drop of a hat!!
I am going to stick with it because I believe living with the effects of the drug are a better outcome than dealing with recurrance, which hopefully this drug is helping to keep away!
Hope this helps
Wandyx
Hi wandy
I am going to stick with the Letrozole too, it does help to know that I am not the only one experiencing these side effects.
Hi Browen,
You are not alone!! Good luck.
Wandyx
Ladies
I took letrozole for 18 months and was changed to anastrozole 6 months ago.
Letrozole gave me the most appalling flushes, and even worse - creeping brain fade!!! So the clinic changed me over, and SUCCESS - flushes very rare and more of a ‘glow’, brain now operates properly. Only SE is a bit of joint pain but as long as I stay mobile (walking the dogs every day!) it’s barely noticeable.
All the aromatase inhibitors do the same job in so far as they prevent recurrence, so asking your clinic for a change may well be helpful.
Apparently everyone reacts a bit differently to these drugs, it’s very individual.
hope this helps
Grumpy
My SE have not been too bad - trigger finger which has got a bit better. However it is early days, around 3 months and I am terrified of losing my hair. I know this is vain but along with weight gain, hairy face and losing a lump of breast, I feel defeminised, if that is a word. Lately, I could cry at the drop of a hat and lost the bread the other day and found it in the dishwasher, so my brain is collapsing. Hot weather and RADS do not help. arrrggg!
Hi Ladies. I have been on Letrozole since last Sept. I like a lot of you have aches and pains that I never had before, I also have really bad tendonitis in my heels, wrist & neck. Some days are worse than others. Consultant said I could go back to taking Tamoxifen but I have decided to stick with the Letrozole.I keep saying to myself that Im on a 5 year journey and need to stick with the meds until Im out the other side. Hope this is helpful to some of you.
Hi there. I’m really down about the side effects of letrozole. My doc has prescribes 2 months of anti inflammatory (naproxen ) and says the body will settle down an adjust. These help relieve the severe pain in feet and hands. The pain was so bad it made me cry. It felt like someone had dropped a slab of concrete on my feet.!!! The naproxen works fine but I don’t like the idea of taking a tab to relieve side effects of another and it doesn’t take the severe stiffness away. Does anyone know if this go away in time? Or does one have to live with it? Can cope with the hot flushes but stiffnes is a burden - I find I have to walk backwards down the stairs first thing in the morning. Trying hard not to be depressed and finding this site makes me relieved that I’m not alone. X
Hi Ladies
I have been on Letrozole now since December,1st Packet was ok,but then on 2nd, OMG i had severe joint pain especially in my knees and feet,got so bad i was walking with a permanent limp.I started to take 2 Glustomine,chondroitin and calcium tabs and 1 cod liver oil tab daily.I also started a yoga and pilates class.Now i don’t know whether my SEs have just settled down on there own…or taking the supplements…or stretching classes…but i now (Touch wood) only have slight stiffness.Hope this is helpfull x
It seems we are all different. My joint pain is as bad as ever…some days its appalling and I swim 1 kilometre x4 times a week, I dog walk for an hour every day and I try and do yoga, very gently and just stretching at the mo, (got a DVD) and have realised how very stiff I am!! Also taking Celaritis, wondering whether to take cod liver oil as well??..
Think I will just persist, cos I believe its doing me good,(in cancer terms) but I do feel quite down about it at times with the prospect of years ahead of this pain…I guess one blessing is that the flushing is not toooooo bad. I am very emotional tho and weep at everything!! Not sure if thats the drug,fatigue after just getting through the last year or depression because I feel like a mutilated bearded excuse for a woman!!
Hey ho!!..Nice to know we are not alone tho!
Wandyx
Hi Wandy,I flush awful throughout the night,don’t sleep too good,but never have since being diagnosed.
I too get very down,feel like iam drowning sometimes.I think everyone else is moving on,but probably feeling the same as me.
Iam not the woman i once was thats for sure…just need to find the new me…
Heather x
For me. The stiffness has died down and the flushes bearable. However, the lower eostrogen levels have caused by womb to prolapse, which I’m very fed up about. Not been able to get an appt yet, but I really don’t want another op and several more months off sick
GIjane,I had a prolapsed womb a year before i got diagnosed with bc,ended up having a hysterectomy.I can sympathise with you,Alot of back ache, very uncomfortable down below,never quite new when i wanted to pass urine,found sitting or standing too long very uncomfortable,they gave me a ring to insert at one stage,hated it with a passion.Poor you!!
Out of the two operations i found hysterectomy worse than having my breast off.But so worth it,felt so much better after.
After having 2 years of crap iam hoping this year is a good year for me.Heather x