Ladies,
Due to take my first Femera this Thursday. Had my first Herceptin last Wednesday and so far so good.
I was wondering if there is a best time of day to take tablet ie morning or evening??
Thanks
Anne x
Hi,
I was advised to take tamoxifen in the evening before bed and have done the same with femara. Just ha d afew headaches recently which others reported after the first 3 weeks so hoping they are short term. I also had this eye bleed which is almost at 14 days and still with me albeit smaller every day.At least the tablets are weeny and easy to swallow. They are also in short supply so make sure you have quite a few in hand still when you get the next prescription. My chemist said it is crazy, he has to fax a copy of my prescription to prove he has a patient before they will release the drugs!
Lily x
Hi
I’ve been on femara for 18 months and have always taken them as soon as I get up and have had no problems. Some people find it better to take them at night so I think it’s just trial and error. Whatever suits you.
As Lily said there is a problem with supply so do make sure you always have a good stock of tablets when renewing your prescription. Sometimes I’ve been phoning round the chemists trying to find one with stock.
Good luck. As I said, I’ve had no problems.
Malx
Lily, Mal,
Thanks for your replies, will take on board about making sure I get supplies, and prob try taking in morning first and see how it goes.
Anne x
The pharmacist at the hospital suggested I took it in the morning, which I did for the first few months. However, I find that low oestrogen makes me feel anxious and ‘jittery’, as someone else put it. I wondered whether I would be better taking it later in the day. I now take it with my evening meal and feel there is some improvement. It’s just trial and error.
Good luck.
Ann x
I too have just started to take Femara . Had two tablets so far and am ok so far , but reading your experiences realise that things could change .
I do hope not , it´s taken me ages to get around to the idea that I have to take it . Seemed to completely block my mind , no real idea why , except , I suppose i like to be in control of my life and somehow I got the idea that I would´nt be , the tablets would . Weird , I know , sometimes i really wonder what goeson in my head !! Other times I know …not a lot .
Kris
i started on Femara 3 weeks ago, my friend started on them 5 weeks ago, she was told to take calcium tablets with hers, does anyone else take calcium tablets with theirs?
I will ask the onc next week, but as yet not seen him, but via the surgeon they decided to put me on Femara, because of my large lymph node involvement, although my scans were all clear. But l had to have three ops, lumpectomy and aux clearance, then wider margin, then mx!
She on the other hand, due to other health problems cannot have chemo, and they are saying probably not radiotherapy, It has spread to her liver and spine, she doesn’t go back until 3 months, they said it takes that long to notice any changes!
Sandra x
Hi Sandra
When I finished active treatment I had a bone density scan before I started Femara. From the results of that I was prescribed a Calcium and vitamin D supplement to hopefully protect my bones. I am told that the scan will be repeated after 2 years
Andie
Hi,
well feeling ok and 2 headaches only so sorry if I might have worried anyone. No flushes or aches yet so will see how it goes. My onc has not mentioned calcium tablets but no osteoporosis in family and strong bones so don’t think I would be too high risk, well hope not. I am trialling femara until July then have to report back on how I get on so maybe he will mention them then. Always feel a bit dodgy about calcium as it was mentioned with my MIL’s kidney cancer as she had taken the tablets for years without any checks, she had osteoporosis but calcium levels went totally crazy. There is probably no connection but once a doc says something it sits in your head and I hate taking any tablets at all so doesn’t take anything to put me off.
Good luck with your femara and hope it is kind to you but most of all works
Lily x
Hi
I’ve been taking Femara for over 18 months with virtually no problems. Maybe a little stiff if I’ve been sitting at the PC for too long and fingers a little stiff in the morning, but other than that nothing.
My onc (at Christie’s) automatically prescribed calcium + vit D from day 1 and stressed their importance. Every time I see him he makes a point of asking if I’ve been taking them.I know that in the USA when taking Femara the girls are given bone density scans every year.
I must admit though I never forget to take Femara (well once) I do forget the calcium tablets sometimes as I don’t like to take them all at the same time.
Keep well.
Mal x
I did have a bone density scan , but nobody said anything about Vit D or calcium . I don´t suppose i would need the vitamin D as we have a lot of sun .
Anybody else taking these ?
Kris
When I started Femara, I asked my GP if I could take Calcium/D3 as my mum had problems with crumbling bones. My bone scan had shown normal for my age but I was a bit disappointed as I had been on HRT for years and had assumed they would be better than average - hence the request for calcium.
Ann x
Same here Ann02 , I thought my bone density would be right up there after 18 years on HRT .
On the other hand I do think to myself , "well what would they have been like if i had´nt been on HRT ", so you win some , you loose some .
I´ll ask my onc about that next time I see him .
Sorry Ann , you´re 04 not 02 ,whoops !